Please help me. I don't know what else to do

[HoustonWifey]

Hello and thank you for reading my thread, I am desperate because after 70 days I don't have a biometric appointment. I got married in May 12th, my husband is a U.S Citizen. Because I had a J1 visa (internship) I had a restriction and had to apply for a waiver first (it took three months), finally I was able to apply for my AOS at the end of August. My city of residence is Houston.

This is my timeline:

August 29th, 2016 - USCIS receives my case (I-485, I-130, I-765, I-131)
September 3th - I received a text message with receipt numbers and I can see the updates online.

September 5th - I receive the notice letters that my case is being processed to my address.

October 5th - Because more than 30 days has passed I decide to do a request for a lost notice for biometric appointment, (I didn't know what else to do, there was not information online nor text message that I was scheduled, but I just decided to sent a request and explain that I have not received a biometric appointment). I was expecting an answer for the request in October 27th - No answer to my request came.

October 12th - After 50 days of sending my case, I receive a notification online that they request a REF for Initial evidence!! Which I know will delay my EAD but the worse thing is that until today November 7th, I have not yet received the RFE letter - 25 days doing nothing just waiting for the letter so I can answer it.

5 days ago I called the 800 number and put a request for a lost receipt, but they told me that I need to wait 30 days more, and then call again if I don't receive anything.

I sent a message to congressman 10 days ago, but I have not received any answer yet.


I am desperate, I need my EAD that's all that matters to me, they can take their time with the GC. I have a job offer that is waiting for me. And it's so difficult and frustrated to be just at home, I have a SSN (as I came as a intern) but I can't drive nor do anything because I need to have the EAD first. Our finances are low, I was optimist that I will receive my EAD within 90 days, now I don't know what else to do.

I have been a silent reader of this forum since I got married in May and I've been waiting patiently, I definitely know I'm not the only one having a difficult moment.

Thank so much for reading this and if you can help me by suggesting anything I would really appreciate it.

[Adrian Gruber]

Hello and thank you for reading my thread, I am desperate because after 70 days I don't have a biometric appointment. I got married in May 12th, my husband is a U.S Citizen. Because I had a J1 visa (internship) I had a restriction and had to apply for a waiver first (it took three months), finally I was able to apply for my AOS at the end of August. My city of residence is Houston.

This is my timeline:

August 29th, 2016 - USCIS receives my case (I-485, I-130, I-765, I-131)
September 3th - I received a text message with receipt numbers and I can see the updates online.

September 5th - I receive the notice letters that my case is being processed to my address.

October 5th - Because more than 30 days has passed I decide to do a request for a lost notice for biometric appointment, (I didn't know what else to do, there was not information online nor text message that I was scheduled, but I just decided to sent a request and explain that I have not received a biometric appointment). I was expecting an answer for the request in October 27th - No answer to my request came.

October 12th - After 50 days of sending my case, I receive a notification online that they request a REF for Initial evidence!! Which I know will delay my EAD but the worse thing is that until today November 7th, I have not yet received the RFE letter - 25 days doing nothing just waiting for the letter so I can answer it.

5 days ago I called the 800 number and put a request for a lost receipt, but they told me that I need to wait 30 days more, and then call again if I don't receive anything.

I sent a message to congressman 10 days ago, but I have not received any answer yet.


I am desperate, I need my EAD that's all that matters to me, they can take their time with the GC. I have a job offer that is waiting for me. And it's so difficult and frustrated to be just at home, I have a SSN (as I came as a intern) but I can't drive nor do anything because I need to have the EAD first. Our finances are low, I was optimist that I will receive my EAD within 90 days, now I don't know what else to do.

I have been a silent reader of this forum since I got married in May and I've been waiting patiently, I definitely know I'm not the only one having a difficult moment.

Thank so much for reading this and if you can help me by suggesting anything I would really appreciate it.

I can sympathize with you, I am not an attorney so all I can do is let you know based on actual experience, USCIS is backed up for months now as they prioritized citizenship apps so that people could vote. Since you have not yet received your notice of action 797c forms its hard to know what your priority date is. If I may on your receipts did you get case #'s such as for your I-130 does the receipt # start with "LIN"? and your receipt for your AOS does it start with "MSC"? This will give us some idea where the process centers are:
What does a case number mean?
A case number is structured like this: AAA-XX-YYY-Z-MMMM:

AAA: The service center or office that received your case.
SRC - Texas Service Center (TSC, formerly Southern Regional Center)
LIN - Nebraska Service Center (NSC, Lincoln, NE)
WAC - California Service Center (CSC, formerly Western Adjudication Center)
EAC - Vermont Service Center (VSC, formerly Eastern Adjudication Center)
MSC - Missouri Service Center (MSC, transitioned to NBC)
NBC - National Benefits Center (NBC, for N-400 Naturalization and other cases)
XX: The fiscal year of USCIS, from October 1 to September 30. Cases filed from 10/01/2006 to 09/30/2007 will have xx = 07
YYY: The working day of the fiscal year when your case is received. 10/01 = 001
Z: This digit is part of a serial number but may have certain meanings for USCIS internal use.
MMMM: A serial number assigned to your case based on the number of cases received, starting from 0001

Hope this eases some of your anxiety.

