Is there anything we can do here?

[Adam&Allison 128]

Another post about this topic so I apologize in advance, but is there anything we can do here - there must be SOMETHING we can, all of us who have been waiting almost a year, in some cases over a year, for Adjustment of Status when filers from 2018 are getting their cases turned around in less than 100 days. I haven't seen very many people from 2017 get an interview over the past month however dozens from 2018 have. 

 

There has to be something we can do here. 

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

10 minutes ago, Adam&Allison said:

Another post about this topic so I apologize in advance, but is there anything we can do here - there must be SOMETHING we can, all of us who have been waiting almost a year, in some cases over a year, for Adjustment of Status when filers from 2018 are getting their cases turned around in less than 100 days. I haven't seen very many people from 2017 get an interview over the past month however dozens from 2018 have. 

 

There has to be something we can do here. 

The only thing you can do is try to get a Infopass appointment to see where your case is.

[Hypnos 6,576]

1) Involve one of your congressional representatives. 

 

2) Ask the CIS Ombudsman for help. 

 

3) File a writ of mandamus. 

[Adam&Allison 128]

1 minute ago, cyberfx1024 said:

The only thing you can do is try to get a Infopass appointment to see where your case is.

 

Yeah we had an Infopass last week - the woman I got was pretty helpful. She said my case was at the NBC, had contacted Philadelphia for an interview date.

 

My problem though is that USCIS are flat out denying that any 2018 filers are getting interviews. As long as they keep denying that, and it keeps happening, my case will go nowhere. There hasn't been a 2017 filer scheduled for an interview in Philadelphia for months according to VJ timelines, but there have been 6 or 7 from 2018 alone. 

2 minutes ago, Hypnos said:

1) Involve one of your congressional representatives. 

 

2) Ask the CIS Ombudsman for help. 

 

3) File a writ of mandamus. 

 

Tried the first two - awaiting the Ombudsman to get back to me. 

[Mmagic 127]

All that you can do is just wait. We applied on May 31st, 2017 and we just had our status changed on Friday, May 4th to "Interview has been scheduled". We are still waiting for the letter 

Here is a post on other thread from Hakkeneow

 

"

Posted April 28

So this might shine a little bit of light on the case, I recently met with a USCIS field officer and an Immigration lawyer, granted this is just the view of two individuals and not a scientific study so don't just take this for the truth.

 

The USCIS field officer said that when the hurricanes hit last September, the US send employees of USCIS out to help the States that were hit by these disasters. This obviously delayed all the visa processes, on top of that, it is generally believed that the immigration processes have become a lot less lenient during Trump's office.

 

 

The Immigration lawyer furthermore told me that processing both a green card and a work permit for every immigrant creates twice the workload for USCIS, they, therefore, came up with the genius solution of processing recent AOS applicants, rather than processing the oldest AOS applicant, so they can skip the work permit all together... How this is fair or how many months this will add to the older AOSapplications I wouldn't know."

 

[Adam&Allison 128]

10 minutes ago, Mmagic said:

All that you can do is just wait. We applied on May 31st, 2017 and we just had our status changed on Friday, May 4th to "Interview has been scheduled". We are still waiting for the letter 

Here is a post on other thread from Hakkeneow

 

"

Posted April 28

So this might shine a little bit of light on the case, I recently met with a USCIS field officer and an Immigration lawyer, granted this is just the view of two individuals and not a scientific study so don't just take this for the truth.

 

The USCIS field officer said that when the hurricanes hit last September, the US send employees of USCIS out to help the States that were hit by these disasters. This obviously delayed all the visa processes, on top of that, it is generally believed that the immigration processes have become a lot less lenient during Trump's office.

 

 

The Immigration lawyer furthermore told me that processing both a green card and a work permit for every immigrant creates twice the workload for USCIS, they, therefore, came up with the genius solution of processing recent AOS applicants, rather than processing the oldest AOS applicant, so they can skip the work permit all together... How this is fair or how many months this will add to the older AOSapplications I wouldn't know."

 

 

Glad to hear you finally got your interview notice. Good luck!

 

Yeah I guess that makes sense to a degree - but wouldn't those older AOS applicants already have work authorizations approved anyways? We've had our EAD since September 2017, there's no good reason at all that someone who files for AOS in February 2018 should get their GC interview, through the same field office, before we do. 

