Interview letters in Memphis

[kevinglenn]

Has anyone whose District Office is in Memphis with an I-485 ND in 2006 received an interview letter?

I reckon there's a serious backlog in Memphis.

Please post ur timelines and let's keep this alive.

I e-mailed the Ombudsman to find out what the problem was...no reply yet. Thanks.

P.S: AOS based on marriage to a U.S citizen.

[kevinglenn]

The ombudsman's office acknowledged receipt of my e-mail...good start although the message looked generic as hell.

Below is a copy.

RE: Stagnation at Memphis DO
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2006 08:14:17 -0400
From: "cisombudsman" <Cisombudsman@dhs.gov> Add to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
To: "yours truly" <xxxxxxxxx@yahoo.com>

Dear Mr. Xxxxxx,



Thank you very much for your e-mail to the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman).



Your e-mail was forwarded to the appropriate officials within this office for review and action. Thank you very much for your comments.



The office of the CIS Ombudsman is charged with assisting individuals who experience specific problems during the immigration benefits seeking process with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Additionally, the CIS Ombudsman is dedicated to identifying systemic problems in the immigration benefits process, and to recommending solutions to USCIS.



We trust that this information is helpful. Please do not hesitate to contact our office again if you feel that your application encounters difficulties. We may be of assistance in this case if the particular case problem falls within our jurisdiction and our statutory mandate.



Sincerely,

CIS Ombudsman’s office






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: yours truly [mailto:Xxxxxx@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 8:17 PM
To: cisombudsman
Subject: Stagnation at Memphis DO



Dear Sir,



Having read the USCIS Director's report and claims he made to the effect that the USCIS is on course to achieve a six-month cycle on AOS applications, I would like to bring your attention to the stagnation on AOS applications at the Memphis office.



I applied for an AOS in February 2006 and I'm yet to receive an interview letter.

The last update posted on the USCIS website revealed that Memphis was processing cases with receipt date of August 2005. Of course processing dates posted for local offices are almost always erroneous. An embarrassing situation occurred when last two months the Memphis DO had processing times of February 2006, USCIS reposted it a few days later as February 2005. Are these inefficiencies really acceptable? Coincidentally, the processing dates jumped to August 2005 the following month.



One school of thought asserts that USCIS intentionally publishes processing times which are well of the actual processing times to prevent complaints.



I live in Nashville, Tn which is 3 hours from Memphis. The last time I booked an infopass, I was told my case is still at the MSC. I explained the distance issue to the officer and she advised that I call the National customer center anytime I have a question and ask to be directed to the Memphis office. I did that only to be told by the representative on the phone that she's not allowed to do that. Why am I being given conflicting information?



I would be more than grateful if you would find out the reason for the delays in Memphis and or the actual processing dates on AOS applications based on marriage to a US citizen. I would also like to commend you for the work you do and your factual representation of events on the ground in your last report to congress. Thank you.



XXXXXX
Nashville, TN

[JustCounting]

Kevin -

Thank you for writing such a coherent and concise letter. I have been putting together comparison timelines to do the same and plan to get it sent off this weekend. I would understand if there were a backlog showing in all offices and all DOs had delays. But the disparity in timelines is just insane. I never get the same answer from the hotline. And what does a backlog in Memphis for Interviews have to do with issuing EADs when we know the EADs come from National Service Center in Mo. ? Why do other offices show backlogs and yet people get letters for interviews in less than 60 days? I'm starting to get really, uh, angry. And people don't like me when I'm angry

I'm sorry you are going through this; but at the same time I'm glad to have somebody in the boat with me ! Thanks again, and I'll get a decent letter out this weekend to the Ombudsman. Good job

[predsrule]

F-1 married to USC - DO: Memphis, TN 4/2003

1/05 - Sent I-130
3/05 - i-130 Approved
5/05 - Sent I-485, I-765, I-864
7/05- I-765 Approved
7/05 - FP completed
6/06 - 2nd I-765 approved
7/06 - Received interview notice
8/06 - Interview date : APPROVED

[kevinglenn]

Originally Posted by predsrule

F-1 married to USC - DO: Memphis, TN 4/2003

1/05 - Sent I-130
3/05 - i-130 Approved
5/05 - Sent I-485, I-765, I-864
7/05- I-765 Approved
7/05 - FP completed
6/06 - 2nd I-765 approved
7/06 - Received interview notice
8/06 - Interview date : APPROVED

Did u file directly with the Memphis DO or u had to go through the National Benefits Center?

[predsrule]

Through National Benefits Center

[JustCounting]

1/05 - Sent I-130
8/06 - Interview date : APPROVED

I thought maybe there was a TYPO here, but saw this on another thread and no... no typo. Unfreaking believable.

Congratulations on finally getting your interview and approval. I guess I might as well batten down the hatches and settle in for a looonnnggg wait...

[predsrule]

"I guess I might as well batten down the hatches and settle in for a looonnnggg wait..."



~~~Not necessarily. We filed I-130 separately to make sure if was approved first before submitted more money to I-485 (Later on, we realized we did have to do that after all) So looking at our timeline starting from I-485 to date of approval it was roughly 15 months. Still long time but keep in mind that New Orleans' district office was moved to Memphis. So they are working a load of cases right now. The best thing is to relax and make sure you gather all data proving your marriage is bona fide, keep all of your letters, emails organized, and try to have as many bills together as possible.

Good luck to all of you

[kevinglenn]

Originally Posted by predsrule

~~~Not necessarily. We filed I-130 separately to make sure if was approved first before submitted more money to I-485 (Later on, we realized we did have to do that after all) So looking at our timeline starting from I-485 to date of approval it was roughly 15 months. Still long time but keep in mind that New Orleans' district office was moved to Memphis. So they are working a load of cases right now. The best thing is to relax and make sure you gather all data proving your marriage is bona fide, keep all of your letters, emails organized, and try to have as many bills together as possible.

Good luck to all of you

U mean u filed in 2005...and not 2006?

[predsrule]

I filed in 2005. I am saying I think normally they say it takes 120-180 days to process the case. It is a lot longer than that right now.

[kevinglenn]

Originally Posted by predsrule

I filed in 2005. I am saying I think normally they say it takes 120-180 days to process the case. It is a lot longer than that right now.

The reason I ask is because I was under the impression that u filed in January 2006...I thought they were finally making progress on 2006 cases...looks like they're no where close. Were the officers "friendly" at the interview?

...Would u by any chance know of anybody with a ND of January 2006 or later who's received an interview letter? ...I'm guessing not...right?

[kevinglenn]

I just saw the updated processing times for I-485's...Surprisingly the Memphis DO claims to be processing cases with receipt date of February 13 2006. It jumped from August 2005 to February 2006...prior to that, the "quantum leap" was from February 2005 to January 2006(obviously a mistake) and then back to August 2005.

Meanwhile I'm still waiting for an interview letter....Every DO under-promises and over-delivers... excepting Memphis which strives to achieve the exact opposite.