January 2020 - AOS Filers (merged)

[nerdcouple 126]

18 hours ago, rocoblue said:

Thanks a lot guys! I appreciate all your replies. I guess we’ll open an account at Chase as most of you recommended it. We’re your account was opened as joint?or the petitioner has to open it first and just add the beneficiary after? Which is easier?

We have a joint account with Chase, too. And my husband is the 'main' account holder as this was easier to set up. When we get mail from Chase it always says Mr. or Mrs. H. in the name section. 

[qrk 104]

On 3/28/2020 at 4:41 PM, rocoblue said:

Thanks a lot guys! I appreciate all your replies. I guess we’ll open an account at Chase as most of you recommended it. We’re your account was opened as joint?or the petitioner has to open it first and just add the beneficiary after? Which is easier? I’m planning to just open for my wife cause I already have an account but hesitant cause she doesn’t have the green card yet and it might be difficult for her.

 

Thank you for the reply.

For the joint account, we walked into Chase and handed them our identification (DL & SS card for us citizen; and passport for petitioner) and the banker did the rest.  They asked for a piece of mail addressed to the petitioner sent to the bank account physical address. No problem here, we gave them a copy of USCIS NOA for the AOS and that was that.  Few simple questions as well as sign here, here  and we were done.  They did not go into specifics about immigration status at all. We also opened a bank account with the bank of America in the petitioner name only. Same thing. No problems at all. I think because of the sheer size of Chase and BOA as well as their nature as multinational banks, it seems like they are well versed in unique situations and special immigration status like fiancee visas and AOS folks who want to open an account. Best of luck. 

Edited March 30, 2020 by qrk

[Letspaintcookies 2,310]

9 minutes ago, qrk said:

No problems at all. I think because of the sheer size of Chase and BOA as well as their nature as multinational banks, it seems like they are well versed in unique situations and special immigration status like fiancee visas and AOS folks who want to open an account. Best of luck. 

And just like that I figured that banks like navy fed and USAA who serve military members would know how to deal with foreign spouses but well 🤷‍♀️😂

[Mwkaasj 67]

27 minutes ago, qrk said:

For the joint account, we walked into Chase and handed them our identification (DL & SS card for us citizen; and passport for petitioner) and the banker did the rest.  They asked for a piece of mail addressed to the petitioner sent to the bank account physical address. No problem here, we gave them a copy of USCIS NOA for the AOS and that was that.  Few simple questions as well as sign here, here  and we were done.  They did not go into specifics about immigration status at all. We also opened a bank account with the bank of America in the petitioner name only. Same thing. No problems at all. I think because of the sheer size of Chase and BOA as well as their nature as multinational banks, it seems like they are well versed in unique situations and special immigration status like fiancee visas and AOS folks who want to open an account. Best of luck. 

I could have wrote the above...   very consistent experience.

[Zsazsa 249]

Question: 

 

I am seeing some people who had November and December submission just getting approved today. Hopped on to the February AOS forum and saw that a couple there were ready for interview. Makes me wonder - what’s the difference in processing times? My understanding that the processing of the EAD and AP is completed by the NBC  Curious as to what the non-consistency is al about. Anyone have suggestions about this? 

[Letspaintcookies 2,310]

19 minutes ago, Zsazsa said:

Question: 

 

I am seeing some people who had November and December submission just getting approved today. Hopped on to the February AOS forum and saw that a couple there were ready for interview. Makes me wonder - what’s the difference in processing times? My understanding that the processing of the EAD and AP is completed by the NBC  Curious as to what the non-consistency is al about. Anyone have suggestions about this? 

My guessing in short:

Somebody gets your file, does the initial check, stamps it with ready for interview, sends the AOS part to the local office and puts the rest back on a pile for EAD/ AP.  

That would explain to me why not everything gets done all at once. Still doesn't explain why there are people from December waiting for a ready for interview while February people get it...

[Zsazsa 249]

2 minutes ago, Letspaintcookies said:

My guessing in short:

Somebody gets your file, does the initial check, stamps it with ready for interview, sends the AOS part to the local office and puts the rest back on a pile for EAD/ AP.  

That would explain to me why not everything gets done all at once. Still doesn't explain why there are people from December waiting for a ready for interview while February people get it...

Right?! Wish it was a more ‘transparent’ and ‘consistent’ process. 

[Letspaintcookies 2,310]

25 minutes ago, Zsazsa said:

Right?! Wish it was a more ‘transparent’ and ‘consistent’ process. 

Absolutely. I can understand and be fine with the lucky/ unlucky pile theory within a timeframe of about a month. But how unlucky must the pile be for somebody from September who's still waiting for ready for interview.

We all know about the basics and things that needs to be done and that they're understaffed but I got my I 129f approved in less than 90 days and my visa was issued 3 days after the interview so it's hard to believe that suddenly my background checks could hold things up for the EAD. 

[Zsazsa 249]

1 hour ago, Letspaintcookies said:

Absolutely. I can understand and be fine with the lucky/ unlucky pile theory within a timeframe of about a month. But how unlucky must the pile be for somebody from September who's still waiting for ready for interview.

We all know about the basics and things that needs to be done and that they're understaffed but I got my I 129f approved in less than 90 days and my visa was issued 3 days after the interview so it's hard to believe that suddenly my background checks could hold things up for the EAD. 

I could not agree more. You would think these last few steps would be a quick process to the initial visa. So wild. 

[complik 16]

Happy to report we got Ready for Interview on 3/26! No clue how long it will take now, especially with the dreadful Covid situation, but still hoping for the best! Stay healthy everyone

[Zsazsa 249]

Just now, complik said:

Happy to report we got Ready for Interview on 3/26! No clue how long it will take now, especially with the dreadful Covid situation, but still hoping for the best! Stay healthy everyone

Yay. Congrats to you!! 

[nerdcouple 126]

Good news here as well: I am reading up on how to expedite my EAD as I am about to get a job offer letter in the next days  I was found on LinkedIn, can't praise enough how important a well written profile is

[Zsazsa 249]

2 hours ago, nerdcouple said:

Good news here as well: I am reading up on how to expedite my EAD as I am about to get a job offer letter in the next days  I was found on LinkedIn, can't praise enough how important a well written profile is

Great news!! Congrats!! 

[Zsazsa 249]

Hmmmm, weird 

 

Received an NOA for my son’s I-765. Receipt number starts with IOE (my other case numbers start with MSC). 
 

Letter just states that it has been received by their office. So confused as I have already received NOAs on Jan 27. And I already received notices about our fingerprints being applied and such. Wonder what this could mean. 
 

Has anyone received a similar letter? 

[Letspaintcookies 2,310]

6 minutes ago, Zsazsa said:

Hmmmm, weird 

 

Received an NOA for my son’s I-765. Receipt number starts with IOE (my other case numbers start with MSC). 
 

Letter just states that it has been received by their office. So confused as I have already received NOAs on Jan 27. And I already received notices about our fingerprints being applied and such. Wonder what this could mean. 
 

Has anyone received a similar letter? 

That's weird. I've only seen those IOE numbers for online filed I-130 for CR1 applications.