I-485 derivative adjustment pending and spouse US Citizen.

nilu2079

Registered Users (C)
hi
Just a peculiar issue with my case. Spouse I-485 ( primary applicant ) was approved in 2005 and i later filed my I-485 in Nov, 2005. My AOS has been pending since than for the availability of visa. Now spouse just became US citizen. is it possible to upgrade the classification and start processing on existing i-485? do spouse have to file I-130?
or should we need to file I-130 and I485 altogether and start a fresh application. Please advice
 
Your I-485 will soon be denied, as a result of a quirk in the law that doesn't allow derivative I-485's when the primary spouse becomes a US citizen. You'll need a marriage-based I-130 and a whole new I-485 with all its associated documents.
 
The I-485 may survive and be transferred to a new basis for adjustment..........

SEE: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/us...7e539dc4bed010VgnVCM1000000ecd190aRCRD&CH=afm

AFM 23.2

(l) Transferring an Adjustment of Status Application from One Underlying Eligibility Basis to Another .

(1) Background .

From time to time an alien who is an applicant for adjustment under section 245 of the Act based on one (preference or immediate relative) category will prefer to have his or her application considered under another category. Likewise, an applicant for adjustment under one section of law may prefer to seek adjustment under an altogether different section of law. Examples include:

· An alien who originally applied for adjustment based on an approved I-140 petition and married a U.S. citizen while the I-485 was pending, but who now prefers to adjust based on an I-130 filed by the new spouse;

· An alien who originally applied for adjustment as the spouse of a U.S. citizen, but now prefers to be granted adjustment under an employment-based category in order to avoid having to deal with the conditional residency requirements of section 216 of the Act;

· A Cuban national who applied for adjustment under section 202 of NACARA, but who now prefers to be granted adjustment under the Cuban Adjustment Act in order to receive the “rollback” provisions of the latter. (See Chapter 23.11(m)(2) of this field manual for an explanation of “rollback.”)

ETC...................
 
Given the impending denial of the existing I-485, and USCIS's slow and inconsistent treatment of interfiling from employment-based to family-based, it would be safer, quicker, and simpler to just file a new I-485 along with the I-130.
 
Given the impending denial of the existing I-485, and USCIS's slow and inconsistent treatment of interfiling from employment-based to family-based, it would be safer, quicker, and simpler to just file a new I-485 along with the I-130.

What "impending denial"? her I-485 is in limbo due to regression of visa availability and sitting on a shelf somewhere.

Why waste so much money filing not only the I-130 for $420, which is required, but a new I-485 for $1070, which is not required? That makes no sense whatsoever.
 
What "impending denial"? her I-485 is in limbo due to regression of visa availability and sitting on a shelf somewhere.
The I-485 is soon to be denied, because it is a derivative I-485 and the primary has obtained US citizenship. Sounds strange, and it's a rare scenario, but that's how it works.

Why waste so much money filing not only the I-130 for $420, which is required, but a new I-485 for $1070, which is not required? That makes no sense whatsoever.
1. They might end up forced to file a new I-485 anyway, if the existing I-485 is denied soon. Or USCIS may refuse the interfile request because the existing I-485 is currently deniable due to the naturalization of the primary.

2. USCIS is slow and inconsistent with interfile requests from EB to FB or vice versa. Sometimes they initially reject the request. Other times they are slow to process the request, and slow or elusive with acknowledging it. Sometimes they continue to let the I-485 collect dust, treating it as if it were still in the retrogressed category.

So if the OP wants to avoid those risks and delays and hassles, a new I-485 should be filed. Unless they prefer to save the I-485 fee and deal with the risks.
 
Best option is to I-130 and New I-485 and on I-130 and I-485 write the A# that is on derivative I-485 filing receipt. USCIS is slow in Interfiling. Fresh I-485 with New I-485 will get approved fast.
 
They might end up forced to file a new I-485 anyway, if the existing I-485 is denied soon. Or USCIS may refuse the interfile request because the existing I-485 is currently deniable due to the naturalization of the primary.

I'd take the risk and not pay the money unless one has to.
 
The I-485 is soon to be denied, because it is a derivative I-485 and the primary has obtained US citizenship. Sounds strange, and it's a rare scenario, but that's how it works.

Please cite the section of law and/or regulation that requires the I-485 to be denied. I am unaware of any such legal requirement but have cited the AFM where the opposite is true.

ginnu,

She has an A-file and even if she sent a new I-485, it would have to be placed in the same A-file. USCIS has centralized (or is in the process of centralizing) the visa regression affected A-files in two locations for easy retrieval. If they mistakenly created a second A-file that would just slow things down at some point due to required A-file consolidation.

nilu,

Your USC spouse should explain when filing the I-130 that you have a pending I-485 in your A-file and you are "upgrading" to an Immediate Relative petition.

