Got EAD but still waiting for AP

[kirat]

Hi,

I applied my EAD and AP in August'07, got EAD during first week of November but still waiting for AP.

Is there anyone facing the same situation? Please post your comments.

It's been almost 4 months now (Receipt date August 16' 07), I'm getting worried now. What should I do?

Thanks.

[Ojas]

I have the same date range for AP. I have received EAD and am done with finger printing as well. But still waiting for AP. Here's an up to date story on my AP:

I wanted to go to India before December 8th for my brother's wedding. I donot have a valid H1 stamp on my passport. So, I had been anxiously waiting for AP. Eventually I took an Infopass appointment during the first week of December and was able to meet with the IO on Thursday, Dec 6th 2007 in early morning. I took the appointment even though my attorney kept on insisting that it would be sheer wastage of time and I would get minimal response to help my situation.

To the contrary, The blessed IO was extremely helpful, cordial and friendly with me. She not only ended up spending approx. 45 minutes with me but also gave me some assurances. She immidiately put in a request "To Expedite" the case. Then she looked at my passport, approved H1 notice, AP receipt notice, I485 receipt notices etc. I was very honest with her in citing 2 main reasons for my emergency - 1. Brother's wedding 2. Visiting my mother after she had underwent both the Knees' replacement surgery in India in April 2007. She looked at all my documents related to surgery and kind of discounted the wedding related documents. After this, she got up and went to speak to her Supervisor about the case. After discussing for approx.3-4 minutes, she came and said they decided to call Nebraska Service Center right away. I couldn't believe it as that was obviously not expected. But she did call right in front of me standing there and spoke to her collegue on the other side. The collegue acknowledged receipt of the request "To Expedite" the case and mentioned that it was on its way to her supervisor. She also said that she would get back with her supervisor that afternoon and check on the status of the case.

After this, the IO took all my contact information - day time ohone #, cell #, e-mail etc., and assured me that now the case may be at least taken up for a review. She hoped that I should hear something on the case pretty soon and she would call me or send an email about the status on that afternoon.

But I did not hear anything on thursday or Friday or over the last weekend. But I got an email early morning on Monday, December 10th, 2007 from USCIS requesting to fax them the documents related to my reasons for emergency travel, which I promptly did. I haven't heard from them since then. Nevertheless, I must also mention here that I went online to check the status of my case and even though the status being reflected today is teh same as was reflected 4 months back when it was filed BUT the last updated date changed to that of yesterday. This implied that they were working on the case. I called up USCIS and the representative told me that usually they woudl get back to us within 3-4 working days of the day when the Expedite request is submitted.

So I am still anxiously waiting eventhough I have missed my brother's wedding (not to sound like I have missed something so important because I am sure there are people out there who may have missed much much more important things in their lives due to their being such a situation - of being crippled without an AP).

Any inputs from the seniors like Pretorian XI/Waiting too long etc. as to the processing times in such kind of scenario would be of immense value.

Thanks.

[kirat]

Thanks Ojas for sharing your experience, Good Luck.

I wanted to go to Canada for couple of weeks and my attorney mentioned that if you visit canada/mexico for less than 30 days you don't need stamped visa to re-enter.

My H1B petition is valid but stamped visa has been expired, So I'm not sure with pending AP, can I leave U.S and re-enter on my valid petition.

Anyone knows about this 30 days rule for Canada/Mexico, please post your comments.

Thanks.

[waitin_toolong]

this facility called automatic revalidation was abandoned 5 years ago. you will have to get a visa stamp

[Ojas]

I have witnessed the last updated dates on the website on my AP case after submission of Expedite request on 12/6/07 like these -

12/10/07
12/11/07
12/12/07
12/15/07 (Saturday)
12/18/07

What do these mean? Are different people (IOs) touching the case at different dates?

Has anyone else been witnessing such changes in LUDs?

Thanks.

[PraetorianXI]

LUDs just meant an IO does something to your case, usually means that it will be approved shortly. But one can never really know what they are doing.