A-Number Mismatch

[Vulpis 26]

Just wondering if this is common or a discrepancy that I should have corrected.

 

On the I-129F approval, USCIS assigned an A# to my partner. I used that number to fill out the AOS forms and that showed up on the receipt notices.

I messaged a USCIS representative to get the online access code, and on the biometric appointment notice, it says my spouse's married name and address correctly, but the A# is completely different.

[OldUser 6,463]

2 minutes ago, Vulpis said:

Just wondering if this is common or a discrepancy that I should have corrected.

 

On the I-129F approval, USCIS assigned an A# to my partner. I used that number to fill out the AOS forms and that showed up on the receipt notices.

I messaged a USCIS representative to get the online access code, and on the biometric appointment notice, it says my spouse's married name and address correctly, but the A# is completely different.

Did you use your own USCIS account to add spouse's case? Or is this a new account you set up for your spouse?

 

If the first, is this yours A number?

 

Either way, the spouse can get it corrected during biometrics appointment.

[Vulpis 26]

4 minutes ago, OldUser said:

Did you use your own USCIS account to add spouse's case? Or is this a new account you set up for your spouse?

 

If the first, is this yours A number?

 

Either way, the spouse can get it corrected during biometrics appointment.

New USCIS account set up.

 

[K1visaHopeful 2,793]

13 hours ago, Vulpis said:

 

I messaged a USCIS representative to get the online access code,

This part confuses me. 

You contacted USCIS for ?

You needed an online access code for what? 

Biometrics noticed are mailed to the patient. 

13 hours ago, Vulpis said:

and on the biometric appointment notice,

Which biometrics notice?

One that was mailed to you or one that you printed after creating an online account and finding your bio notice online?

13 hours ago, Vulpis said:

it says my spouse's married name and address correctly, but the A# is completely different.

It = mailed or downloaded?

[Vulpis 26]

On 3/25/2024 at 9:03 PM, K1visaHopeful said:

This part confuses me. 

You contacted USCIS for ?

You needed an online access code for what? 

Biometrics noticed are mailed to the patient. 

Which biometrics notice?

One that was mailed to you or one that you printed after creating an online account and finding your bio notice online?

It = mailed or downloaded?

 

The receipt notice took its sweet time making its way to my home, nearly three weeks. On the advice of people on this forum and other places, I reached out to USCIS via online chat to obtain the online access code that would have been mailed to us to link the IOE case number to my partner's USCIS account.

 

We were able to see a copy of the letter USCIS sent us (and we'll receive eventually) with that access code along with the appointment notice.

 

My partner has an A# that was assigned to them and shows on the I129F approval notice. We used that number to fill out AOS forms, and that number showed on the AOS receipt notices. The online account notice and the appointment notice have a different number than the first number.

[K1visaHopeful 2,793]

30 minutes ago, Vulpis said:

 

The receipt notice took its sweet time making its way to my home, nearly three weeks.

It can take up to 30 days to receive Noa1 in the mail from when the shipment is received not sent until you are eligible to place an email enquiry with the lockbox. The website states that. 

30 minutes ago, Vulpis said:

On the advice of people on this forum and other places

One person, who is a current AOS filer and has posted less than 300 comments in his time on VJ. Other places, please link them so it can be corrected so your problem doesn't become one for many. 

30 minutes ago, Vulpis said:

, I reached out to USCIS via online chat to obtain the online access code that would have been mailed to us to link the IOE case number to my partner's USCIS account.

Following the official website for timelines and protocol imperative. 

I'll go as far as to say that your error came from the online chat agent (whom you didn't need to contact) providing info for a different immigrant and mistakenly connecting it to you.

30 minutes ago, Vulpis said:

 

We were able to see a copy of the letter USCIS sent us (and we'll receive eventually) with that access code along with the appointment notice.

Keyword.

30 minutes ago, Vulpis said:

My partner has an A# that was assigned to them and shows on the I129F approval notice. We used that number to fill out AOS forms, and that number showed on the AOS receipt notices.

Which is the correct protocol as outlined by USCIS.

30 minutes ago, Vulpis said:

The online account notice and the appointment notice have a different number than the first number.

How would you know that for sure if you haven't received the biometrics notice in thy mail?

