Philadelphia Transfer Cases

Regarding my I-485: Pending approval for clearance.

Hi all,

This is my first time to contribute to this.

My I-485 case has been transferred to the local office on August, 2002. I had my interview scheduled on December 21, 2003. My interview was easy and short, however I was not granted the stamp since the clearance of my case was not received from FBI yet. Since December, 2003, my case has been pending approval until the clearance is granted (two years waiting). Does any one have any info regarding how long this clearance process would take? What is this clearance about? Could the case be denied after this long wait?
According to the officers, who I repeatedly met over the past two years, there is no time frame for this process??
What is this suppose to mean?

I appreciate any info, even if little, for some guidance>

Thanks a lot

Rajony007
 
Rajony,

Sorry to hear that you have had a long waiting for the FBI check. There is very little you can do as long as they have this security excuse. Try to contact a senate or congressman in your area, although I am not sure if this will be really help. So far I have not heard a case was rejected because of background check. I am sure most of us (if not all) have clear background and should be grant GC. So just depends on waiting time

I was interview in July 2005 (EB2-NIW, PD May 2004, RD Sep 2004) and was told my case was stucked by the FBI background check. Plus right now thevisa number issue. I have to be patient for my GC journey. Contacted a congressman and he promptly contacted FBI, but got the typical answer -- still pending.

Really wish you good luck,
Bobbyren
 
write your senator

write your local senator and explain your situation. Some proof of your good moral character, lack of criminal record, etc would be useful but not necessary...

Outline your case in detail and usually they will contact USCIS to verify what's going on. In my case they got things moving along when it was misclassified and now I finally got my GC....
 
After a long,long wait our cases are approved

I-140 filed - May 2002
I-485 filed Jan 2004
I-140 Approved - May 2004
I-485 transferred to Phili June 2004
FP done Aug. 2004
FP cleared 30 Aug 2004
Interview - 05 Nov 2004
Not stamped due to Name check pending
Wrote to FBI - Jan 12, 2005
Approached Congressman - Feb 13, 2005
My daughter's I-485 approved - 13 March 2005
FBI replied saying pending namecheck - June 2005
Congressman replied - Pending Namecheck - June 2005
Namecheck Cleared - 23 Aug 2005
Wrote to Phili Director - October 2005
Wrote to Senator's Office - Nov. 2005
Immigration Officer called - 25 Nov 2005
Refingerprinting done for me and wife - 28 Nov. 2005
Both our Cases Approved - 08 Dec 2005.

All are self-filed cases.

Now, receiving approval I don't have energy to smile and be happy.

Hardwork paid at last!
 
pdramesh2000,

Really really feel happy for you after this long and hard GC journey. At least your case tell us USCIS is still working. Enjoy your freedom!

Just wondering how do you know that your name check was cleared in Aug 2005? Also, could you please tell us your PD(I140) and catagory?

Bobby



pdramesh2000 said:
I-140 filed - May 2002
I-485 filed Jan 2004
I-140 Approved - May 2004
I-485 transferred to Phili June 2004
FP done Aug. 2004
FP cleared 30 Aug 2004
Interview - 05 Nov 2004
Not stamped due to Name check pending
Wrote to FBI - Jan 12, 2005
Approached Congressman - Feb 13, 2005
My daughter's I-485 approved - 13 March 2005
FBI replied saying pending namecheck - June 2005
Congressman replied - Pending Namecheck - June 2005
Namecheck Cleared - 23 Aug 2005
Wrote to Phili Director - October 2005
Wrote to Senator's Office - Nov. 2005
Immigration Officer called - 25 Nov 2005
Refingerprinting done for me and wife - 28 Nov. 2005
Both our Cases Approved - 08 Dec 2005.

All are self-filed cases.

Now, receiving approval I don't have energy to smile and be happy.

Hardwork paid at last!
Click to expand...
 
Getting through the name check process involves a proactive approach. During the interview time the DAO told me that my name check was submitted to FBI on February 4, 2004 and by Nov 5, 2004 (interview date) it was still not cleared. The officer told that I may have to wait for another 2 months or so which I did. When I did not hear anything from USCIS, I wrote the standard email to FBI and sent some faxes too. Meanwhile, I also approached local congressman for help, however they only asked me to wait till this process is complete. For the mail I sent to FBI, I received a reply on 7th July (7 months later) saying that my name check is still pending (16 months) while my wife's was cleared on 5th Feb 2004 itself (just 1 day). Then in August, the congressman's office replied that both our cases are pending officer's review (ready for adjudication). I waited roughly for 45 days and then called the 1-800 number to express my wish to speak with an immigration officer in Phili. The lady checked my case and informed me that my name check was cleared on the 23rd August 2005 and she did not know why or cases were still pending. She also told me that I have to call Phili office if I want to speak to an officer there and not the 1-800 number. I again asked her whether my name check process is complete for which she said yes the FBI has cleared it on 23rd of August. Partly, this may be due to my letter and email to FBI. Otherwise, it could still be pending even now.
Later, when my cases were pending for no reasons, I wrote a detailed letter to Sen. Arlen Specter's office, who really did an excellent job. Within 10 days, an immigration officer called from Phili office and apologised for the delay. All he said was to redo fingerprinting so that he could approve our cases in 10 days. He also gave direct number to his desk at Phili office. He did what he said. We did refingerprinting and within 10 days from the date he approved our cases. While I was talking to him, he mentioned about my letter to senator and mentioned tat next time when I write to the Senator, please ask for more funds to USCIS as the USCIS is really struggling with present funding situation. Partly, the retrogression could be due this reason too. who knows. Several personal letters to USCIS did not work as just one letter through Senator's office worked.

