Is there a secret?

[MichaelJuan.198 8]

Hi there,

 

I’m about to send the packet for removal of conditions and I have a few questions. But before I even start, I know that there no direct way and promise that my case will be approved quickly. HOWEVER, I notice that a lot of people get approved pretty quickly (8 months give or take) while for some others it takes over 2 years. While It seems like there is no secrets to be approved quickly, I definitely see tendencies in the way some of you make their packets for example. I would like to hear more about those things in order to form my own opinion about what could potentially make it easy for USCIS and by extension help making things go a little quicker.

 

I would like to hear from those whose removal of conditions was approved quickly. What evidence did you submit in your packet? How many pages was it?How much effort did you put into your packet overall? Did you print one evidence after the other or did you make an effort to create a syllabus? In what center was your packet sent? Also, if you have any other informations that you think would be helpful, feel free to share it!

 

Thanks for your help!

[Fe.Ta 874]

13 minutes ago, MichaelJuan.198 said:

Hi there,

 

I’m about to send the packet for removal of conditions and I have a few questions. But before I even start, I know that there no direct way and promise that my case will be approved quickly. HOWEVER, I notice that a lot of people get approved pretty quickly (8 months give or take) while for some others it takes over 2 years. While It seems like there is no secrets to be approved quickly, I definitely see tendencies in the way some of you make their packets for example. I would like to hear more about those things in order to form my own opinion about what could potentially make it easy for USCIS and by extension help making things go a little quicker.

 

I would like to hear from those whose removal of conditions was approved quickly. What evidence did you submit in your packet? How many pages was it?How much effort did you put into your packet overall? Did you print one evidence after the other or did you make an effort to create a syllabus? In what center was your packet sent? Also, if you have any other informations that you think would be helpful, feel free to share it!

 

Thanks for your help!

The "secret" is that back in Spring-Summer '23, USCIS adopted a LIFO (last-in-first-out) approach.  So, you and others that submitted on or after that are getting quicker approvals and those of us that submitted it earlier.

[Daphne . 1,846]

No secrets, please don’t think that the quick approvals had anything to do with the quality of the package. USCIS is trying to look better and improve their stats at the expense of people who filed years ago. 
 

Sincerely,

An August 2021 filer. 

[Mike E 11,739]

2 hours ago, MichaelJuan.198 said:

I would like to hear from those whose removal of conditions was approved quickly. What evidence did you submit in your packet?

See 

 

2 hours ago, MichaelJuan.198 said:

 

How many pages was it?

77

2 hours ago, MichaelJuan.198 said:

 

How much effort did you put into your packet overall?

I do not know how you wish us to quantify this.

 

I probably put 40 hours into it. 

 

2 hours ago, MichaelJuan.198 said:

 

Did you print one evidence after the other or did you make an effort to create a syllabus?

The cover letter came after all evidence was gathered into a single drop box folder. 

2 hours ago, MichaelJuan.198 said:

In what center was your packet sent?

That isn’t how it works. Depending on where you live, there is a specific address you send to, and these addresses change from time to time. We sent ours to Phoenix.

 

We were assigned a WAC case number, so California was our service center.

 

Biometrics and interview waived. We used a lawyer. Who both demanded reference letters and stated that they did not have to be notarized. So we did not ask our friends to notarize them.

[Rocio0010 5,579]

There is no secret. We sent a very complete, thorough package that included evidence since our green card was approved, and it took 18 months.

[Dashinka 24,364]

On 9/21/2023 at 1:31 PM, MichaelJuan.198 said:

 

 

I would like to hear from those whose removal of conditions was approved quickly. What evidence did you submit in your packet? How many pages was it?

A lot, more than 50 IIRC.

On 9/21/2023 at 1:31 PM, MichaelJuan.198 said:

 

 

How much effort did you put into your packet overall?

Probably 30-40 hrs.

On 9/21/2023 at 1:31 PM, MichaelJuan.198 said:

 

Did you print one evidence after the other or did you make an effort to create a syllabus?

