Control over the location of the USCIS Office that processes your AOS case?

[Hemutian 68]

My fiancee just got her K1 visa in hand yesterday. We've already booked our tickets to the US for next week and will be POEing at SFO.

We plan to live in my parents' house in the Bay Area while we get our feet on the ground and I start applying for jobs, which I plan to do in both the Bay Area and LA area.

 

My original plan was to get married and file for AOS as soon as possible (with the new administration policy going into effect on October 15, I was hoping to file before that date and thus avoid the new policy).

 

So, I know that I send the i-485 to the Chicago lock box, and I assume that USCIS then sends it to whichever field office is closest to our residence at the time of filing, which for us would be San Francisco.

 

However, I just finished looking at the current processing times by USCIS office on VJ, and what I saw was very disconcerting. San Francisco, apparently, has among the longest waits from filing to AOS interview in the entire United States (currently at 522 days)!

 

On the other hand, the Los Angeles office's current wait time is only 323 days, a full 200 days shorter. 

 

Should I rethink my plan of filing from the Bay Area and relocate to LA first in order to try to get a shorter AOS wait time? 

 

Assuming I go forward with the plan to stay in the Bay Area at first and file from the Bay Area, there's a good chance that we would be relocating to LA within the next few months as I have more potential job options there, so by the time our AOS interview rolled around, our address would be in LA.  Would it be possible to transfer my AOS case from the San Francisco office to the Los Angeles office once we relocate to LA? Would this "reset" our position in the queue, or would the time already spent waiting in San Francisco count towards our wait time in Los Angeles?

[payxibka 10,045]

1 hour ago, Hemutian said:

My fiancee just got her K1 visa in hand yesterday. We've already booked our tickets to the US for next week and will be POEing at SFO.

We plan to live in my parents' house in the Bay Area while we get our feet on the ground and I start applying for jobs, which I plan to do in both the Bay Area and LA area.

 

My original plan was to get married and file for AOS as soon as possible (with the new administration policy going into effect on October 15, I was hoping to file before that date and thus avoid the new policy).

 

So, I know that I send the i-485 to the Chicago lock box, and I assume that USCIS then sends it to whichever field office is closest to our residence at the time of filing, which for us would be San Francisco.

 

However, I just finished looking at the current processing times by USCIS office on VJ, and what I saw was very disconcerting. San Francisco, apparently, has among the longest waits from filing to AOS interview in the entire United States (currently at 522 days)!

 

On the other hand, the Los Angeles office's current wait time is only 323 days, a full 200 days shorter. 

 

Should I rethink my plan of filing from the Bay Area and relocate to LA first in order to try to get a shorter AOS wait time? 

 

Assuming I go forward with the plan to stay in the Bay Area at first and file from the Bay Area, there's a good chance that we would be relocating to LA within the next few months as I have more potential job options there, so by the time our AOS interview rolled around, our address would be in LA.  Would it be possible to transfer my AOS case from the San Francisco office to the Los Angeles office once we relocate to LA? Would this "reset" our position in the queue, or would the time already spent waiting in San Francisco count towards our wait time in Los Angeles?

File a change of address once known  and Theoretically it will change the field office 

[Naes 12,205]

We were in South California which showed almost 1.5 years, when we moved (and with successful address change) to east coast it adjusted to the new address and I got my interview right away just like people from my new office.

 

I’d file right away and change the address later when it applies. as it also starts the clock for EAD and AP, and it also counts towards the new address. 

[Pitaya 2,577]

8 hours ago, Hemutian said:

My fiancee just got her K1 visa in hand yesterday. We've already booked our tickets to the US for next week and will be POEing at SFO.

We plan to live in my parents' house in the Bay Area while we get our feet on the ground and I start applying for jobs, which I plan to do in both the Bay Area and LA area.

 

My original plan was to get married and file for AOS as soon as possible (with the new administration policy going into effect on October 15, I was hoping to file before that date and thus avoid the new policy).

