Mentol Blog's

thanks for the info. Sounds interesting.

Welcome to our news member Selvaela..

I wanted to share my success story of getting I-485s re-opened with the help of IV last week. Let me start with the end result first and those interested in details could read further!

Synopsis

After 4 months wait since the wrongful denial of our 485s, I contacted Immigration Voice (IV) core team for help on April 25, 2011 as a last resort. On the next day morning (April 26th), I received a phone call from USCIS Headquarters in D.C. and the officer informed that Service Center approved my MTR and reopened 485s, and I should receive system updates in a day. At the end of the day, I got email updates confirming re-opening of 485s. It was an incredible moment in my life to receive a call from USCIS about my case. I am very grateful to the IV leadership and its deep relationships within USCIS and DHS. Prior to contacting IV, I filed an expedite request with USCIS, contacted Ombudsman, and contacted my Senator as well. I received standard responses but no positive result. Adding fuel to the fire, my EAD was due to expire in July 2011.
At the end, even though I never anticipated issues with my 485, I was very happy to see that my active participation with IV’s advocacy efforts over the last few years opened up several options for me to seek help.

Prologue

During the middle of last year my attorney moved their offices and we filed a new G-28 for address change. After couple of months of this address change, during early Nov’2010 USCIS apparently sent a NOID asking for AC21 employment letter to the old address of the attorney. USCIS did not send text or email even though both me and my attorney subscribed to the notifications. USCIS did not even send a copy of this notice to me. After 30 days of original notice, USCIS updated their system that their mail was returned. This was the first time we came to know about the outstanding notice from USCIS. We immediately contacted USCIS and requested for a copy of NOID. In the meantime, 33 days elapsed, and USCIS promptly denied I-485s of me and my family. I have been working on EAD and it was due to expire in July 2011.

Life after denials

I requested my company for AC21 letter and after receiving the employment letter, my attorney filed I-290B MTR around the end of Dec’2011. I continued to work as usual using my EAD. After couple of months of waiting, I requested USCIS to expedite. Their response was to wait 30 days. Nothing happened. Then, I simultaneously contacted my Senator’s office and Ombudsman. I promptly received responses that they would look into this and I should expect a response from USCIS within 15 days. Based on these responses, I should have received approval by the first week of April. Again, nothing happened until the 3rd week of April. I was becoming wary of my EAD expiry and applying for renewal within 90 days of expiry.

IV’s Advocacy Days in D.C.

I have been a donor for the last few years and actively participated in advocacy days of 2010 and 2011. During this year’s advocacy event, I met IV core team and explained my case. Based on their advice, I waited to see if USCIS responds by mid of April. After long wait and exhausting all options, I requested help from IV. As I mentioned, within 24 hours, I got the approval of MTR and our status was restored!
Though not everyone gets into this kind of trouble, it is very heartening to note that there is someone (IV) behind us to help when in need.

Final Request to Readers:

As someone who associated with IV for the last few years and after going through this ordeal with USCIS, I recommend all those waiting in line or waiting to be in line (for GC) to start associating with IV. No matter how little time or money you could afford to work with IV, every minute and every cent is well worth it! Please Get Involved with IV! Thanks.

Do you get confirmation of G28?

All they need to do is add "text message" functionality and a new Cascaded Style Sheet.
I sincerely hope that's not the case though. :rolleyes:

If you look at the new features list:
A customer-centric home page that provides applicants with a “one-stop shop” of immigration services information.


Simplified navigation and improved search capability.


Enhanced customer service tools including expanded Case Status Online with both email and text functionality.


Information that is written clearly and meets the needs of our customers.


It is pretty vague. They may just make some cosmetic changes for the existing website. I dont see anything new here. I hope they prove me wrong!

Welcome to our news member Selvaela..

Good job Samcam...keep up the good work :)

it is very easy to get it done. You take money , go to scotia bank branch - there are tons of them there & get it done. Takes about 5 min. only. But go to Canada a day before to avoid any problems.

