Received EAD approval but no online status update

[DanyalW 1]

Hey everyone,

 

I received an approval for my EAD on 7th February 2019. This was after 180+ days processing time and without being asked to go for biometrics - so already strange. My case status online hasn't been updated and I haven't received the actual card. 

 

My questions are:

1) Can my card be delayed because my case hasn't been updated online (even though I received the approval notice in the mail). 

2) Should I be calling and asking for the biometrics appointment? I did call a few months ago (after waiting more than 100 days) and they told me that it wasn't long enough to log a case request for biometrics (or EAD at that time). 

 

Thanks,

Danyal

Edited February 23, 2019 by DanyalW

[K1visaHopeful 2,793]

6 minutes ago, DanyalW said:

Hey everyone,

 

I received an approval for my EAD on 7th February 2019. This was after 180+ days processing time and without being asked to go for biometrics - so already strange. My case status online hasn't been updated and I haven't received the actual card. 

 

My questions are:

1) Can my card be delayed because my case hasn't been updated online (even though I received the approval notice in the mail). 

2) Should I be calling and asking for the biometrics appointment? I did call a few months ago (after waiting more than 100 days) and they told me that it wasn't long enough to log a case request for biometrics (or EAD at that time). 

 

Thanks,

Danyal

All very strange. You havent had biometrics at all? They wont be able to issue your card. 

I would call and ask how you would be approved without a photo and fingerprints for the security checks.

1) status updates are totally unreliable. But I doubt your EAD has really been approved then. 

2) yes call. The original officer that you spoke with is clueless as biometrics should happen with 30 days of your NOA1.

 

We are talking about an original EAD though and not a replacement right?

 

Edited February 23, 2019 by K1visaHopeful

[DanyalW 1]

1 minute ago, K1visaHopeful said:

All very strange. You havent had biometrics at all? They wont be able to issue your card. 

I would call and ask how you would be approved without a photo and fingerprints for the security checks.

1) status updates are totally unreliable. But I doubt your EAD has really been approved then. 

2) yes call. The original officer that you spoke with is clueless as biometrics should happen with 30 days of your NOA1.

 

We are talking about an original EAD though and not a replacement right?

 

Thanks for replying.

 

Yes, the original from an AOS application (from K1 visa). I received the official approval in the mail (but no email or online updates at all - just the approval for EAD and the Travel Document). No biometrics appointment! Can you really query biometrics after 30 days?? I must try phone again. I did recently and I waited on the line over an hour, and by that time it was 9pm so lines close. 

 

[C90 376]

10 minutes ago, DanyalW said:

Hey everyone,

 

I received an approval for my EAD on 7th February 2019. This was after 180+ days processing time and without being asked to go for biometrics - so already strange. My case status online hasn't been updated and I haven't received the actual card. 

 

My questions are:

1) Can my card be delayed because my case hasn't been updated online (even though I received the approval notice in the mail). 

2) Should I be calling and asking for the biometrics appointment? I did call a few months ago (after waiting more than 100 days) and they told me that it wasn't long enough to log a case request for biometrics (or EAD at that time). 

 

Thanks,

Danyal

Weirdly enough I read an exact same case on here yesterday of someone who got the I-797's for EAD/AP without biometrics. 1 day after she went in for an info pass appointment she got the biometrics letter, but it's still not clear what's happening.

 

Fact is, your EAD/AP can't be approved since that involves background checks that are done based on your biometrics. So I would call them asap cause it could cause a lot of trouble if you get your EAD/AP without actual biometrics. I can imagine if they find out they made a mistake they can revoke your card what would mean you'd have to stop working right away not to mention what would happen if you'd be traveling with an, at that moment, invalid AP.

 

It's also possible they're sending out I-797's by mistake, since you're the second person to come forward with this story in 2 days. Still best to call USCIS on Monday

[DanyalW 1]

1 minute ago, C90 said:

Weirdly enough I read an exact same case on here yesterday of someone who got the I-797's for EAD/AP without biometrics. 1 day after she went in for an info pass appointment she got the biometrics letter, but it's still not clear what's happening.

 

Fact is, your EAD/AP can't be approved since that involves background checks that are done based on your biometrics. So I would call them asap cause it could cause a lot of trouble if you get your EAD/AP without actual biometrics. I can imagine if they find out they made a mistake they can revoke your card what would mean you'd have to stop working right away not to mention what would happen if you'd be traveling with an, at that moment, invalid AP.

 

It's also possible they're sending out I-797's by mistake, since you're the second person to come forward with this story in 2 days. Still best to call USCIS on Monday

Thanks so much. I will call as soon as possible. 

[K1visaHopeful 2,793]

1 minute ago, C90 said:

Weirdly enough I read an exact same case on here yesterday of someone who got the I-797's for EAD/AP without biometrics. 1 day after she went in for an info pass appointment she got the biometrics letter, but it's still not clear what's happening.

 

Fact is, your EAD/AP can't be approved since that involves background checks that are done based on your biometrics. So I would call them asap cause it could cause a lot of trouble if you get your EAD/AP without actual biometrics. I can imagine if they find out they made a mistake they can revoke your card what would mean you'd have to stop working right away not to mention what would happen if you'd be traveling with an, at that moment, invalid AP.

