Chicago Local Transfer Interviews

AP

Hi All,

BCIS sent us notices for Advanced Parole appointment. Our appointment is on July 8th. We have been asked to carry two passport size pictures each. Application for AP was filed in early May, 2003.
 
Re: AP

Originally posted by rd_0601_chi
Hi All,

BCIS sent us notices for Advanced Parole appointment. Our appointment is on July 8th. We have been asked to carry two passport size pictures each. Application for AP was filed in early May, 2003.
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How about UR EAD? All resolved?

Are you going to try and get there early to inquire about UR I485?? They will let you talk to someone since U have a RD earlier than 06/01
 
EAD

EAD issue is not yet resolved. I will go with my wife and try to find out what's going on unless by stroke of luck I get it between now and when I go. I plan to inquire about our I-485 status although my RD date is not before 06/01. Instead it is 06/01. Will keep you abreast.
 
Re: EAD

Originally posted by rd_0601_chi
EAD issue is not yet resolved. I will go with my wife and try to find out what's going on unless by stroke of luck I get it between now and when I go. I plan to inquire about our I-485 status although my RD date is not before 06/01. Instead it is 06/01. Will keep you abreast.
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I'm sorry.. there was a typo in myearlier msg. in person inquiries are being entertained for RD's earlier than 08/01
 
Trip to BCIS, Chicago

Dfagen,

Do you mean to say that Chicago Office is letting people talk to the Immigration Officers manning the enquiry counters to ask about their case status if their filing date is earlier than August 2001?

My receipt date is 6/18/2001 at BCIS, Chicago (Family Based AOS)and I already had my Interview on Jan. 9, 2003. I am planning to pay a visit to the Chicago Distt Office. Would it be fruitful in terms of geting some insight into my case? Last year when I went to enquire about the case, they told me to enquire in writing and that I should receive a writen reply in 30 days, which I never received.

I don't know when this ordeal of getting the green card (it should be named red card as the amount of mental agony, grief and anxiety it heaps upon the people who seek to get it) be over. Waiting for 12-15 months is a reasonable time frame, but most of us end up waiting for over 2 years since filing of I-485, which is pathetic.
 
Re: Trip to BCIS, Chicago

Originally posted by wamu
Dfagen,

Do you mean to say that Chicago Office is letting people talk to the Immigration Officers manning the enquiry counters to ask about their case status if their filing date is earlier than August 2001?

My receipt date is 6/18/2001 at BCIS, Chicago (Family Based AOS)and I already had my Interview on Jan. 9, 2003. I am planning to pay a visit to the Chicago Distt Office. Would it be fruitful in terms of geting some insight into my case? Last year when I went to enquire about the case, they told me to enquire in writing and that I should receive a writen reply in 30 days, which I never received.

I don't know when this ordeal of getting the green card (it should be named red card as the amount of mental agony, grief and anxiety it heaps upon the people who seek to get it) be over. Waiting for 12-15 months is a reasonable time frame, but most of us end up waiting for over 2 years since filing of I-485, which is pathetic.
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yes, you can talk to someone manning the counters. I dont know about the fruitful part, but let me know how it goes if you decide to talk to someone over there.
 
THURSDAY OFFICE HOURS?

DFAGEN,
CAN WE VISIT BCIS,CHICAGO ON THURSDAY TO TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT OUR I-485? WHAT ARE THE OFFICE HOURS OF BCIS ON THAT DAY? ANY IDEA. I AM PLANNING TO MAKE A TRIP THIS THURSDAY(7/3/03).
PLEASE REPLY.
 
Re: THURSDAY OFFICE HOURS?

Originally posted by NETELECTRONIC
DFAGEN,
CAN WE VISIT BCIS,CHICAGO ON THURSDAY TO TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT OUR I-485? WHAT ARE THE OFFICE HOURS OF BCIS ON THAT DAY? ANY IDEA. I AM PLANNING TO MAKE A TRIP THIS THURSDAY(7/3/03).
PLEASE REPLY.
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I'm thinking about going too. The hours are 7:30 am to 2:00 pm, but you need to get in line by 6:00 am, from what I have heard. I think you can go later, but you ma well end up spending a half day or more.
I am going to double check with the 800 number to make sure the hours are applicable since the next day is the 4th of July.
 
talking to someone in chicago office

Hello
When my wife went for her interim EAD (or whatever it is), she did ask about her case and they would not tell anything about it.
Her case is probably the oldest in the group.
Her RD : Nov 2000 and her case was transferred not because of any documentation /marriage issues etc.. but because they could not get her fingerprints right twice. There is an obscure law that a case will be transferred to the local office if FPs are rejected twice.
She had her fingerprints taken for the third time in April 2003 but there is nothing we have heard again. The congressman's office gives us the standard reply of 90 days as told before.
I don't think the RD matters even if that's the official line.
I think the TD is what matters and they are probably calling cases which were transferred in Feb/Mar 2002.
My wife's case was transferred in May 2002
 
Re: talking to someone in chicago office

Originally posted by oxygenman
Hello
When my wife went for her interim EAD (or whatever it is), she did ask about her case and they would not tell anything about it.
Her case is probably the oldest in the group.
Her RD : Nov 2000 and her case was transferred not because of any documentation /marriage issues etc.. but because they could not get her fingerprints right twice. There is an obscure law that a case will be transferred to the local office if FPs are rejected twice.
She had her fingerprints taken for the third time in April 2003 but there is nothing we have heard again. The congressman's office gives us the standard reply of 90 days as told before.
I don't think the RD matters even if that's the official line.
I think the TD is what matters and they are probably calling cases which were transferred in Feb/Mar 2002.
My wife's case was transferred in May 2002
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Did she take a number and talk to someone behind one of the inquiry counters?? exactly what did they say? Be patient, we dont know...
 
