Atlanta Local Office Processing

givme_gc said:
Hello Buddies,

Any Idea when we will get the Card...?

RSK1 ... Have you received the card..?

Yes we received cards on 1/10/05 (in 27 days). See my signature for all the details.
 
Thanks...Guys,

27 days...Thats nice to hear..hope we get it soon ...Is it coming from the Vermont Service Center or the Local office ?

Also how did you get the Card Order date / Card Mailed date...

Does the online status change ? I thought the online status does not change after the case was sent to the local office...
 
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givme_gc said:
Thanks...Guys,

27 days...Thats nice to hear..hope we get it soon ...Is it coming from the Vermont Service Center or the Local office ?

Also how did you get the Card Order date / Card Mailed date...

Does the online status change ? I thought the online status does not change after the case was sent to the local office...
givme_gc,
Congratulations on your approval. I was reading your interview experience and was wondering if they asked which employer you were going to work for (since yours was future GC)?
 
givme_gc said:
Thanks...Guys,

27 days...Thats nice to hear..hope we get it soon ...Is it coming from the Vermont Service Center or the Local office ?

Also how did you get the Card Order date / Card Mailed date...

Does the online status change ? I thought the online status does not change after the case was sent to the local office...

You should get Welcome Notice from regional service center. My case was transferred from VSC but I got them from TSC. You can track SRC/EAC # of welcome notice.
 
BTW, I received the welcome notices, my interview was on 2/15. The welcome notices had date of 2/22 and I received those yesterday i.e. 2/28.

It seems they might be having some problem with printing, because my wife received 4 welcome notices and I received two. My wife said "See how desperate they were to have me as a permanent resident".

Thanks for the tip RSK1 about tracking status of Receipt number on welcome notice, I was expecting a date change on my I-485 status.
 
interview help

Hi all,

I found this thread is really informative. So although I will be interviewd at Baltimore, I post my question here. Following is my case:

140 (NIW, Vermont) - ND Mar-2002, AD Nov-2002
485 (Vermon) - ND Jan-2003, FP1 Feb-2003, FP2 Aug-2004
TD Sep-2004, ID Mar-8-2005 (Baltimore)

I and my family will have a 485 interview at Baltimore on March 8. One question keeps bothering me badly. After 3 months I submited my I-485 to Vermont, I moved to Tennessee and then Georgia. I am currently working in Athens with H1B (issued by Texas). However, my family are still living in Maryland, they never change the home address. Because of this reason, I didn't notisfy Vermont of my job changes (twice as whole lab moved). Now I am worrying if this officer will be unhappy after he/she find this fact and transfer my case to Texas. If so, it will be a terrible nightmare for us. I still hold Maryland driver license, and visit my family monthly (I keep the flight tickets). I also have many other evidences showing my permanent resident address in Marrland: Federal tax return (married filling jointly using Maryland address), and bills, bank statements. How do you guys think my case? It is a big problem such that I have to hire a lawer? or it is just ok? If the worse thing happens (ie, they transfer my case since I belong to Texas center), can I argue that they should stamp my family's application since they are Maryland residents?

The another problem is, my wife is currently working in Maryland with EADs (issued by Vermont), but at the same time I also applied H4 visa for her and my kid twice with my H1Bs (issued by Texas, subjectively tried to keep their status' valid). It is another big trouble? or I just not show my wife and kid' H-4 visa?

BTW, what is EVL? I have only a current employment letter.

I appreciate your advice.
 
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ugathens said:
Hi all,

I found this thread is really informative. So although I will be interviewd at Baltimore, I post my question here. Following is my case:

140 (NIW, Vermont) - ND Mar-2002, AD Nov-2002
485 (Vermon) - ND Jan-2003, FP1 Feb-2003, FP2 Aug-2004
TD Sep-2004, ID Mar-8-2005 (Baltimore)