[HoustonWifey]

I can sympathize with you, I am not an attorney so all I can do is let you know based on actual experience, USCIS is backed up for months now as they prioritized citizenship apps so that people could vote. Since you have not yet received your notice of action 797c forms its hard to know what your priority date is. If I may on your receipts did you get case #'s such as for your I-130 does the receipt # start with "LIN"? and your receipt for your AOS does it start with "MSC"? This will give us some idea where the process centers are:
What does a case number mean?
A case number is structured like this: AAA-XX-YYY-Z-MMMM:

AAA: The service center or office that received your case.
SRC - Texas Service Center (TSC, formerly Southern Regional Center)
LIN - Nebraska Service Center (NSC, Lincoln, NE)
WAC - California Service Center (CSC, formerly Western Adjudication Center)
EAC - Vermont Service Center (VSC, formerly Eastern Adjudication Center)
MSC - Missouri Service Center (MSC, transitioned to NBC)
NBC - National Benefits Center (NBC, for N-400 Naturalization and other cases)
XX: The fiscal year of USCIS, from October 1 to September 30. Cases filed from 10/01/2006 to 09/30/2007 will have xx = 07
YYY: The working day of the fiscal year when your case is received. 10/01 = 001
Z: This digit is part of a serial number but may have certain meanings for USCIS internal use.
MMMM: A serial number assigned to your case based on the number of cases received, starting from 0001

Hope this eases some of your anxiety.

Hi Adrian, thank you for replying my post! All my four receipts start with MSC so I guess it is Missouri Service Center (MSC, transitioned to NBC). I believe I don't have a Priority day since I married a USC and I could just apply for my AOS right away. In the website it shows that they received the documents in August 29th.

[Adrian Gruber]

Hi Adrian, thank you for replying my post! All my four receipts start with MSC so I guess it is Missouri Service Center (MSC, transitioned to NBC). I believe I don't have a Priority day since I married a USC and I could just apply for my AOS right away. In the website it shows that they received the documents in August 29th.

I regret to inform you that this is not the case. While your spouse who is the USC petitioned for you (Beneficary) you will fall under F-2 or Family Second preference unless you are under 21.
Your I-130 only grants you recoginition by USCIS as immediate family. The petition takes appx. 5 months for approval. When you receive your 797c Notice of action at the top will be your priority date and that is how USCIS will process your AOS, the benefit to being related to a USC is that you have unlimited visa's and you will not wait in line for a visa # which depending on your country of origin would take years. Normally your priority date is determined at the time your application is processed. EG: USCIS received my I-130 petiton as I'm married to a USC for 30+ years now and it was received Jan 5 2016 and my priority date is Jan 6 2016
As you filed at the end of August your Priority date will be in August or September the processing center is processing applications for April 2, 2016

[HoustonWifey]

I didn't know that, thank you for explaining it to me Adrian. I thought it was whenever the would receive my package, which is August 29th. So as you said my PD would be August / September, it is almost the same but their is an explanation behind it that is good to know.

My concern is not for the GC, which I know that for Houston usually takes more than a year, I can wait for it without any problem. I am just concern about my EAD because I need to work, and it's so strange that it has been 70 days and I have not received any appointment for the biometrics.

I'd just like to know what other steps I can take that would help me get my EAD within 90 days. I don't know if I can request an EAD expedite approval, or if an infopass would help. I need to take any chance that is available for me because our finances are low and I have a job proposal to start working as soon as I have the EAD. And ... I haven't still received my RFIE in the mail even after 26 days and counting. (which they say reset the timeline).

Is there anything you can recommend me to do? Thank you

[Adrian Gruber]

I didn't know that, thank you for explaining it to me Adrian. I thought it was whenever the would receive my package, which is August 29th. So as you said my PD would be August / September, it is almost the same but their is an explanation behind it that is good to know.

My concern is not for the GC, which I know that for Houston usually takes more than a year, I can wait for it without any problem. I am just concern about my EAD because I need to work, and it's so strange that it has been 70 days and I have not received any appointment for the biometrics.

I'd just like to know what other steps I can take that would help me get my EAD within 90 days. I don't know if I can request an EAD expedite approval, or if an infopass would help. I need to take any chance that is available for me because our finances are low and I have a job proposal to start working as soon as I have the EAD. And ... I haven't still received my RFIE in the mail even after 26 days and counting. (which they say reset the timeline).

Is there anything you can recommend me to do? Thank you

Depending on which area of the country you are determines which field office or IS office . and make an appointment thru info pass: https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-uscis-office
I provided you with USCIS link to find the nearest field office.