I was a passive user of this site for some time, I wasn't registered at all. But I learned a lot from many people here. So this is my contribution back to the community. I know how valuable it is to know the details of other cases.
My case was pretty straightforward, except the fact that I-485 took 2 months longer than expected. I know this is nothing compared to what people are going through, but nevertheless something I wanted to note down.
Normally I believe I-485 was supposed to take 6 months. It is my belief that, even though they could have approved my case within 6 months, they simply couldn't, not because anything specific to my case, but because they are simply too busy.
Unfortunately I will not be able to give exact dates for each form and application. Specifically I don't remember much about Labor of Certification (LC). I do know that LC was filed through PERM and it was pretty quick. Especially compared with the old system.
My category is EB-2.
I filed I-140 and I-485 together (yes I am not from China or India) last June 2006. One month later I gave my finger prints. For a long time I didn't check anything, but from time to time I was checking the processing dates of each application from USCIS's web site. When the dates moved closer to my priority dates for I-140 I checked more frequently.
Finally on December 2006 I got the approval for I-140. I didn't use USCIS site to check the LUDs, so I don't have much idea about LUDs of I-140. Later from this site I learned that I can register at USCIS's web site and learn the LUDs.
I registered with USCIS's web site in January 2007 and noticed that the LUD on I-140 was January 2007. So even after I-140 was approved, someone touched the file again.
When the processing dates of I-140 reached my receipt date, I got the approval from Nebraska center, but the same thing did not happen for I-485.
For example, even after the processing date passed the priority date of my I-485 application I didn't get any reply.
That's when I got a little nervous, specifically about name check, not because I was expecting any long name check period, but you never know. I read here that so many people got stuck at this step, so I got an infopass.
In the infopass, the first woman we came across didn't want to help much. She told us that they can't find anything more than what we already know through website. We could return from that point on, or we could wait in the line for another officer to see our case. I decided to go ahead, and another woman looked into our cases and she told us that our name checks were clear.
Few weeks later, there was no change on the site, so I called the 800 number, through the trick I learned from here I talked with a live person. She told me that my I-485 is well overdue so I must file some application, but I didn't understand exactly what she was talking about and I didn't follow through that path either.
A few weeks later I called again and through the same trick I talked with another woman who helped me a lot and told me that I am assigned to an officer and that I should wait a decision within 60 days.
Here some people warned that telephone people might give false hope, so I was still not assured that someone actually is working on my case and is about to make a decision. Another issue was that, I only asked about name check, but I read that there is also background check and some other checks which I didn't ask about. So again, lots of confusion and no assurance.
My last LUD date on I-485 was right after the finger prints, July 2006. Since then there was no LUD and this was also worrying me. I read that people got messages on the site saying a decision would be made within 60 days. I never got such a message, so again maybe the telephone lady was not telling the truth or simply she made a mistake or something else.
Last month, I checked the site in the morning there was no change. Later in the afternoon I saw an LUD, which was great news of course. Finally someone started working on my case. On the same evening, I got an email notifying me that my case was approved. So after a lot of waiting time, in one day everything was finished.
I want to thank every member of this site, I hope this post helps others.
Let's review my case here:
EB-2
LC was received within 4-6 months (don't remember the details now)
Filed I-140 and I-485 together on June 2006
Finger prints July 2006
LUD for I-485 on July 2006 after finger prints
I-140 approved December 2006
LUD for I-140 : beginning of January 2007
LUD for I-485 and approved on the same date: end of February 2007
Waiting for the green card now
My case was pretty straightforward, except the fact that I-485 took 2 months longer than expected. I know this is nothing compared to what people are going through, but nevertheless something I wanted to note down.
Normally I believe I-485 was supposed to take 6 months. It is my belief that, even though they could have approved my case within 6 months, they simply couldn't, not because anything specific to my case, but because they are simply too busy.
Unfortunately I will not be able to give exact dates for each form and application. Specifically I don't remember much about Labor of Certification (LC). I do know that LC was filed through PERM and it was pretty quick. Especially compared with the old system.
My category is EB-2.
I filed I-140 and I-485 together (yes I am not from China or India) last June 2006. One month later I gave my finger prints. For a long time I didn't check anything, but from time to time I was checking the processing dates of each application from USCIS's web site. When the dates moved closer to my priority dates for I-140 I checked more frequently.
Finally on December 2006 I got the approval for I-140. I didn't use USCIS site to check the LUDs, so I don't have much idea about LUDs of I-140. Later from this site I learned that I can register at USCIS's web site and learn the LUDs.
I registered with USCIS's web site in January 2007 and noticed that the LUD on I-140 was January 2007. So even after I-140 was approved, someone touched the file again.
When the processing dates of I-140 reached my receipt date, I got the approval from Nebraska center, but the same thing did not happen for I-485.
For example, even after the processing date passed the priority date of my I-485 application I didn't get any reply.
That's when I got a little nervous, specifically about name check, not because I was expecting any long name check period, but you never know. I read here that so many people got stuck at this step, so I got an infopass.
In the infopass, the first woman we came across didn't want to help much. She told us that they can't find anything more than what we already know through website. We could return from that point on, or we could wait in the line for another officer to see our case. I decided to go ahead, and another woman looked into our cases and she told us that our name checks were clear.
Few weeks later, there was no change on the site, so I called the 800 number, through the trick I learned from here I talked with a live person. She told me that my I-485 is well overdue so I must file some application, but I didn't understand exactly what she was talking about and I didn't follow through that path either.
A few weeks later I called again and through the same trick I talked with another woman who helped me a lot and told me that I am assigned to an officer and that I should wait a decision within 60 days.
Here some people warned that telephone people might give false hope, so I was still not assured that someone actually is working on my case and is about to make a decision. Another issue was that, I only asked about name check, but I read that there is also background check and some other checks which I didn't ask about. So again, lots of confusion and no assurance.
My last LUD date on I-485 was right after the finger prints, July 2006. Since then there was no LUD and this was also worrying me. I read that people got messages on the site saying a decision would be made within 60 days. I never got such a message, so again maybe the telephone lady was not telling the truth or simply she made a mistake or something else.
Last month, I checked the site in the morning there was no change. Later in the afternoon I saw an LUD, which was great news of course. Finally someone started working on my case. On the same evening, I got an email notifying me that my case was approved. So after a lot of waiting time, in one day everything was finished.
I want to thank every member of this site, I hope this post helps others.
Let's review my case here:
EB-2
LC was received within 4-6 months (don't remember the details now)
Filed I-140 and I-485 together on June 2006
Finger prints July 2006
LUD for I-485 on July 2006 after finger prints
I-140 approved December 2006
LUD for I-140 : beginning of January 2007
LUD for I-485 and approved on the same date: end of February 2007
Waiting for the green card now