March 2018 filers: let's share our experience!!

[longee94]

Hey guys, I'm not sure if this was discussed already but USCIS updated their processing times and EAD is officially taking 4 to 6 months to process now. They even updated the inquiry date to a previous date. It's infuriating, I cannot even go food shopping without my husband since I cannot apply for a DL without SSN.
Yesterday I asked my husband to relocate to my country (contrary to what USCIS may believe, I was doing great back home and wouldn't have stayed here but for my husband). He agreed to it but not until January, which seems like a very long time right now but its better than nothing. I thought I would be okay with not being able to work or drive for a while but its driving me nuts. The fact that now I don't know when to expect my EAD and SSN definitely doesn't help at all.
I did request to expedite my Advance Parole document and faxed them the evidence on Tuesday. At least I hope to get that quickly so I can start looking for a job back home.
I went from being an independent professional woman to feeling completely useless. Sorry for the rant, I'm just so upset.

I think you need to remember that it is taking them four months to process 53% of cases and six months to process 93% of cases. Statistically, there is a good chance that your case could be in the 53% that are processed before the four month period. I also get your fustration, I filed 65 days ago and had hoped I was nearing the front of the line.

[b3b3g1]

Hey guys, I'm not sure if this was discussed already but USCIS updated their processing times and EAD is officially taking 4 to 6 months to process now. They even updated the inquiry date to a previous date. It's infuriating, I cannot even go food shopping without my husband since I cannot apply for a DL without SSN.
Yesterday I asked my husband to relocate to my country (contrary to what USCIS may believe, I was doing great back home and wouldn't have stayed here but for my husband). He agreed to it but not until January, which seems like a very long time right now but its better than nothing. I thought I would be okay with not being able to work or drive for a while but its driving me nuts. The fact that now I don't know when to expect my EAD and SSN definitely doesn't help at all.
I did request to expedite my Advance Parole document and faxed them the evidence on Tuesday. At least I hope to get that quickly so I can start looking for a job back home.
I went from being an independent professional woman to feeling completely useless. Sorry for the rant, I'm just so upset.

That's exactly what I am going through right now.. Yesterday, I was at a point of asking my husband to relocate back to NY because of the mentioned limitations. I hold a masters degree and I am not able to work, plus ask my husband to take care of most of the things just because I cannot drive.. and my status is not even biometrics completed yet, so G-D knows when I will get my EAD, I am not even thinking about interview date at this point! Before applying for AOS I was thinking it will be a 'vacation time' of my life. I can do yoga, cook for my home etc but unfortunately, it turned out to be a real frustration. belu31;568774, I really appreciate your open-heartedness to share this post, at least it shows that I am not the only one going nuts

[belu31]

Why don't you look for a job and expedite your EAD?

Look at it this way, you can say I get to enjoy 4 to 6 months break or you can be miserable because you are not what you were. Either you wait for USCIS. Plus you knew what you were getting into with the GC process. So why the frustration now?

So stop making crazy moves like going back to home country just because it is hard for a few months in a long life. After you have EAD or GC your outlook will change dramatically. Wishing you all the best with your wait.

Never apologize for ranting! We all have the right to rant. I would strongly recommend that you consider kd2008's suggestion. You are a professional. Then, you should be able to secure a job, and have your EAD expedited on the basis of a job offer. If USCIS declines it, and they might, you restate your request, and/or run to your Senator at that point.

That's exactly what I am going through right now.. Yesterday, I was at a point of asking my husband to relocate back to NY because of the mentioned limitations. I hold a masters degree and I am not able to work, plus ask my husband to take care of most of the things just because I cannot drive.. and my status is not even biometrics completed yet, so G-D knows when I will get my EAD, I am not even thinking about interview date at this point! Before applying for AOS I was thinking it will be a 'vacation time' of my life. I can do yoga, cook for my home etc but unfortunately, it turned out to be a real frustration. belu31;568774, I really appreciate your open-heartedness to share this post, at least it shows that I am not the only one going nuts

I think you need to remember that it is taking them four months to process 53% of cases and six months to process 93% of cases. Statistically, there is a good chance that your case could be in the 53% that are processed before the four month period. I also get your fustration, I filed 65 days ago and had hoped I was nearing the front of the line.

