I have been a silent browser since last 3 months and have read a lot of sad stories.
It took over 11 years since I landed in this country.
A long history:
-Came to the US on F-1 in Aug. 91’
-Started working in 94. Company kept delaying the GC process for three years.
-Finally joined another company in 1997 and took it in writing to start the process asap.
-Boss told the HR to start the process in Oct. 97. The idiot lawyer took 3 months to just start initial paper work and filed papers eventually in March ’98.
-The law changed in Jan 98 (245A)and Atlanta labor dept got flooded with applications backing it up by two yrs. Filing just 2 months before would have avoided all my misery.
-Second H-1 was about to expire in a year and ATL dept. was inept.
-Finally company had to send me out in Feb. 2000. Spent one year working in exile. Had to leave the wife behind. Because of the future shaky economic situation had to start a separate GC process in her name as a back-up.
-In Oct. 2000 received a RFE from ATL labor dept and company decided to abandon the process after waiting for 2.5 years.
-Returned to the US on L-1A in March 2001 and filed I-140. Got approved in Aug '01. Idiot lawyer wouldn’t let me do CP, which later hurt me really bad. He wasted another 40 days until Oct. to file 485.
-Got into an Ivey league school for MBA in March 02. Landed in one of the worst stressful situations in my life. AOS allows you to work after 180 days but not go to school. CP would have handed me my GC in 3 months. School’s policy didn’t allow deferrals. Risking GC process that late in the game would have been stupid. Didn’t want to lose hard-earned admission to a top school either. Dumb ass lawyer advised company not to give leave of absence for education (possible solution).
-Managed to convince the school to give a deferral after a lot of effort.
-In May ’02 company offered to give a good size severance package OR take an assignment with European office that I had found by myself(working in the US). If I had done the CP I could have collected severance and become a free-lancer to take the $150K p.a. offer directly from them. My company saved the severance package and is getting paid premium just because I had to be employed with them until 485 is approved.
So finally spending $5000 on wife’s GC(another painful story with another ‘great’ law office), losing hefty severance pay, losing an opportunity to earn $150K p.a., countless visa renewals(F1,H1B, H1B, B1, L1A, L1A)and almost 8 years of uncertainty, stress and tension I got my case approved. All my schoolmates have already applied for their citizenship. Am I excited? Absolutely not. It just came too late for that. Am I relieved? Yes. Was it all worth it? We will find out. I hope so.
Someone to blame for all my misery: Idiot company lawyer. He was totally useless. I am not a vindictive person but I won't feel sorry for him if he faces a disastrous personal situation like I did because of his incompetence and apathy.
The forum was informative, great for moral support and for tracking dates. Those of you who feel hopeless, hang in there. Your time will come soon.
It took over 11 years since I landed in this country.
A long history:
-Came to the US on F-1 in Aug. 91’
-Started working in 94. Company kept delaying the GC process for three years.
-Finally joined another company in 1997 and took it in writing to start the process asap.
-Boss told the HR to start the process in Oct. 97. The idiot lawyer took 3 months to just start initial paper work and filed papers eventually in March ’98.
-The law changed in Jan 98 (245A)and Atlanta labor dept got flooded with applications backing it up by two yrs. Filing just 2 months before would have avoided all my misery.
-Second H-1 was about to expire in a year and ATL dept. was inept.
-Finally company had to send me out in Feb. 2000. Spent one year working in exile. Had to leave the wife behind. Because of the future shaky economic situation had to start a separate GC process in her name as a back-up.
-In Oct. 2000 received a RFE from ATL labor dept and company decided to abandon the process after waiting for 2.5 years.
-Returned to the US on L-1A in March 2001 and filed I-140. Got approved in Aug '01. Idiot lawyer wouldn’t let me do CP, which later hurt me really bad. He wasted another 40 days until Oct. to file 485.
-Got into an Ivey league school for MBA in March 02. Landed in one of the worst stressful situations in my life. AOS allows you to work after 180 days but not go to school. CP would have handed me my GC in 3 months. School’s policy didn’t allow deferrals. Risking GC process that late in the game would have been stupid. Didn’t want to lose hard-earned admission to a top school either. Dumb ass lawyer advised company not to give leave of absence for education (possible solution).
-Managed to convince the school to give a deferral after a lot of effort.
-In May ’02 company offered to give a good size severance package OR take an assignment with European office that I had found by myself(working in the US). If I had done the CP I could have collected severance and become a free-lancer to take the $150K p.a. offer directly from them. My company saved the severance package and is getting paid premium just because I had to be employed with them until 485 is approved.
So finally spending $5000 on wife’s GC(another painful story with another ‘great’ law office), losing hefty severance pay, losing an opportunity to earn $150K p.a., countless visa renewals(F1,H1B, H1B, B1, L1A, L1A)and almost 8 years of uncertainty, stress and tension I got my case approved. All my schoolmates have already applied for their citizenship. Am I excited? Absolutely not. It just came too late for that. Am I relieved? Yes. Was it all worth it? We will find out. I hope so.
Someone to blame for all my misery: Idiot company lawyer. He was totally useless. I am not a vindictive person but I won't feel sorry for him if he faces a disastrous personal situation like I did because of his incompetence and apathy.
The forum was informative, great for moral support and for tracking dates. Those of you who feel hopeless, hang in there. Your time will come soon.