In the whole process, I can imagine how much I did to get my case approved while may cases are being approved so easily. What to say?? Now I am waiting for the cards and hopefully I don't need to do much on that. Let's wait and see.

Best of luck Bobbyren!
 
Got our passports stamped

On the 23rd, our family visited the Phili USCIS office for stamping. We took our approval letters and showed and obtained a token. After waiting for about 30 minutes our number was called. We went to the counter and showed the approval letters. The lady on the counter checked our cases in the computer and told us that she wanted to recheck again with the computers located inside. After about 3 minutes she came back and asked for our passports. Meanwhile, she asked for our current EAD cards and opened a page in the passport and stamped the following

"PROCESSED FOR I-551. TEMPORARY EVIDENCE OF LAWFUL ADMISSION FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE. VALID UNTIL ___________. EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZED" and wrote our Alien numbers on the top.

She said this is good for travel and employment. I asked whether our files have been sent for card processing fo which, she replied that the files are still at the Phili office as some more work has to be completed before sending to VSC.

Does anybody have an idea about how long it would take to receive PR cards?
 
From stamp to plastic

Mine arrived in two months.. That's consistent with what others have experienced (anywhere from 3 weeks to 3-4 months)
 
PR Cards received

This thread is pretty inactive and I assume that the Phili USCIS office is standstill on 485 cases. Surprised off-late there has been no report of any interview.

BTW, I received my PR cards yesterday. I wish rest of them in this thread will hear a similar happy news.

regards
PDR
 
pdramesh2000,

Glad to hear that your GC journey is finally done. Guys, please update any news (interviews, approvals) so we can know that Philly office is still working on our cases.

Good luck to everyone,
bobby
 
If it helps in any way, our cases are in Philly, we are EB3 ROW. Our PD will be current in February and Saturday I received a notice for fingerprints. So I guess somebody in Philadelphia is actually doing something. I'll keep this posted if we here anything else.

Is there anybody who will be current in February with cases in Philly?
 
Just curious why they don't forward approved cases to the central office for issuance of the PR plastic card right away... must be quality control or something...

I waited 3 mos and didn't get a card in the mail so I then went and got my passport stamped and the guy gives me this look and asks why I waited so long... I think they wait for your stamping before issuing your PR card... he also took my EAD card...

Interesting note, I received the notice in the mail 30 days after the actual approval date as recorded on my passport... anybody else notice this?

all is well and good, after 3 long years...
 
we are in EB3 ROW ALSO!

Bamba said:
If it helps in any way, our cases are in Philly, we are EB3 ROW. Our PD will be current in February and Saturday I received a notice for fingerprints. So I guess somebody in Philadelphia is actually doing something. I'll keep this posted if we here anything else.

Is there anybody who will be current in February with cases in Philly?
Click to expand...
we are eb3 row also, i saw your post on nov. , my PD will be curren in February 1st, my husband and i took interview on Jan, the Officer said everything looks good, but we should wait for the visa number (same situation as you), i have not receive anything form Philly.office till now, i'm very worried, since we have been waited for almost 4 years, can u tell me when did you take your FP last time? Maybe they should let us do it again, hope we can get aproval letter soon.
(my PD is 4/17/2001) :p
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Last time I went for fingerprints was June 2004, that's why they sent me this notice now...fingerprints are good for 16 months(as the lawyer said)/18 months (as the INS guy said). My husband still has his valid from last year. I had them taken again this past Tuesday so I'm waiting to see what happens next. Let me know also if you any news before us....so at least to know what to expect since we are on the same boat! (actually you are a day before us with 4/17) ;)
 
Any news guys from Philly?

Does anybody have any news from Philly? It's middle of Febr and we didn't hear anything from them yet.

Does anybody have a phone number from office in Philly where I can call for status?
 
Travelled with I-551 stamping

Thought of posting my experience that may be useful for others in the forum.

despite receiving my PR card, I tried to travel with just stamping which is valid till Dec 21, 2006. When I tried to retun from germany, before issuing the boarding pass, i was asked pretty standard questions and got absloutely no problem while boarding. Surprisingly, she entered my A# in the computer before issuing the pass and put a small sticker AOS on my ticket. While reentry, no I-94 was submitted and I went directly to the Citizens/PR line and immigration officer asked one or two questions before letting me in. He was friendly and did not request me for any secondary inspection. So absolutely no problem in reentering with I-551 stamp. I don't think he even checked my A# in the computer. It was pleasant. risk-free trip. Hope this info is useful for people who want to travel with stamping.
 
it seems that it's pretty quiet...it's almost the end of February and no approvals came in the mail. it's hard to believe that they aren't working on any cases.... :(
 
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