Sm1smom
Super Moderator
Yes, visit your nearest SSA building with your GC and application form to request for an updated SSN card. Doing so will ensure you get issued with a new SSN card (same SSN) with no DHS restrictions written on the card.
DV 2025 AOS (Adjustment of Status) Process Only
- Thread starter Sm1smom
- Start date
Sm1smom
Super Moderator
Any update on your case? Did you make the walk-in attempt?
No updates. As of now, the status remains "Case Was Updated To Show Fingerprints Were Taken," and I doubt it will change.
I did the walk-in, was able to speak to my officer, she said the name check is still pending, and she submitted the expedite request after the interview and followed up at 7 am today, and they replied saying they're aware of the deadline, doing all they can. She also mentioned there are 4 cases like that at the FO.
I don't know if the check cleared for those cases, and I don't know if they're done by alphabet or by case number, or if mine is longer because of my TAL undergraduate major, or my nationality. When I asked "what happens if they don't reply by the end of the day," the ISO told me that I "gotta have faith", and that she will leave at 3 pm but pass my details to someone who's staying longer to keep checking, and she said latest people stay there is 6 pm, and it's almost 8 pm in Brookln now... Seems like it's God's plan for me not to be an LPR for now.
Either way, I'd like to thank Mom and all forum members for the support and advice!
Please have faith because it takes seconds for everything to change in this world!!!.
Sm1smom
Super Moderator
Oh gosh! I’m so sorry it looks like you didn’t make it through. Do you mind sharing your chargeability country?
DIESEL1337
Member
Praying for you! Hope everything turned out for you tonight..
blackchemist
Member
Hi mom, I received my approval notice and the green card. I updated the timeline. Unfortunately, it’s not completely finished yet. Here is my timeline:
Sep 11 – Denial of 1st I-485
Sep 16 – Filed 2nd I-485
Sep 18 – 1st I-485 re-opened and interview notice issued
Sep 25 – Interview for the 1st I-485. I signed the withdrawal notice for the 2nd I-485 during the interview. The 1st I-485 was approved right after the interview.
Sep 29 – Approval notice for the 1st I-485
Oct 2 – Green card received (Resident since 09/25/2025 written on the card)
Oct 3 – Withdrawal Acknowledgement Notice received (myUSCIS status also updated with the withdrawal) with the following reason:
On September 25, 2025, we received your withdrawal request. Your withdrawal is acknowledged and effective as of this date. You stated that your reason for withdrawing your application was due to already being a Legal Permanent Resident as your other Form I-485 application (MSCxxxxxxxxx) was approved.
Oct 3 – I also received a biometric appointment notice for the 2nd I-485 (with a notice date of 09/26/2025, just one day after I signed the withdrawal). The appointment is scheduled for Oct 14.
What should I do now? I guess it is the first time in this forum with something like that.
Thank you very much.
Sep 11 – Denial of 1st I-485
Sep 16 – Filed 2nd I-485
Sep 18 – 1st I-485 re-opened and interview notice issued
Sep 25 – Interview for the 1st I-485. I signed the withdrawal notice for the 2nd I-485 during the interview. The 1st I-485 was approved right after the interview.
Sep 29 – Approval notice for the 1st I-485
Oct 2 – Green card received (Resident since 09/25/2025 written on the card)
Oct 3 – Withdrawal Acknowledgement Notice received (myUSCIS status also updated with the withdrawal) with the following reason:
On September 25, 2025, we received your withdrawal request. Your withdrawal is acknowledged and effective as of this date. You stated that your reason for withdrawing your application was due to already being a Legal Permanent Resident as your other Form I-485 application (MSCxxxxxxxxx) was approved.
Oct 3 – I also received a biometric appointment notice for the 2nd I-485 (with a notice date of 09/26/2025, just one day after I signed the withdrawal). The appointment is scheduled for Oct 14.
What should I do now? I guess it is the first time in this forum with something like that.
Thank you very much.
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Sm1smom
Super Moderator
You can safely ignore the bio notice. The NBC sent out the notice without being aware the underlying I-485 application has already been withdrawn.
Meanwhile, make sure you safely keep all the notifications/correspondence from USCIS for your personal records, for at least until after you become a USC.
Congratulations !!! So happy for you
blackchemist
Member
Thank you, Mom.
1) I was wondering if it would be a good idea to do a walk-in at my local Application Support Center and explain the situation, just to confirm that the biometrics appointment has been canceled (or cancel it myself). I could show them my withdrawal acknowledgement notice together with the biometrics appointment letter. The ASC is close to my home, so it would not be a big effort for me.