[Californiansunset 336]

19 minutes ago, Mmagic said:

All that you can do is just wait. We applied on May 31st, 2017 and we just had our status changed on Friday, May 4th to "Interview has been scheduled". We are still waiting for the letter 

Here is a post on other thread from Hakkeneow

 

"

Posted April 28

So this might shine a little bit of light on the case, I recently met with a USCIS field officer and an Immigration lawyer, granted this is just the view of two individuals and not a scientific study so don't just take this for the truth.

 

The USCIS field officer said that when the hurricanes hit last September, the US send employees of USCIS out to help the States that were hit by these disasters. This obviously delayed all the visa processes, on top of that, it is generally believed that the immigration processes have become a lot less lenient during Trump's office.

 

 

The Immigration lawyer furthermore told me that processing both a green card and a work permit for every immigrant creates twice the workload for USCIS, they, therefore, came up with the genius solution of processing recent AOS applicants, rather than processing the oldest AOS applicant, so they can skip the work permit all together... How this is fair or how many months this will add to the older AOSapplications I wouldn't know."

 

I can verify that the Hurricane relief thing is true. The officer that was processing my application, had it locked away in his desk for over two months, because he belonged to the people that were sent to Texas. When I went for an infopass one of his co-worker's told me. He explained that each USCIS field office had to send a certain amount of staff to Hurricane relief zones and that's why a lot of cases hasn't been processed. 

 

Who decides that USCIS has to sent such a huge amount to volunteer in those disaster areas? Are there some people sitting around desk thinking "hmmm who could we sent to help out there.... which government agencies aren't important to us... hmm you know what let's have all those immigrants wait and send people from USCIS there, they can wait a little longer for their full legal permanent residence status". Needless to say I was a little pissed off back then when I found out. I had my interview 4 months after it was supposed to be bc of the Texas Hurricane relief thing. 

Edited May 9, 2018 by Californiansunset

[Adam&Allison 128]

2 minutes ago, Californiansunset said:

I can verify that the Hurricane relief thing is true. The officer that was processing my application, had it locked away for over two months, because he belonged to the people that were sent to Texas. When I went for an infopass one of his co-worker told me. He explained that each USCIS field office had to sent a certain amount of staff to Hurricane relief zones and that's why a lot of cases hasn't been processed. 

 

Who decides that USCIS has to sent such a huge amount to volunteer in those disaster areas? Are there some people sitting around desk thinking "hmmm who could we sent to help out there.... which government agencies aren't important to us... hmm you know what let's have all those immigrants wait and send people from USCIS there, they can wait a little longer for their full legal permanent residence status". Needless to say I was a little pissed off back then when I found out. I had my interview 4 months after it was supposed to be bc of the Texas Hurricane relief thing. 

 

You would've thought that the Government has been out of Texas for a while though, certainly the relief zones. The hurricanes were what, 9 months ago? 

[Californiansunset 336]

3 minutes ago, Adam&Allison said:

 

You would've thought that the Government has been out of Texas for a while though, certainly the relief zones. The hurricanes were what, 9 months ago? 

Yes but it explains how backlogged USCIS at their field offices are. The USCIS IOs that were sent there have 3 months worth of interview applications locked in their desk that they likely started processing just beginning this year while other IO's that stayed just kept on taking more recently filed applications to process. 

[Adam&Allison 128]

Just now, Californiansunset said:

Yes but it explains how backlogged USCIS at their field offices are. The USCIS IOs that were sent there have 3 months worth of interview applications locked in their desk that they likely started processing just beginning this year while other IO's that stayed just kept on taking more recently filed applications to process. 

 

Hm, sounds like perhaps we might be one of those unfortunate few in that case. Although it's my understanding that our case isn't even at our field office yet. 

[Mmagic 127]

This is the exact wording of the Email sent to us by USCIS

 

There has been a recent processing action taken on your case. 

Receipt Number: MSCXXXXXXXXXX

Application Type: I485, APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR ADJUST STATUS 

Your Case Status: Testing and Interview 

On May 3, 2018, we scheduled an interview for your Form I485, APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR ADJUST STATUS, Receipt Number MSCXXXXXXXXX. We will mail you an interview notice. Please follow any instructions in the notice. If you move, go to www.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing address. 

If your case status indicates that you are currently in this step, you have either been scheduled for an interview or are in line to be scheduled for an interview. The amount of time your application will remain in this step will vary by office and is largely determined by the number of cases ahead of yours. The interview notice will have specifics about time, location and anything you will need to bring to your interview. If your application remains pending beyond our normal processing times (as shown below) please contact our national customer service center at 1-800-375-5283. Please note that not every application/applicant will require an interview. In some instances, an interview is required by regulation and others an interview is requested because USCIS has determined that this is the most efficient means to determine eligibility. For a naturalization application the interview will include your taking the required English and/or Civics tests (unless exempt or waived). 
 

