Immig. Visa # Vs Alien #

No A# appears on 140 Notice ( when first immigration petion is filed ) . VISA # is requested by USCIS only when I140 ( immigrant petition ) is approved ( then PD appears on approved 140 ). Once a VISA # is obtained by USCIS then only 485 can be approved.


these steps are defined here.. search and you will find that just by filing 485 a VISA # is not given ..it requires approved I140.. ( concurrent cases ) so folks having 140 might have been assigned a VISA # ( i have no idea if that could be the case ) .. they probably will get approved seeing no retrogress effect..

http://uscis.gov/graphics/services/residency/employment.htm
 
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thank you very much MD_Rockville

I got pp last week, I dint see any thing/number on this red ink stamp which say "temporary evidence of perm residence" except this Alient #

can you explain it

thanks in advance

I am asking this question cuz i am worried about my kids, me and wife stamped last week but they dont have kids files at that time so they dint stamp their passports, now I am worry because of this new thing retrogates dates
it visa # is different that alient # that might affect their green cards

thanks
 
Impact of Retrogression with an approved 140

I am a concurrent filer with approved EAD, AP and 140 (EB3), my labor was applied in November 2002, my question is am I screwed with this retrogressed priority dates? Should I be waiting for 485 till the dates get current? There are bright chances that I’m screwed (two SCREWEDs in one sentence shows I’m screwed. :) )

But by comedy of errors by CIS, should I be hoping for a miracle?

Thanks in advance, more thanks later.
 
This gives me a little hope... :rolleyes: Is there any way to find out whether a VISA # is already issued to my application?

-thanks

MD_Rockville said:
No A# appears on 140 Notice ( when first immigration petion is filed ) . VISA # is requested by USCIS only when I140 ( immigrant petition ) is approved ( then PD appears on approved 140 ). Once a VISA # is obtained by USCIS then only 485 can be approved.


these steps are defined here.. search and you will find that just by filing 485 a VISA # is not given ..it requires approved I140.. ( concurrent cases ) so folks having 140 might have been assigned a VISA # ( i have no idea if that could be the case ) .. they probably will get approved seeing no retrogress effect..

http://uscis.gov/graphics/services/residency/employment.htm
Click to expand...
 
It is very clear here..

Looks like that is where Priority date come in to play... Here it is very clear that, they just go by priority date. My PD is Aug 03...I140 is approved in EB3...Looks like it is going to be a very long journey...

Please read below..


How Do I Apply for an Immigrant Visa Number?

You do not directly apply for an immigrant visa number. In most cases, your relative or employer sends a visa petition to the USCIS for you (the beneficiary) to become an immigrant. (Certain applicants such as priority workers, investors, certain special immigrants, and diversity immigrants can petition on their own behalf.) USCIS will tell the person who filed the visa petition (the petitioner) if the visa petition is approved. USCIS will then send the approved visa petition to the Department of State's National Visa Center, where it will remain until an immigrant visa number is available. The Center will notify you (the beneficiary of the application) when the visa petition is received and again when an immigrant visa number is available. You do not need to contact the National Visa Center, unless you change your address or there is a change in your personal situation that may affect your eligibility for an immigrant visa. You may contact the National Visa Center by writing to: The National Visa Center; 32 Rochester Avenue; Portsmouth, New Hampshire 03801-2909.

How Can I Find Out When an Immigrant Visa Number Will Be Available for Me?
Each approved visa petition is placed in chronological order according to the date the visa petitioin was filed. The date the visa petition was filed is known as your priority date. The State Department publishes a bulletin that shows the month and year of the visa petitions they are working on by country and preference category (see eligibility information above). You can estimate of the amount of time it will take to get an immigrant visa number by comparing your priority date with the date listed in the bulletin. For instance, suppose you look under your country and preference category, and see that the State Department is working on applications they received in May 1996. If your priority date is May 1998, then you may have to wait several more years for an immigrant visa number to become available. You may access the State Department Visa Bulletin at the State Department's Website, or you may call the Department of State Visa Office at (202) 663-1541, to learn which priority dates are currently being processed.
 
pipedream said:
I am a concurrent filer with approved EAD, AP and 140 (EB3), my labor was applied in November 2002, my question is am I screwed with this retrogressed priority dates? Should I be waiting for 485 till the dates get current? There are bright chances that I’m screwed (two SCREWEDs in one sentence shows I’m screwed. :) )

But by comedy of errors by CIS, should I be hoping for a miracle?