2) For some reason I never received the denial notice in the mail (even though my USPS informed delivery showed an envelope from my field office two days after the denial, there must have been some delivery mess-up). My attorney also never received the hard copy, even though he always received every other USCIS notice in parallel with me. However, my attorney contacted the field office and they emailed him the denial notice the day after, which he then forwarded to me. Do you think this is sufficient to keep as a record, or should I try to request an official re-mailing from USCIS?
Thanks!
Sm1smom
Super Moderator
1. What does your lawyer think?
2. The electronically forwarded copy is good enough.
Hi everyone,
I wanted to share our story, even though it didn’t have the happiest ending for us.
My husband won the DV Lottery in 2023. At that time, both of us were already in the U.S. on valid F-1 visas, but we weren’t married yet. We had been planning our wedding, and we got married on December 23, 2024.
Because our situation was a bit complicated (getting married after winning, living in different states, New York and Florida, due to college), we decided to hire a lawyer in Orlando. We spoke with several attorneys, but didn’t feel confident with any of them. We eventually chose one who claimed to have handled “dozens of DV cases.” Still, I was uneasy from the start and began doing my own research. That’s when I found this forum and @Britsimon’s YouTube channel, which helped me understand the process so much better.
We repeatedly asked our lawyer whether we should submit the DS-260, and every time he said no. Even though my instincts told me otherwise, especially after reading information here, we followed his advice.
When my husband’s case number (2025AS10XXX) became current in August, here’s what happened:
Aug 8: I-485 packages sent for both of us
Aug 13: Acceptance texts received (sent to my husband)
Aug 18: Notices of Action received by mail
Aug 21: Biometrics scheduled for 09/03 (me in Buffalo, my husband in Orlando)
Aug 25: We both completed biometrics after rescheduling
Sep 9: My husband’s case changed to “Card Was Produced” — mine changed to “Case Was Denied.” (without interview)
When I received the denial notice, it stated:
“USCIS has determined that, although you qualify as the principal beneficiary’s spouse, when the principal beneficiary submitted the DV lottery entry, he or she did not include your name, biographic information, and photograph. Therefore, you are not qualified to adjust status as a DV derivative immigrant.”
This was clearly an error, as per USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 7, Chapter 2, Paragraph F (Treatment of Family Members).
We filed a motion to reopen (I-290B) on September 16, and I received the Notice of Action and online access code around September 25. At the same time, we also filed a congressional inquiry through the Orlando office (since my denial came from the Orlando FO), and a DHS Ombudsman inquiry as well. Also, we tried walking to the Orlando FO and didn't succeed.
The congressional office assigned me a caseworker who was incredibly responsive, honestly, much more helpful than our lawyer. She tried her best to get an update before September 30, but unfortunately, it didn’t happen in time.
On October 1, we received the congressional response:
“We spoke with an officer at the USCIS Orlando Field Office. From what they can see, your case information was not updated with the U.S. Department of State (DOS). To be included in the Diversity Immigrant Visa, the principal applicant would have had to update the DOS system directly. This seems to be where the issue originated. Unfortunately, USCIS cannot reverse the case at this point.”
From my understanding, this reasoning still doesn’t align with the law regarding AOS(I might be wrong). But it seems USCIS didn’t want to admit their mistake, and by the time they responded, the fiscal year had ended (we think they did it deliberately).
As far as I can tell, there is no clear legal requirement that a DS-260 must be submitted for AOS cases, at least not stated explicitly anywhere.
This outcome was heartbreaking for us. It took time to process the disappointment and stress. Still, we are grateful that my husband received his Green Card, and that’s largely thanks to this forum and the generous people here who share their knowledge for free. I’m especially thankful to @Sm1smom, @Britsimon, and everyone else who contributes.
I wanted to write this post so others won’t have to go through the same pain we did. Both our records are perfectly clean; we’ve never even had a parking ticket, yet a few small but critical mistakes changed everything.
Key Takeaways:
1. Research your lawyer thoroughly. If you are planning to hire a lawyer, do your research not just 1, 2 but 10 times and see whether they actually have the capability that they claim.
2. Trust your instincts. Even if a lawyer is handling your case, learn the process yourself. If I had followed my gut and submitted the DS-260, things might have been different.
3. Be proactive. Our law firm refused to fight back even when the denial was clearly erroneous. I had to push for the motion, contact USCIS, Emma, and the congressional office on my own.
Despite everything, we haven’t lost hope. My husband now has his Green Card, and we can apply for mine through the F2A category.
