GCG

Hey everyone, Just wanted to update here regarding my EAD. After freaking out waiting for a response since November 7th, today I finally received approval! My expedite request was denied because apparently they were already reviewing my application and the application was approved as a standalone EAD (no AP). In the meantime I had contacted my congresswoman (her office was pissed that they've been ignoring a request from a healthcare worker!), not sure if this was what triggered the approval but I'm really really happy it happened! I will start my new job in 3 weeks after finishing all the paperwork needed! So relieved! I also have a new "note" under my AOS now saying they're reviewing my RFE (sent in September 2022) - not sure if this actually means something but happy to wait now that I can work! Good luck and timely approvals to all still waiting!

Everytime I asked they just kept adding a "new service request" which pushes your case back to the end of the queue, so I'm in a forever loop of "it's been more than 30 days" and "wait until it's been 30 days"

Already did all that, still waiting on a reply back since Nov 7th.

Thanks for reaching out @Artuicune As I said in private, I agree with others here that chances of expedite being approved in such a short timeline are very slim. If not backed by a strong evidence (and/or compeling storytelling) listed in USCIS' list of expedite categories, most likely will be denied. I, myself, am a healthcare worker (biomedical researcher), I have a job offer for a very specialized and highly regulated FDA position and they are just basically ignoring my request. Beyond being a healthcare worker, it's base as well of financial loss (almost 5 months AOS without a salary is a third of our family's income - I used to work under a H1B), also the company can't hire anybody else because it's a very specialized position, they are losing literally millions and research that could be saving lives is being postponed, still USCIS doesn't give a(removed)! 😃 I wish you best of luck on your travels, wedding and future application - but don't keep hopes too high about actually starting this job anytime soon.

Sorry to hear that you've also been waiting without an approval. I'm honestly getting very desperate.. My job offer of my absolute *dream job* will expire on Feb 13th after months on the wait for an expedite and no moviment. I'm going crazy at home with just walls to look while my husband works - I've been working crazy schedules as a healthcare worker since I was on my early 20's, worked through COVID while everything closed and everybody was told to stay home... I know, I get it, people have been waiting long times for their EADs but I'm starting to worry about my overall mental state if I'm not able to work soon. I've started a Master's program, I volunteer the max hours I'm allowed to by the organization, I help my sister-in-law with her kids and still have too much free time at hand... nothing like being overworked for years to get you feeling like you're never productive enough... Anyway, just a giant rant, won't solve anything!

I'm deleting all of my email updates and never getting back into VJ 🤕 Jokes apart.. I'm sorry you haven't received yours yet!

As with everything in this mad process, it seems to be random if and when you'll receive EAD and AP but overall goal was to approve EADs faster since the job market was crazy (too many open positions, not enough applicants) while AP was placed in the back-burner. Some people have been approved for combo cards, others have not without any logic or consistency - some VJ posts suggest that if you expedite you won't get combo but a lot of expedites have been approved for combo too... USCIS website says (https://www.uscis.gov/i-765) "Alert: To improve efficiency and reduce Form I-765 processing times for Form I-485 applicants, USCIS may decouple Forms I-765 from Forms I-131 filed at the same time. To improve efficiency and reduce Form I-765 processing times for Form I-485 applicants, USCIS may decouple Forms I-765 from Forms I-131 filed at the same time. Effective Feb. 1, 2022, when possible, we will adjudicate an applicant's Form I-765 first. If we approve it, we will issue an Employment Authorization Document without any notation about advanced parole. We will adjudicate the Form I-131 separately and if we approve it, we will issue an advance parole document."

Hey everyone, I'm doing AOS, married to USC, PD 08/12/22 and anxiously waiting for my EAD since I have a job offer on the table since September (healthcare worker - tried expediting but denied). For a few days now my account says EAD "any time now" I understand VJ predictions must be taken with an *Ocean of salt* but in your RECENT experience (family based EAD applications from early/mid 2022), have you received your card withing the predictions of VJ? Please share if you expedited your case, cause it seems like it has been mostly expedites or "auto" approvals after bio lately! Thank you so much for your input!

Seems like it's a new update available to all pending I-131. Reddit had a lot of people asking about it last week.

Unfortunately no news yet. I submitted my expedite request on Nov 7th - as healthcare workers qualify for the expedite. Once it reached 30 days without a reply, they've escalated it to a tier 2 officer to call me back - I've received an email saying that they might reach out through text, email or call but dead silent since. Last time I called they said to wait another 30 days before making another inquiry. It's very frustrating to be honest! I have a job offer pending for several months now and no way to know when I'll be able to start. Wishing like a little kid that Santa will gift me an EAD for Christmas