 

So, I know that I send the i-485 to the Chicago lock box, and I assume that USCIS then sends it to whichever field office is closest to our residence at the time of filing, which for us would be San Francisco.

 

However, I just finished looking at the current processing times by USCIS office on VJ, and what I saw was very disconcerting. San Francisco, apparently, has among the longest waits from filing to AOS interview in the entire United States (currently at 522 days)!

 

On the other hand, the Los Angeles office's current wait time is only 323 days, a full 200 days shorter. 

 

Should I rethink my plan of filing from the Bay Area and relocate to LA first in order to try to get a shorter AOS wait time? 

 

Assuming I go forward with the plan to stay in the Bay Area at first and file from the Bay Area, there's a good chance that we would be relocating to LA within the next few months as I have more potential job options there, so by the time our AOS interview rolled around, our address would be in LA.  Would it be possible to transfer my AOS case from the San Francisco office to the Los Angeles office once we relocate to LA? Would this "reset" our position in the queue, or would the time already spent waiting in San Francisco count towards our wait time in Los Angeles?

Congrats on successfully maneuvering through the Guangzhou consulate!!

 

You are way overthinking the AOS process. You don't get to ask to transfer your case from one office to another. USCIS will do their thing as they see fit, without your input. All you can do is to file your AOS as soon as you can. If you have to move, move.  Just be sure to do a proper change of address (COA) with USCIS and USPS. If you don't do a proper COA, you may be hobbling yourself down the road. If your file is transferred from one office to, due to COA, you will likely start at the back of the line at the new office, I am not aware of there being a " time for good behavior" set-up at USCIS offices and service centers. You send in your paperwork and you take your chances.

 

Good luck on your immigration journey.

[Hemutian 68]

4 hours ago, Pitaya said:

Congrats on successfully maneuvering through the Guangzhou consulate!!

Thanks. It wasn't too complicated.

 

4 hours ago, Pitaya said:

You are way overthinking the AOS process.

Perhaps. But this is a complicated process, the results of which affect the rest of our lives. So I thought of it as just doing our due diligence, trying to figure out all the ins and outs before we go in for the plunge. 

 

4 hours ago, Pitaya said:

You don't get to ask to transfer your case from one office to another. USCIS will do their thing as they see fit, without your input. All you can do is to file your AOS as soon as you can.

I know that now. I didn't know that when I asked. When you see the wildly different processing times at the offices based purely on geography I think it's a pretty natural response to want to know if there's any way to exert control over which geographic-based processing time you end up with.

 

4 hours ago, Pitaya said:

If you have to move, move.  Just be sure to do a proper change of address (COA) with USCIS and USPS.

Duly noted. 

 

4 hours ago, Pitaya said:

If your file is transferred from one office to, due to COA, you will likely start at the back of the line at the new office, I am not aware of there being a " time for good behavior" set-up at USCIS offices and service centers.

In the post above yours, @Naes does share an anecdote about the process speeding up after moving. Not that their experience is replicable. I guess there are just a lot more immigrants filing paperwork in California than in most of the country, which has its pros and cons. Pro being my fiancee should in theory have an easier time assimilating because there will be lot more people like her in the neighborhood, familiar vegetables at the Ranch 99, etc. Con being that she has to wait longer for her green card. I guess as long as she gets her EAD and AP in the mean time, then the wait time for the actual AOS shouldn't really matter too much. Out of curiosity, do you think that the wait times for EAD and AP are also going to be vary based on geography? VJ breaks down wait times for AOS by geographic office, but it doesn't do the same for EAD and AP.

 

[Pitaya 2,577]

3 hours ago, Hemutian said:

Thanks. It wasn't too complicated. Perhaps, but anytime you are dealing with huge government bureaucracies, from several countries, over several continents, a lot of stuff can happen and complications result.

