Discuss I-485 case

SR reply received on 12/01: "U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) records show that your case is currently pending adjudication. However, we have had to perform additional reviews on your case, and this has caused a longer processing time."

So I guess, based on your experience, it will take about 2 weeks to get an SR response from the time it is filed. This is good to know.

In most cases, i have noticed it takes 1 week to assign officer and then 1 more week after that to get reply. in my case it took 13 days to assign officer and 2 days to get reply. maybe SR's have a 14 day timer to maintain quality standards...

Went to infopass. Only useful information given was that wife's and my case was last touched in Oct 2016. Besides that officer seemed clueless and said she can't see the details as case is not at their center.

Hi Batsy,

Any news regarding your I-485?

Tried for 2 days to reach L2 officer. Each time L1 connected me to L2 after which I was given a wait time of few hours. Unfortunately, both times I never got a call back from USCIS. Called 3rd time and the operator told me USCIS is under heavy coll volume and simply created another useless SR for me. Really wanted to talk to L2 before creating the SR. Now there is nothing much to do but wait for another lame copy paste SR reply.

Seems like USCIS is under firefighting mode, given recent political developments. Any one of us, with RD in May and before is pretty much stuck in Extended Background review and should now prepare to wait for 12 months to complete since RD.

Quite a depressing realization, but this is what it is.

Oh, I hope your wait comes to end soon.

BTW, I had an infopass appointment yesterday. The gentleman I talked to was very nice. I was told my fingerprint check and other checks were completed. The only thing pending is name-check. I have a very common Muslim name so I was not very surprised by that. As you are aware there is no timeline for name checks etc. I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping it gets done soon.

Batsy,

Did you just apply for AP? If so, can you tell me how log it took for the approval? Did you apply your AP with I-485?

I already have and EAD so opted just for AP. I am thinking that might be a mistake in hindsight as it may "break" their typical I-485 flow..
Appreciate your thoughts.

My 485 RD is March 25th and I140 approval is Sept 19th. I applied for AP first time on Nov 10th. I did it for 2 reasons: Since 485 was taking abnormally long, I wanted to have paperwork ready to fly in and out of US in case of a family emergency in India. I also wanted to use AP as an opportunity to see how far my 485 processing had progressed. AP processing requires completion of IBIS checks (which is one of the 3 security checks for 485, other 2 being FBI name check and fingerprint check). Mysteriously, my AP is still in "Case Received" mode after almost 3 months since applying.

I don't think applying for EAD/AP should delay anything much as those stuck in 1+ year long background checks often keep renewing their EADs/APs without any hassle. But it might vary from case to case (where my AP is mysteriously stuck while yours might or might not...)

Hi batsy, am going to apply for EAD/AP renewal. What all forms are required for it?

Instructions for EAD are given here: https://www.uscis.gov/i-765

AP instructions are given here: https://www.uscis.gov/i-131

If I were you, I would wait for 2 more weeks from now before filing the paperwork. Also, have you decided when and whether to contact your congressman?

Any other documents needed for 131 and 765?

Ideally that woul be nice, but my EAD and AP expire in march, so want to get these accepted before that. Then can continue to use old EAD if needed.

Haven't looked into congressman yet, will look into into that after March. Now have a lot going on at work, that I need to take care of.

> Any other documents needed for 131 and 765?
I only submitted application for AP (not EAD as my H1B is until 2018). I only submitted forms + documents as per the instructions and nothing else.

Did you send in cover letter? Older AP and 485 receipt notice?

No cover letter. Just pinned documents in sequence after the form. This was my first AP so no previous AP. Did include 140 approval + 485 receipt notice.

batsy - Did you include fee with your Form I-131? There seems to be some confusion whether fee is waived only when I-131 / I-765 are sent together with I-485. Thanks.

after paying fees for 485, you need not pay again for I-131/765 again. Initially USCIS rejected my I131 saying "incorrect fees" I send them application back showing proof of having paid 485 fees and they accepted it.

Interesting. What proof did you send? The receipt notice for 485 that you included in the original application already lists the fee received.

485 receipt notice + bank checking account statement showing uscis deducted 485 fees along with a small note saying i paid my fees + list of proof.

hmm, we forgot to send bank check statement. Only 485 receipt notice.

Don't worry. I had to do all that to shake up USCIS from slumber about the mistake they made. In your case, hopefully the quirk isn't repeated and 485 receipt notice in itself should be sufficient to get your AP/EAD paperwork on the road.

Both me and my dependent received vaccination RFE in dec. The response to rfe was received to uscis on Feb 3rd 2017 and mine was approved on Feb 10th but my dependent is still pending. After going thru the forum, many are stuck on BC. Do they send rfe before BC?

RFE's are usually the last step before approval. If you receive RFE, that means your BC has been completed and your approval is imminent (within 1 week - 1 month) after they receive your RFE response.

2nd SR reply says "Your case is currently under review by an officer. You should receive a decision, correspondence or notice of other action within 60 days of the date of this letter."

Seems in line with my 380 day response window deadline.

Good luck!!
I hope you get approval very soon :-)

Goodluck. I bet you will get your medical RFE within a month

Good news! You are a good man, hang in there a little bit more and you will get it.

You won't get a medical RFE if they look at your file before 25th March, which is quite likely.

thanks guys :)

> trackuscis

Unfortunately my medical was done way back in nov 2015. I never submitted completed 485 as my lawyer kept asking me to wait for him to do my paperwork. Finally 2 months after my PD, I told him to take a hike and submitted 485 on March. Looking back I should have dis-regarded lawyer sooner. Would have saved me atleast 2 months by now.

Exams are valid one year from the date they were submitted. See here:

https://www.nafsa.org/uploadedFiles/Chez_NAFSA/Find_Resources/Supporting_International_Students_And_Scholars/Committee_Updates/ISSRP/may_2015_texas_sc_open_house.pdf

top of the Page 7.

Obviously, YMMV, but if your officer is strictly following the guidance then you shouldn't receive medical RFE before March 25th.

This is good information trackuscis. I always thought the one Year count began from the date signed by the physician. In that case, it is likely that batsy71 will get an approval without an RFE.

Congrats batsy. I'm happy to see things work out so well