We organized the evidence systematically, and then created a cover sheet with a table of contents.

On 9/21/2023 at 1:31 PM, MichaelJuan.198 said:

In what center was your packet sent?

Wherever it was required to be submitted when my wife and I filed.

On 9/21/2023 at 1:31 PM, MichaelJuan.198 said:

 

Also, if you have any other informations that you think would be helpful, feel free to share it!

 

Thanks for your help!

Overall, our I751 was processed in a little over 14 months, but we are not a great datapoint anymore as we filed just as USCIS was deprioritizing I751s in December 2016.  Back then they were only issuing 12 month extension letters which we surpassed, so my wife got an ADIT stamp.  The other thing my wife did was file the N400 when she became eligible (about a year after submitting the I751).  We have no idea if that helped or hurt, but she had her I751 and N400 approved at the same time and was naturalized when others filing their I751s around the same time were just seeing their I751 approved.

[HarryWL 262]

I've been waiting 3 years, if there's a secret... I'm all ears. 

[OldUser 6,456]

8 hours ago, HarryWL said:

I've been waiting 3 years, if there's a secret... I'm all ears. 

Writ of Mandamus

[MichaelJuan.198 8]

On 9/22/2023 at 1:27 PM, Rocio0010 said:

There is no secret. We sent a very complete, thorough package that included evidence since our green card was approved, and it took 18 months.

Just now, MichaelJuan.198 said:

On 9/22/2023 at 1:27 PM, Rocio0010 said:

There is no secret. We sent a very complete, thorough package that included evidence since our green card was approved, and it took 18 months.

can you give details? i don’t know what “very complete, thorough package”

Just now, MichaelJuan.198 said:

can you give details? i don’t know what “very complete, thorough package”

means 

[OldUser 6,456]

30 minutes ago, MichaelJuan.198 said:

can you give details? i don’t know what “very complete, thorough package”

means 

- Birth certificates of any children in the marriage

- Chils adoption documentation if any

- Joint tax return transcripts from IRS

- Joint lease or mortgage

- Loaned in both names

- Joint credit card statements

- Statements from joint checking,  savings, brokerage accounts

- Utility bills for gas, water, electrical etc showing both names

- Car title in both names, car insurance in both names

- Home insurance, renters insurance, medical insurance in both names

- Copies of airline boarding passes / reservations in both bames

- Membership for things like Costco, National Park cards etc in both names

- Copies of Driver Licences or State IDs showing matching address

- Wills mentioning the spouse

- 401k plans listing the spouse as a beneficiary 

- Family plans for Amazon, Netflix, cellular showing both names

- Affidavits from friends, family, landlords showing they know you as a married couple for a while

- Copies of receipts for gifts to each other for anniversaries, New Year etc

- USPS Informed Delivery emails showing letters to both. Any copies of letters addressed to both of you

- Photos of both of you with family, friends, colleagues. They should be titled, dated and annotated (location, event, who is on photo etc). Should include photos from different periods of time through your marriage

- Screenshots of you listing your spouse as emergency contact at work and other places and other way round

- Many more stuff you can think of...

 

 

All the evidence should be complete, e.g submit full documents and not just first page. Evidence should cover period from start of marriage to date of filing.

 

 

 

Edited September 24, 2023 by OldUser

[Rocio0010 5,579]

10 hours ago, MichaelJuan.198 said:

can you give details? i don’t know what “very complete, thorough package”

means 

 

Table of Contents

Exhibit A: FORM I-751

Original xxxxxxxxBank Personal Check, in the amount of $680.00 for payment of the I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence + Biometric fee

Enlarged copy of USCIS Form I-551 front and back (Permanent Resident Card)

Original Form I-751 filled and signed by xxxx and xxxx 

Addendum I and II to Form I-751

Copy of form G-1145.

 

Exhibit B: MARRIAGE

Copy of certified marriage certificate between xxxx and xxxx, showing marriage on May 17, 2019 in Morgantown, West Virginia.

