Hope4me

Hello Fam, I have been waiting since Feb 2020. I have decided to go the route of writ of mandamus as I have exhausted my options (congress person/senator, submitted FBI background check from a vendor, filled out an of our processing time form). I recall there was an extensive thread on writ of mandamus a while ago. I'd appreciate if someone can share or just tell me what I should be wary of.

Please do you have any recommendations or know of any? Will be state or federal background checks?

I have looked for that post and I am unable to find it. What I am actually looking for is what agency/office can conduct such checks for me. My VAWA is pending since Feb 2020 and congressperson and senator inquiries says background/security checks. Please tag me if you find that post. Thanks fam.

Oh yes, I think I saw that sometime ago too. I will absolutely take that chance. Thanks again.

Thank you so much. As a quick follow-up, congressional inquiry for my VAWA (since Feb 2020) received response of ongoing security checks as at October 2023. Is there anything else I can do at this time?

And yes, I am fine. I returned to the country on December 27 at midnight via ATL and barely spent 5mins in secondary before my name was called and my passport handed back to me. If you are reading this and needed a sign to make that trip, this is it. It's my second time using AP in 2 years, and it makes me want to plan a summer trip. Happy new year family...may it be an approval filled 2024.

Hello fam, I am about to make an international trip AGAIN using my AP. Just checking to confirm there have been no surprises lately with returning to the country. I did not apply for asylum and my combo card is valid until May 2024. VAWA pending since Feb 2020. I will appreciate if someone can tell me anything else I should know/check before leaving. Happy holidays to you all.

Apologies for the late response. I received an RFE and I responded last July (2022) after which I received an update that USCIS will continue working on my case. Since then....radio silence. I am not much worried anymore because using my AP, I travelled home last December/Jan this year. With my work authorization, I secured a great job in 2021 and even just earned a promotion. I also applied for a visa to Canada which was approved (for 3 years) late January this year and it gives me much strength, like worst case scenario, I head there...lol. However, all of these has solidified my confidence that everything will work out fine. You too can improve on what I have done. Cheers fam!

Hi fam, I am 41 months in (Feb 2020) and had to reach out to my Senator's office and a response came last month that it is at background check. I will encourage you to reach out to your Congress person/Senator as well. After waiting this long, I will encourage you to hold on to hope. Let's look at it this way - when your VAWA is approved, you get a 10 year green card whereas if you started the process afresh, you first get a conditional green card (2 years) and also back to relying on someone for your status. By filing for VAWA, you took your destiny in your hands which I believe is a brave thing to do. Do not despair fam, your day is coming soon.

Hi family, Following the guidance from all on tnis post above, I contacted my Senator's office and I got a response today that a decision has not been made because security checks are pending and the usual "we cannot move forward on the case until the security checks have been completed". Is there anything else, I can do? Also, USCIS stated that another PF extension was sent last month which I have yet to receive. Although, I do not have real need for the letter in itself, but I am worried they may have sent it to my former attorney's office despite me submitting an AR11 and earlier receiving mails at my current address. What can I do about this fam?

Hi fam, Please I need everyone's input. I filed VAWA in Feb 2020 after which I received notice of action and subsequently prima facie (about 3 times). I have also renewed my combo card twice. I then relocated to another state and sent form AR11 to USCIS accordingly (Vermont). In July 2022, I received RFE which I responded to a week later than deadline day because my attorney failed to inform me early enough. USCIS acknowledged receipt of the documents and said they will continue working on my case. In March this year, I received 3 mails from USCIS Lees Summit office - 2 Notices of Action for the combo card I already have which is expiring next year and notice of action for the VAWA I filed since Feb 2020 for which I already received confirmation for but this time the received date stated in the letter was August 2020. Why from Lees Summit Office MO instead of Vermont? Does anyone have an idea of what could be going on? Also, is there a way I could nudge them on my case? I am thinking of using congress person again (I did before) or shall I send same RFE documents again just to see if someone touches my file? @balo101 @Demise @sandranj

With the current 8/2020 date in the mail I just received, the tracking app says the earliest I can check is January 2024. I am really tired of waiting.

UPDATE: Just received the mails. 2 envelopes are for Combo card notice of actions filed since 2021. I already received that card last year. The 3rd envelope is also notice of action but for VAWA filed in 2020. Even though I received prima facie document around Mar/April, shortly after filing in Jan/Feb 2020, the received date on this document says August 2020. Anyway, the mails are all from USCIS Lees Summit production facility and not from Vermont. Strange!

Hey Fam, VAWA has been pending since Jan/Feb 2020. I received RFE and replied in July last year. Although, I did not receive an acknowledgment for RFE but online tracking stated they were going to resume working on my case. 6 days ago, I received a notification on my app saying "Correspondence was received and USCIS is reviewing it". I was surprised and this morning via informed delivery, there are 3 mails incoming from USCIS Lees Summit Office, Missouri. Does anyone have an idea of what is going on?

Theirs is not VAWA but he used AP. That is what I was emphasizing.

My VAWA has been pending since January 2020. I responded to an RFE in July 2022. I travelled on AP Dec 21, 2022 and returned January 9, 2023. I was sent to secondary inspection and came out in less than 30 minutes. No problems. My buddy also travelled same day and he just returned last week, no problem. Why will you be different? Ease your mind, take your trip.

If you have AP, you may go ahead and travel to see them; if you do not, I will encourage you to not just leave, apply for 1 (AP) and travel to see them. It is important to make your long and tortuous wait these past years count for something at least, NEVER GIVER UP!

Hey guys, glad to let you all know that I just returned to the US about 10 hours ago using my AP. I travelled to Nigeria since 21st December via Ethiopian Airlines with layover at Togo. They seemed familiar with the combo card as no unusual questions were asked. I got to CBP and officer referred me to secondary clearance after taking my fingerprints saying that I needed a stamp on my passport. He put my passport and another form in a transparent box, sealed it and pointed and said, "go to that officer". I got there and they opened another door and said "follow the red line" which took me to the secondary area. Handed the box over to the officer at a desk and she said "sit over there and please no phones". Because of the anxiety it felt like 1 hour wait but it was actually almost 30 minutes, my name got called and my passport and combo card handed back to me and I was shown the exit after which I went to baggage claim. I have been waiting for VAWA approval since February 2020 and haven't heard anything since responding to RFE in July 2022. Let me add my voice and say to all in this forum, if you have an AP, go ahead and take that trip, there is no problem. I doubted it for a long while but it's a good thing I took a chance and I am happy I did.