I had a similar experience a long time ago with Madras consulate. At that time, the Officer returned all my documents back without an explanation and hardly asked me a questions. After 2 weeks or so - they send me a letter asking for copies of the all certificates to be submitted along with a letter saying that the case was being reffered to a AFU - Anti Fraud Unit. I send all my education certificates.

It then took them around 3.5 months to clear the application. They asked me to send the passport back with the application copy and I received it with a week with my H1 B stamp. Applied first in June first week and received the Visa around Sept.

This is obviously a traumatic experience for you. But you will be alright once they verify.

In my case, the educations documents were correct and true and it was verified - I do not know how they did it. It is a slow process and you ask for help from a local senator or your company to send a request letter to expedite the case and constantly follow-up with your lawyer who filed the H1 petition.

Also I had a valid B1 visa but I decided it was better to wait for the process to complete before I returned.

Hope this helps. You just need to patient. Best of luck

Arnet,
Yes, though u not use in Port of Entry, still u can use for Work
That is what i am doing and as i told you, i got 3 year H1 Extension also


hey nivasch, can you use H1 to work if you didnt use it to enter at port of entry? can you please explain your experience? thanks.

Can a Canadian Citizen work in the USA without a visa ? How easy is that ?
If you are going to stay 2 yrs in Canada, you might as well spend 1 more yr and become a Canadian citizen.

I actually have a similar question. I am in the exact same situation. The question is that in this case if you have an H1 stamped in your passport, is it ok to travel to US on that H1 ? or would you need a B2 tourist visa to travel ?

I am asking since technically you are employed by same employer but you are getting paid by Candian payroll not US Payroll.

Schengen Visa Insurance: Best Deals for Schengen Travel Insurance (http://www.schengenvisainsurance.com/)

There are tons of such sites/companies that will issue a travel insurance & will issue a letter with all the wordings mentioned by the consulate. You are possibly looking at abt $50-60 bucks depending on your coverage (lowest specified by consulate ) & length of stay (15 days)

You can ask Humana to issue you a letter stating to coverage amount that you will be covered while on your visit to Sweden. When I was traveling to Italy, my insurance company did issue me such a letter & I didn't have to buy anything.

See signature for details:

Looks like our cases are stuck somewhere because of these transfers and donot know how long will it take to come in the streamline.

Hi,

I've already completed my 6 yrs on H1, have my 140 approved, applied for extension and got it (before 6 yr expiry). The extension has been approved for 3 years.

Now -- I need to change employers as my employer is asking me to become full time from consulting.

2 questions:
1. Can I use this extension to change employers?

2. Can I start the GC process with the 140 priority date? (Feb '08)?

Thanks

PS: I apologize if this is in the wrong forum.


if your employer ( who filled I 140 ) revoke I 140 then chances are there that you may get RFE while H1b transfer. You need good lawer advise. Also there is gray area for porting PD if I 140 is approved and revoked.

Normally,

1. The Consulting company and client has an agreement; that they can not hire a person for 6- 12 months. (agreement is different from company to company).
2. Some times you have signed and BOND with consulting company; that you will not join the client for 2 years after you resign from the comapany.
3. You are try to spoil the relation. I urge you to tell the consulting comapny before you leave and join the client.

They can not revoke 140 so there is no harm to your 485. be careful of counting 485 filing date.

god bless.

KP

Guys:
I am currently working through a Consulting company at a client location.
Now, if I were to join the "same" client location as an employee after the 180 day completion of having filed I-485, what are the things that I need to keep in touch before I make this transition.

I do have EAD that is valid till Sep'08. Do I need to tell the client company that my I-485 is pending and that I can work using EAD or should I apply as anyone who would apply for the position without any strings...!!!

I would really appreciate if you guys can let me know any nuiances that I need to be aware of and any caveats that exist in this situation.

I appreciate your time and good luck to all to get the GC as soon as possible.