Once getting the I-130 receipt number, you can, but don't have to, contact the local office directly to request the A-file and I-130 receipt file themselves. If you don't bother with that NBC will consolidate and send to the local office.

http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Outreach/Interim Guidance for Comment/regressed-visa-12-15-10.pdf
 
Please cite the section of law and/or regulation that requires the I-485 to be denied. I am unaware of any such legal requirement but have cited the AFM where the opposite is true.

I don't think there is any section of the law that explicitly requires it. But there is a section (which I can't find right now) that disallows derivative benefits when the primary is no longer a permanent resident. USCIS has been interpreting that to include situations where the primary has naturalized during derivative I-485 pendency. The courts may interpret it differently when challenged, but so far USCIS has been denying pending I-485's based on that interpretation.

I'm linking to a couple of threads with such denials.

http://forums.immigration.com/showthread.php?305740

http://forums.immigration.com/showthread.php?297247

Unfortunately those posters haven't returned to describe the final outcome of their cases (or maybe their appeals are still pending).
 
SEE: http://www.uscis.gov/err/E2 - Appli...ecisions_Issued_in_2007/Jan042007_06E2309.pdf

Below are footnotes to the above AAO Decision that explains how a V nonimmigrant will loose out on the chance to file an I-485 if the LPR petitioner naturalizes before the I-485 is filed. But even in this N-600 case, the child's I-485 need not be denied.

I have challenged the reasoning in the AAO Decision that states that "the N-600 must be denied if the child had not adjusted before the N-600 was filed" as an improper application Matter of Katigbak 14 I&N Dec. 45 (Reg, Comm., 1971) which is often cited with regard to the general principle stated in the 3rd prong of the 13 prong holding that one "must be eligible at the time of filing" and has invaded the psyche of many USCIS Adjudicators and, obviously, the AAO.

However, that decision relates to the filing of an immigrant visa petition because the filing date sets a priority date for visa issuance purposes as stated in Title II of the INA (see generally, INA 203). Preference visas are allocated on a first-in, first-out system of quotas by country based on specific relationships of a family based or employment based category. "Upgrading" to an IR petition or switching to some other category or section of law as the basis for adjustment that is currently available does not require the filing of a new I-485.

FOOTNOTES:
Memorandum from Stuart Anderson, Executive Associate Commissioner, Office of Policy and Planning, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Policy Guidance for the V nonimmigrant Classification (December 21 ,2001).

The above referenced memorandum also indicates that with the naturalization of the parent, the V nonimmigrant status of any child will "terminate after his or her current period of admission ends." In the instant case, the Employment Authorization Card issued to the applicant shows an expiration date of November 13, 2004. In that the applicant's mother naturalized on July 18, 2003, it appears that the applicant's V status would have terminated on November 13, 2004. If the applicant's nonimmigrant status lapsed on November 13, 2004 and he did not file for adjustment, he may no longer be in lawful status.
 
USCIS may have been wrong to deny those pending I-485 cases because of the naturalization of the primary, but denial is what they're doing, and fighting them on this issue is going to cost more and take longer than filing a fresh marriage-based I-485.
 
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USCIS may have been wrong to deny those cases because of the naturalization of the primary, but that's what they're doing, and fighting them on this issue is going to cost more and take longer than filing a fresh marriage-based I-485.

Why? She already has an A-file that has to be obtained with a pending I-485 in it even if she is naive enough to file an unneeded second I-485. Explain the logic in that. I cannot comprehend why you persist in trying to get this woman to waste an extra $1070.
 
Why? She already has an A-file that has to be obtained with a pending I-485 in it even if she is naive enough to file an unneeded second I-485. Explain the logic in that. I cannot comprehend why you persist in trying to get this woman to waste an extra $1070.

One cannot interfile a denied I-485. Also, a break in underlying eligibility for AOS before the interfiling request also would disqualify the interfiling. The existing I-485 became ineligible for approval when the primary naturalized, based on their interpretation of eligibility for derivative benefits. So USCIS may deny the I-485 before the I-130 is filed, or respond to the interfiling request by denying the I-485.

USCIS AFM 23.2 said:
In order to convert an adjustment application from one basis to another, there must be no break in the continuity of the underlying eligibility for adjustment prior to the submission of the conversion request. If the applicant does not maintain eligibility up until the point the conversion request is made, conversion may not be granted. (For example, if an alien whose original adjustment application was based on an I-130 filed by an LPR comes to an adjustment interview with a divorce decree dissolving that first marriage, along with a marriage certificate and I-130 based on a marriage to a U.S. citizen, he or she has failed to maintain continuity of eligibility since the first petition was automatically revoked at the moment the first marriage was dissolved. Accordingly, the adjustment application cannot be converted.)

