Hey va_gc , we have exactly the same situation
Hey va_gc:
We have exactly the same situation. My 485RD is also April 10, 2003. I was told by VSC that my name check request was initially sent to FBI in June 2003. However, from FBI's feedback (it took me five month to get the feedback). My name check request was not received until January 2005. To make it worse, my wife pass the security quickly while my case started its pending at FBI.
I have sent FOIA request in mid February and have not received any response yet. I called the FBI FOIA phone number, Debbie answered the phone (I usually only got her voice mail) and told me very impatiently that it may because I have a pending name check. While name check and FOIA share some information, the information needed by my FOIA my not be available because of pending name check. Honestly, this reason didn't sound that convincing to me. I faxed another FOIA request to them after the talk. It has been one week after I sent second reques. No response so far.
Three weeks ago, I sent an expedite request to VSC and told them it's soooooooo unfair and hope they can sent expedite request to FBI. NO RESPONSE at all.
From your login name, it seems that you are Virginia resident. I am a Virgina resident too. What a coincidence! I don't have good experience with local Congress man either.
It is very diffcult for me to keep sanity when my name check just STARTED its pending at FBI while case one year after me got approved.
Life is unfair. Have to bear with it.
Chandler