What is the Exact Process for I 485 approval

[Whyallthis]

Today I visitied USCIS website. They show processing time for I 485

District Office : Which is one and half year behind from today(Today 01/05/2006).

Texas Service center: Which is just 6 months behind todays date.

Now guys help me out and tell me how this affects my case

As per my knowledge our I 485 goes to Federal office so in my case Texas Service center. But when does it comes to District Office? Or it does not have to come to District office? What does district office plays role in this whole approval thing?
and if I consider that it goes to both offices then, is it fixed that it will deffineitely will take more than 2 years time (One and Half for District + 6 months for TSC).
Hey gues please reply, its very important for me.
Thanks to your replies in advance.

I have applied to I 485 on 01/03/2006
How long for me to get actual green card.

 

[bjorn]

Whyallthis

Don't even look at the I-485 processing dates on the USCIS website. They are completely off and misleading. The USCIS processes current cases much faster than the dates show. The same goes for the I-140, EAD, and AP as well. If your cases are filed properly and your PD is curent, expect approvals significantly sooner than the dates indicate on the USCIS website. The VSC seems to pocess I-140s within 1 month of filing, EAD and AP within 2-3 weeks of filing, and I-485 within 3-4 months of filing, at least tha's what people are reporting as experiences on this forum, including my experiences. Just as an FYI, the common thread for these fast approvals seems to be the PDs are current (no retrogression) and they never go to a district office.

Your personal case may not even go to a district office. I don't know what cases do and what cases don't, but many cases get approved while at one of the 4 federal offices without ever going to a district office. If your case goes to a district office, it will take longer to approve, obviously, than the timelines I outlined above.

As far as your timeline, it's impossible to say. Your case is unique. It can be anything between 4 months to a couple of years. I assume you have a current PD (not affected by retrogression) because you were able to file your I-485 just a couple days ago. If your name clears FBI and your fingerprints too with no problem, you may see an approval within 6 months, perhaps even sooner. If you get stuck in name check, you may have to wait 1-2 years.

 

[HSMAN]

Re: FBI Check

I am curious when you guys mentioned FBI name check, do you mean the FBI will check for an applicant's criminal record only. Do they check for immigration records as well?

 

[bjorn]

FBI checks to see if you name and fingerprints match someone with a criminal history in their records. The USCIS probably checks your past immigration record, at least that's why they require past documents such as I-94, H-1B, and I-20 to be submitted with the I-485 application.

 

[immiq]

Please note there are many cases have reported the delay is actually not on the name check but the Service Center itself. The FBI has in fact already completed the name check but the Service Center still replies the I-485 pending is due to the security check. So, you thought the delay is not on the USCIS but the FBI. That is not true, however.