My wife's EAD application is pending at VSC for more than 4 months now. On 91st day (Which happened to be a Wednesday), we reached Arlington office at 1.45pm. They asked us to wait in a room, after a while someone picked up her receipt and gave her a form to fill out. After 30 minutes they asked her to wait in another room after verifying the payment info. She was done by 3.15pm, so I should say it was a painless and quick procedure. She was issued EAD valid for one year.
I want to share with you our unbelievable story how we got our interim EAD at Bloomington INS office in Minneapolis, MN
1. We have our EAD renewal pending at VSC since 9/18 and the current one is going to expire end of this month.
2. Our application for EAD renewal was delayed by major distractions, circumstances and poor planning.
3. We had no chance of getting the EAD renewal before the current one expires and we were in difficult situation of loosing the jobs if we dont hv EAD (it is a different story that I save it for another day).
I-765 filed online 09/10/03 (Basis I485 filed on Sep'02 and approved I-140 on Dec'02) Went to BOSTON USCIS office on Dec 9th, 2003 (91st day)Current EAD expires on 12/10/03 (working on EAD)
Timeline:
6:00AM: Arrived and found there are around 20 people ahead of me.
7:00am: Entered building and told that I am there are EAD extension. I was asked for I-765 notice (it is exactly 91st day after filing)and asked me to fill a new I-765 form and got a "E" number.
Today, I went to the local USCIS office at 10 w jackson blvd, and got the IEAD. This office is just outside the Jackson Blue Line Subway station. They opened the doors at 6AM. When they opened the doors, there were around 50 people in the line.
They were asking for EAD, 140 reciepts, IL driving license/state ID or some postal mail to prove that you are IL resident.
Got the IEAD for 3 months. Out by 9AM.
Wanted to share my experience about issuance of interim EAD at Dallas office. I had filed EB-2 NIW petition and I485/765 concurrently in June. Since I did not hear from USCIS, went to Dallas office on Nov 20 at 8 am; got our number ticket by 9am; hwent in and sat down. The nos dont really go in order, but we got called about 12.45; the officer just wanted receipt notices of I485 and I 765; she called TSC to confirm pendency of the applications and then came back and said she will issue 8 month interim EAD's for my wife and me.
Today I went in because it's 91 days after my I-765 Employment app was processed. I was told to do this after phoning the 1 800 number, they told me go in to the Honolulu office and request an Interim EAD because it had not yet been approved.
When I got there, I was told that it had actually been approved May 16th ( I was also told that when I went to get biometrics the person did not stamp both my letters and do fingprint/photo for the I-765, just the I-485, so I went there again).
We went and got my wife's interim EAD and walk-in Advance Parole in NYC on 5/25/04. The application has been pending for more than 150 days.
We lined up at 5 AM, got into the building at 7 AM. We went to a room on the 1st floor, where the EAD receipt was checked, we were given a yellow sheet and asked to put the A# and name on it. We then went to the 9th floor, where after waiting for 40 minutes, we received a ticket #. They said it would take a while to do the background check, so we went to the 8th floor to take care of the AP.
We applied for EAD at Vermont. Receipt date was 2/19/2004. But we did not receive our Ead and it was not approved either. On 5/21/2004 we went to NY office, at 5 am, and went inside at 7.30 am( there was no crowd).Submitted the new application at 8.00 am. They made us to wait, telling they were doing the extensive background check until 12.30 and then after a photograph we were issued an EAD for 8 months.
In front of us there was a person whose EAD was lost in the post from Vermont was denied an EAD, asking her to call Vermont and wait.
There were approx 25 people in line ahead of us.
Doors opened at 7am. We got our interim EAD's by 10:40am.
All they looked at was the receipt notice and asked us to fill another I-765 form. We had taken a copy .
Nearly everything about interim work permits are anecdotal, and even the USCIS.gov information is vague, but I took my chances yesterday, November 17, 2003, and found out that it is true that one can have same-day processing for I-765 applications which have passed the 90 day waiting time---at least those which have been sent to California service center.
got an interim EAD while I was waiting for my EAD to be processed. I filed it online hoping that it will be the same processing. The thing is that if you e-file online, you have to wait for the appoval of your application. In short, it won't do you good if you're in a hurry getting that permit. They give me a 90-day interim EAD because I have a pending I-485 application filed in the San Francisco District Office. I will suggest to go to the office instead of mailing or e-filing it.