Edited March 27 by K1visaHopeful

[K1visaHopeful 2,793]

https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/contact-us

 

Lockbox

If you have a question about a filing mailed to the Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, or Elgin Lockbox you may email us at lockboxsupport@uscis.dhs.gov and we will answer your email as soon as possible. Please include the form number, receipt number, petitioner and/or applicant name, and mailing address. Do not include Social Security numbers in emails.

Examples of Lockbox questions include:

• The reason your submission was rejected;
• How or where to submit an application or petition that should be filed at one of the four Lockbox locations; and
• Filing more than 30 days ago and not yet receiving a receipt notice.

[Vulpis 26]

35 minutes ago, K1visaHopeful said:

It can take up to 30 days to receive Noa1 in the mail from when the shipment is received not sent until you are eligible to place an email enquiry with the lockbox. The website states that. 

One person, who is a current AOS filer and has posted less than 300 comments in his time on VJ. Other places, please link them so it can be corrected so your problem doesn't become one for many. 

Following the official website for timelines and protocol imperative. 

I'll go as far as to say that your error came from the online chat agent (whom you didn't need to contact) providing info for a different immigrant and mistakenly connecting it to you.

Keyword.

Which is the correct protocol as outlined by USCIS.

How would you know that for sure if you haven't received the biometrics notice in thy mail?

 

How would it mistakenly connect to us? Using the code requires you to input the I-485 case number we got on the receipt notice.

All the scanned documents we can access are documents which we have prepared and signed. The PDF notices that show biometrics appointment notice and the document with the access code show our address and my spouse's name.

[M plus D 57]

 

7 hours ago, K1visaHopeful said:

I'll go as far as to say that your error came from the online chat agent (whom you didn't need to contact) providing info for a different immigrant and mistakenly connecting it to you.

To start, lets clarify that an online agent in EMMA can only provide an Online Activation Code, they cannot generate it.

 

Once the OAC is given, you gain access to that Applicant's online environment for those cases.

If this was a completely different immigrant, the biometrics notice in the online environment would've had a different A-number and different name/DOB.

Seeing that this isn't the case, obviously USCIS somehow assigned a duplicate A-number for the same person.

 

7 hours ago, K1visaHopeful said:

Keyword.

To clarify, the keyword you highlighted is "eventually",, regarding the timeframe someone getting their Biometrics notice.

 

You didn't quite articulate what you meant with the highlighting, so let me just make a general statement: Biometrics appointments for AOS are often scheduled 3 week out, but I have seen the occasional 2 weeks.

This is a very tight timeframe for some, especially considering mail can get lost. It is much safer to contact the EMMA representatives to ask for your OAC as soon as possible, so that you may access the digital version fo the biometrics scheduling letter.

 

And yes, in case you know, the biometrics notice in the online environment is not exactly the same as the physical one mailed to you. However, they accept them as Application Service Centers, something I have done personally.

 

7 hours ago, K1visaHopeful said:

How would you know that for sure if you haven't received the biometrics notice in thy mail?

If they receive a physical biometrics notice with the correct A-number, there would be far bigger implications. The existence of two biometrics for the same person, differing only by A-number, would mean there would have to be two duplicate AOS filings for the same person, with duplicate biometrics notices and duplicate MyUSCIS-environments. All differing only in the A-number.

 

Furthermore, OP mentioned that the AOS NOA1s did show correct A-number. Therefore, if the Biometrics notice is visible for them in the online environment under the i-485, which does have the correct A-number, clearly the two A-numbers are connected to the same case. This means that the above theory of "everything might be duplicate" doesn't fly.

 

Lastly, quick search on Google already shows that USCIS does assign new A-number to people at times, for whatever reason or non-reason. There is no need to further double-down on your stance by digging into a deeper complexity.

 

7 hours ago, K1visaHopeful said:

One person, who is a current AOS filer and has posted less than 300 comments in his time on VJ. Other places, please link them so it can be corrected so your problem doesn't become one for many. 

The amount of comments someone has on a single forum cannot be directly equated to knowledge. You have what most would consider a substantial amount of posts on VJ, yet I find your knowledge on the whole lacking and bordering on misinformation.

 

Also, what is your experience with e-files/IOE-cases? Do you keep up-to-date with developments?

I have also seen you claim in a different thread that people that filed on paper but get an e-file (IOE) are somehow not elligble to respond to RFEs via the online environment, which is also not true.