I and my family will have a 485 interview at Baltimore on March 8. One question keeps bothering me badly. After 3 months I submited my I-485 to Vermont, I moved to Tennessee and then Georgia. I am currently working in Athens with H1B (issued by Texas). However, my family are still living in Maryland, they never change the home address. Because of this reason, I didn't notisfy Vermont of my job changes (twice as whole lab moved). Now I am worrying if this officer will be unhappy after he/she find this fact and transfer my case to Texas. If so, it will be a terrible nightmare for us. I still hold Maryland driver license, and visit my family monthly (I keep the flight tickets). I also have many other evidences showing my permanent resident address in Marrland: Federal tax return (married filling jointly using Maryland address), and bills, bank statements. How do you guys think my case? It is a big problem such that I have to hire a lawer? or it is just ok? If the worse thing happens (ie, they transfer my case since I belong to Texas center), can I argue that they should stamp my family's application since they are Maryland residents?

The another problem is, my wife is currently working in Maryland with EADs (issued by Vermont), but at the same time I also applied H4 visa for her and my kid twice with my H1Bs (issued by Texas, subjectively tried to keep their status' valid). It is another big trouble? or I just not show my wife and kid' H-4 visa?

BTW, what is EVL? I have only a current employment letter.

I appreciate your advice.

I dont know why you applied H4 for your wife when your wife is working on EAD. When she started working on EAD, her H4 status becomes invalid as she has totally come out of non-immigrant status to immigrant status. Filing H4 doesnt do any good for her, since she has started working on EAD already.
 
Want GC Soon said:
I dont know why you applied H4 for your wife when your wife is working on EAD. When she started working on EAD, her H4 status becomes invalid as she has totally come out of non-immigrant status to immigrant status. Filing H4 doesnt do any good for her, since she has started working on EAD already.

At that time when I submited my I-485, I was still in J1 visa (with the waiver approved). So when my status was changed to H1B, I hesitated if I should applied H4 for my wife and kid. It might be ok for my wife since she had an EAD. But how about for my kid. I worried if I didn't apply H4 for him, he has no any valid status which might be trouble. So finally I applied H4 for them both. During this period, my wife renewed her EAD several times, and both Vermont (for EADs) and Texas (for H4) didn't say any thing. It seems that the two centers don't communicate closely. So whether it is ok that I don't show the H4 to the officer? Thanks.
 
ugathens,

Reading your comments, it seems you are perfectly fine. Just the situation you are in is making you anxious. I think if you explain exactly the way you explained in this thread you won't have any issues. Tell the truth because it goes long way and you don't have any chances of failure.

As far as officer getting mad, I don't think it's going to happen. Generally they are very nice and would understand the situation unless the person is having a bad day. I don't think they would ever transfer your case again because their objective is also to approve if they have all the information in front of them, otherwise that time doesn't add any value to them statistically, so their best effort is to approve the case.

For applying H-4 for your wife, there also I don't think there is anything wrong with that. If USCIS approves H-4 she would fall back on H-4 and if continues to use her EAD after h-4 approval she will be loose H-4 status. If you want I can put comments by attorney Murthy on this.

In the end I think everything is fine. Just relax, explain everything calmly and with confidence and take ALL of your paperwork with you, so you can come out with a stamp. Good Luck.
 
PremChopra said:
ugathens,

Reading your comments, it seems you are perfectly fine. Just the situation you are in is making you anxious. I think if you explain exactly the way you explained in this thread you won't have any issues. Tell the truth because it goes long way and you don't have any chances of failure.

As far as officer getting mad, I don't think it's going to happen. Generally they are very nice and would understand the situation unless the person is having a bad day. I don't think they would ever transfer your case again because their objective is also to approve if they have all the information in front of them, otherwise that time doesn't add any value to them statistically, so their best effort is to approve the case.

For applying H-4 for your wife, there also I don't think there is anything wrong with that. If USCIS approves H-4 she would fall back on H-4 and if continues to use her EAD after h-4 approval she will be loose H-4 status. If you want I can put comments by attorney Murthy on this.

In the end I think everything is fine. Just relax, explain everything calmly and with confidence and take ALL of your paperwork with you, so you can come out with a stamp. Good Luck.

Hi PremChopra,

Thank you very much for your encouraging comments. It makes me really easier.

