After 3.5 years...

R

Rafiq

Registered Users (C)
It is FINALLY my turn to say...

"YYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOO"

Here are my gory details:

Employment: EB3
Country: other
Priority date: Oct 4, 1997 (yes)
Non-RIR regular labor cert
Someone applies for my position 36 hours before the close of the labor cert. Company tries to interview individual but she dicks my company around. My lawyer said to disqualify her. The state agreed. This person wasted 6 or 7 weeks of our time.
SESA: Kansas Sept 22, 1999
DOL App: Sept 29, 1999

I-140

Filed: Oct 4, 1999
RFE: employment letter
Received response to RFE: May 23, 2000
Approved I-140: June 3, 2000

I-485

RD: July 31, 2000
ND: Aug 22, 2000
fingerprint 1: Jan 2001
RFE: very long list for my wife and myself including I-485 sup for being out of status for more than 180 days (were out of status for 184 days)
fingerprint 2: Dec 2002
Interview: Jan 8, 2004 awaiting security clearance for myself and new fingerprints
AD: Jan 27, 2004!!!

Three and a half years for I-485. I started this process only because the INS decided to cut TN visas to 6 months instead of the agreed 1 year time as outlined in NAFTA. There were problems with my wife's fingerprints until we had them done here in Seattle. All I can say is "Thank God it's over" but to the rest of you, please do not give up hope I was glad to see other were getting approved. Your turn will come and you all deserve the best. I will still be a regular here to give encouragment through this idiotic system. There is no point updating on rupnet - it only goes back to 2001!!!!!

Take care,
Rafiq
:)
 
Hey Rafiq (it means friend, am I right?)

Good luck to you and your wife. You are a symbol of stamina!

Take care
 
Congratulations

Rafiq,
Congratulations !!! By any stretch of imagination yours has been
among the longest cases on this forum and I salute you on your
never-say-die attitude. You have become a symbol of inspiration
and hope to many of us who are waiting for a long time.

Take care my friend and wish you and your family all the best.

starbucks
RD 12/14/01
 
Congrats Rafiq! You really deserve this one after so many years of wait. Enjoy.

Thanks
RD: 12/19/01
FP1: 03/05/02
RFE: 09/29/03
FP2: 10/23/03
RFE Reply Recvd by INS: 10/30/03
AD: STILL WAITING......
 
Woww

Congratulations Rafiq!

I'm very happy for you. But at the same time I hope no one goes through this long of a painful process.

Cheers!
Currys
 
Originally posted by Rafiq
I started this process only because the INS decided to cut TN visas to 6 months instead of the agreed 1 year time as outlined in NAFTA.
Click to expand...

Congratulations on your approval.

BTW, TNs (and TCs before them) have always been 12 months in duration.
 
Congrats Rafiq!

It is remarkable u waited for so long and won in the end.
I wish u and your family the very best.
 
Amazing story

Congratulations. You have be to commended on your perseverance. After going through this experience I am sure nothing will ever faze you. Good luck!! you deserve it.
 
Rafiq,
Congradualtions!!! You truely deserved it!
I received the good news for my case just last week!! After 3 years and 10 months to be exact!! But anyway we made it and had a ahppy ending!!
To all of you folks in this froum: Your turn is right at the corner and you will get it soon.

aghajan
 
Congratulations, Rafiq!

Rafiq -

Congratulations! Your perseverance and patience just amaze me. You endured this 3.5 years of struggle in good stride.

Take care and I hope we'll still see you on this forum.

Japanese
 
You deserve it.
Almost burst into tears reading your case.
Usually I feel sort of jealous seeing others' approved. But I am happy for you from the bottom of my heart!
 
Congrats on your approval !

Can you expand on what you mean by being out of status for 184 days ? Didnt you have any visa ? Or were you not being paid by ur employer.

BTW, my priority date is also 1997 ! (Jun)
 
Thanks everyone!

This is a great board to come to for support and sharing. I'm so greatful that I know I wasn't alone through this silly process.

Krishna02: I became unlawfully present when my TN expired in Mar, 2000. I did not renew it because I got married in May, 1999, to a wonderful girl from Hong Kong but her US re-entry visa expired so she could not physically leave the US as required when getting TN/TD visas. This was the advice of my attorney to claim 245(k) or if need be, 245(i).

TheRealCanadian: I better clarify this one. TNs were for 1 year except the INS in 1997 issued a directive limiting health care workers visas to 6 month intervals. It might as well be for 6 months because when you went to the border, you had to bring a NEW employment letter. Fortunately, you didnt have to pay a second time. This was a waste of vacation time going to the border to do this and extensions were out of the question because of labor cert and I-140 filing. The border IIOs were also starting to ask more questions about dual intent.

Thanks again, everyone.
Rafiq
 
Frodo

Nayblahscar started the "Any 2000 ND left" thread and I joined that thread until he got his PR. There were a few others but I believe I was the last (I hope) of the 2000's.

Rafiq
 
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