Thanks in advance, more thanks later.
Click to expand...

You can be screwed if they are processing according to PD which I doubt as there are cases approved with PD 2003.
Hope some miracle happens......
 
The quote talks about VISA# from the perspective of someone about to file 485 and/or 140.

It is still not clear to me when/if a VISA # will be/was issued to my concurrent 140/485 petition which was filed in 2003 Dec with priority date 2003 June ( EB3 ). My 140 got approved in 2004 June.

So if they allocate VISA # after approving 140 then they would have issued one to my 485 in 2004 June since EB3 priority date was current at that time.

From what I read VISA# is allocated to a 485 application some time during its life prior to approval. Does anyone knows what triggers the issuance of VISA# for a 485 application which is already in file with USCIS. And how to find whether it happened or not.

-thanks

kv2002 said:
Looks like that is where Priority date come in to play... Here it is very clear that, they just go by priority date. My PD is Aug 03...I140 is approved in EB3...Looks like it is going to be a very long journey...

Please read below..


How Do I Apply for an Immigrant Visa Number?

You do not directly apply for an immigrant visa number. In most cases, your relative or employer sends a visa petition to the USCIS for you (the beneficiary) to become an immigrant. (Certain applicants such as priority workers, investors, certain special immigrants, and diversity immigrants can petition on their own behalf.) USCIS will tell the person who filed the visa petition (the petitioner) if the visa petition is approved. USCIS will then send the approved visa petition to the Department of State's National Visa Center, where it will remain until an immigrant visa number is available. The Center will notify you (the beneficiary of the application) when the visa petition is received and again when an immigrant visa number is available. You do not need to contact the National Visa Center, unless you change your address or there is a change in your personal situation that may affect your eligibility for an immigrant visa. You may contact the National Visa Center by writing to: The National Visa Center; 32 Rochester Avenue; Portsmouth, New Hampshire 03801-2909.

How Can I Find Out When an Immigrant Visa Number Will Be Available for Me?
Each approved visa petition is placed in chronological order according to the date the visa petitioin was filed. The date the visa petition was filed is known as your priority date. The State Department publishes a bulletin that shows the month and year of the visa petitions they are working on by country and preference category (see eligibility information above). You can estimate of the amount of time it will take to get an immigrant visa number by comparing your priority date with the date listed in the bulletin. For instance, suppose you look under your country and preference category, and see that the State Department is working on applications they received in May 1996. If your priority date is May 1998, then you may have to wait several more years for an immigrant visa number to become available. You may access the State Department Visa Bulletin at the State Department's Website, or you may call the Department of State Visa Office at (202) 663-1541, to learn which priority dates are currently being processed.
Click to expand...
 
The time gap between getting VISA # and 485 approval is not known. I would not believe that they approve 485 after 5 minutes they get VISA #.
 
My assumption about Visa #

My guess is that Visa # is required only when the I485 is ready for approval. Otherwise how do they know how many Dependents are there under a single I140. For example if they allocate one visa for a I140 approval, how do they count the dependents/derivatives visa nos. Am I right?

(Me too wish the Visa # is issued as soon as I140 is approved, since my PD is Aug 03). Let is wait and see what happens.

Hope somebody with knowledge in this area will answer your question.
 
kv2002 said:
My guess is that Visa # is required only when the I485 is ready for approval. Otherwise how do they know how many Dependents are there under a single I140. For example if they allocate one visa for a I140 approval, how do they count the dependents/derivatives visa nos. Am I right?

(Me too wish the Visa # is issued as soon as I140 is approved, since my PD is Aug 03). Let is wait and see what happens.

Hope somebody with knowledge in this area will answer your question.
Click to expand...
I don't think one gets VISA # as soon as 140 are approved. 15-30 days before 485 approval is resonable time. Once VISA # is obtained, files goes to an officer and decision is made.
 
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Let me add my own theory to this,

When most of them applied for 485 the Pd was current. I believe it was just based on the current approval and fixed ceiling. Their trend showed that with their number of approvals, they would still not hit the ceiling. Now that they are approving all the cases irrespective of Notice date or Priority date, and as the approvals seems to mount they have to put a limit because of the ceiling.
I believe they will approve what ever that is ready in their hands until 12/31 and after that they will stick to PD. The PD could be just an estimate too. I dont think they are very good at estimating.
 