[AndiB 677]

2 hours ago, M plus D said:

 

To start, lets clarify that an online agent in EMMA can only provide an Online Activation Code, they cannot generate it.

 

Once the OAC is given, you gain access to that Applicant's online environment for those cases.

If this was a completely different immigrant, the biometrics notice in the online environment would've had a different A-number and different name/DOB.

Seeing that this isn't the case, obviously USCIS somehow assigned a duplicate A-number for the same person.

 

To clarify, the keyword you highlighted is "eventually",, regarding the timeframe someone getting their Biometrics notice.

 

You didn't quite articulate what you meant with the highlighting, so let me just make a general statement: Biometrics appointments for AOS are often scheduled 3 week out, but I have seen the occasional 2 weeks.

This is a very tight timeframe for some, especially considering mail can get lost. It is much safer to contact the EMMA representatives to ask for your OAC as soon as possible, so that you may access the digital version fo the biometrics scheduling letter.

 

And yes, in case you know, the biometrics notice in the online environment is not exactly the same as the physical one mailed to you. However, they accept them as Application Service Centers, something I have done personally.

 

If they receive a physical biometrics notice with the correct A-number, there would be far bigger implications. The existence of two biometrics for the same person, differing only by A-number, would mean there would have to be two duplicate AOS filings for the same person, with duplicate biometrics notices and duplicate MyUSCIS-environments. All differing only in the A-number.

 

Furthermore, OP mentioned that the AOS NOA1s did show correct A-number. Therefore, if the Biometrics notice is visible for them in the online environment under the i-485, which does have the correct A-number, clearly the two A-numbers are connected to the same case. This means that the above theory of "everything might be duplicate" doesn't fly.

 

Lastly, quick search on Google already shows that USCIS does assign new A-number to people at times, for whatever reason or non-reason. There is no need to further double-down on your stance by digging into a deeper complexity.

 

The amount of comments someone has on a single forum cannot be directly equated to knowledge. You have what most would consider a substantial amount of posts on VJ, yet I find your knowledge on the whole lacking and bordering on misinformation.

 

Also, what is your experience with e-files/IOE-cases? Do you keep up-to-date with developments?

I have also seen you claim in a different thread that people that filed on paper but get an e-file (IOE) are somehow not elligble to respond to RFEs via the online environment, which is also not true.

Agree with all of this. I was someone who had their bio scheduled two weeks from noa1. Mail here is f'd atm with numerous issues so if I'd waited, I'd miss it, especially as it's scheduled a day my husband works and i can't drive.

 

In regards to A number, definitely an odd one. Would follow up on Emma but def are don't think it's due to User error, just USCIS error likely

[Kitaly 6]

10 hours ago, M plus D said:

The amount of comments someone has on a single forum cannot be directly equated to knowledge. You have what most would consider a substantial amount of posts on VJ, yet I find your knowledge on the whole lacking and bordering on misinformation.

 

Preach 

[OldUser 6,463]

11 hours ago, M plus D said:

Also, what is your experience with e-files/IOE-cases? Do you keep up-to-date with developments?

I have also seen you claim in a different thread that people that filed on paper but get an e-file (IOE) are somehow not elligble to respond to RFEs via the online environment, which is also not true.

Did RFE letter received by mail mention replying online? Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Most likely the instructions in RFE provided address to mail response to. Technically, USCIS doesn't have to take any response provided online if RFE instructions don't mention it. Add to that glitches in USCIS IT systems (duplicate A numbers, missing case statuses, etc etc) nobody can guarantee uploaded evidence won't be silently discarded / lost / agent won't have permission, desire or training to see it.

 

Sometimes it is OK to follow the suggestions from members who've seen it all. I think @K1visaHopeful is coming from a good place. If I was paid $10 every time I see people's packets being rejected due to declined credit card payment, I'd get a Michelin star dinner for free. Yes, many times USCIS offers something, but it doesn't mean just because it's there it's a good idea to use.

 

If online RFE reponse is lost and USCIS says you never sent it, how are you going to prove you submitted it? Do you get a confirmation email with some unique receipt number (like AR-11 online)? If not, I'd respond by certified mail / UPS / Fedex with proof of delivery. So that if USCIS claim they never got it, I could argue they received it.

Edited March 28 by OldUser

[K1visaHopeful 2,793]

18 hours ago, Vulpis said:

 

How would it mistakenly connect to us? Using the code requires you to input the I-485 case number we got on the receipt notice.

