Application Status

[skpanda]

Friends, I received the approval notice I-797 for EAD and AP today for both me and my spouse. Any guess how long it is taking to get green card in hand?


Category----------------: EB2 India
EB2 Priority Date-------: 12/14/2010
Processing Center-------: National Benefits Center (MSC21905*****)
Receipt Date------------: 10/29/2020
Receipt Notice----------: 12/17/2020
Biometrics Date---------: 04/08/2021
I485J Notice------------: 05/25/2021
EAD/AP I797-------------: 08/02/2021
I485--------------------: Pending Approval
EAD/AP Card-------------: Pending
GC in hand--------------: Pending

Update:

1. Spoke to EMMA in USCIS website.
2. EAD/AP was shipped in 7/30/2021
3. My I485 Application was sent to local field office on 6/22/2021
4. A SR cannot be opened since the processing time is 9 months to 23.5 months

Does anybody have any thoughts around, how long it takes for FO to process the Green Card and send it? Can we do anything to expedite the processing at field office?

[mohan_jgd]

Hi Folks,

I had created an SR for my wife and kid's AP hoping to expedite the EAD. The SR acknowledgement email called out to expect a reply by Aug 2 which we have gone past by.

Any inputs on how to track an SR? i can chat with EMMA but wanted to check on experts here for any suggestions before i reach out.

Thanks.

[Turbulent_Dragonfly]

Thanks!

I have been in the country for 15.5 years (wait in Q for about 10 years)... few more months wait won't make a difference. I just wanna get it over with. I do not know how I will react with GC in hand.

However today having the EAD approvals today... did not mean much... there was not even a second where i stopped to ponder what just happened. Few years ago, my family would be rejoicing for days/weeks/months if we got our EAD.

This wait has left a very bad taste about GC and now it has become like this necessity that we do not care about anymore.

(Fortunately I did not put my life on hold - changed jobs, bought several homes, blessed with wonderful family, lived like normal citizens do except for vote).

Sorry for the vent!

You absolutely did the right thing in moving on with your life! Nothing changed with me even receiving the GC because I have been working where I have been forever. So we did not even celebrate or anything like that, just working on getting our I-9s updated and maybe we will get our SSNs refreshed to new ones without restrictions. It is a big deal to my wife as she works on defense applications and it will open some new doors for her (literally because she was not allowed into some labs because of not being a PR/USC ).

[Turbulent_Dragonfly]

Update:

1. Spoke to EMMA in USCIS website.
2. EAD/AP was shipped in 7/30/2021
3. My I485 Application was sent to local field office on 6/22/2021
4. A SR cannot be opened since the processing time is 9 months to 23.5 months

Does anybody have any thoughts around, how long it takes for FO to process the Green Card and send it? Can we do anything to expedite the processing at field office?

Field Office is untouchable unfortunately, by what Emma told me. You cannot call them, email them or ask them for any information unless they call you for an interview or send an RFE etc. So it will be a waiting game.

[Turbulent_Dragonfly]

Hi Folks,

I had created an SR for my wife and kid's AP hoping to expedite the EAD. The SR acknowledgement email called out to expect a reply by Aug 2 which we have gone past by.

Any inputs on how to track an SR? i can chat with EMMA but wanted to check on experts here for any suggestions before i reach out.

Thanks.

SRs cannot be tracked through online portals (I looked into it while I had SR pending). Only agents in Emma or by phone can let you know the status.

[mohan_jgd]

SRs cannot be tracked through online portals (I looked into it while I had SR pending). Only agents in Emma or by phone can let you know the status.

Thanks. Chatted with Emma and was told the SR is still unassigned. Asked to checked back after 30 calendar days or create another SR.

[Turbulent_Dragonfly]

Thanks. Chatted with Emma and was told the SR is still unassigned. Asked to checked back after 30 calendar days or create another SR.

You should just go ahead and create another SR for AP and see if they act on it.

[monsieur]

Do you mind sharing your questionnaire how you got these answer from Emma or it was thru Live Agent?

