Case transferred to local office (Chicago, IL)

[anujsingla]

Today I received the following message from USCIS:

"Application Type: I485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status

Current Status:

On December 20, 2004, we transferred your I485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status to an office in CHICAGO, IL for processing. Our office in CHICAGO, IL will send you a written decision as soon as processing is complete. You should receive a notice informing you that your case has been transferred to a local office. Please call the National Customer Service Center at (800) 375-5283 to receive information about local office processing times."

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My details are:


I-140: RD-10/09/2003, ND-10/15/2003 (Skilled Worker or Professional), AD: 12/17/04

I-485: RD-10/09/2003, ND-10/15/2003, FP-April 21, 2004, RFE-(Issued: 11/10/2004,Response received and Site Updated: 12/03/04), LUD: 12/06/04,12/07/04,12/08/04 (no message change), 12/20/04-RECEIVED ABOVE MESSAGE.

I-485 (Spouse): RD-10/09/2003, ND-10/15/2003, FP-May 28, 2004, NO LUD since FP.12/20/04-RECEIVED ABOVE MESSAGE

AP: RD-10/09/2003, ND-10/15/2003, Approved- November 28, 2003

EAD: RD-10/09/2003, ND-10/15/2003, Approved- November 28, 2003, 2nd EAD: RD-10/26/04, ND-10/26/04

*********************************************************
My RFE was simple. They asked the copy of my latest I-94 and the dates of arrival/departure till now.

NO JOB OR ADDRESS CHANGE

*********************************************************

Is there anyone else who received such a message. Is it good news or bad news. Will this delay the approval. What are the processing times in Chicago, IL Office.

What is the opinion of gurus out there. I am really nervous and would appreciate any help. Thank You.

Anuj

 

[curiousGeorge]

A transfer does not mean you will have an interview, but it most probably means that you will. It will specify on the transfer notice that you get from the local office whether you are going to have an interview or if it just transferred for processing, to reduce the backlog at the service center. Read the online status or transfer notice when you get it in the mail carefully. Its still possible that if your case was transferred for "speed processing" that you might have an interview, it depends on the adjudicating officer.

How will it affect your case? Well for starters, there will be a bit of a delay because your case now has to be physically transferred to the local office from the service center (about 1-2 months). Next they will need to find a time to schedule an appointment for your interview (another 1-18 months, depending on the local office). This delay differs from local office to local office, and there is no online processing time available for EB cases. The processing time posted online is only for family based cases. The best way to know approx. when your interview might be is to search this forum for other EB cases transfere to the same local office as yours.

When you are scheduled for an interview, you will have to see the officer in person, and present all the paperwork required for your case (passports old & new, new pictures, all EADs, all APs, all I-94s, birth certificates, marriage certificates, updated EVL, company financials, most recent paystubs, tax reurns & W2's for the past 3 years, etc) Hopefully you have a lawyer that can come with you if you don't have a straight forward case so that you don't answer any questions in a misleading or confusing manner.

You'll eventually get approved, one way or another, but in the mean time, your future EAD and AP applications or extensions need to be sent to the local office where your case is.

Case transfers can happen for any number of reasons, and quite frankly they can even happen just at the discretion of the adjudicating officer, as a random check. read this:

{excerpt from the "I-485 Standard Operating Procedure", page 7-3.24}

Employment based Criteria
The adjudicating officer must determine whether the employment-based
I-485 meets waiver of interview criteria set forth below.

Employment-based:

• The principal applicant is employed by the same petitioner who submitted
the approved underlying employment-based visa petition.

• The principal applicant has been interviewed in the course of an
investigation or field examination, and the adjudicating examiner
determines that further interview of the applicant is unnecessary.

• The principal applicant has been approved as an alien of extraordinary
ability or alien of exceptional ability and is otherwise eligible for
adjustment of status.

• The principal applicant has been approved as an outstanding professor or
researcher, or a multinational executive/manager and has a continuing
offer of employment from the same petitioner who submitted the
underlying approved petition.

• Adjustment applicants who received national interest waivers based on
performing primary medical care to a medically under-served area must
demonstrate that they intend to continue according to the terms and
conditions of the underlying petition.


Deviation From Interview Waiver Criteria

The above interview waiver criteria may be modified by individual officers in
response to developing local circumstances and regional concerns, which
would dictate the need for further restrictions.

On a case by-case basis, an officer may choose to relocate an I-485 for
interview if he/she deems it necessary. Applications require a relocation if
the officer determines:
• a need for validation of identity
• a need for validation of legal status
• questionable admissibility and/or qualifications
• apparent fraud
• a second filing
• an applicant with fingerprint rejected twice
• an applicant with medical condition class A or B
• the A-file cannot be located at the time of adjudication.

 

[npnjan02]

Today I received the following message from USCIS:

"Application Type: I485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status

Current Status:

On December 20, 2004, we transferred your I485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status to an office in CHICAGO, IL for processing. Our office in CHICAGO, IL will send you a written decision as soon as processing is complete. You should receive a notice informing you that your case has been transferred to a local office. Please call the National Customer Service Center at (800) 375-5283 to receive information about local office processing times."

******************************************************
My details are:


I-140: RD-10/09/2003, ND-10/15/2003 (Skilled Worker or Professional), AD: 12/17/04

I-485: RD-10/09/2003, ND-10/15/2003, FP-April 21, 2004, RFE-(Issued: 11/10/2004,Response received and Site Updated: 12/03/04), LUD: 12/06/04,12/07/04,12/08/04 (no message change), 12/20/04-RECEIVED ABOVE MESSAGE.

I-485 (Spouse): RD-10/09/2003, ND-10/15/2003, FP-May 28, 2004, NO LUD since FP.12/20/04-RECEIVED ABOVE MESSAGE

AP: RD-10/09/2003, ND-10/15/2003, Approved- November 28, 2003

EAD: RD-10/09/2003, ND-10/15/2003, Approved- November 28, 2003, 2nd EAD: RD-10/26/04, ND-10/26/04

*********************************************************
My RFE was simple. They asked the copy of my latest I-94 and the dates of arrival/departure till now.

NO JOB OR ADDRESS CHANGE

*********************************************************

Is there anyone else who received such a message. Is it good news or bad news. Will this delay the approval. What are the processing times in Chicago, IL Office.

What is the opinion of gurus out there. I am really nervous and would appreciate any help. Thank You.

Anuj

You should take a look at the "I-485 transfers to local offices" thread.