Feb 2002 Case Approved (With Senator's Help)

G

gc_lotto

Registered Users (C)
Hello Everybody,

This day couldn't get any better for us.

Both our (my and wife's) cases were approved and an approval notice was mailed today.

I checked my email (with my wife on phone from home), and there were 4 new emails from USCIS. While opening the email, I was contemplating whether it could be a RFE or an approval, turned out to be an approval. The moment can't be perfect than that. Interestingly, me and my wife shared the excitement and the BIG relief at the same time.

Before, I get any further, I want to thank everyone who has helped me (and others) through this ordeal - especially RealCanadian, DengDeng, dsatish, kashmir77, vijayrc and patiencegc.

Special thanks to Rajiv Khanna, for this wonderful site and an excellent representation as our counsel in the ligitation.

Enough of the emotions, lets talk the boring history behind my case(this is a lengthy one, which I am documenting for my own purposes too. Please proceed if you want the details) -

Priority Date : 13-Dec-2000
Case Type: EB3 RIR
LCA Approved : 17-Jan-2001 (PA)

[ So far, my case was cruisin'. Then, came the speed braker to my GC cruise ship. My employer's Immigration Dept said I need new I-94, to file my I-140, which held my case up for 7 months. Then they reverted their stand. ]

I-140 Filed : 14-Aug-2001
I-140 RFE Issued : 10-Oct-2001 (Education Re-Evaluation)
I-140 RFE Replied: 02-Jan-2002
[Yes, my Employer took 3 months to respond "We are NOT going to do a new evaluation. What we have for him is the best" ]
I-140 Approved: 14-Jan-2002

I-485 Filed: 02/22/2002 (What a Nelson!)
EAC # : EAC0213750***
I-765 RFE Received: 04/18/2002 (For my birth certificate)
I-765 RFE Reply Date : Unknown
First FP Date: Apr-2002

[ I got two APs and EADs by Jun-2003. In Jun-2003, I remember seeing few approvals from Jan-02/Feb-02. My wife was vacationing in India at that time, I cut short her vacation and called her to US, anticipating an approval (or) 2nd FP notice. Nothing happenned for another 3 months ]

Switched Employer on: Jun-2003
[ My sponsoring employer was based out of PA. My new employer was based in CA. Similar Job Description and Salary. I didn't file AC21, after reading in this site that it is not a requirement. Also, my new employer refused to pay for an attorney to continue my case. I took a chance and continued the process without an attorney. The old G-28 submitted by my ex-attorney was never revoked]

Second FP Scheduled Date: 08-Oct-2003
Second FP Completed Date: 11-Sep-2003

[ My Case status was never updated up until the approval message (which was today). It all the while showed that my First FP results were received ]

3rd EAD Applied: 11-Jan-2004
Senator Contacted: Feb-2004
Senator : Dianne Fienstein (San Francisco, CA)
Senator's Staff : Stella
[ I should say about Stella here, she is nothing short of stellar. Passionate in her job of helping others. Thanks to her, for staying on top of my case ]

3rd AP Applied: 18-Feb-2004
Senator's office sent request to VCS : 17-Mar-2004
IEAD Applied and Received at Los Angeles, CA : 17-Apr-2004

[ When I applied for IEAD, the immigration officer told me that, the LA office had requested VCS to transfer my case to their office in Jan-2004. Now, that I am applying for IEAD she is going to request again (to VCS) that my case be transferred to LA office, for interview. This scared the heck out of me. However, the LA office issued me the IEAD the next day without an interview. ]

Case assigned to VCS Immigration Officer : 17-May-2004
[ Case_Updated_Date in the USCIS website portfolio wasn't updated. ]

3rd AP approved on : 21-May-2004

I-485 approved on : 17-Jun-2004

Thats it guys. I wish whoever post their approval in the future, don't have to write this much (and definitely don't have to go through so much). My best hope is, someday this forum and rupnet, would become totally obsolete, because folks would get approved with out going through this pathetic, painstaking and horrible process.

Best Wishes to all those who are still waiting (Your day will certainly come. Till then, make sure you have your EADs and AP up-to-date, do whatever you could to speed up your case, support the I-485 litigation, breathe easy and enjoy your life.)

With a sense of great weightlessness (rooting from my relief),

gc_lotto.
(jackpot day)
 
What info did Stella give?

My case has been stuck for a while but I don't even know what the problem seems to be. I had the local Congresswoman's office call a few times and I keep getting this stupid letters that I will get it in three months. No explanation, no cause for delay...nothing!! :mad:
 
To Stuka

Stuka,

Which state do you reside? Try contacting your state senator instead of congressman. Visit the webiste (www.senate.gov). In my case, it was the senator's office who helped my case.

In my case, these are events -

1. Submitted Paperwork to CA Senator Dianne Feinstein's office, to request expedition of my pending I-485 Case in Feb-2004.

2. Got reply from Senator's office, that they are working on expediate requests received in Jan-2004. Asked me to wait for 30 days.

3. Called the Senator's office again in Mar-2004. They checked the VCS processing date and told me that "current processing date is 01/31/2002. Your RD is 02/22/2002. Can you wait?" I explained saying that, the VCS processing date has stayed 01/31/2002 for atleast 6 months. Then, the senator's office sent a request to VCS on March-18-2004. I received a letter from senator's office, confirming the expediate request sent to VCS.

4. In apr-2004, checked about my request's status with senator's office. They checked with VCS and told me that, my case will be assigned to an Immigration within 30 days.

5. In May-2004, received a call from Senator's office, saying that my case assigned to an officer on May-18-2004.

6. Got my pending AP approved on May-21-2004. No progress was seen on my I-485 case. There was no update to my last_update_date in my INS portfolio website. I was scared that may be the expedite request was considered for my AP. Decided to wait another 30 days before contacting senator.

7. Got email from USCIS saying that my case is approved on June-17-2004. Exactly 1 month after assigning to officer, 3 months after VCS received expedite request.

The moral of the story is contact senator and urge the senator's office (without irritating them) to stay on top of your case. The standard wait time before case updates appears to be 30 days (in my case).

Let me know, if you have any questions.
 
I live in DC

which has only one non-voting member of Congress and she is useless. I called the senator in VA but the staff said I could only be helped if my residence was there.

What are the chances if I show a change in residence to Virginia? Like using a friends' address? would the Senator staff verify address with INS?
 
congratulations buddy

GC_Lotto,
What RFE u got for the DOB Certificate can you please tell us something about it?
Thanks.
 
To Stuka

I don't think, the senator's office gave any more information than my EAC#, A# and other info related to my case, when they contacted VCS.

So, try your luck. But, the correspondence from Senator's office will be sent to VA address, so make sure there is someone to receive it.

Other gurus, please chip in to answer to Stuka's query.
 
To Vkg

Hi Vkg,

The Birth Cert. RFE that I got was for my first EAD application, back in 2002.

Basically, I didn't have my original birth certificate (obtained at my birth). So, we applied for a duplicate copy with the municipality, which they did provide with a issue date of 2001. I submitted that with my I-485.

When the RFE came to re-submit my birth certificate, I re-submitted the same birth certificate (issued in 2001) and VCS was okay with it.

Meanwhile, I had obtained "affidavit of birth" from 5 people (including parents) from India, just incase there was RFE down the I-485 process. Thank goodness, I didn't have to use them.

After the first EAD RFE, i didn't have any other RFEs (but the inevitable delay did happen).
 
Thank you.

I think I will use my work address since it is in Bethesda, MD. Anyone has experience with any Maryland senators??
 
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