Thanks

** You should Eat only in McDonalds. If USCIS finds evidence that you eat in other places, they will revoke your H1B

** You should Drive only Toyota and Honda cars. If USCIS finds evidence that you were actively searching for other cars, they will revoke your L1

** You should Buy groceries only in Walmart. If USCIS finds evidence that you wish to buy from other stores, they will issue RFE on your I-140

** You should Drink only Cola. If USCIS finds evidence that you think of other drinks, they will deny your I-485

Add many more, there are 101 ways to torture a non-immigrant.

What are you guys trying to figure out here? The unanswered Q's have been unanswered for a lot of years now and July VB fiasco resolve was just a lid on the unanswered Q's that were coming out into lime light. While USCIS is not perfect and is culpable for the mishap, our focus should be on getting some relief. There is not a lot any one of us is going to gain by finding the cuplable and reasons behind. We will simply not get any answers in the current situation and hoping that USCIS will provide some thing like a used visas ticker through out their fiscal year, because of the July VB fiasco is nothing but being too naive.

Congress Women Lofgren would not go on witch hunting DOS/USCIS officials after they have honored the original VB. The simple reason being (GC's) visa numbers, though capped per year, allow USCIS to accept more applications than the visa numbers available. There is no one to one match between the available GC numbers and applications. USCIS OB submits an annual report and will report the number of visas used by USCIS in the fiscal year. Hopefully, after all this hooplah, we should see 100% utilization of visa numbers.

My application has not been sent yet. They are planning to send it to TSC. My confusion is:

According to USCIS website, in I-140 addresses to sent information, for concurrent application of 140/485, it says if the permanent employment is based in this state, it goes to this center.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=c31c5cdc2c463110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCR D&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1 RCRD

In 485 addresses to sent information under employment based category, it says if you live in this state, sent it to this center. This does not say about concurrent filing applications..

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=eb7b5cdc2c463110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCR D&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1 RCRD

I live in Texas but in labor employment, permanent job offer address is in diff state which comes under NSC.

Since mine is concurrent filing, I don't know to which center I have to sent the application....Lawyer is saying he will send it to TSC, since I live and work in Texas. But I want to make clear things as I don't want to end up sending to wrong service center. If process delayed, thats fine..but if the application is rejected...then thats a big problem..which is why I am mostly concerned....lawyers r busy..they don't consider all our concerns...in the faqs:pdf released by USCIS, it says if the application is sent by mistake to VSC or CSC, then they will route it to either TSC or NSC but it does not say about if application is sent to TSC but has to go to NSC, it will route it to approriate service center...

tension ...confused....lawyer don't reply...he doesn't care much...

anybody has hotline number to call and confirm with USCIS...thanks in advance..

I have seen in this form that lot of people have filed I-485 by themselves after having a hard-time with lawyers. I am also thinking to do the same. But I want to make sure if it is possible in my case.

Assuming my I-140 get approved (its filed but not approved yet), what documents I need to file I-485 by myself as per following facts:

1. I have just receipt no. of Labor and I-140.
2. All the documents are with my attorney which is hired by my employer.

Can I still file I-485 by myself ?

Thanks

Thats true but the thread starter indicated he had non-traffic citation. I don't know what it is...but it will be good to know examples of non-traffic citations.

I am assuming DUI, other misdemeanors or felonies.

Simple Answer is NO

*If 140 premium processing reinstated in the near future, at least 3-4 weeks before your H1B expires.


It is difficult to obatain approved vacation from my employer.
Apartment from leaving the country and recapturing, are there any alternatives.

Please advice

Yeah, definitely it looks like they are having problem only with certain states. Before this happened, I noticed that in Feb it allowed to transfer maximum of only $1000 to India in once transaction. Earlier the limit was some $5000 per transaction.
May have to shift to ICICI now. How is money2india e-Transfer? Hopefully their ACH direct debit is still operational. Is the service good and reliable?
Does it differ from state to state? IDK..BTW I am in CA if that matters to SBI :)