RFE Response Received at INS with no FP yet. How long until approval?

[curiousGeorge]

EB3, Canada
PD: 09/30/2000
RD: April/2002
EAD: 05/05/2002
AP 07/15/2002
FP: ????
RFE Issued: ???
Reason For RFE: ????
RFE Received by INS: 09/10/2002
AD: ????

I recently called the AVM to get a status on my case, and I was surprised to discover that there had been an RFE issued, and the response to the RFE had already been received by the INS. My lawyer has yet to tell me what the reason for the RFE was. I have not yet been asked to get my fingerprints done yet.

I called the TSC during the day, and to my disbelief I got through on the first try, with only a 5 minute wait! (if that reflects how lucky I may be then maybe I should buy some lottery tickets ;-) )The agent told me that my case has been assigned to an officer, and that the response to the RFE has been received. (basically the same information I got from the AVM) She did not know the reason for the RFE. I asked how long it usually takes for the case to be approved after the response for the RFE is received at the INS service center. The agent told me it is usually taking about 2-3 weeks for approval after that point. I pointed out to her that my fingerprints have not been done yet, and she told me the 'system' issues the request for fingerprints, and not them. She could not tell me if I could be approved without fingerprints.

1) Is this the normal process? I thought that the fingerprints would be requested before the case is assigned to an officer.

2) Does INS issue a request for fingerprints for every case, or do some cases get approved without a request for fingerprints ever being issued?

3) How long after an RFE does it usually take a case to get approved?

 

[QixinZuo]

My feeling is ....

Based on my experience by talking to IIO, I think she/he may give you false information. Basically, when IIO said it is assigned to an officer your case may be still in no where. I do not trust what they say anymore after serveral false information given by them. About your REF before FP.... Hey, this is TSC so anything could happen. There were serveral cases approved without FP reported from other people so it may happen to you too. At least, I hope so. Again, this is just my feeling based on my experience. Good luck!

 

[curiousGeorge]

Stupid TSC!

I called the service center again. This agent told me that although she sees that a response to an RFE was received, there was never an RFE issued to begin with, and the case has not yet been assigned to an officer.

She blamed it on a possible officer entering the wrong case number and putting in the code for "RFE received" on my case.

Somebody else will probably waiting for his or her RFE response to be acknowledged forever! The AVM will NEVER say that for that person, because I got that person's code!!

Anyone responded to an RFE just before Sept 10th, but has not yet received acknowledgement? The INS officer may have already received your response...

TSC should be called "The Stupid Center".

She also told me that TSC will have an audit done soon, and so no cases will be touched for a while. What does that mean?

Good Luck to everyone stuck in TSC!

 

[venkat_kodi]

The Audit will not fix the randomness.

INS fiscal year ends on 30th Sept and new year starts on 1st Oct.
Pricewaterhouse is the auditor for INS and they will count the approved cases and pending cases, PHYSICALLY. INS HQ needs this information, every year. But they do not find any solution on increasing pending cases/backlogs. That's our bad luck!