 

Exhibit C COHABITATION

Copy of Owners Title Insurance Policy with original recorded warranty deed for the property located at xxxxxxxx

Copy of American Land Title Association Settlement Statement showing xxxx and xxxx as buyers of the property situated at xxxxxxxx. 

Copy of Veterans United pre- approval letter showing xxxx and xxxx as pre-approved for a home loan. Dated: Jun 18, 2021 Signed by Kris Ball (Loan Officer) 

 

Copies of xxxx xxxxxxx and xxxx xxxxxx current drivers’ licenses showing joint residence at xxxxxxxx

Copies of xxxx xxxxxand xxxxxxxxxx old drivers’ licenses showing joint residence at xxxxxxxxx

Copy of xxxx Knotts’s updated Argentinian ID listing address at xxxxxxxxx

Copies of Spectrum (Internet) monthly statements showing xxxx as responsible for paying gas and electricity in our joint residence at xxxxxxxxx

Copies of Columbia Gas of Ohio monthly statements showing xxxx as responsible for paying gas in our joint residence atxxxxxxxx

Copy of lease agreement listing us as joint tenants at previous address (xxxxxxxxxx), beginning May 28, 2019 and copies of lease renewals for the same address for subsequent terms until May 31, 2022. 

Copy of xxxx xxxxx old argentinian ID listing address at xxxxxxxxxx

Copy of Horace Mann Insurance Company new business declaration listing us as jointly covered under renters’ insurance policy number xxxxxxx  for our residence at xxxxxxxxxxxx. Effective date: 02/02/2021. Expiration date: 02/02/2022.

Copy of appointment reminder from veterinary addressed to both of us.

 

Exhibit D TAX RETURNS- STATE TAXES- PROPERTY TAXES

Copies of joint IRS tax returns for 2020 and 2021.

Copy of 2021 and 2022  Monongalia County Personal Property Return filed jointly.

 

2020 and 2021 joint West Virginia Tax receipts.

  

 

Exhibit E: FINANCIAL COMMINGLING

Copies of quarterly bank statements of our joint checking account (with United Bank) since inception of the accounts on 04/19/2019 to closing of the account on xx/xx/xxxx,, showing various financial co-mingling such as Veteran United payments, rent payments, car loan payments, insurance payments, grocery shopping etc.

Copy of Chase Deposit Account Balance summary showing us as joint owners of the Chase Premier Plus Checking Account ending in 6235. Dated 10/30/2021.

 

Exhibit F: JOINT MORTGAGE STATEMENTS, UTILITIES, AND VET BILLS.

Veterans United joint mortgage statements from August 2021 to January /2022

Copies of the city of Southwest Licking Community Water & Sewer District statements showing us as jointly responsible for paying water in our joint residence xxxxxxxxx 

Copies of AEP (Electric Company) monthly statements showing us as jointly responsible for paying the electric bill in our joint residence at xxxxxxxxx

Copies of Local Waste Services monthly statements showing us as jointly responsible for paying the trash pick up in our joint residence at xxxxxxxx

Copies veterinary bills showing us as jointly responsible for paying the veterinary bill

Copy of note from landlord in Morgantown stating he was responsible for paying the utilities on the property rented at xxxxxxxxx  for the time period we lived there.

 

Exhibit G:  JOINT HEALTH AND LIFE INSURANCE OVER THE YEARS.

Copy of xxxx’s current life insurance underwritten by Principal Life Insurance company listing xxxx as beneficiary of this insurance. 

Copy of current  dental/ vision insurance (with Principal), via xxxx’s current employer, showing us both covered under the same insurance plan. Effective date: 08/09/2021.

Copy of current United Health Care insurance, via xxxx’s current employer, showing us both covered under the same insurance plan.

Public Employees Insurance Agency certification letter showing xxxx as policy holder and xxxx as covered by this insurance. 

Copy of xxxx’s life insurance underwritten by United Omaha Life Insurance Company designating spouse xxxx as beneficiary.