Please respond !

Hi all,

Those of us who have had their Interview at BCIS, Chicago and still waiting for the adjudication, please post the updates/ new developments/ communication if any from BCIS.
 
My NSC Receipt date is November 2000.
My I-485 employment-based case was transferred to the Chicago office in Januaray 2002.
I got my second FP in May 2003.
No interview letter from BCIS yet.
 
AP Appointment Letter Received

Hi all,

I received my AP appointment letter for July 15, 2003 from BCIS, Chicago. I applied for 2nd AP on May 19, 2003.
Going by the time frame of myself and rd_0601(from his earlier posting) , it appears that Chicago is scheduling the AP appointments in a little less than 2 months.
 
EAD and AP renewed

My wife and I got our EADs and APs renewed yestreday and today. The renewal process was hassle free. Just keep your appointments. We also tried to find out the status of our I-485s. The answer we got was that background check was being done on our cases and the time this process could take could not be determined at this point. I was also told that BCIS is processing cases strictly based on RDs and the average processing time is 22 months.
 
rd_0601,

Congratulations for your EAD renewal. I remember from your earlier posting that you applied for EAD renewal in early May 2003. Is BCIS, Chicago renewing EADs within 2 months?

My appointment for AP renewal is on July 15, 2003 and I have been advised to bring only a Photo ID & the Appointment Letter. Did they ask you to bring Passport Size photos? I had sent two Immigration Style photos alongwith my application. Please let me know if you needed the Photos when you went for AP renewal.
 
Originally posted by wamu
rd_0601,

Congratulations for your EAD renewal. I remember from your earlier posting that you applied for EAD renewal in early May 2003. Is BCIS, Chicago renewing EADs within 2 months?

My appointment for AP renewal is on July 15, 2003 and I have been advised to bring only a Photo ID & the Appointment Letter. Did they ask you to bring Passport Size photos? I had sent two Immigration Style photos alongwith my application. Please let me know if you needed the Photos when you went for AP renewal.
Click to expand...

I did not have to carry photos but my wife had to. So, if you have been told to carry photos, please carry passport size photos with you.
 
Is there a number you can call to check the status of your file in the Chicago office. If there is no number what is the best way to find the status of your file if it has been transferred to Chicago.

How long is it taking for approval in the Chicago office.

Thanks
 
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Lead times in Chicago

Originally posted by RAJ5
Is there a number you can call to check the status of your file in the Chicago office. If there is no number what is the best way to find the status of your file if it has been transferred to Chicago.

How long is it taking for approval in the Chicago office.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Raj5, you ask the million dollar question. If I get my Interview notice in the next two weeks, then we can perhaps say that Chicago takes 90 days from second fingerprint date to issue an interview notice. The actual interview takes place approximately 120 days after the finger prints. there are two people in the forum that were finger printed in April and received their interview letters in July for August interviews. MY second FP was in May. so if there is any method to all their madness, I should get my interview letter in the next 2-3 weeks. (Dont try to confront them with this, this is all my hypothesis, nothing official)

Here's my best guess at how things happen in Chicago at this point (I would not bet any money on this, this is based only on two cases and will carry more weight if I get my FP notice in the next month) The dates are only meant for illustration, not actualy:

1) Case gets Xferred to Chi, say, June '02 with a orginal NSC receipt date of June 01
2) At the time of Xfer, Chicago is processing Aug 2000, so they get to the Xferd file around april '01; they then realize the orig FP's have expired so they order new ones
3) They send the interview appt out about 90 days after the FP with an interview date 1 month from Interview notice date (this gives them the full 120 days that FBI states is an upper limit for name check clearance)
4) If they schedule earlier than 120 days from FP, they interview you and send you back saying the name check is not complete, with approval to be mailed soon (sometimes, it may be better to just wait than go to an interview and not get your approval) of course, waiting and interview may not be guarantee for success.

Te best way to get the current processing date at Chicago is from your local congman or senator. For IL, the senators are Dick Durbin and Peter Fitgerald. Current lead times for them to get to your case is about 24-26 mos from orig NSC receipt date. At that point, they will ask for FPS and it is another 3-?? mos from that point.

Hope this helps

All other Forum participants, we should become immig. attorneys when we are all said and done.... I probably know more than mine!!!
 
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Thanks dfagen19 for your reply. Here is my story.

I485 RD - 5/28/02; ND - 6/10/02
Case transferred to Los Angles, California (by mistake) - 7/2/03
My lawyer wrote a letter to BCIS California and NSC to correct the mistake since I have never lived in California. It should be transferred to Chicago in a week or so according to my lawyer. On 7/3/03 they sent me the second FBI finger printing notice from NSC. I guess I am looking at one more year before my case will be approved.
 
dfagen19 or anyone else,

Why does a case get transferred to the local office? How does one find out about the reason? In my situation I have no clue why it has been transferred to Chicago. I have never switched jobs since my first H1 approval. I did not get married and I only today did my second fingerprinting (7/19/03). My case was already transferred earlier this month. :confused:

Also wanted to share my 2nd FP experience. My appointment date was 7/31, which is also the worst day in my company to take time off so I went to the BCIS office in Naperville today (7/19/03) and they took my FP. I was very happy that they were able to accommodate me today. For once I can give BCIS some praise.
;)
 
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