I went to San Jose (CA) office and got the interim EAD. Following is my experience." I and my wife went to San Jose Office on 20th Nov 2003. This was actually 91st day from my recipt date of both I-485 and I-765. Reached there at 7 O clock and found around 50 people ahead of me in the line. Got in at around 8, got a token. I was called at 9. The officer asked me for the filled out application forms, receipt notices and then asked about my I-140. I told him that my I-140 along with my I-485 and I-765 is pending. He asked me for copy of my I-140 receipt notice.
We filed for an EAD renewal to VSC on Jan 30th 2004. Apparently we did not check how much VSC was back logged. EAD was expiring on 8th of April. When the Employer asked for a renewed EAD, we checked the status & realized the seriousness. We took an appointment with the local Tampa USCIS on March 19th (49th day of filing EAD). We showed all the documents to the officer, she did not allow me to utter a single word. She gave me an appointment for March 24th for Interim EAD. On March 24th Local USCIS issued an interim EAD in 10 mintues for 8 months.
As I got my approval/551 stamp this week, I thought it would be best to share some experience to help others; This may be applicable in Texas and
Atlanta, so read with caution and use accordingly.
Texas SC
485 rcpt date 2/2002
FP done 4/2003
Approved 5/2004
My online status never changed, except when approved (No change during FP etc). This may help some who are worried like me when online status never changed.
WASHINGTON — The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) deployed 14 additional field representatives to territories across the country this week. The field representatives serve as liaisons between the nearly 9,000 U.S. schools that enroll international students and SEVP. The program, housed within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), certifies schools to enroll international students and protects national security by overseeing those students for compliance with U.S. laws.
WASHINGTON— Due to the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson has announced his decision to designate Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. As a result, eligible nationals of Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone who are currently residing in the United States may apply for TPS with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The following topics were discussed in today's community conference call. The video is attached below. Discussed: Abandonment of Green Card, OPT to H-1 change delay, immigration consequences of criminal conviction for misdemeanor (petty offense exception), N-470 to maintain residence, EB-2 filing, Investing in stocks while on H-1, delays and difficulty in entering the USA -- TRIP, H-4 visa stamping, getting married to a US Citizen while on H-1, marriage certificate, immigration reform, CSPA, Cross chargeability, Unpaid leave on H-1, H-1 visa stamping, NOIR for multiple H-1 filing through related companies, frequency of visits on B visa, employment verification letters in PERM.
On November 20, 2014, the President announced a series of executive actions to crack down on illegal immigration at the border, prioritize deporting felons not families, and require certain undocumented immigrants to pass a criminal background check and pay taxes in order to temporarily stay in the U.S. without fear of deportation.
For updates, see my blog page on Obama's Immigration Action.
Takeaway points for legal immigration from President Obama’s executive action:
1. USCIS is “about to” publish the final rule on H-4 work authorization. That will make it possible for certain spouses of H-1 holders to get work authorization.
2. Improving employment-based green card backlogs by:
a. Making visa issuance more efficient so no immigrant visas are wasted;
b. Providing for better AC21 rules and other ways to keep immigrant visas intact after a change of jobs. USCIS will clarify what constitutes “same or similar” job so that AC21 will not stop workers from getting promotions or even changing to related jobs within their field. USCIS must clear the path to career progression for green card applicants.
3. Expandingfurther the OPT time for STEM students, but creating tighter control on which universities/schools/degrees are eligible and ensure local workers are protected (Implement some sort of a “mini PERM?”).
4. Creating opportunities for foreign “inventors, researchers and founders of start-up” companies to come to the USA through an existing program called “National Interest Waiver.” Unfortunately for India, this is an EB-2 category program requiring several years of wait. But the following parole program will help:
a. Creating a parole (which is usually a temporary, but very quick measure and could eventually lead to a green card) program so that on a case-by-case bases, “inventors, researchers and founders of start-up” companies can be brought quickly into the USA where:
i.They have raised financing in the USA; OR
ii.Otherwise hold the promise of innovation and job creation through development of new technologies OR cutting edge research
5. Creating guidelines for exceptionally qualified or advanced degreed individuals to come to the USA through an existing program called “National Interest Waiver.” As noted, unfortunately for India, this is an EB-2 category program requiring several years of wait. But the parole option above could be helpful.
6. Providing clear guidance on L-1B program as to who can qualify.