Hi All,
I've been diving in this forum for a while. Updated a few times when there was a milestone for my case. But I learned a lot from the forum.
Today the big time finally came: My wife's I-485 got approved 14 days after mine.
Our case might be a typical long and winding case, so I want to write a little more about the details:
summary: NIW CSC I-140 PD 4/2004 AD 4/2005 /w RFE
China, I-485 CSC RD 5/2005 CSC->NSC 3/2007
Name Check cleared 3/2007
Primary I-485 AD 7/6/2007 Card received 7/12/2007
Derivative I-485 AD 7/20/2007 Waiting for card.
I'm the principle applicant. I don't have PhD, but 2 Masters. I started my first GC through EB2 labor in 2001, but months later the company shut down, the Labor didn't went through.
I filed I-140 through NIW at CSC in 4/2004, and got RFE after many months' waiting, that's a tough RFE even lawyers don't feel very positive. They asked more reference letters from people that don't know me in person -- ironic enough, and catch 22! if they don't know me how they write reference letters? I spent quite some time preparing materials introducing my work, and presenting why it is important. Thus selling myself to almost EVERYONE in my field, sending out almost 100 request letters, you know what? I did get some positive reference letters and some of them are really heavy weight. Fortunately my field has something to do with the National Interest, so I finally went through the RFE. the I-140 case approved 4/2005
My wife's Green Card Application EB3 Labor RIR initiated in 2001, too, but after long state-level labor certification process, the federal remanded the labor back to state during the bad year of 2002. Then it took forever and had to go through non-RIR and finally BEC in Dallas. Her labor finally got approved only 2 months ago this year. We only used her case as back-up, so up to now we haven't filed I-140/I-485 through that case, even though it got 2001 PD.
During the bad year of 2002, we applied Canada Green Card as back-up, and smoothly went through and landed in 2003.
At I-485 stage through my NIW case, we both stuck at Name Check. After 1-year pending, we tried USCIS, Congressman, 2 California senators, FBI, FBI FOIPA, and First Lady, respectively. We almost started WOM when it was close to 2-year pending. But the First Lady path succeeded, and got our Name Check cleared in 3/2007.
In year 2006, right before the retrogression, we rushed for the 1st FP hoping we could catch the last train, but obvious failed due to NC pending.
In 3/2007, so many things mixed together: 2nd FP requested, Case transfered to NSC, and NC cleared soon after. We missed pre-CSC-NSC-transfer approval tide.
We did some more Infopasses, and Service Requests, finally reached the point of 7/2/2007, I lost hope and prepared for waiting more time. But fortunately on 7/6, I received the approval email, but meanwhile received my wife's RFE, asking for Birth Certificate. After replying the RFE, today my wife's case finally got approved!
So, throughout this whole process, I got some of my summary:
* Never lose hope, sooner or later you'll get what you deserve, so why bother worrying too much? -- do your work better and gain more experience and bargain chips at company; spend more time with family; grow your family during the waiting game; enjoy life -- just think that you are temporarily visiting USA and so you want to visit more places here and try more things.
* Never wait and do nothing, do something that you won't regret! Try everything other people tried. But on the other hand let Lawyer do those routine works, to free you up to do more challenging works!
* Have back-ups! Strategically you should target and wish the best, but tactically you should plan the worst. So you won't drop to the bottom if the GC fails.
Finally best wishes to everyone still on GC application road!
I've been diving in this forum for a while. Updated a few times when there was a milestone for my case. But I learned a lot from the forum.
Today the big time finally came: My wife's I-485 got approved 14 days after mine.
Our case might be a typical long and winding case, so I want to write a little more about the details:
summary: NIW CSC I-140 PD 4/2004 AD 4/2005 /w RFE
China, I-485 CSC RD 5/2005 CSC->NSC 3/2007
Name Check cleared 3/2007
Primary I-485 AD 7/6/2007 Card received 7/12/2007
Derivative I-485 AD 7/20/2007 Waiting for card.
I'm the principle applicant. I don't have PhD, but 2 Masters. I started my first GC through EB2 labor in 2001, but months later the company shut down, the Labor didn't went through.
I filed I-140 through NIW at CSC in 4/2004, and got RFE after many months' waiting, that's a tough RFE even lawyers don't feel very positive. They asked more reference letters from people that don't know me in person -- ironic enough, and catch 22! if they don't know me how they write reference letters? I spent quite some time preparing materials introducing my work, and presenting why it is important. Thus selling myself to almost EVERYONE in my field, sending out almost 100 request letters, you know what? I did get some positive reference letters and some of them are really heavy weight. Fortunately my field has something to do with the National Interest, so I finally went through the RFE. the I-140 case approved 4/2005
My wife's Green Card Application EB3 Labor RIR initiated in 2001, too, but after long state-level labor certification process, the federal remanded the labor back to state during the bad year of 2002. Then it took forever and had to go through non-RIR and finally BEC in Dallas. Her labor finally got approved only 2 months ago this year. We only used her case as back-up, so up to now we haven't filed I-140/I-485 through that case, even though it got 2001 PD.
During the bad year of 2002, we applied Canada Green Card as back-up, and smoothly went through and landed in 2003.
At I-485 stage through my NIW case, we both stuck at Name Check. After 1-year pending, we tried USCIS, Congressman, 2 California senators, FBI, FBI FOIPA, and First Lady, respectively. We almost started WOM when it was close to 2-year pending. But the First Lady path succeeded, and got our Name Check cleared in 3/2007.
In year 2006, right before the retrogression, we rushed for the 1st FP hoping we could catch the last train, but obvious failed due to NC pending.
In 3/2007, so many things mixed together: 2nd FP requested, Case transfered to NSC, and NC cleared soon after. We missed pre-CSC-NSC-transfer approval tide.
We did some more Infopasses, and Service Requests, finally reached the point of 7/2/2007, I lost hope and prepared for waiting more time. But fortunately on 7/6, I received the approval email, but meanwhile received my wife's RFE, asking for Birth Certificate. After replying the RFE, today my wife's case finally got approved!
So, throughout this whole process, I got some of my summary:
* Never lose hope, sooner or later you'll get what you deserve, so why bother worrying too much? -- do your work better and gain more experience and bargain chips at company; spend more time with family; grow your family during the waiting game; enjoy life -- just think that you are temporarily visiting USA and so you want to visit more places here and try more things.
* Never wait and do nothing, do something that you won't regret! Try everything other people tried. But on the other hand let Lawyer do those routine works, to free you up to do more challenging works!
* Have back-ups! Strategically you should target and wish the best, but tactically you should plan the worst. So you won't drop to the bottom if the GC fails.
Finally best wishes to everyone still on GC application road!