Contacting congressman's office will be really helpful
First of all my wifes status in I-485 receipt was Asylee adjustment, but it is supposed to be derivative status. I am the primary applicant and applied I-485 through Employment. I didn't notice it till Mar '04. I asked my lawyer he sent two letters to INS but nothing got changed. My 3rd EAD and Advance parole was pending. Even after 4 months of current processing date INS hasn't approved. For this also lawyer sent some letters. Whenever he sents a letter he faxes a copy to me. I sent some faxes to expediate. No response from INS. I almost logged four inquiries through NCSC. Only for the first inquiry I got a response saying that INS is working on my case. That's it, no responses after that. After that I have got no option. I went to the local service center and got I-EAD valid for three months. This continued. I asked my lawyer what are the other options I have got. He said contact your local congressman or if your case is delayed over an year then I can take the case to aila.
I searched the
www.house.gov and found my local congressman. First in End of March '2004 I contacted their office. They are extremely helpful. I don't have any more words to say. They sent me a form to fill it up (Which authorises them to open my case). I filled that form and sent all my Receipt notices. First I was interested in changing my wifes status and also expediating my EAD and AP applications. I formatted a letter and I sent to them requesting the changes and expediation. I waited for a week I got a call from congressman's office saying that my wife's status is changed. She told me that I will get the I-485 New notice of action in a week. As she said I got in a week. I was bit happy and concerned about my EAD and AP. All this happened in early april. The lady whom I was talking to went on a week long vacation. She was back after a week.
I spoke to her and asked her about my EAD and AP. She put me hold and called INS and inquired about it. INS lady said that they are going to pull my I-140 application and give her a call back after two days. But they didn't call her. She was worried why didn't she get any response from INS and she promised me that she will call INS & call me back in 10 minutes, but she called me back in 5 minutes and said that they found my I-140 application & My Wife's EAD,AP and I-485 is with an officer, but they lost all my application. I was shocked. She told me not to worry and asked me get all the copies from my law office. Immediately she called again two minutes after that and told me not to get any applications ready until INS confirms that my application is lost. I was totally confused. She told me that she has got a contact lady at INS office whom she talks to get the information. After half an hour she told me that INS has got my I-485 and my wifes I-485 application. But they have lost all our EAD and AP application. She asked me to send it. I got all the applications from my law office.
After two days she called me and asked me to send photographs also. It got delayed in getting copies from my law office. But congressman office again called me back and asked when I am going to send the application forms. Next day I sent all the EAD and AP forms along with the photographs. She called me back and confirmed that she has received everything. She immediately faxed all the copies to INS and mailed one set of copies along with our photographs to INS. After two days she called me and confirmed that INS has received all your applications and you will hearing something within a week. I was releived at that time.
After a week I didn't hear anything from them. I checked the I-485 processing dates at that time it has crossed my original I-485 RD. I called Congressman office and spoke to that lady and I told her that now I am not worried about my EAD or AP but since the processing dates have crossed I am worried about my I-485. She said that she is going to call INS and find out what is going on with my I-485 application. She tried to contact INS, but the lady whom she was talking to was on vacation for two days. She told me that she left a voice mail and she is again going to call her after two days. She told me that she will get a response for her voice mail and she will let me know what is happening.
She didn't get a response after two days. So she called INS that day and found out that an officer is working on my case and I should hear something in a week.I didn't hear anything in a week. I called her again and inquired about my case. She called INS and found got the same response from them, this time she got little bit annoyed and said that this is the last time we are going to call if not we will approach it differently. I remember that date it was May 12th.
After a week I called and inquired again. She said today we will finalise your case. It was May 19th. She called INS and she spoke to them and called me back and said we will know something today, As soon as I know I will convey it to you. I got tensed. Because the congressman's office was so stubborn this time. I was ready to wait for somemore time. But she said once the case has passed the timeframe INS has to give a valid reason, they cannot just delay it. I checked my online status nothing happened. At the end of the day, I was so depressed and tensed too.
I don't want to call congressman office because I worried that it might cause somemore problems. But next day morning I got the very good news from congressmans office that my case got approved yesterday. I don't have to worry any more. I checked online status nothing got updated. On 24th of may I got the approval notice. Even then the online message said the same old thing. I was so happy. I immediately called congressman's office and thanked her. She was ready to help even further. She said whenever you have any issues give us a call. I don't have words to express other than saying thanks. Guys if your congressman office is really good they can do anything you want if your papers are right.