Thank you all for your wishes! It's been a long journey for me, truly. It looks like the Writ works, at least in my case. Those of you who believe USCIS is holding up their cases unjustifiably long, should consider the Writ option. However, this is just my experience and opinion, not a legal advice!
1. Writ of Mandamus is a form of complaint you file to make a government agency act. You should have a good reason to be upset with USCIS
(I think most of us do, but still, you should have a clear cut case of mishandling by USCIS). In my case the USCIS lost my application of 1997, they only admitted losing it in 2004 and, after we filed a new one in 2005, it looked like they put it on the back burner or in the queue with 2005s. We believed that, since it was their fault that my application was lost, they should have expedited it, but they sat on it for almost another year.
2. The Writ was filed with the Lincoln, Nebraska District Court, not Maryland, where I live. I cost me over two grand, but it's the money well spent.
3. Literally, the day after the Lincoln court received the Writ, my LUD changed after staying still since April of last year. Next thing I know, I get a simple RFE (medicals, updated G325, and travels). One day after USCIS received response to RFE (!), I got the funky e-mail that the case had been approved. The whole thing happened withing one week! I was slightly hungover this morning at 6:00 am and when I saw the e-mail I first thought good old vodka made me see things...
4. I was absolutely honest about my travels. Explained every single trip (out of four one of them was back home, there was a death in the family). Didnt have any copies of I-94, tickets, just my words on the paper. With the Writ pending and after making me wait for so long, I had this feeling that the IO working on my case is going to be reasonable. His/her supe probably said 'Get rid of her!'! And he/she did!
1. Writ of Mandamus is a form of complaint you file to make a government agency act. You should have a good reason to be upset with USCIS
(I think most of us do, but still, you should have a clear cut case of mishandling by USCIS). In my case the USCIS lost my application of 1997, they only admitted losing it in 2004 and, after we filed a new one in 2005, it looked like they put it on the back burner or in the queue with 2005s. We believed that, since it was their fault that my application was lost, they should have expedited it, but they sat on it for almost another year.
2. The Writ was filed with the Lincoln, Nebraska District Court, not Maryland, where I live. I cost me over two grand, but it's the money well spent.
3. Literally, the day after the Lincoln court received the Writ, my LUD changed after staying still since April of last year. Next thing I know, I get a simple RFE (medicals, updated G325, and travels). One day after USCIS received response to RFE (!), I got the funky e-mail that the case had been approved. The whole thing happened withing one week! I was slightly hungover this morning at 6:00 am and when I saw the e-mail I first thought good old vodka made me see things...
4. I was absolutely honest about my travels. Explained every single trip (out of four one of them was back home, there was a death in the family). Didnt have any copies of I-94, tickets, just my words on the paper. With the Writ pending and after making me wait for so long, I had this feeling that the IO working on my case is going to be reasonable. His/her supe probably said 'Get rid of her!'! And he/she did!