In fact this afternoon, I called a lawyer in Maryland, asked if he is willing to go with me for the interview. He said there is no difference with or without a lawyer. Like your comments, his answer was kind of positive about my residence and EAD/H4 concerns. He said if I have a Maryland driver license, it should be a strong evidence to convience the officer that I am a permanent resident of Maryland. And it is ok for I applied H4 for my family from Texas since I changed job and for my wife uses EAD issued from Vermont since she lives in Maryland.

PremChopra, please post the comments by your lawyer on, so that if the officer is a junior, I can show it to convience him/her.

Thank you again.
 
ugatherns,

First of all, wish you all the best for your interview on 03/08..you will be fine since you are maintaining your permenent residence in Maryland (also your family still lives their). You only have to notify USCIS for the address change if your move is permenent (with your family). I was also in same situation during I-485 stage. My family was in NJ and I was working and staying in CT. I was filing tax return as a NJ residence and CT state tax as a non-residence since my company paying CT state tax. So, you need not worry about this and you just say that I am mainiting my permanent residence in Maryland since if they asked.

Also, don't worry about H4 visa, it has nothing to do with your I-485 and interview. You have to worry only if you or your family is out of status for certain days.

So, be relax and confidant..tell them truth nice way!!

Again, wish you and your family all the best!


ugathens said:
Hi PremChopra,

Thank you very much for your encouraging comments. It makes me really easier.

In fact this afternoon, I called a lawyer in Maryland, asked if he is willing to go with me for the interview. He said there is no difference with or without a lawyer. Like your comments, his answer was kind of positive about my residence and EAD/H4 concerns. He said if I have a Maryland driver license, it should be a strong evidence to convience the officer that I am a permanent resident of Maryland. And it is ok for I applied H4 for my family from Texas since I changed job and for my wife uses EAD issued from Vermont since she lives in Maryland.

PremChopra, please post the comments by your lawyer on, so that if the officer is a junior, I can show it to convience him/her.

Thank you again.
 
Hello Guys,

I have not yet received the welcome notice..i got stamped on feb 16th...Is there anyway i can check on this...
 
Ohhhhh! It took me two nights to read this thread.

Nice work!! Guys.

My case is very simple. I don't know why they transferred my case to ADO. Here is the history of my case (or our cases).

I and my wife came to the states 5 years ago with H1B visa, still work in the same lab. Applied NIW 3 years ago through a lawyer and I-140 was approved in Sept 2002. Checked I-485 form and thought it was easy so fired the lawyer (he is a good one) just tried to save some money. I-485 was submitted in Oct 2002, did FP in Nov 2002, then no news for two years. Did a case inquiry in Jan 2005 since it was 60 days behind then current processing time. Got a reply saying my case was transferred to ADO, funny I did not get any notice for case transfer and they did not update the case status on line either.

Got pissed off and started to make phone calls. One time I got an information officer and was told my alien files were transferred on Mar 1, 2004 but I-485 still stays in TSC. Got pissed off, started to fax TSC, mail ADO, contact local congressman...Did not which one worked, got interview notice from ADO last saturday. Mailed a letter to ADO on Monday to ask for 2nd FP and they actually sent me the 2nd FP on Monday before my letter gets to them. My wife even got two 2nd FP notices.

Interview is on Apr 5, Officer H. FP scheduled for next Tuesday.

I think this is an easy case and I am not worried at all.
 
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Got interviewed on March 8 at Baltimore

Hi colleagues,

My family and I just got interviewed at Baltimore on March 8 by officer D. We didn't get our passports stamped because of a little mistake in my medical examination form: the result of HIV test, either positive or negative checkbox, was left to unchecked by the stupid doctor. The immigration officer marked the three rows about HIV test (result line, test method line and examination physican line), asked me to submit the HIV test result back within 3 months. The decision will be made within six months. All due to the fault of the stupid doctor, the fool! I have to wait for another six painful months.

Here is the detailed interview procedure:

The interview was scheduled at 10:15am for me, 10:45am for my wife, 11:15am for my son. We were asked to get there one hour and half early. We arrived at 9:10am, passed x-ray examination, went to room 103, there were already lots of people waiting there. Went to the clerk window first, gave her the three interview appointment letters. She stamped them, signed the time we reached, told us to seat down for waiting for being called.

