It all started with a meeting scheduled for September 14, 2001 when my company was going to decide whether they would sponsor my green card or not.
Well, our offices were in the World Financial Center - across the street from the World Trade Center. We all know what happened a few days earlier.
A month later, the first of many delays in my labor certification, our company displaced, our managing director made the decision to sponsor my green card.
On November 14, 2001, we filed my labor certification.
At the time I knew little to nothing about the green card process. I remember looking at the "Processing Times" page in the DOL site. It stated RIR cases proessing March 2001. Well, it was an 8 month backlog plus 2 at regional. Ten months to get my labor certification. Little did I know April 2001 processing would get in the way.
So for the longest time, we got to see "April 2001". Then in early 2003, NY SWA magically skipped to May 2001. Finally! NY SWA had decided to create a separate queue for the 245i cases. A month later, NY SWA reverted to April 2001 saying that setting 245i cases aside was illegal. Kept on waiting.
Then in 2004, processing time - "May 2001" showed up again, this time for real. We created a tracker in our NY SWA thread and for several months we saw processing times actually move forward. In September/October 2004 it reached "October 2001". Finally it was almost my turn!.
I had been watching the Backlog Center RFPs for almost a year at that point. I must admit I was optimistic about them but hoped my case wouldn't have to go there.
A month later, SWAs stopped processing. The wait continued.
In early 2005 my case was transferred to the now infamous Philadelhpia Backlog Center. In March 2005, the PBPC claimed to have sent the 45-day letter to my employer and my attorney, neither received the letter.
I did not find out until February 2006 when we received the letter of closure.
Immediately the attorneys sent a letter stating that it had been a mistake. Kept on waiting.
In April 2006, we received unofficial notification that my case would be reinstated. 6-10 weeks to receive official notification they said. Kept on waiting.
May 17, 2006 - statement officially reopening my case along with my new 45-day letter. For once DOL was ahead of schedule. We responded immediately. And kept on waiting.
Today June 22, 2006 I received an e-mail from my attorney that my labor certification had been certified. When I got home, the courtesy copy was in my mailbox.
I don't need to tell anybody how useful this forum has been to me and all of us. I hope to see each of you get out from this step, move on and eventually obtain your permanent residence.
Good luck everyone,
JustWatching