When I ask for status EMMA points me to check status page which doesn't have these details.

Update:

1. Spoke to EMMA in USCIS website.
2. EAD/AP was shipped in 7/30/2021
3. My I485 Application was sent to local field office on 6/22/2021
4. A SR cannot be opened since the processing time is 9 months to 23.5 months

Does anybody have any thoughts around, how long it takes for FO to process the Green Card and send it? Can we do anything to expedite the processing at field office?

[andhraguy]

Do you mind sharing your questionnaire how you got these answer from Emma or it was thru Live Agent?

When I ask for status EMMA points me to check status page which doesn't have these details.

Here is the trick to get live agent immediately
- keep typing "technical difficulties"
-after 3 times you see options to connect to live agent
- choose don't have a receipt number. that's it

[Turbulent_Dragonfly]

Do you mind sharing your questionnaire how you got these answer from Emma or it was thru Live Agent?

When I ask for status EMMA points me to check status page which doesn't have these details.

Just typing representative also worked every time for me.

[monsieur]

Thanks folks, I thought there is an automated way to find it but if its Live Agent thing then I have long time to go (still waiting for FP appointment)

[skpanda]

You absolutely did the right thing in moving on with your life! Nothing changed with me even receiving the GC because I have been working where I have been forever. So we did not even celebrate or anything like that, just working on getting our I-9s updated and maybe we will get our SSNs refreshed to new ones without restrictions. It is a big deal to my wife as she works on defense applications and it will open some new doors for her (literally because she was not allowed into some labs because of not being a PR/USC ).

Absolutely!
Happy for you buddy!

[skpanda]

Field Office is untouchable unfortunately, by what Emma told me. You cannot call them, email them or ask them for any information unless they call you for an interview or send an RFE etc. So it will be a waiting game.

Do you know when your application went to field office? If yes, how long did it take for you to get ur GC after that?

[skpanda]

Do you mind sharing your questionnaire how you got these answer from Emma or it was thru Live Agent?

When I ask for status EMMA points me to check status page which doesn't have these details.

I just kept selecting 'other' when it presented with options OR typed LIVE AGENT. The automated EMMA gets tired and sends u to live agent. Sometimes it gives you the option of Live Agent.

For me its trial and error to get to a human.

[Turbulent_Dragonfly]

Do you know when your application went to field office? If yes, how long did it take for you to get ur GC after that?

I don?t think my file ever went to FO though one agent said it did while all others said it never left NBC. I never got a case update after fingerprints were applied and it directly went to card production. The card itself is shipping out of Corbin KY where I think the printing press is.

[singax]

Category----------------: EB2 India
EB2 Priority Date-------: 1/21/2011
Processing Center-------: National Benefits Center (MSC21906*****)
Receipt Date------------: 10/30/2020
Receipt Notice----------: 1/12/2021
Biometrics Date---------: 02/25/2021
EAD/AP I797-------------: 08/04/2021
I485 Approval-----------: Pending
I131 Approval-----------: Pending
GC in hand--------------: Pending

[mohan_jgd]

You should just go ahead and create another SR for AP and see if they act on it.

Tried it but the system is not allowing me to create another SR for AP. I get the standard message saying "Your case is currently within the posted processing times. An inquiry may not be created at this time". The message doesn't make sense as my case is surely outside it but maybe internally they are checking if an SR already exists for this receipt number.

[greenjpr]

QQ to Experts: My PD is EB2I June 2010 and I am current for the past few months. I applied for I485/EAD/AP in oct 2,2020 and due to the early filing, I got my EAD/AP by MAR2021. I also received my medical RFE in May2021 and I responded by May 27 itself. Still no change on my status.

However the Medical RFA came from Seattle field office [I applied from MBC]. I am from NJ and is it normal to be assigned a different state FO instead of Newark, NJ or some other local field offices?

[aGCHopefull]

QQ to Experts: My PD is EB2I June 2010 and I am current for the past few months. I applied for I485/EAD/AP in oct 2,2020 and due to the early filing, I got my EAD/AP by MAR2021. I also received my medical RFE in May2021 and I responded by May 27 itself. Still no change on my status.