All the scanned documents we can access are documents which we have prepared and signed. The PDF notices that show biometrics appointment notice and the document with the access code show our address and my spouse's name.

How does one mistakenly get a duplicate A number is a mystery no one can solve. Human error is a huge likely guess. 

11 hours ago, M plus D said:

 

To start, lets clarify that an online agent in EMMA can only provide an Online Activation Code, they cannot generate it.

Very true. But from where? Is it obtained by info or by Alien number. We've all seen A# issued in duplicate before and it's not hard to guess that an easy error by a lackadaisical agent isn't a far off thought. Are there two A files now even? Did the agent have access to that info? Are important documents going to separated? Is this going to be fixable easily?

11 hours ago, M plus D said:

Once the OAC is given, you gain access to that Applicant's online environment for those cases.

If this was a completely different immigrant, the biometrics notice in the online environment would've had a different A-number and different name/DOB.

Seeing that this isn't the case, obviously USCIS somehow assigned a duplicate A-number for the same person.

We don't know what the agent saw or even could see.

Perhaps if the OP had given their original A number instead of their receipt number the result would have been different. Not fixed but not divulged. No one can answer that. 

 

11 hours ago, M plus D said:

To clarify, the keyword you highlighted is "eventually",, regarding the timeframe someone getting their Biometrics notice.

It was not clear whether or not the OP had received the actually biometrics notice by mail as in one paragraph they said they were waiting for it and another that they had already received it, so I asked what it said in regards to the Alien # listed on it to make some deductions on what may have happened.

11 hours ago, M plus D said:

You didn't quite articulate what you meant with the highlighting, so let me just make a general statement: Biometrics appointments for AOS are often scheduled 3 week out, but I have seen the occasional 2 weeks.

And what's the big deal? As above your case does not magically begin adjudication once biometrics are complete. In fact, biometrics can take place at the beginning, middle or end of the adjudication process for any petition type. It just has to be done EVENTUALLY and before approval.

 

How do we, as USCIS customers, FIX (and instead, not MANIPULATE) their procedures? If they are scheduling biometrics far too soon because of issues with USPS how will they KNOW unless so many ppl start missing their biometrics that they have to do something about how soon they schedule?

11 hours ago, M plus D said:

This is a very tight timeframe for some, especially considering mail can get lost. It is much safer to contact the EMMA representatives to ask for your OAC as soon as possible, so that you may access the digital version fo the biometrics scheduling letter.

I disagree with this wholeheartedly. 

We don't make up the protocol for USCIS. We follow their procedures and stop pushing the envelope. And we sure as he-double hockey stix don't promote something like that here where something so easily can be turned into a rule to newbies who do not understand the process. That's frightening. 

11 hours ago, M plus D said:

And yes, in case you know, the biometrics notice in the online environment is not exactly the same as the physical one mailed to you. However, they accept them as Application Service Centers, something I have done personally.

Which is fine. But waiting for the Online Access mailer is part of the process. 

11 hours ago, M plus D said:

If they receive a physical biometrics notice with the correct A-number, there would be far bigger implications.

I agree. 

11 hours ago, M plus D said:

The existence of two biometrics for the same person, differing only by A-number, would mean there would have to be two duplicate AOS filings for the same person,

Not necessarily but quite possibly, as above, two Afiles separated by a million boxes or a thousand miles between SCs/FOs/storage is scary.

11 hours ago, M plus D said:

with duplicate biometrics notices and duplicate MyUSCIS-environments. All differing only in the A-number.

 

Furthermore, OP mentioned that the AOS NOA1s did show correct A-number. Therefore, if the Biometrics notice is visible for them in the online environment under the i-485, which does have the correct A-number, clearly the two A-numbers are connected to the same case. This means that the above theory of "everything might be duplicate" doesn't fly.

It does if you think about future filings. Which file will they be matched up with?

Have you ever heard of horror stories of ppl with two SSNs? We're lucky that citizenship only takes up around ten years of our lives. 

11 hours ago, M plus D said:

Lastly, quick search on Google already shows that USCIS does assign new A-number to people at times, for whatever reason or non-reason. There is no need to further double-down on your stance by digging into a deeper complexity.

I can wonder why. If knowing why ends up helping other prevent it, it's not wrong to want to know why. 