Thank you all for your words. You're all right but at the moment I'm so frustrated I can't think clearly.
I'm currently looking for a job and hopefully I'll get an offer before I go completely nuts lol.
To be quite honest I don't think emigrating is for everyone and I'm not sure its for me. USCIS delaying everything just adds up with me missing my family, not having any friends here, and so on.
As b3b3g1 said, the worst part is how useless I feel since I cannot be of much help besides cooking and cleaning. At first lying by the pool all summer sounded so great but it sucks.
I wish I had thought this over before getting into it but I didn't.

[longee94]

Thank you all for your words. You're all right but at the moment I'm so frustrated I can't think clearly.
I'm currently looking for a job and hopefully I'll get an offer before I go completely nuts lol.
To be quite honest I don't think emigrating is for everyone and I'm not sure its for me. USCIS delaying everything just adds up with me missing my family, not having any friends here, and so on.
As b3b3g1 said, the worst part is how useless I feel since I cannot be of much help besides cooking and cleaning. At first lying by the pool all summer sounded so great but it sucks.
I wish I had thought this over before getting into it but I didn't.

It's frustrating to be sure, but there are thousands of people who are in a similar situation (like myself). I am waiting for my new EAD, having previously held OPT work authorization, to be approved and have pretty much been consigned to entertaining myself. Take this as an opportunity to do something productive with your time. Go travel, learn a language, try a hobby. The possibilities are endless. I myself will be entering a Ph.D. program in the Fall, so am using my time to catch up on reading. That doesn't detract from the fact I would much rather be working and deploying the master's degree I worked so hard to get.

[kaylip]

Hey guys, I'm not sure if this was discussed already but USCIS updated their processing times and EAD is officially taking 4 to 6 months to process now. They even updated the inquiry date to a previous date. It's infuriating, I cannot even go food shopping without my husband since I cannot apply for a DL without SSN.
Yesterday I asked my husband to relocate to my country (contrary to what USCIS may believe, I was doing great back home and wouldn't have stayed here but for my husband). He agreed to it but not until January, which seems like a very long time right now but its better than nothing. I thought I would be okay with not being able to work or drive for a while but its driving me nuts. The fact that now I don't know when to expect my EAD and SSN definitely doesn't help at all.
I did request to expedite my Advance Parole document and faxed them the evidence on Tuesday. At least I hope to get that quickly so I can start looking for a job back home.
I went from being an independent professional woman to feeling completely useless. Sorry for the rant, I'm just so upset.

Oh my goodness I feel the EXACT SAME WAY! I don't know how some people make it waiting a whole year without working. I was also a young professional working a good job with the government back home, I was also band director, accountant board member at my church and played guitar traveling to different caribbean countries. I was doing all that AND studying part time at a university. Very ambitious! Since I came here I felt like a cockroach on the wall and a second class nobody who doesn't even have an identity. Today I was granted an approval at my interview and I'm glad this is almost over so I can become independent. When the officer asked at the end of the interview if I had any questions I asked him about my EAD and he checked on his system and said it's at NBC and someone is currently looking at it and I should get it soon. Whether that comes first or GC, I don't care I just need a SSN to start my life. I applied at the hospital to volunteer and an after school community service where i assist kids with homework. I just can't NOT do anything so I totatlly understand how you feel. I always traveled back & forth. If it wasn't for my husband I wouldn't even stay here in the US, because I'm from a middle class family back home that are educated and doing well for themselves, I have a piece of land in my name granted to me and was going to build my own home. My husband knows this and we plan on building a vaca home there instead of selling it. Being here has really been a humbling experience though. All the best and volunteer! It helps a great lot. I get around with Uber.