 

Perhaps. But this is a complicated process, the results of which affect the rest of our lives. So I thought of it as just doing our due diligence, trying to figure out all the ins and outs before we go in for the plunge.  Believe me we are fully aware of the impact of this entire process has had on our lives, we have already been through AOS, K1 and K2, and more. The AOS process by comparison is not more complicated than what you encountered before. You basically only have one main government bureaucracy (DHS) that you primarily deal with. Due diligence is fine, but hyper-diligence can be detrimental to your health. We have been dealing with the vagaries and associated departments/agencies charged with administration of the INA Act of 1965 since 2011. You have to keep in mind that this is not a sprint race, it is a marathon, you have to learn to pace yourself.

 

I know that now. I didn't know that when I asked. When you see the wildly different processing times at the offices based purely on geography I think it's a pretty natural response to want to know if there's any way to exert control over which geographic-based processing time you end up with. None of us can control processing times at the service centers or local offices. USCIS is in control. There are far too many variables involved, do what you can do with the paperwork, and start to enjoy your new life together with your new family.

 

Duly noted. 

 

In the post above yours, @Naes does share an anecdote about the process speeding up after moving. Not that their experience is replicable. I guess there are just a lot more immigrants filing paperwork in California than in most of the country, which has its pros and cons. Pro being my fiancee should in theory have an easier time assimilating because there will be lot more people like her in the neighborhood, familiar vegetables at the Ranch 99, etc. Con being that she has to wait longer for her green card. I guess as long as she gets her EAD and AP in the mean time, then the wait time for the actual AOS shouldn't really matter too much. Out of curiosity, do you think that the wait times for EAD and AP are also going to be vary based on geography? VJ breaks down wait times for AOS by geographic office, but it doesn't do the same for EAD and AP. I think that the prolonged wait times for all of the USCIS processing is way out of hand, and just shows how broken our immigration system is. The whole system is in need of a complete overhaul.

 

That's all Folks!

[Hemutian 68]

5 hours ago, Pitaya said:

There are far too many variables involved, do what you can do with the paperwork, and start to enjoy your new life together with your new family.

We will, thanks!

 

When we started this journey, a lot of people said we were stupid to apply for the K1 and not just get married in China and apply for the CR1 since it would save a lot of time when it came to AOS. But I'm glad we did the K1, because this way we get to start our life together in the US after just 7 months of waiting, whereas if we did a CR1 we'd probably be waiting in China at least twice that long. Regardless of how long the wait for AOS is, it doesn't really matter because we'll be together in the US, and that's all that matters (however it would be nice to have some idea when we'll get that AP so that we can plan our return trip to China next year for the second wedding ceremony).

 

On an unrelated note, what exactly is the name for the status of someone who entered the US on a K1, after the 90 days are up, and after sending in the i-485, but before having AOS approved. The visa's no longer valid, and you're not yet a permanent resident, but you're still legally allowed to be in the US. There must be some name for this ambiguous status, right?

[payxibka 10,045]

2 hours ago, Hemutian said:

We will, thanks!

 

When we started this journey, a lot of people said we were stupid to apply for the K1 and not just get married in China and apply for the CR1 since it would save a lot of time when it came to AOS. But I'm glad we did the K1, because this way we get to start our life together in the US after just 7 months of waiting, whereas if we did a CR1 we'd probably be waiting in China at least twice that long. Regardless of how long the wait for AOS is, it doesn't really matter because we'll be together in the US, and that's all that matters (however it would be nice to have some idea when we'll get that AP so that we can plan our return trip to China next year for the second wedding ceremony).

 

On an unrelated note, what exactly is the name for the status of someone who entered the US on a K1, after the 90 days are up, and after sending in the i-485, but before having AOS approved. The visa's no longer valid, and you're not yet a permanent resident, but you're still legally allowed to be in the US. There must be some name for this ambiguous status, right?

