Approveeeeeeed..:):D :):D - Thanks to the Senator

ivar1us

Registered Users (C)
Finally approveed :):D :) :D :) :D

My and wife's case got approved and the passport has been stamped on Oct. 21, 2002. It took 3 years 6 months for the entire process. It all began in April 1999 when I applied for Labor in EB3 from Pittsburgh. Labour was approved on July 12, 1999. Then applied for 140 which also got approved in May 2000(Don't know why it took so much time). Was waiting for Priority dates to become current from May 2000 to July 2001. Then applied for 485 in July. But becoz of big difference in RD and ND dates due to all EB categories becoming current and stupid INS's mixup with RD and ND, approval got delayed a lot. Always got a standard answer of 60 to 90 days, whenever I used to called IIOs. Finally got Fedup in Aug 2002 when my case was still not approved and almost 85% of July was approved, I called up a local Senator and told him about my case. The person who works for the Senator, sent me a form called Privacy disclosure form. I had to give my Receipt Nbr., SSN Nbr. contact info and a brief note explaining my case. After a week checked back with the Senator and he said, that INS is going to send you a mail requesting additional information (I guessed RFE is coming). Checked the AVM at night on Aug 23 and heard the message about RFE issued on Aug 21, 2002. RFE was MEDICAL related. My skin test for TB had a reaction of 0.7mm.Per INS a reaction of 0.5mm and more needs to be followed up with a Chest X-ray, which the doctor had not conducted. Later did all this and sent the Reply to INS thru the lawyer. Message changed on September 11th, that the Response to RFE has been received on September 9, 2002....Blah!! Blah!!. To add to the delay, INS audit started in September, which was adding to the frustration. Finally stopped checking the AVM and got approval notice in mail on October 19th. The case was approved on Oct. 9th, but INS did not mail it till Oct. 16th. Got the Passport stamped on Oct. 21. At last the wait is over. Have been with the same Company and Client since Dec. 1997. Yes Same Client as a contractor. Unfortunately the project is getting over on 31st October 2002.

Following are the details :

PD July 12, 1999.
RD July 12, 2001.
ND Aug 28, 2001. (This sucked...)
FP Nov. 15, 2001.
AD Oct. 9, 2002.
PP Stamped Oct. 21, 2002.

Thanks to the Senator, Rajeev Khanna & Greaty K.

I wish that all those waiting for their GC get their approval soon and nobody has to go thru all this pain of waiting for more time like me. It is really frustrating, specially in this Economy.

P.S. : I have already updated Rupnet.:)
 
What state / city are you from ? Your message doesn't show what was Senator's role

First of all Congrats !!

What state / city are you from ? Your message doesn't show what was Senator's role and when you contacted him and what was his response ?

I would appreciate if you can tell

Thanks
 
Congrats ivar1us!

One thing I am mystified by is why Senators in all state's are so willing to help us immigrants. It's not like we are going to vote anytime soon. It's not like it's a highly publicized good deed that will earn them public opinion.

I am glad a lot of people report success this way, but I just don't understand it. Also how come they have so much weight with the INS bureucrats in the Service centers? Does their secretary call the same phone #s we do, and the IIOs instantly swings into action when they realize a senator's office is calling?

Wow.
 
Congrats for your approval.

One point to ease your feelings about delay between RD and ND.

If you think

RD July 12, 2001.
ND Aug 28, 2001. (This sucked...)

Then there are so many people (including me) who applied around first week of september have 2 months delay between their RD and ND. For example in my case

RD Sept 5, 2001
ND Nov 7, 2001 ( This super sucks......)

and still no approval ( this super duper sucks......)
 
Reply to 1Longwait and wherezgc's Post

Hi 1Longwait,

I am from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The Senator's role was that he contacted the INS and got my case moving. RFE was issue within a week.

As mentioned in my message, he first sent me a form called Privacy disclosure form. I had to give my Receipt Nbr., SSN Nbr. contact info and a brief note explaining my case. After a week checked back with the Senator and he said, that INS is going to send you a mail requesting additional information (I guessed RFE is coming). This was his role

B4 calling the Senator's office, I called the IIO and the response was same - 60 to 90 days. It's then I got totally fed up and called one of my friend who had got his work done thru the senator. He gave me the senator's nbr., And I called the senator the very next moment.


wherezgc,

I think the senator's in US are much much better than their Indian counterparts, who only show thei faces during election time and then they go into Hibernation.

Here most of the Senator's have a person who is looking after immigration. When I first called the Senators office, a lady picked up the phone and after listening to my case, she said - let me put you to immigration Dept. I guess it must be a multi-tasking dept. But they do help immigrants. And they do not touch your case if the the Processing dates are not close to your RD.

Why they are helping immigrants ?

We are not doing anything wrong. Our case is delayed, which would have anyway got approved if processed on proper time. And don't forget that America is made up of Immigrant's.


I don't know whether they call a seperate Phone Nbr., or the same phone Nbr. And when they call IIO's (or their Bosses), they must be definitely saying that they are calling from Senator ABC's office, which must be having some weightage compared to us calling the IIO's.