[kd2008]

Oh my goodness I feel the EXACT SAME WAY! I don't know how some people make it waiting a whole year without working. I was also a young professional working a good job with the government back home, I was also band director, accountant board member at my church and played guitar traveling to different caribbean countries. I was doing all that AND studying part time at a university. Very ambitious! Since I came here I felt like a cockroach on the wall and a second class nobody who doesn't even have an identity. Today I was granted an approval at my interview and I'm glad this is almost over so I can become independent. When the officer asked at the end of the interview if I had any questions I asked him about my EAD and he checked on his system and said it's at NBC and someone is currently looking at it and I should get it soon. Whether that comes first or GC, I don't care I just need a SSN to start my life. I applied at the hospital to volunteer and an after school community service where i assist kids with homework. I just can't NOT do anything so I totatlly understand how you feel. I always traveled back & forth. If it wasn't for my husband I wouldn't even stay here in the US, because I'm from a middle class family back home that are educated and doing well for themselves, I have a piece of land in my name granted to me and was going to build my own home. My husband knows this and we plan on building a vaca home there instead of selling it. Being here has really been a humbling experience though. All the best and volunteer! It helps a great lot. I get around with Uber.

Congrats on the approval. Please share the details of the interview. Thanks!

[kaylip]

Congrats on the approval. Please share the details of the interview. Thanks!

I shared it on this thread https://www.immihelp.com/forum/showt...our-experience!

[sinoptola]

I shared it on this thread https://www.immihelp.com/forum/showt...our-experience!

Congratulations! Kaylip. Thanks for sharing your interview experience too.

[Thirt33n89]

Hey everyone a week ago we had our interview and it seemed to go very well except that the officer said we would get an rfe because my colombian doctor had not put in immunization recod in our medical exam. So for the last week i have been waiting for this rfe. But yesterday my status changed to new card being produced and that it would be sent to my address... im confused and cautiously happy.. what does this mean and i or am i not getting the rfe or am i recieveing the card. In reality our case has moved really fast we sent I-495 on 3/12/18 so im grateful how quick things have happened even if our doctor in colombia messed us up.. any input on this would be very much appreciated

[sweezy]

Update

05/31/18 case status online change ready to schedule for an interview

After more than a month if waiting it finally changed!

[kaylip]

Congratulations! Kaylip. Thanks for sharing your interview experience too.

You are welcome! I got so much help from this forum. No lawyer, I did research & read USCIS website multiple times! Most persons carry a whole lot of evidence but in the interview u can tell that the officer already had his decision before he saw us.
Dress professionally, be confident and over-prepared with your documents. U may not have to overwhelm the officer with all, make sure you give him/her the most concrete evidence first & from there you'll know if you should give more.
Good luck!😇

[UScitizenFilingforspouse]

Thank you all for your words. You're all right but at the moment I'm so frustrated I can't think clearly.
I'm currently looking for a job and hopefully I'll get an offer before I go completely nuts lol.
To be quite honest I don't think emigrating is for everyone and I'm not sure its for me. USCIS delaying everything just adds up with me missing my family, not having any friends here, and so on.
As b3b3g1 said, the worst part is how useless I feel since I cannot be of much help besides cooking and cleaning. At first lying by the pool all summer sounded so great but it sucks.
I wish I had thought this over before getting into it but I didn't.

Furthermore, adjusting status is not for everyone. My spouse graduated in May 2017. Had a F-1 OPT (Optional Practical Training) EAD, but didn't secure a job within 90 days of receiving the EAD. So it's been a long 1+ year for my spouse. We filed in March 2018 because the IRS had held my 2016 tax return and later, our 2017 tax return for identity verification.
We considered the k-1 visa route, but decided against it, as it would have meant being apart for a very long time. I was not familiar with that route, at all, and very cautious about sending him back to Malaysia to get his visa. We are a same-sex couple. As it turns out, now I have learned that my concerns about the Embassy were unfounded. Many, if not all reviews I have read from same-sex couples have been positive. Once you're inside the Embassy, you're in US territory, and US laws apply. Thus, LGBTQ folks are treated fairly, and maybe even with delicate hands.

BUT hindsight is 20/20. We are here, took this route, and I would do it again. Taking this route introduced me to this forum, and I have the pleasure to "meet" amazing people. As someone said to me once "Pain is inevitable, misery is optional". There are many productive ways to spend this "free" time. The list is endless - learn about 401K investments, real estate investing, the ins & outs of buying a home in the US, take free courses from UC Berkeley, MIT or even Harvard, all available on Itunes; meetup.com has great social groups - if you speak another language in addition to English, you'll find meet up groups of people who meet to practice their language skills and LOVE it, when a native speaker stops by.