11 hours ago, M plus D said:

The amount of comments someone has on a single forum cannot be directly equated to knowledge. You have what most would consider a substantial amount of posts on VJ, yet I find your knowledge on the whole lacking and bordering on misinformation.

My point was the OP made it sound like the holy grail of how one receives access to their online account and quite possibly exaggerated the stronghold of the info. 

Just because a group of newbies created their own procedure on what they think should be done doesn't make it right. And it doesn't make everything I've said wrong either. 

11 hours ago, M plus D said:

Also, what is your experience with e-files/IOE-cases? Do you keep up-to-date with developments?

Sure I do. I get daily emails from USCIS on policy change and memorandums and form and filing updates. I read new form updates  and their instructions and see their updated forms' webpage for new recommendations. 

Just because my answers are short and blunt doesn't mean, they aren't worthy. The majority of us answer the same questions weekly. My fingers bleed but I still help. 

11 hours ago, M plus D said:

I have also seen you claim in a different thread that people that filed on paper but get an e-file (IOE) are somehow not elligble to respond to RFEs via the online environment, which is also not true.

Again, "able to" does not mean "eligble to". While USCIS may LET YOU, it in no way means you SHOULD unless specifically instructed to.

"If applicable" is a phrase that is largely misinterpreted. 

Until USCIS comes out with revised clarification on their instructions for online RFE responses, I stand by that. 

 

9 hours ago, AndiB said:

Agree with all of this. I was someone who had their bio scheduled two weeks from noa1. Mail here is f'd atm with numerous issues so if I'd waited, I'd miss it, especially as it's scheduled a day my husband works and i can't drive.

As above.

And? 

What does having to reschedule your Biometrics mean to your process?

Absolutely nothing at all. 

In fact, you'd be helping the process and USCIS as a whole.

9 hours ago, AndiB said:

In regards to A number, definitely an odd one. Would follow up on Emma but def are don't think it's due to User error, just USCIS error likely

I'd like to see that one resolved too but I'm hard pressed to see anyone announce their discrepancy.

[M plus D 57]

34 minutes ago, OldUser said:

Did RFE letter received by mail mention replying online? Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Most likely the instructions in RFE provided address to mail response to. Technically, USCIS doesn't have to take any response provided online if RFE instructions don't mention it. Add to that glitches in USCIS IT systems (duplicate A numbers, missing case statuses, etc etc) nobody can guarantee uploaded evidence won't be silently discarded / lost / agent won't have permission, desire or training to see it.

 

Sometimes it is OK to follow the suggestions from members who've seen it all. I think @K1visaHopeful is coming from a good place. If I was paid $10 every time I see people's packets being rejected due to declined credit card payment, I'd get a Michelin star dinner for free. Yes, many times USCIS offers something, but it doesn't mean just because it's there it's a good idea to use.

 

If online RFE reponse is lost and USCIS says you never sent it, how are you going to prove you submitted it? Do you get a confirmation email with some unique receipt number (like AR-11 online)? If not, I'd respond by certified mail / UPS / Fedex with proof of delivery. So that if USCIS claim they never got it, I could argue they received it.

 

I understand that most people come from a good place. I know that there is a lot of good information here, including tips about credit card being less reliable, as you mentioned.

 

I also understand that a lot of people spread misinformation, and that this is double as dangerous when coming from someone who is a moderator and argues strongly about it.

 

I see no argument in the slightest for getting someone else's A-number or such by user-error. I really do not. 

 

I also would like to point out that just below this post, there is a post of someone else missing their biometrics due to their letter arriving after the actual scheduled date. The same person replied in that thread and should be aware that this can happen. Only to then have them disregard that thread and claim in here you should always wait for the physical mail, all-the-while trying to convince people to not do something perfectly safe that could prevent this.

 

This sounds to me like someone who either does not connect the dots or who will compartmentalize their experience per thread to win "challenges".

 

To avoid going too off-topic, I will only add that RFEs for e-files do refer to being able to respond online, and people have successfully used it. Both physical and digital have their advantages, and it everybody's choice to reply as they see fit.

[Vulpis 26]

We received the paper copies by mail yesterday with the online access code and ASC appointment information. 
 

No surprise, they’re exactly the same as the documents provided online. Correct person, correct address, correct IOE case numbers but a different A number.