:) hi , i have a concern, my i-140 california service ctr approved on 11/18/04, notice says, it has been sent to nvc, but even after one month, it has not reached there. I talked to the nvc. how long it usually takes for i-140 approval to reach nvc from csc. Any idea you guys have? please share it :)
 
kv2002 said:
Looks like that is where Priority date come in to play... Here it is very clear that, they just go by priority date. My PD is Aug 03...I140 is approved in EB3...Looks like it is going to be a very long journey...

Please read below..


How Do I Apply for an Immigrant Visa Number?

You do not directly apply for an immigrant visa number. In most cases, your relative or employer sends a visa petition to the USCIS for you (the beneficiary) to become an immigrant. (Certain applicants such as priority workers, investors, certain special immigrants, and diversity immigrants can petition on their own behalf.) USCIS will tell the person who filed the visa petition (the petitioner) if the visa petition is approved. USCIS will then send the approved visa petition to the Department of State's National Visa Center, where it will remain until an immigrant visa number is available. The Center will notify you (the beneficiary of the application) when the visa petition is received and again when an immigrant visa number is available. You do not need to contact the National Visa Center, unless you change your address or there is a change in your personal situation that may affect your eligibility for an immigrant visa. You may contact the National Visa Center by writing to: The National Visa Center; 32 Rochester Avenue; Portsmouth, New Hampshire 03801-2909.

How Can I Find Out When an Immigrant Visa Number Will Be Available for Me?
Each approved visa petition is placed in chronological order according to the date the visa petitioin was filed. The date the visa petition was filed is known as your priority date. The State Department publishes a bulletin that shows the month and year of the visa petitions they are working on by country and preference category (see eligibility information above). You can estimate of the amount of time it will take to get an immigrant visa number by comparing your priority date with the date listed in the bulletin. For instance, suppose you look under your country and preference category, and see that the State Department is working on applications they received in May 1996. If your priority date is May 1998, then you may have to wait several more years for an immigrant visa number to become available. You may access the State Department Visa Bulletin at the State Department's Website, or you may call the Department of State Visa Office at (202) 663-1541, to learn which priority dates are currently being processed.
Click to expand...

Your information totally make sense. Perfect!!!

I had questions about interconnection between visa bulleting date and USCIS publish date. Your wonderful information helped me to put together missigng links. Thanks.

It means, as per the USCIS's respective center date(VSC,NSC etc) published, our application be touched /processed and then these center might be using national visa center system to allocate the visa# to our case.
So first LUD we get is actually for approval and later LUD for approval notice sent after allocation visa#.

USCIS's (VSC,NSC,TSC etc) job is done after entering approval information into this so called real time National Visa Center system. No matter what your PD is , 2001 or 2002 or 2004. VSC will process your case as per their published date and NOT visa bulletin date. Once your approval is entered into the visa# system, your case will get stuck untill visa bullen date is current for you.

Conclusion is, your case may have been approved by USICS but just short of getting visa#. Which is just a formality!! If you see LUD with no message change, chances are that I485 is approved but you will receive Notice for stamping only after PD becomes current.

So cheer up..
 
shailendra sing said:
:) hi , i have a concern, my i-140 california service ctr approved on 11/18/04, notice says, it has been sent to nvc, but even after one month, it has not reached there. I talked to the nvc. how long it usually takes for i-140 approval to reach nvc from csc. Any idea you guys have? please share it :)
Click to expand...


Wait for some more time...it takes sometimes 45 days to 2 months....go to cptracker.com... you will get some information
 
still confused

As i mentioned about myself, i m approved/stampped former victim of USCIS on my passport I dint see any visa # they just put my Alien# with a ruber stamp and one signature. as per my own experience visa # and alien # is same.

what you guys say
 
Yes, you are confused.

What people refer to visa number (in case of immigrant petition) is actually visa quota. Visa Number or Quota is the total permissible immigrants allowed by congress in different visa categories.

USCIS will never assign any visa number to your case. They are only taking one (or more visa number) out of total quota once they approve your permanent residency. Alien # is all you see after/before approval.

labor+140=485 said:
still confused

As i mentioned about myself, i m approved/stampped former victim of USCIS on my passport I dint see any visa # they just put my Alien# with a ruber stamp and one signature. as per my own experience visa # and alien # is same.

what you guys say
Click to expand...
 
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