You will ultimately be fine. Take advantage of this time. All the best.

[B_Andie]

Changing addresses

Hi!
Can anyone advice on how to update addresses and what else should i do after updating with USCIS and USPS? My husband and I are moving to a different apartment in the same city by the end of June.

Since we will be the first tenants of this apartment, landlord allowed us to start using the mail service. I already emailed my lawyer requesting to manage the communication with the USCIS and already requested USPS to forward my mail to the new address (although i will be moving in4 weeks). should I do something else? Any advice is helpful :-).

Thank you

[UScitizenFilingforspouse]

Hi!
Can anyone advice on how to update addresses and what else should i do after updating with USCIS and USPS? My husband and I are moving to a different apartment in the same city by the end of June.

Since we will be the first tenants of this apartment, landlord allowed us to start using the mail service. I already emailed my lawyer requesting to manage the communication with the USCIS and already requested USPS to forward my mail to the new address (although i will be moving in4 weeks). should I do something else? Any advice is helpful :-).

Thank you

Sure, you have to fill out the AR-11 online, change the address for the I-485, I-765, I-131. You have the option of entering a mailing address and a physcial address. You must enter a physical address, though. That is what changes your jurisdiction. In your case, your jurisdiction won't change since you are moving within the same city. Once you submit the form, you will get a confirmation number on the screen. I would just print the screen. Then, it gives you the option to print a pdf of the AR-11 you just filed out.

*You do not have to mail that print out. It is for your records.*

Then, you have to do the same steps for the I-130. You will get an email confirming that you requested a change of address, too. Then, if you want the change to take effect ASAP, you can call USCIS and notify a level 1 of the change of address. Then you will/should get a confirmation number from that rep. They give you a "target date". It takes just a few days if you also call.

I messed up and called first on 05/31/18. Got confirmation numbers, but noticed I didn't get an email. I also realized that the lady only asked me for my mailing address. I had a physical and mailing to give her but she said the system didn't ask her for my physical address. I knew then that she had clicked on "Physical address is the same as mailing address". Then I got the update on the egov account, and the request was completed June 1st at night.

So knowing that my jurisdiction may not change, I submitted another change of address with my physical and mailing addresses in the new state. Now I have to call tomorrow to finish the rest of the steps.

If you feel you are about to get important mail from USCIS, you can either tell the post office to hold it for you OR you can pay for premium forwarding service. Otherwise, USPS will not forward USCIS mail.

[B_Andie]

You are awesome! thank you ;-)!

sure, you have to fill out the ar-11 online, change the address for the i-485, i-765, i-131. You have the option of entering a mailing address and a physcial address. You must enter a physical address, though. That is what changes your jurisdiction. In your case, your jurisdiction won't change since you are moving within the same city. Once you submit the form, you will get a confirmation number on the screen. I would just print the screen. Then, it gives you the option to print a pdf of the ar-11 you just filed out.

*you do not have to mail that print out. It is for your records.*

then, you have to do the same steps for the i-130. You will get an email confirming that you requested a change of address, too. Then, if you want the change to take effect asap, you can call uscis and notify a level 1 of the change of address. Then you will/should get a confirmation number from that rep. They give you a "target date". It takes just a few days if you also call.

I messed up and called first on 05/31/18. Got confirmation numbers, but noticed i didn't get an email. I also realized that the lady only asked me for my mailing address. I had a physical and mailing to give her but she said the system didn't ask her for my physical address. I knew then that she had clicked on "physical address is the same as mailing address". Then i got the update on the egov account, and the request was completed june 1st at night.

So knowing that my jurisdiction may not change, i submitted another change of address with my physical and mailing addresses in the new state. Now i have to call tomorrow to finish the rest of the steps.

If you feel you are about to get important mail from uscis, you can either tell the post office to hold it for you or you can pay for premium forwarding service. Otherwise, usps will not forward uscis mail.

thank you!! :-)