• Log-in to your myUSCIS account to view your case history and understand what you can expect to happen next on your case.
• Current processing times can be found on the USCIS website at under Check Processing Times.

Sincerely,

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

[javadown2 308]

4 hours ago, Adam&Allison said:

Another post about this topic so I apologize in advance, but is there anything we can do here - there must be SOMETHING we can, all of us who have been waiting almost a year, in some cases over a year, for Adjustment of Status when filers from 2018 are getting their cases turned around in less than 100 days. I haven't seen very many people from 2017 get an interview over the past month however dozens from 2018 have. 

 

There has to be something we can do here. 

I think the problem is that you filed in a high traffic office and the volume of AOS packets has overwhelmed them. (looking at the others that have replied they are in high volume areas also(Los Angeles and or anywhere in CA). We filed my wife's in September last year and was approved completely in just over 3 months with green card in hand. 

 

also each case has different aspects that must have been looked into, but it sounds like you've exhausted all your options and can only wait it out now. 

 

[javadown2 308]

3 hours ago, Californiansunset said:

I can verify that the Hurricane relief thing is true. The officer that was processing my application, had it locked away in his desk for over two months, because he belonged to the people that were sent to Texas. When I went for an infopass one of his co-worker's told me. He explained that each USCIS field office had to send a certain amount of staff to Hurricane relief zones and that's why a lot of cases hasn't been processed. 

 

Who decides that USCIS has to sent such a huge amount to volunteer in those disaster areas? Are there some people sitting around desk thinking "hmmm who could we sent to help out there.... which government agencies aren't important to us... hmm you know what let's have all those immigrants wait and send people from USCIS there, they can wait a little longer for their full legal permanent residence status". Needless to say I was a little pissed off back then when I found out. I had my interview 4 months after it was supposed to be bc of the Texas Hurricane relief thing. 

Sounds pretty random then to me, just the unlucky draw of getting your paper stuck on one of those officers desks...but really they should have had someone covering for them. Not everyone has been affected by this "theory" they are talking about. 

[javadown2 308]

3 hours ago, Mmagic said:

This is the exact wording of the Email sent to us by USCIS

 

There has been a recent processing action taken on your case. 

Receipt Number: MSCXXXXXXXXXX

Application Type: I485, APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR ADJUST STATUS 

Your Case Status: Testing and Interview 

On May 3, 2018, we scheduled an interview for your Form I485, APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR ADJUST STATUS, Receipt Number MSCXXXXXXXXX. We will mail you an interview notice. Please follow any instructions in the notice. If you move, go to www.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing address. 

If your case status indicates that you are currently in this step, you have either been scheduled for an interview or are in line to be scheduled for an interview. The amount of time your application will remain in this step will vary by office and is largely determined by the number of cases ahead of yours. The interview notice will have specifics about time, location and anything you will need to bring to your interview. If your application remains pending beyond our normal processing times (as shown below) please contact our national customer service center at 1-800-375-5283. Please note that not every application/applicant will require an interview. In some instances, an interview is required by regulation and others an interview is requested because USCIS has determined that this is the most efficient means to determine eligibility. For a naturalization application the interview will include your taking the required English and/or Civics tests (unless exempt or waived). 
 

• Log-in to your myUSCIS account to view your case history and understand what you can expect to happen next on your case.
• Current processing times can be found on the USCIS website at under Check Processing Times.

Sincerely,

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

And this is pretty much what I'm saying, EACH OFFICE WILL VARY, you just happened to be the unlucky one that got into this situation. 

[Adam&Allison 128]

36 minutes ago, javadown2 said:

I think the problem is that you filed in a high traffic office and the volume of AOS packets has overwhelmed them. (looking at the others that have replied they are in high volume areas also(Los Angeles and or anywhere in CA). We filed my wife's in September last year and was approved completely in just over 3 months with green card in hand. 

 

also each case has different aspects that must have been looked into, but it sounds like you've exhausted all your options and can only wait it out now. 

 

 

Yeah, and I would be fine with that. But if you look at the AOS timelines and filter by my office there are probably 7 people from 2018 who have got their interview through that same office.

 

I don’t mind the wait, at all, as long as I feel like I’m in a queue - which right now, I don’t.