Ladies & Gentlemen, Japanese is Approved!

J

Japanese

Registered Users (C)
Dear Fellow I485 Waiters -

I just received a long awaited email from USCIS, informing me that my I-485 was approved on 7 February 2005. I started this journey on 31 July 2000 with labor filing in Chicago. My I485 situation became a bit complex upon receipt of my RFE. It asked me to prove that I was legally here in the U.S. on certain time period. Not knowing what to do, my esteemed I-485 waiter, Rsur, suggested that I get a second opinion from another attorney. Then, it became apparant that I overstayed my legal limit of 180 days and had to amend my application to 245(i) by submitting I485 Supplement A and a certified check for $1000.00.

This approval came to me as a pleasant surprise, for I was expecting to be interviewed by the USCIS.

Many thanks to Rajiv for providing us with this great forum to exchange our thoughts and ideas. And, to Rsur, wait600days, jaxen, ginnu, and countless others for their wisdom in this long and long journey.

Good luck to everyone and I will keep you posted on my passport stamping experience.

Japanese
 
Congrats

Japanese,

congrats buddy. Just a quick question.

After the RFE was received on 1/31, did your LUD change many times, or just one time (on 1/31) only?
 
goni said:
Japanese,
After the RFE was received on 1/31, did your LUD change many times, or just one time (on 1/31) only?
Click to expand...

Hi goni -

Thanks for your kind words. It only changed once on 1/31 and didn't change until my application was approved.

Japanese
 
Thanks much, That gives me some relief. My RFE was received on 2/1, LUD changed only on 2/2. Mo more changes so far, I was starting to get worried.

Enjoy your freedom.
 
Hi Japanese

Can you tell us why you were asked about a certain period what was the issue.

Thanks,
 
may0503 said:
Can you tell us why you were asked about a certain period what was the issue.
may0503 -

Sure. They asked about my F-1 status from June of 1991 to the time I became legally employed because I did not provide them with a proof of enrollment. I contacted my old high school and college to send me official transcript to show that I was a student during that time. Unfortunately, I have discarded the old copies of I-20s from high school and college so I no longer hand them in my position.

Second, USCIS asked me about my employment status. I had an OPT for one year following my graduation in May of 1997. However, the company attorney made a mistake and marked my graduation date as March of 1997. Therefore, I sent to USCIS a copy of my old Employment Authorization Card under OPT, all H1-b visa approval copies, my college diploma, and copies of EAD after I filed I140/I485 to show that my OPT officially started in May of 1997, and I had subsequently worked on H1-b.

During this process, it has also become apparant that I have overstayed in the U.S. above the legal limit of 180 days, following the end of my OPT. When my company filed for an H1-b petition, the visa quota was already met for the fiscal year, and I had to wait for a new fiscal year to start in order to have my H1-b petition approved. As a result, my company took me off their payroll to be in compliance of the Immigration Law, and I had to manage to get by with little savings I had, along with some support from friends and family. Instead of waiting for my visa approval here, I should have left for Japan sometime in November to wait for it there. However, the company attorney, again, failed me to advise on this and I did not leave Japan until December of that year (which resulted in my amending the I-485 to 245i).

I hope this clarifies as to why USCIS asked for this in my RFE.

Japanese
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Click to expand...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Japanese,

Congratulations - another frequent lurker of these boards gets approved! Hoping my turn comes soon too - lawyer is planning RFE response in next 1 wk.

Enjoy your freedom. And hope you can hang around here for a while.

- ab
 
Congratulations, Japanese

All is well that ends well. I am very happy for you. I am a bit subdued about my own approval because some of my good friends are still waiting.

I can now strike you off that list. All the best.

I have always felt that in crucial matters like this getting a second opinion is mandatory rather than an option. I am glad it worked out well for you. As I said before, you are a good man.

Rsur.
 
Congrats

It must be a big relief - especially when you are prepared for more issues, etc. Enjoy and best of luck for the future.

BTW, it looks like USCIS moves pretty fast these days after they receive the RFE response. Seems like it was not long ago, when this was not the case (though in many cases, they are still slow).
 
Thank you for all your warm wishes

Dear All -

Many thanks for your kind wishes. As Rsur put it so eloquently, I, too, feel as though the glass is still half empty. I have made so many good friends here in this forum, and it pains me to see some of the people still held up in either namecheck or complex bureaucracy at USCIS.

One thing, which I have learned and would like to recommend to those who are in receipt of RFE, please, please get a second opinion from another immigration attorney as to how you should proceed. This consultation cost me a couple hundred bucks but I tell you, it was very well spent. The attorney actually spent two hours to go over with me what I need to do, and I did just that. Sure, it was so hard to part with $1000 of my hard earn money but in the end, I feel I got more than what I paid for.

I still would like to be around this forum on a regular basis. You all have been with me through thick and thin through this difficult journey.

Thanks again. To my fellow I-485er still in waiting, hang in there. Your time will come.

All the best,

Japanese
 
Japanese, Many Congratulations!!! I've seen you on this board for a long time and it's great to see you approved. Enjoy your freedom and celebrate!
 
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