However the Medical RFA came from Seattle field office [I applied from MBC]. I am from NJ and is it normal to be assigned a different state FO instead of Newark, NJ or some other local field offices?

At least at this time, this is happening for most of the filers. The files are being moved around FOs to distribute the load. Lot of NJ (Newark) files have been moved to other states though it is strange to see that it has gone to Seattle. I am sure Seattle would have its ton of load too.

[skpanda]

Update:

1. Spoke to EMMA in USCIS website.
2. EAD/AP was shipped in 7/30/2021
3. My I485 Application was sent to local field office on 6/22/2021
4. A SR cannot be opened since the processing time is 9 months to 23.5 months

Does anybody have any thoughts around, how long it takes for FO to process the Green Card and send it? Can we do anything to expedite the processing at field office?

All,
Update - Received the EAD/AP cards today. Waiting for update on GC... hope it comes before 30th september (end of this fiscal year).

[Turbulent_Dragonfly]

All,
Update - Received the EAD/AP cards today. Waiting for update on GC... hope it comes before 30th september (end of this fiscal year).

I don't have any proper evidence to back up this claim, but I have read in multiple places before that Sep 30th is not a hard deadline to stop issuing GCs for the fiscal year and any applications that are near adjudication do get approved in the first couple of weeks of October. I don't know what will come of the lawsuit that Siskind filed, but it could also impact things if they do obtain a ruling on that. Remains to be seen if they will allow class action or will it be narrow and only cover the plaintiffs on the original suit.

[skpanda]

I don't have any proper evidence to back up this claim, but I have read in multiple places before that Sep 30th is not a hard deadline to stop issuing GCs for the fiscal year and any applications that are near adjudication do get approved in the first couple of weeks of October. I don't know what will come of the lawsuit that Siskind filed, but it could also impact things if they do obtain a ruling on that. Remains to be seen if they will allow class action or will it be narrow and only cover the plaintiffs on the original suit.

Thanks.. is there a portal where we can track the progress of the lawsuit. I was one of the plaintiffs in the 2015 visagate lawsuit for the Oct Visa bulletin. Nothing came out of it. Do not think anything will happen this around. Hope I am wrong.

[gammaray]

All,
Update - Received the EAD/AP cards today. Waiting for update on GC... hope it comes before 30th september (end of this fiscal year).

Guessing the gc will follow in the next 2-4 weeks, if not earlier (if the interview is waived).

[Turbulent_Dragonfly]

Thanks.. is there a portal where we can track the progress of the lawsuit. I was one of the plaintiffs in the 2015 visagate lawsuit for the Oct Visa bulletin. Nothing came out of it. Do not think anything will happen this around. Hope I am wrong.

Just keep monitoring gsiskind's twitter as he usually posts updates on the cases that he is involved with directly. There are some signs that maybe a judge will reserve visas but I am not sure of the confidence level in that. Also there is a matter of can there be class action allowed or will the ruling only benefit those who signed up for the lawsuit. I doubt if they will provide class relief because every I-485 case is adjudicated on it's own merit. I think DV case was a bit different because there they have a lottery and people who won the lottery essentially have a reserved visa spot which is not the case for EB. The EB allocation happens only after all the FP, background check, RFE/responses are completed and a visa is requested from DoS.

[abcx13]

I don't have any proper evidence to back up this claim, but I have read in multiple places before that Sep 30th is not a hard deadline to stop issuing GCs for the fiscal year and any applications that are near adjudication do get approved in the first couple of weeks of October. I don't know what will come of the lawsuit that Siskind filed, but it could also impact things if they do obtain a ruling on that. Remains to be seen if they will allow class action or will it be narrow and only cover the plaintiffs on the original suit.

I have also read that.

The Siskind lawsuit is asking for reservation as a class, not just for their Plaintiffs. The Judge can order reservation if he wants.

See this Twitter thread from today also. Stock and Bier are both right.