Why is Houston field office so slow??

[Joel&Julia 78]

8 hours ago, Visitor User said:

It shows 7/5/16 today. Why is the movement volatile?

I can only speculate.  I think the report is based on the last case that a field officer touched (updated in their system). I think they have stopped processing the queue, so the only cases getting updates are old ones that have been sitting on someone’s desk (in other words, cases that were too complex to make a quick approval decision). Those would get updated more randomly than the incoming applications queue because they depend on outside factors as well as the officer’s attention, so the resulting report ends up pretty chaotic.

 

Bottom line: I think the report is meaningless for us in Houston trying to figure out when we will be processed, at least until they start processing the queue again.

[Visitor User 253]

10 hours ago, Joel&Julia said:

I can only speculate.  I think the report is based on the last case that a field officer touched (updated in their system). I think they have stopped processing the queue, so the only cases getting updates are old ones that have been sitting on someone’s desk (in other words, cases that were too complex to make a quick approval decision). Those would get updated more randomly than the incoming applications queue because they depend on outside factors h well as the officer’s attention, so the resulting report ends up pretty chaotic.

 

Bottom line: I think the report is meaningless for us in Houston trying to figure out when we will be processed, at least until they start processing the queue again.

Can we do SR or Ombudsmen contact to expedite the process?

[Joel&Julia 78]

3 hours ago, Visitor User said:

Can we do SR or Ombudsmen contact to expedite the process?

I suppose so—after waiting 2-3 years, or whatever time frame they’re saying is normal by then...  For now, they won’t accept an inquiry unless you filed earlier than mid-2016. I’m guessing the ombudsman is worse, but I haven’t tried.

[Visitor User 253]

No March 2017 AOS filers has gotten their interview letter yet?

[Joel&Julia 78]

6 hours ago, Visitor User said:

No March 2017 AOS filers has gotten their interview letter yet?

Sheila & Christian had one of the latest filing dates (April 15, 2017) to be interviewed before they stopped processing new applications in Houston.

Edited August 20, 2018 by Joel&Julia
added year

[Joel&Julia 78]

12 hours ago, Visitor User said:

No March 2017 AOS filers has gotten their interview letter yet?

At the risk of inciting outrage and riots, Captain Ewok helped me find two Houston filers that applied more recently and already got green cards:

 

Brandie & Justin applied October 2017

David & Allie applied May 2018

 

I don’t know how they skipped the line.

[Visitor User 253]

6 hours ago, Joel&Julia said:

Sheila & Christian had one of the latest filing dates (April 15, 2017) to be interviewed before they stopped processing new applications in Houston.

That date in interesting. 4/17 was tax deadline. Does it mean they will issue RFIE to ask for 2017 tax returns after those dates? 

[emekus94 1,125]

53 minutes ago, Joel&Julia said:

At the risk of inciting outrage and riots, Captain Ewok helped me find two Houston filers that applied more recently and already got green cards:

 

Brandie & Justin applied October 2017

David & Allie applied May 2018

 

I don’t know how they skipped the line.

WAIT WAIT WAIT
WHAT???????? 
@Amotree can u shed some light on how your May 2018 application already got approved?
Is Houston cherry picking cases???

[emekus94 1,125]

29 minutes ago, Visitor User said:

That date in interesting. 4/17 was tax deadline. Does it mean they will issue RFIE to ask for 2017 tax returns after those dates? 

Most likely
If you applied in early 2018 without 2017 returns, prepare for an RFE
I've seen it happen quite a few times now. 
But don't be surprised if you don't get an RFE. This all seems to be based on who's looking at ur files

[Visitor User 253]

2 hours ago, Joel&Julia said:

At the risk of inciting outrage and riots, Captain Ewok helped me find two Houston filers that applied more recently and already got green cards:

 

Brandie & Justin applied October 2017

David & Allie applied May 2018

 

I don’t know how they skipped the line.

Maybe they had an expedited EAD and required no interview. 

Edited August 20, 2018 by Visitor User

[Visitor User 253]

1 hour ago, emekus94 said:

Most likely
If you applied in early 2018 without 2017 returns, prepare for an RFE
I've seen it happen quite a few times now. 
But don't be surprised if you don't get an RFE. This all seems to be based on who's looking at ur files

I applied in October 2017. There was no way to submit 2017 returns. 

Edited August 20, 2018 by Visitor User

[emekus94 1,125]

20 minutes ago, Visitor User said:

Maybe they had an expedited EAD and required no interview. 

All AOS from K1 now require interviews for the GC 
That's why the timelines have now gone up exponentially

This might not have impacted the Oct 2017 but certainly for the guys that got theirs from May 2018

[Track13 35]

July 2017 filer and still no green card. We are all kind of stuck

[Visitor User 253]

1 hour ago, Track13 said:

July 2017 filer and still no green card. We are all kind of stuck

Any letter?

[Track13 35]

2 hours ago, Visitor User said:

Any letter?

Nope, just stuck in “your case is ready to be scheduled for an interview” limbo since October 2017. I’m the original poster of this thread.