Recommended Approval

E

Ewed Alehu

Registered Users (C)
Hi, fox
 It has now been more than 1 year since I received a letter of Recommended Approval for political asylum from INS. According to the letter, I would be asked to appear for a fingerprint appointment at an INS Application Support Center. The fingerprint is intended for the mandatory, confidential investigation of my identity and background before a final approval is granted. I already had provided fingerprints with my original application more than ten years ago. I have been expecting communication of one type or another from the relevant INS office about my status. So far, I have not received any.

Can anyone tell me their experience with this as to how long it should take before I receive any communication from INS and what I should do, if any, to activate my case?

Appreciate your insight.

Weed Alehu
ewedalehu@aol.com
 
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Dear Ewed,

This is an common problem with the asylum process.

Do you remember the name of your interviewing officer? If so, please send him/her a letter by certified mail asking the status of your application. If this step does not resolve the matter, send a letter to the personal attention of the asylum officer director, who is generally very responsive.
 
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Gilbert,

Thank you for your help. Since I do not remember the name of the Officer who interviewed me (he was a very nice and professional person of great ethical standards), I have sent a certified letter to the Director of the Asylum Office as you suggested to me. I am waiting for their response and will post my progress accordingly.

Thanks again.

Ewedalehu
 
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Usually the interview officer will not tell you his/her name (on their own) at the interviews. But if you ask he/she will tell you (alteast their last name). At my GC interview I introduced myself as "Hi, I\'m Mr.X from country X, and you are officer...?" And the officer told me her last name. I could have just read it off her ID card pinned on her chest area but the prints are too small and if I kept starring at her chest area she might get the wrong idea :)

 Anywho....it makes things easier for them to answer your inquiry if you know the interview officer\'s name. If you didn\'t get the name the interview date, your A number (if available), case number will also work too.
 
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Thanks, JackArcherNew,

The INS Arlington Office has proven itself to be well responsive and uncharacterstically efficient by the standards of many government offices, especially INS as we historically have known it. I\'m amazed by their speedy response to my inquiry which was soon followed by a letter of request from the INS Texas Office for a finger print appointment. The Arlington Office actualy had advised me in their response that a request for a finger print was made and that I would receive it in the mail. I, however, never expected it this soon. I\'m being greatful to them and would like to hope that they will keep up their great performance not only in this but also in the many other areas.

Thank you for your insight and suggestions you made in response to my question.

Ewedalehu
 
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Thanks, Gilbert,

The INS Arlington Office has proven itself to be well responsive and uncharacterstically efficient by the standards of many government offices, especially INS as we historically have known it. I\'m amazed by their speedy response to my inquiry which was soon followed by a letter of request from the INS Texas Office for a finger print appointment. The Arlington Office actualy had advised me in their response that a request for a finger print was made and that I would receive it in the mail. I, however, never expected it this soon. I\'m being greatful to them and would like to hope that they will keep up their great performance not only in this but also in the many other areas.

Thank you for your insight and suggestions you made in response to my question.

Ewedalehu
 
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Can any one explain to me the importance or relevance(if any)of so called "Priority Date" on a document issued by INS? What does that mean for a person granted political asylum or in the process of being granted political asylum?

Ewedalehu
 
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I do not think the PD means anything in your case. Do not worry about it.

Good luck with the fingerprint process!
 
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I happened to go to the INS Application Support Center (ASC) today (July, 18, 2001) for a finger print appointment. Once again, I was astonished to find that they were performing efficiently. Even more surprising was that they gave me a little yellow card with a brief survey/comment questionnaire on it for me to fill out and drop it in a box. The questions asked relate to my opinion regarding their service efficiency and any other observation I might have. It is amazing that INS offices are reorienting themselves to align their service practices with the private sector\'s important notion/concept commonly called "Customer Service". I think it is a positive trend and needs to be cheered & applauded if they would keep it up as a fundamental cultural transformation.

I still wonder how long it will be before I receive a final approval notice after this finger print event. Does any one has observations as to the length of time between giving finger prints for background investigation/check and receipt of a final approval letter from INS for an asylum case whose approval has been recommended?

Ewedalehu
 
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I am glad to hear that the you are moving along.

Does the ASC you went to use hi-tech electronic equipment or they just took your fingerprints on a sheet of paper?

In the former case, the result will be back very soon.

In the latter case, it is anyone\'s guess. The FBI has a tendency to reject those prints as unreadable. The INS sometimes loses the results, etc, etc. If You do not hear within a reasonable time frame, you should inquire.

The asylum office will mail you a decision once the results are back.

One year after the final grant of asylum, you may file a green card request and wait for years for a quota.

 

Good luck.
 
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ASCs are not really directly affiliated with the Department of Justice. Some of them are private contractors. In my I-485 finger print notice they included the notice "Do not ask questions regarding your case to the personnel at ASC."
 
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Thank you Gilbert. The ASC I went to uses hi-tech electronic equipment. I would wish to believe that the background check result will be sent soon to the INS. In any event, I will let you know any outcome or absence of it. Once again, many thanks for your recommendations, info,observations and opinions.

Ewedalehu
 
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You are right, Jack. They have included on my notice of request for finger print the same piece of info. However,I was not aware of that the ASCs are not affiliated with the DOJ (Department of Justice). If they are private contractors as you said, it is reasonably accurate to assume that they have a stake in handling their work properly and accurately. My concern, nonetheless, is regarding what Gilbert indicated. That is, that the INS may lose finger print results sent to it or FBI may reject the finger prints as unacceptable/unreadable. Should any of these happen, it would spell a protracted waiting for me. I still wonder what a reasonable time frame within which I should expect a final notice from INS is if the background check process goes through without problems?

Ewedalehu
 
Can my wife file 485?

I\'ve already filed i-485 as asylee with Nebraska center. Obviously it is not going anywhere. However, recntly my wife\'s 140 finally got approved. so, can she file her I-485 with Service center with me as dependent? thanks
 
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Dear Pi Cao,

If your wife\'s employment-based priority date is current, then both of you can file new adjustment applications with the appropriate service center.

The INS will hold you to the standards applicable to other employment-based I-485 applicants. Among other things, you must have lawfully entered this country, have not been out of status, have no unauthorized employment. If you do not meet any of these, you may want to find out if you are eligible for 245(i) benefits. If you are not, then you may go to Canada or Mexico for consular processing (But you have to do a lot of advance work before you go).

This will give you a green card faster than the asylum route.
 
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follow up

thank you Gilbert...here is followup ones:

1.What happens to the previous filing with Nebraska Center?

How to answer the qestion on I-485:

2.Have you ever before applied for permanent residence in the United State? No Yes If "yes", give date and place of filing and final deposition

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follow up

If I write to NSC to withdraw the application, does it mean I lose status as asylee or what stattus I am supposed to be in with the new i-485?
 
Do NOT withdraw application

Do NOT withdraw your pending adjustment application at this time.

Just file your new employment-based adjustment application with the appropriate service center with the required fee and attachments. When you get to the question on other applications, just check yes and then explain that you have filed for adjustment
as an asylee and that it is your understanding that it takes a number of years to receive a refugee number. Conclude your statement by saying that you are now eligible for residence under a different provision of the law and would like to proceed as such. Include the LIN number for your asylee application.

The service center will then process the application under normal procedures. If the application is approved, then the INS generally closes any pending adjustment applications on file. But you should also send a letter to the NSC at that time notifying them of your new status.

If you withdraw the application now, then if the new one is not successful you have to refile with the NSC and wait from scratch.

Because of the large backlog, the INS now encourages asylees to obtain adjustment by other means if they can.
 
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