Be called at 10:25am, our whole family went together. Officer D is a tall black man, his attitude is neither warm nor cold, just normal. After asked us to swear, he asked for our driver licenses, passpords and EADs. He took away the old EADs, returned the newest EAD of my wife's (we were wandering why). Then he opened my case, asked me to take fingerprint and sign (I felt a little bit excitation, gussing might get stamped). After that, asked if I am still holding J-1 visa, I said no. Then asked if I got J-1 waivered, I said yes. He spent around 1 minute to try to find the copy of approval receipt of J-1 vaiver from my case. I said I bring the original receipt and its copy with me, but he didn't answer me. I don't know if he finally found the copy or not, anyway he didn't ask this question more. Then asked me if I have a H1B, and where I am working now. I answered this question. He took away my first I-94 (from J-1) but left the rest two (from H1B). Then took my I-485 form, asked my home address, date of birth, wife's name, her birth date, parent's first names, and other 485-related questions. Then asked when I started my new job, he wrote this information in the form of my biographic. I said I changed jobs twice (out of maryland). He answered "but you are still maryland resident, right?" (now I were totally released). Then he asked for the employer letter, the recent 3 month pay stubs and 2003, 2002 years tax returns. He even didn't asked for my w-2s. Finally he took my medical examination form, circled several places, marked three rows about HIV test, said my doctor didn't report the HIV test result, so he cann't make the decision unless he receives the result (I were extremely shocked). I asked if we can get stamped immediately if I hand in the result tomorrow. He said no. He will make the decision within 6 months and asked me to mail in the result. The decision will be made directly, no another interview is needed.

Then he asked my wife to take fingerprint and sign. asked if she has a H4, said yes. Then he took my wife's I-485 form, asked her the same question as he asked me. After that he took my wife's medical examination forms, circled three places. Finally he took out a data sheet, I guess it could be the interview result data sheet, there are several options, I saw him circled the approved. Then for my son, he circled the approved option again. So I guess my wife and my son passed the interview, then I asked if you could stamp my wife and my son's passwords, he said he cann't. They have to wait for my approval.

During the interview, the officer didn't ask me for any other orignal documents except my employment letter, recent 3 month pay stubs, 2003, 2002 years tax return. I gave him the new style photos, the copy of renewal page of my password although he didn't asked for them. The old medical examination is ok, but make sure you haven't the same problem as mine. The officer definitely will check this form.

To my best understand, the officer has already read through my case before my interview, was aware that the medical examination problem, and make the decision that he will not stamp my password. Since at the very begining without checking my medical examination form, he returned our newest EAD (he should take all our EAD and I-94 back if he is going to stamp our passpord). If I guess wrongly, the another possibility is more likely what EB2NIW, lulu001 said, the immigration officers won't stamp passpord directly. So even the interview is passed, the newest EAD and I-94 won't be taken back immediately. EB2NIW, lulu001, could you tell us if your newest EAD and I-94 was taken back?

This is my whole story. The result is neither the best (get stamped), nor the worst (cases have to be transfered). I mailed the HIV test result yesterday. Just wait for another six months. We are still in the same line.

I was just traveled back to Georgia and was quite busy to deal with the medical examination issue in the pass two days. Sorry for the delay of update.

ugathens
 
ugathens,

I will hold my congratulations until you get the real approval. But I don't think it will be 6 months, my guesstimate is that you/your family will be approved in next 4 weeks.

Good Luck

Update - Me and my wife got Physical Cards today. My wife also got her 5th welcome notice and I got my third.

TD - 11/17/04
ID - 2/15/05
AD/PS - 2/15/05
Welcome Notice Issue Date - 2/22/05
Welcome Notice Received - 2/28/05
Card Ordered - 03/03/05
Card Received - 03/10/05
 
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Cool Prem..Have fun...

I have not yet received the welcome notice..i got stamped on feb 16th...Is there anyway i can check on this
 
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