Copy of previous health insurance cards (Independence), via xxxx former employer (xxxxx), showing us both covered under the same (former) insurance plan.

 

EXHIBIT H: Special Permissions

One Point of Care (OPOC.US) authorization for use and disclosure of private health information, providing authorization on behalf of xxxx to disclose private health information and listing xxxx as spouse.

 

 

 

Exhibit H:  JOINT RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS

Copy of xxxx  Individual Retirement Account from Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIIA) beneficiary designation letter? listing xxxx as beneficiary of the account.

Copy of West Virginia Consolidated Public Retirement Board Pre- Retirement Beneficiary Designation showing xxxx as member, and xxxx as beneficiary of the account. 

 

Exhibit I:  JOINT VEHICLE AND HOME INSURANCE.

Copy of xxxx ’s xxxxxxx Vehicle Insurance Card showing xxxx as covered by this insurance. Policy number: xxxxxxx . Effective date: 08/18/2021. Expiration date: 02/18/2022.

Copy of xxxx’s Vehicle Insurance Card showing xxxx as covered by this insurance. Policy number: xxxxx . Effective date: 08/20/2021. Expiration date: 08/20/2022/ 

Copy of Progressive Home Advantage Insurance policy statement listing our joint residence at xxxxxx . Policy number: xxxxx. Covered from July 23, 2021 to July 23, 2022. 

Copy of AAA (American Automobile Association) joint statement with a payment date of 11/16/2021.

Copy of xxxx xxxx Farm Vehicle Insurance Card and Renewal Policies showing xxxx xxxx as covered by this insurance. Policy number:xxxxxx. Covered from February 10, 2020  to July 9,2020.

Copy of xxxx xxxx State Farm Vehicle Insurance Card and Renewal Policies showing xxxx xxxxxx as covered by this insurance. Policy number: xxxxxxx. Covered from July 09, 2020  to January 09,2021.

Copy of xxxx xxxxxx State Farm Vehicle Insurance Card and Renewal Policies showing xxxx xxxxx as covered by this insurance. Policy number: xxxxxx. Covered from January 09, 2021  to July 9,2021.

 

Exhibit K: JOINT MEMBERSHIPS

Copies of Sam’s membership listing xxxx xxxxx as a complimentary member of the account.

 

Exhibit L: TRIPS TAKEN TOGETHER

Flight reservations for our (postponed due to COVID) trip to Argentina in July 2020.

 

EXHIBIT M: EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION:

West Virginia University Outpatient Face Sheet for patient xxxx listing, xxxx, as emergency contact.

Family Vision Clinic patient sheet  for patient xxxx listing, xxxx, as emergency contact.

Paylocity profile for xxxx, listing husband xxxx as emergency contact.

Orthopedic ONE Patient Information sheet  for patient xxxx listing, xxxx, as emergency contact.

[HarryWL 262]

On 9/23/2023 at 12:18 PM, OldUser said:

Writ of Mandamus

 

I just submitted my N-400, so I'm not really that worried about it at this point. I might consider it around April time. 

 

[Stubmeister 31]

So I did the paperwork for my wife and our dependent children. I sent the I-751 form in last November within the prescribed 90-day window of the expiration of the Conditional Green Card. About 3 weeks later I received an I-757 stating that they were granting all a 2 year extension. The son, (21 y.o.) was the only one required for biometrics. 

[Daphne . 1,846]

9 hours ago, Stubmeister said:

So I did the paperwork for my wife and our dependent children. I sent the I-751 form in last November within the prescribed 90-day window of the expiration of the Conditional Green Card. About 3 weeks later I received an I-757 stating that they were granting all a 2 year extension. The son, (21 y.o.) was the only one required for biometrics. 

The extension letter is normal, everybody who files the I-751 gets the extension letter. 

[Olga&Jared 267]

Cases that were filed between October 2021 and first half of 2022 were sucked into a black hole. Regardless how you organize your package you already have better chances of getting some actionable response from USCIS within a year  As much as we like to think there's any control over how cases are being processed, there really is none.