 

It's also possible they're sending out I-797's by mistake, since you're the second person to come forward with this story in 2 days. Still best to call USCIS on Monday

How could they:

1) Produce a card with no photo?

2) Approved an EAD/AP with no finger prints for background checks?

Yes I agree they need to call ASAP.

[C90 376]

2 minutes ago, K1visaHopeful said:

How could they:

1) Produce a card with no photo? You send in 2 photographs but they never get used lol

2) Approved an EAD/AP with no finger prints for background checks? Exactly my point, it seems USCIS is or having major problems with their systems or something that people get approvals without biometrics. Or just an officers last day that decided to approve a bunch of random people.... (JK)

Yes I agree they need to call ASAP. <-- 100%

 

Edited February 23, 2019 by C90

[K1visaHopeful 2,793]

1 minute ago, C90 said:

 

Very true on the photos but I think they use those photos as documentation on your Afile. Otherwise the biometrics would only involve fingerprints unless the photo at biometrics is used as a confirmation of who those fingerprints belong to in that moment.

[DanyalW 1]

2 minutes ago, C90 said:

 

I was wondering if they could somehow use the fingerprints and background check from my K1 approval process....but wishful thinking! 

 

I've seen that some people book an info pass appointment, and you mentioned this earlier as well. Would this help my situation?

[C90 376]

Just now, K1visaHopeful said:

Very true on the photos but I think they use those photos as documentation on your Afile. Otherwise the biometrics would only involve fingerprints unless the photo at biometrics is used as a confirmation of who those fingerprints belong to in that moment.

Prob, cause the photo they take at your biometrics is the photo that appears on your card. So they just like to have our face 4 xtra times on file I guess lol

[C90 376]

Just now, DanyalW said:

I was wondering if they could somehow use the fingerprints and background check from my K1 approval process....but wishful thinking! 

 

I've seen that some people book an info pass appointment, and you mentioned this earlier as well. Would this help my situation?

Never heard before that they used your K1 biometrics for AOS/EAD/AP, but I just typed 'EAD without biometrics' in the search bar and I got way more topics then expected! Apparently this is not the first time USCIS is messing up.

 

Info pass is a gamble, but in your situation you could def do that (if the call with USCIS doesn't go anywhere, otherwise it's a waste of your time) 

The girl that had the topic yesterday said the officer was rude and just told her to be patient. Weird enough within 24 hours she did have her biometrics appointment in the mail, she's still not sure if that was cause of the appointment or just coincidence. But she was a November 2018 filer, so her situation was already very different, since you're (almost) outside normal processing time.

Start with calling USCIS on Monday and if that doesn't go anywhere ask for an Info Pass appointment.

[C90 376]

7 minutes ago, DanyalW said:

I was wondering if they could somehow use the fingerprints and background check from my K1 approval process....but wishful thinking! 

 

I've seen that some people book an info pass appointment, and you mentioned this earlier as well. Would this help my situation?

So I just found this topic, but it's from 2007 and idk if the person ever got in trouble. So calling is still important, but at least you know this happened before.

 

[DanyalW 1]

1 minute ago, C90 said:

Never heard before that they used your K1 biometrics for AOS/EAD/AP, but I just typed 'EAD without biometrics' in the search bar and I got way more topics then expected! Apparently this is not the first time USCIS is messing up.

 

Info pass is a gamble, but in your situation you could def do that (if the call with USCIS doesn't go anywhere, otherwise it's a waste of your time) 

The girl that had the topic yesterday said the officer was rude and just told her to be patient. Weird enough within 24 hours she did have her biometrics appointment in the mail, she's still not sure if that was cause of the appointment or just coincidence. But she was a November 2018 filer, so her situation was already very different, since you're (almost) outside normal processing time.

Start with calling USCIS on Monday and if that doesn't go anywhere ask for an Info Pass appointment.

Thanks! Will do, and will post updates for anyone else who may be stuck like this with misleading approvals. 

 

The really stressful part is that I do plan to travel in April...so it's very important I have a valid AP. I also need my SSN so my husband and I can file our taxes jointly... anyway, let me not start ranting. I'm sure we are all (mostly) in these situations. 

[K1visaHopeful 2,793]

7 minutes ago, DanyalW said:

Thanks! Will do, and will post updates for anyone else who may be stuck like this with misleading approvals. 

 

The really stressful part is that I do plan to travel in April...so it's very important I have a valid AP. I also need my SSN so my husband and I can file our taxes jointly... anyway, let me not start ranting. I'm sure we are all (mostly) in these situations. 

Just make sure that when you call you ask to speak to a Tier 2 agent off the bat. A Tier 2 agent will, if they can't help you directly, be able to schedule an Infopass as generally you cannot schedule an Infopass on your own online anymore.

[DanyalW 1]

2 minutes ago, K1visaHopeful said:

Just make sure that when you call you ask to speak to a Tier 2 agent off the bat. A Tier 2 agent will, if they can't help you directly, be able to schedule an Infopass as generally you cannot schedule an Infopass on your own online anymore.

Thanks! Can I just straight out ask for a tier 2 agent, or is there some explanation that would justify it (or make the process easier) - like I'm outside of processing time? Or I received an EAD notice without biometrics/ online updates, etc... 

 

My last experience calling in they were very insistent that nothing was wrong with my case and that there was nothing they could do - even though I suspected that my biometrics was already VERY delayed. Now it's been over 180 days.