Likewise, if there is a break in the continuity of the adjustment application (e.g., the applicant chose to withdraw the application or the application was denied because he or she failed to appear for a scheduled interview without sufficient justification), it cannot be converted.
 
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they are the ones who will reap the benefits or suffer the consequences of their choice.

What negative consequences are there of a denial of the first I-485?

There's a chance the interfiling is approved and they save $1000. Worst case, it gets denied and a second I-485 needs to be filed. Not the end of the world.
 
This OP did not lose eligibility when her husband, an EB immigrant, naturalized. She became an IR eligible for concurrent filing as she did have a lawful admission in the first place and that is all an IR needs to be eligible to file for adjustment. OP began as a spouse and continues to be a spouse of the same person through whom she is applying for adjustment as his spouse.

If you are going to quote from the AFM, quote from the relevant part:

(G) Dependent Adjustment Applications.

In order for a dependent applicant for adjustment (e.g., an alien whose original adjustment application was as the spouse of a sibling of a U.S. citizen) to convert his or her adjustment application, the principal adjustment applicant (in this case the sibling of the U.S. citizen) must maintain continuing eligibility up until the time of the conversion request and the relationship between the principal and dependent adjustment applicants must continue to exist. If there is a break either in the principal’s eligibility (e.g., due to the death* of the U.S. citizen petitioner) or in the relationship between the principal and dependent (e.g., they get divorced), the dependent’s adjustment application cannot be converted.

Note
However, (assuming that all other considerations are met) the dependent is not required to convert to another dependent category. For example, an alien who meets all the other considerations could convert from applying for adjustment as the spouse of the sibling of the U.S. citizen to applying for adjustment as principal applicant under a first employment based category.

*DEATH of petitioner is no longer an absolute denial in light of the new INA section 204(l) as described in: http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Laws/Memoranda/2011/January/Death-of-Qualifying-Relative.pdf

ALSO: "One cannot interfile a denied I-485." {Incorrect, it's already IN the A-file.}

"Also, a break in underlying eligibility for AOS before the interfiling request also would disqualify the interfiling." {There is no such thing as an "interfiling request", she will request "conversion" from one category to another.}

"The existing I-485 became ineligible for approval when the primary naturalized," {Technically, this is correct, but there are too many IF's requireed for that to happen since the underlying application is in regressed visa category, it's sitting on a shelf untouched, and they don't know he naturalized until they file the I-130 and request conversion at which point USCIS is alerted to the situation and won't deny the I-485 because that is reversible as plain error and it would be malicious.}

".....based on their interpretation of eligibility for derivative benefits. So USCIS may deny the I-485 before the I-130 is filed, or respond to the interfiling request by denying the I-485." {Not likely for a regressed visa category that is sitting on a shelf awaiting progression of the Visa Bulletin.}
 
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{Not likely for a regressed visa category that is sitting on a shelf awaiting progression of the Visa Bulletin.}
Sitting on a shelf? The I-485 is DOA; now the only thing it is waiting on is somebody to officially pronounce it dead.

BigJoe, you can quote 1000 pages to show that USCIS is wrong. They don't care. They're probably still going to deny the I-485. Fighting them and winning is more expensive than filing a fresh I-485.
 
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What negative consequences are there of a denial of the first I-485?

Wasted time, and worse if removal proceedings are initiated shortly after the I-485 denial and before they file a new I-485.

There's a chance the interfiling is approved and they save $1000. Worst case, it gets denied and a second I-485 needs to be filed. Not the end of the world.

Worst case is being in removal proceedings when the I-485 is denied. And even if that doesn't happen, long delays resulting from USCIS not properly handling the interfiling request and consequently not treating the I-485 with the higher urgency deserving of an IR I-485 could result in having to file WOM and its associated hassles and expense.

The OP will decide which path to take: (1) keep it simple and straightforward and file another I-485, or (2) save some money and hope that USCIS will properly and promptly handle the interfiling request without falling into their usual pattern of screwing up and introducing delays when handling unusual scenarios.
 
Wasted time, and worse if removal proceedings are initiated shortly after the I-485 denial and before they file a new I-485.

I'd venture her odds of getting hit by a meteorite are higher.

And even if that doesn't happen, long delays resulting from USCIS not properly handling the interfiling request and consequently not treating the I-485 with the higher urgency deserving of an IR I-485 could result in having to file WOM and its associated hassles and expense.

You make it sound like the second I-485 is risk free. If USCIS is capable of screwing up paperwork (they are), there's also a risk she gets a second A# issued from the second I-485 and the whole thing gets delayed, or the second I-485 cannot get adjudicated since the first one is still around. Neither avenue is free of risk.

If $1070 is so little money, would you send it to me?
 
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