Thanks
ivar1us:)
 
Reply to Mdinva1

Mdinva1,

YES it does suck. If they mixup RD & ND dates then the case really gets delayed a lot. And on top of it if a lazy officer is processing your case, it is delayed even further.


e.g Take my RD of 7.12.01 and ND of 8.28.01. July cases started to get approved from May 2002. They were approved almost 80% by july end. But Whenever I used to call the IIO's their answer : We are processing as of Aug 1, yours is Aug 28(This is ND). Even September cases started to come and my case was not approved.


My advice to all those who are waiting for their GC : If the official date at the processing Center is equal to or greater than your RD, Please contact the local senator/Congressmen. They do help. If one does not take it seriously, contact another.

How to find about the local senator/congressman? Ask your friends or colleagues. Also nowadays you get to see so many campaigning going on for Senators/Governers. Their ad comes on TV, newspaper, etc.

ivar1us
:) :) :)
 
Good Information Bud.

Many Congratulations to You.

This is nice information for the people whose cases are lagging behind 2-3 months.

Hope to see some OCT. in action by next week.

Dan
RD 10/24
ND 12/03
 
Congrats

Congratualtions. The long wait is over. Could you also please answer the following:


"Did you go to the same doctor or you allowed to go to a different doctor if you get an RFE on Medical? In my case, I moved from the place where I got medical to a different place and if at all I get any RFE on Medical then don't know whether I should travel there".


Please advise.

Thanks
2001_filer
 
Hello,

Congratulation.

Is it TB test.......5mm standard.
I am screwed ....I may get RFE on this. I got 7mm. Doc didn't take X-ray.
Never know. IF i get approval without RFE ...it is strange.

I don't want RFE please.

Good luck buddy.

Take care.
 
Reply to 2001_filer..

Hi 2001_filer,

Like I mentioned in my post, I am with the same Consulting firm and client ever since I have been in US. Hence I am in the same city also. So I went to the same Doctor. I guess I am pretty lucky!! Don't know what woud have happened if I would have moved out. But I guess that you can go to any INS doctor, provided you have the copy of your medical. I guess you can call the previous doctor and ask him to send the copy to the new doctor.

But one thing is for sure, you need a new Medical form to be sent to INS. Only the missing procedure needs to be done. The entire medical is not required to be done.

The RFE notice says what is required to be done. So you take the copy of the notice to any INS certified doctor and he should be able to do the necessary.

ivar1us
:) :) :)
 
Reply to ivar

Hi Ivar(almost my id with 1US missing)

On the RFE notice, INS had mentioned that 5mm is standard. But as you know INS is a strange animal, so you might not get a RFE.

You won't believe, but INS did not conduct any medical for my friends wife(derivative case) and they approved her case. She also got her Plastic cards.

So Pray to god and hope you don't get the RFE. Otherwise RFE takes somewhere between 1 to 3 months. And if you are really unlucky more.

ivar1us
:) :) :)
 
ivar1us, Thanks for taking time and answering questions for all of us

ivar1us, Thanks for taking time and answering questions for all of us.

My RD is 08/03/01 and I am thinking of calling Senator too .....

But I just have one fear. How do I find out if Senator/ Congressman representing my area is Immigrant friendly or not ?

What if he is anti-Immigrant and skrews up my case ????

Just a fear factor

pls let me know your opinion
 
Reply to 1LongWait's Post

Hi 1LongWait,


I highly recommend you to call Senator/Congressman as the Processing date at Vermont is pass your RD.

Your first job would be to find out the Tel. Nbr. of the Local Senator's/Congressmans office. Once you call his office, tell the person who answers the phone that you need some help in immigration matters. S/he should transfer your call or give a Tel. number of a person who looks into immigration matters. Once you call that person, tell him about your case. Also do not forget to tell that your Receipt date is 08/03/01 and they are processing 9/15/2001 or whatever is the date at that time.

You will come to know whether he is friendly by talking to him. If he asks for your details, give him. Never ask him how much time it will take. After a week just remind him about what you said and tell him that you are just enquiring casually. He should be able to tell you about your case. Never ask them how..When..what ?? Be polite.

And be assured that he cannot screw up your case. Worst come worst he will not attend to your case, but he will never call INS and tell them to Deny your approval.

All the best.

P.S. You may never speak to the Senetor/Congressman. His people will speak to you. I never spoke to the senator.


ivar1us
:) :) :)
 
Hi ivaR,

I am not lucky person. If i am lucky person., i would have got approval right now.

Thanks for supporting me. I will pray god , ( not to get RFE).

You know, when i got worry?, ....after reading your posting.
Face become little sad about future RFE. My wife recongize my face. and kicked me. She ordered me ....not to ready anymore message in immigration portal.
She says, you get tension after reading messages. ( me and my wife are fight like kids...:) )

One way , this website is fantastic. No one can beat it.
Otherway.....you will have to worry future RFE.

But i cann't stop reading messages in this website. It is become routine job.

ivar1us....have a nice beer and enjoy your sucess.
 
ivar

ivar,

Everything will be ok.

On the day I got my passport stamped, I finished one full bottle of champaigne all by myself:D :D :D

ivar1us

:) :) :)
 
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