The final rule, Notices of Decisions and Documents Evidencing Lawful Status, published on Oct. 29, 2014, is effective today, Jan. 27, 2015. This rule amends regulations governing when USCIS will:
an applicant, petitioner, or requester, and/or an attorney of record or accredited representative.
Beginning today, 27 January 2015, USCIS will follow the following policies in sending out notices, approved documents etc.
1. When unrepresented, notice to the applicant only. USCIS will send notices only to the applicant or petitioner when the applicant or petitioner is unrepresented. (8 CFR 103.2(b)(19)(i)).
The Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) conducts administrative review of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers’ decisions regarding immigration benefit requests in order to promote consistency and accuracy in the interpretation of immigration law and policy. We have appellate jurisdiction over approximately fifty different types of immigration applications and petitions.
My timeline:
eb3, priority date June 2002
RFE on 485 for self March 2005, spouse a couple of weeks later.
Replied to RFE beginning of May. Received notice on June 8 that our case was transferred to Cincinnati, Ohio
Made infopass appointment to visit Columbus and was told that Cincinnati was the office that received files from the service center and that Cincinnati would forward the files to Columbus.