If anyone knows of a good forum or resource for F2A visa or I-130 filing, I would really appreciate your suggestions.
Thank you again, and congratulations to everyone who successfully received their Green Cards!
I wanted to share our story, even though it didn’t have the happiest ending for us.
My husband won the DV Lottery in 2023. At that time, both of us were already in the U.S. on valid F-1 visas, but we weren’t married yet. We had been planning our wedding, and we got married on December 23, 2024.
Because our situation was a bit complicated (getting married after winning, living in different states, New York and Florida, due to college), we decided to hire a lawyer in Orlando. We spoke with several attorneys, but didn’t feel confident with any of them. We eventually chose one who claimed to have handled “dozens of DV cases.” Still, I was uneasy from the start and began doing my own research. That’s when I found this forum and @Britsimon’s YouTube channel, which helped me understand the process so much better.
We repeatedly asked our lawyer whether we should submit the DS-260, and every time he said no. Even though my instincts told me otherwise, especially after reading information here, we followed his advice.
When my husband’s case number (2025AS10XXX) became current in August, here’s what happened:
Aug 8: I-485 packages sent for both of us
Aug 13: Acceptance texts received (sent to my husband)
Aug 18: Notices of Action received by mail
Aug 21: Biometrics scheduled for 09/03 (me in Buffalo, my husband in Orlando)
Aug 25: We both completed biometrics after rescheduling
Sep 9: My husband’s case changed to “Card Was Produced” — mine changed to “Case Was Denied.” (without interview)
When I received the denial notice, it stated:
“USCIS has determined that, although you qualify as the principal beneficiary’s spouse, when the principal beneficiary submitted the DV lottery entry, he or she did not include your name, biographic information, and photograph. Therefore, you are not qualified to adjust status as a DV derivative immigrant.”
This was clearly an error, as per USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 7, Chapter 2, Paragraph F (Treatment of Family Members).
We filed a motion to reopen (I-290B) on September 16, and I received the Notice of Action and online access code around September 25. At the same time, we also filed a congressional inquiry through the Orlando office (since my denial came from the Orlando FO), and a DHS Ombudsman inquiry as well. Also, we tried walking to the Orlando FO and didn't succeed.
The congressional office assigned me a caseworker who was incredibly responsive, honestly, much more helpful than our lawyer. She tried her best to get an update before September 30, but unfortunately, it didn’t happen in time.
On October 1, we received the congressional response:
“We spoke with an officer at the USCIS Orlando Field Office. From what they can see, your case information was not updated with the U.S. Department of State (DOS). To be included in the Diversity Immigrant Visa, the principal applicant would have had to update the DOS system directly. This seems to be where the issue originated. Unfortunately, USCIS cannot reverse the case at this point.”
From my understanding, this reasoning still doesn’t align with the law regarding AOS(I might be wrong). But it seems USCIS didn’t want to admit their mistake, and by the time they responded, the fiscal year had ended (we think they did it deliberately).
As far as I can tell, there is no clear legal requirement that a DS-260 must be submitted for AOS cases, at least not stated explicitly anywhere.
This outcome was heartbreaking for us. It took time to process the disappointment and stress. Still, we are grateful that my husband received his Green Card, and that’s largely thanks to this forum and the generous people here who share their knowledge for free. I’m especially thankful to @Sm1smom, @Britsimon, and everyone else who contributes.
I wanted to write this post so others won’t have to go through the same pain we did. Both our records are perfectly clean; we’ve never even had a parking ticket, yet a few small but critical mistakes changed everything.
Key Takeaways:
1. Research your lawyer thoroughly. If you are planning to hire a lawyer, do your research not just 1, 2 but 10 times and see whether they actually have the capability that they claim.
2. Trust your instincts. Even if a lawyer is handling your case, learn the process yourself. If I had followed my gut and submitted the DS-260, things might have been different.
3. Be proactive. Our law firm refused to fight back even when the denial was clearly erroneous. I had to push for the motion, contact USCIS, Emma, and the congressional office on my own.
Despite everything, we haven’t lost hope. My husband now has his Green Card, and we can apply for mine through the F2A category.
If anyone knows of a good forum or resource for F2A visa or I-130 filing, I would really appreciate your suggestions.
Thank you again, and congratulations to everyone who successfully received their Green Cards!
My experience is that lawyers are basically useless when it comes to DV based AOS.
SusieQQQ
Well-Known Member
I am sorry that you didn’t get your case sorted out in time, but thank you for such a detailed post here which will likely be helpful to future readers.
