Info from reliable but undisclosed sources
You never know. The INS may spend two months just writing the checks and another month to send them out.
For those applicants whose payment can't be located or INS doesn't want to spend the effort to track, it will issue RFEs to ask for proofs of payment.
A copy of the receipt notice is not sufficient. Applicants will have to show bank statements that the money has actually been withdrawn by the INS.
Out of the bads, the good news is that this time applicants are given 1 year to respond. Generous!
I guess it is a long process.