Me and my wife got our 485s approved. Details as follows
EB2 RIR : India
PD June 2003
140 AD - March 24 2003
485 ND - March 27 2003
2 AP, EADs 2 FPs. Last one on 11 Dec 2004
485 AD 11 Jan 05
I will also like to share some lessons which might be useful for people who are getting started/into the process..ofourse all this is based on my experience/mistakes only
1, Address change : Had heard horror stories about address change and how INS letters go to previous address etc. I contemplated opening a mailbox and have all INS mails go there. Finally decided against it. We have moved twice during the process. Once from Chicago to New York (different service centers) and once within New York - both times the address change process was smooth. We informed the attorney's who requested for address change and a few days later we received verification letter at the new address from INS. No problems on that account.
2. EB2/EB3 : Make sure that you file EB2 if a case can be made for the same. Ofocurse this does not seem very insighful but many a friends have filed in EB3 when EB2 could have been argued for their cases. So hire a good lawyer.
3. Keep Documentation ready : We lost around 2-3 months in gathering documentation for our 485 filing (affidavits, birth certicates etc.) - make sure you find out about the documenation well before the filing and file as soon as you can
4. Start Early : There is little control over this one in most cases, but start the GC process as early as possible. I filed my GC the month I got my H1B approved - and got my approval within the first 3 years of H1. Not that it matters a lot - but it took a lot of pressure out. I always knew I could start the whole process all over again if need be.
5. Check Lawyers paperwork : Our lawyer used to fill out the forms (EAD,AP) for us and send it to us for signatures. More than once, I have detected mistakes about personal information in the forms.
Hope everyone on this board gets his/her approval soon.
EB2 RIR : India
PD June 2003
140 AD - March 24 2003
485 ND - March 27 2003
2 AP, EADs 2 FPs. Last one on 11 Dec 2004
485 AD 11 Jan 05
I will also like to share some lessons which might be useful for people who are getting started/into the process..ofourse all this is based on my experience/mistakes only
1, Address change : Had heard horror stories about address change and how INS letters go to previous address etc. I contemplated opening a mailbox and have all INS mails go there. Finally decided against it. We have moved twice during the process. Once from Chicago to New York (different service centers) and once within New York - both times the address change process was smooth. We informed the attorney's who requested for address change and a few days later we received verification letter at the new address from INS. No problems on that account.
2. EB2/EB3 : Make sure that you file EB2 if a case can be made for the same. Ofocurse this does not seem very insighful but many a friends have filed in EB3 when EB2 could have been argued for their cases. So hire a good lawyer.
3. Keep Documentation ready : We lost around 2-3 months in gathering documentation for our 485 filing (affidavits, birth certicates etc.) - make sure you find out about the documenation well before the filing and file as soon as you can
4. Start Early : There is little control over this one in most cases, but start the GC process as early as possible. I filed my GC the month I got my H1B approved - and got my approval within the first 3 years of H1. Not that it matters a lot - but it took a lot of pressure out. I always knew I could start the whole process all over again if need be.
5. Check Lawyers paperwork : Our lawyer used to fill out the forms (EAD,AP) for us and send it to us for signatures. More than once, I have detected mistakes about personal information in the forms.
Hope everyone on this board gets his/her approval soon.