There are no particularly active threads like this one on family based immigration on this forum; there is another forum that does a lot of that, although there are other issues with that forum (a lot of bad information flying around), but I can DM you the name if you want. That said, F2A in a case like yours should be a pretty straightforward process. The main things to be aware of are that you cannot violate status while waiting for your AOS, so maintain what you have, apply for EAD and AP when you submit the i485 as backup in case your F1 expires before you get your green card. I assume you know this official website but in case you don’t, it outlines the steps pretty well:
Adjustment of Status | USCIS
Adjustment of status is the process that you can use to apply for lawful permanent resident status (also known as applying for a Green Card) when you are present in the United States. This means that you may get a Green Card without having to return to your home country to complete visa...
www.uscis.gov
Check the visa bulletin regularly and be aware that you can usually (they will update each month if you can or not) use chart B for filing your i485. (This is also clearly explained in the link above). It may take some time for the I130 to be processed, however, which is where maintaining status is critical.
Good luck.
Sm1smom
Super Moderator
Absolutely right. Considering the wealth of knowledge available free of charge in this forum (and a few others I guess), I find it mind boggling that some selectees still feel the need for a lawyer with filing a straightforward DV based AOS application. The interesting part is all the lawyer is doing is having their legal assistant fill out and file the application, the applicant ends up providing all the information and doing the research on their own.
I guess the fact that the support here is “free” makes some doubt the accuracy of the information or guidance being provided.
SusieQQQ
Well-Known Member
To be fair, some people only find this forum after they have already hired lawyers.
Sm1smom
Super Moderator
That is true. However, there are some who discover this forum first after their DV selection and still decide to go ahead and hire lawyers.
Hi Susie,I am sorry that you didn’t get your case sorted out in time, but thank you for such a detailed post here which will likely be helpful to future readers.
There are no particularly active threads like this one on family based immigration on this forum; there is another forum that does a lot of that, although there are other issues with that forum (a lot of bad information flying around), but I can DM you the name if you want. That said, F2A in a case like yours should be a pretty straightforward process. The main things to be aware of are that you cannot violate status while waiting for your AOS, so maintain what you have, apply for EAD and AP when you submit the i485 as backup in case your F1 expires before you get your green card. I assume you know this official website but in case you don’t, it outlines the steps pretty well:
Adjustment of Status | USCIS
Adjustment of status is the process that you can use to apply for lawful permanent resident status (also known as applying for a Green Card) when you are present in the United States. This means that you may get a Green Card without having to return to your home country to complete visa...www.uscis.gov
Check the visa bulletin regularly and be aware that you can usually (they will update each month if you can or not) use chart B for filing your i485. (This is also clearly explained in the link above). It may take some time for the I130 to be processed, however, which is where maintaining status is critical.
Good luck.
Thanks so much for your suggestions and advice. It means a lot. Please DM about the forum. I would like to look into that as well. I have my F1 until 2028, so I hope I'll be fine, but still not sure with the current backlog in processing. Hope for the best
Morris_moriel
New Member
Hi Susie, Hi Mom,
I’m so pleased to share that I got my Green Card!
I’m incredibly grateful for both of you the work you do is simply amazing. I was all over the place at first and unfortunately ended up ruining my derivatives’ chances of benefiting from the DV2025. Now, the only option left is Form I-130, and the backlog is just ridiculous.
Knowing what I know now from this page, I feel like I could go through the whole process with ease.
Thank you so much for everything you do I truly appreciate you
I'll update the spreedsheet, any tips on i 130 will be appreciated!!
I’m so pleased to share that I got my Green Card!
I’m incredibly grateful for both of you the work you do is simply amazing. I was all over the place at first and unfortunately ended up ruining my derivatives’ chances of benefiting from the DV2025. Now, the only option left is Form I-130, and the backlog is just ridiculous.
Knowing what I know now from this page, I feel like I could go through the whole process with ease.
Thank you so much for everything you do I truly appreciate you
I'll update the spreedsheet, any tips on i 130 will be appreciated!!
blackchemist
Member
My attorney advised me not to worry about the biometrics appointment, since the withdrawal has already been processed and I now hold the green card. He mentioned that there is no need to pursue further action, though I could always contact USCIS directly if doing so would give me additional peace of mind. So last Friday I spoke with a live agent via Emma, who confirmed that I should not be waiting for biometrics if my application was withdrawn. Still, I was considering stopping by the Application Support Center, if I have time, just to double-check and, if possible, ask them to cancel the appointment in their system (of course bringing with me all supporting documents, such as the withdrawal acknowledgment notice). What do you think?
Thanks