"Period of authorized stay" which is not an official status 

[Pitaya 2,577]

7 hours ago, Hemutian said:

When we started this journey, a lot of people said we were stupid to apply for the K1 and not just get married in China and apply for the CR1 since it would save a lot of time when it came to AOS. But I'm glad we did the K1, because this way we get to start our life together in the US after just 7 months of waiting, whereas if we did a CR1 we'd probably be waiting in China at least twice that long. Regardless of how long the wait for AOS is, it doesn't really matter because we'll be together in the US, and that's all that matters (however it would be nice to have some idea when we'll get that AP so that we can plan our return trip to China next year for the second wedding ceremony). I hope that you are able to plan that trip.  Lately, with the prolonged processing/adjudication times for most any USCIS application/petition, waiting times have tended to be longer and longer. Some sources claim AOS adjudication taking 12-15 months (or more), depending on the service center or field office. It seems that EAD and AP applications are following similar prolonged processing times from several months to 6-10 months. The variations in these reported times is likely due to several factors, including the many USCIS service centers and field offices that have been pressed into application/petition processing service. The incomplete, inaccurate or lack of reported timelines at VJ has significantly reduced the statistical power of that data set may be a contributory factor. The sheer volume of applications/petitions workload received by USCIS has totally overwhelmed their already overextended operations is likely a major factor, due to the influx in immigration and associated political tampering with this old, teetering federal bureaucracy.

 

On an unrelated note, what exactly is the name for the status of someone who entered the US on a K1, after the 90 days are up, and after sending in the i-485, but before having AOS approved. The visa's no longer valid, and you're not yet a permanent resident, but you're still legally allowed to be in the US. There must be some name for this ambiguous status, right? I know that I have almost weekly seen a term bantered around the AOS forums that has been used to identify the very group that you are describing. I can't exactly recall it right now, it is something like an AOS-pending applicant with authorized lawful presence. Suggest that you review several pages of AOS forums threads indicating the need for out-of-status former K1-visa holders to file for AOS as soon as possible. Others may know an easier term...

 

[Hemutian 68]

7 hours ago, Pitaya said:

Some sources claim AOS adjudication taking 12-15 months (or more), depending on the service center or field office

Yeah, like San Francisco. 522 days, according to VJ. Nearly 18 months. I guess looking at this from a "glass half full" perspective, those 18 months of waiting give us that much more time to accumulate evidence of our bona fide marriage, that much more time for me to earn income, that much time for her to improve her English, all of which should help our AOS interview, when it finally comes, go more smoothly. 

 

7 hours ago, Pitaya said:

 It seems that EAD and AP applications are following similar prolonged processing times from several months to 6-10 months.

Thanks for the warning. If AP indeed could take up to 10 months, we'd better not go planning our second wedding in China any time soon. 

[Pitaya 2,577]

It may be a blessing in disguise to hold off planning a family trip to China for awhile. There are some alarming events and practices going on in China. The junta (CCP) has started taken extraordinary and sometimes illegal actions against its own citizens and foreigners alike to maintain their semblance of order and ultimately their control of power in the Middle Kingdom. Examples of some of these questionable actions, include the ongoing unrest in the golden egg of country's semi-automatous regions (SAR), Hong Kong. The results of the Hong Kong unrest has several sources concerned about a flight of capital out of the SAR to other parts of the world, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-28/here-s-how-to-spot-if-hong-kong-s-turmoil-spurs-capital-outflows . Such a capital flight could have a very deleterious effect on the Chinese economy. One of the other concerns is the seemingly increasing use of exit bans by the central government to increase the government's leverage to use foreign nationals as bargaining chips in private, international, and business disputes, https://www.lawfareblog.com/no-exit-chinas-growing-use-exit-bans-violates-international-law . To me, as a four-time visitor to China in recent years, I find this very disconcerting. If my family wanted to go back to visit family, you can be sure that these topics would be part of the discussion prior to any travel. I enjoyed, viewed, and learned a lot about the Chinese people, the country, their history, food and culture during my past visits to China. However, it would take a lot of convincing to compel me  that now would be a good time to visit the Middle Kingdom. Even our DOS has issued a Level 2 travel advisory with regards to Chinese travel by USCs, https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/china-travel-advisory.html .  The conditions seem to me to be a lot more unstable than they were a couple of years ago.

 

YMMV.

[Hemutian 68]

2 hours ago, Pitaya said:

It may be a blessing in disguise to hold off planning a family trip to China for awhile. There are some alarming events and practices going on in China. The junta (CCP) has started taken extraordinary and sometimes illegal actions against its own citizens and foreigners alike to maintain their semblance of order and ultimately their control of power in the Middle Kingdom. Examples of some of these questionable actions, include the ongoing unrest in the golden egg of country's semi-automatous regions (SAR), Hong Kong. The results of the Hong Kong unrest has several sources concerned about a flight of capital out of the SAR to other parts of the world, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-28/here-s-how-to-spot-if-hong-kong-s-turmoil-spurs-capital-outflows . Such a capital flight could have a very deleterious effect on the Chinese economy. One of the other concerns is the seemingly increasing use of exit bans by the central government to increase the government's leverage to use foreign nationals as bargaining chips in private, international, and business disputes, https://www.lawfareblog.com/no-exit-chinas-growing-use-exit-bans-violates-international-law . To me, as a four-time visitor to China in recent years, I find this very disconcerting. If my family wanted to go back to visit family, you can be sure that these topics would be part of the discussion prior to any travel. I enjoyed, viewed, and learned a lot about the Chinese people, the country, their history, food and culture during my past visits to China. However, it would take a lot of convincing to compel me  that now would be a good time to visit the Middle Kingdom. Even our DOS has issued a Level 2 travel advisory with regards to Chinese travel by USCs, https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/china-travel-advisory.html .  The conditions seem to me to be a lot more unstable than they were a couple of years ago.

 

YMMV.

Yeah, I'm aware of the situation. I've been coming to China and/or living in China since 2006, and am living here right now. I can definitely confirm that compared to the mid-2000s and early 2010s, China today is a less welcoming place to be a foreigner, and frankly a less happy place to be a Chinese person as well. Xi Jinping really has turned up the dictator dial to 11. 

I live in the Pearl River Delta region, and the best flights to San Francisco from here are from Hong Kong, so we'll actually be traveling to Hong Kong first to catch our flight. I'm just glad we're going to be out of China by the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC. I expect that will be another one of those weeks where they completely shut down all VPN access for a week, just like they did earlier this year during the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. 

[Pitaya 2,577]

It sounds like you are quite aware of the precarious situation foreign nationals and their families, present and future, currently find themselves in the Middle Kingdom. Be careful. This Paul Simon song, came to mind as I was reading your commentary on current conditions, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTiyLuZOs1A .

 

Be careful and have a swift and pleasant journey to the Golden Gate city.

 

[RandyW 149]

On 9/15/2019 at 1:37 PM, Hemutian said:

 . . .

I live in the Pearl River Delta region, and the best flights to San Francisco from here are from Hong Kong, so we'll actually be traveling to Hong Kong first to catch our flight.  . . .

 

Air fares plunge amid Hong Kong protests, to as low as US$153 for return flight to Los Angeles

but keep your fingers crossed that you'll be able to get to the airport

 

 

 

[Hemutian 68]

7 hours ago, RandyW said:

 

Air fares plunge amid Hong Kong protests, to as low as US$153 for return flight to Los Angeles

but keep your fingers crossed that you'll be able to get to the airport

 

 

 

Wow. I had to pay a lot more than that for our one-way tickets to San Francisco. 

But they're on Singapore, which is the best airline in the world. And one-way tickets are often more expensive than roundtrip. 

 

I'm not worried about getting to the airport. They have cross border buses direct to HK airport from our mainland Chinese city. They've been running every day throughout all the chaos, no interruption.