September 2018 filers

[mikeynyc]

Actually just checked my USCIS account and the no activity notifications have been turned on but I have never received any emails or texts. Weird?

this is the exact same situation with me... no "no activity" notifications even though i have that turned on

[Misspaige]

Aww sorry that sucks! Although you never know, things can just start moving quickly.
Just curious regarding your background check: do you have a “common” name or lived in many places?

It's my husband's application but his name is not so common. He has lived in many places though lol young and always moving around for school, work etc so maybe that will add to the background check processing time!

[nycfiler3]

Thank you for bringing that up. I just now called USCIS to make sure about the I-130 and it did in fact merge with the other petitions. But we got some crappy news.... the background is not complete and no one has even started to work on the case.

Aww sorry that sucks! Although you never know, things can just start moving quickly.
Just curious regarding your background check: do you have a “common” name or lived in many places?

[huyhoangvn]

Just call periodically to make sure the I-130 joins your I-485.
By the way, approval of your combo card depends entirely on your background checks. The interview, on the other hand, does not. USCIS may schedule your interview even if your background checks are not finished.

I'm wondering if this is the reason why they no longer issue interim EAD.

[Dianis]

Cool, I see that you added your timeline to your signature. Does your receipt for the I-130 start with MSC? That is the national benefits center. You sent your I-130 first and then, a month later, your I-485. And that is fine. You may want to call and ask a Level 2 officer, or even make an Infopass appointment to speak to an Immigration Officer; to make sure that your I-130 file joins your I-485. Sometimes people get to the interview, and the I-485 is at the field office, but the I-130 is still at the Service Center. It is just good practice to track them down and make sure the two files are put together as concurrently filed.

Let me know if that made sense.

Best,

USCFFS

PS: Your case should start moving forward soon. Make sure that you sign up for an account on these two sites:
https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do (this one links to the case tracker app)
https://myaccount.uscis.dhs.gov/

Thanks for this info, I just activated notifications and waiting for tomorrow to call and track my case 🛃

[Chrissy1234]

By the way, approval of your combo card depends entirely on your background checks. The interview, on the other hand, does not. USCIS may schedule your interview even if your background checks are not finished.

This is what I thought, but... then what's the time between the combo card approval/receipt and the 'ready to schedule for an interview'?
Is the file just laying on a pile on someone's desk to by luck to be picked up at some point to signal to the local office that it's ready for an interview?

[UScitizenFilingforspouse]

Thank you for bringing that up. I just now called USCIS to make sure about the I-130 and it did in fact merge with the other petitions. But we got some crappy news.... the background is not complete and no one has even started to work on the case.

Just call periodically to make sure the I-130 joins your I-485.
By the way, approval of your combo card depends entirely on your background checks. The interview, on the other hand, does not. USCIS may schedule your interview even if your background checks are not finished.

[huyhoangvn]

Thank you for bringing that up. I just now called USCIS to make sure about the I-130 and it did in fact merge with the other petitions. But we got some crappy news.... the background is not complete and no one has even started to work on the case.

The background check can take quite a long time to finish depending on the field office I guess. My PD is 08/01 but still no update about the background check.

[Misspaige]

Cool, I see that you added your timeline to your signature. Does your receipt for the I-130 start with MSC? That is the national benefits center. You sent your I-130 first and then, a month later, your I-485. And that is fine. You may want to call and ask a Level 2 officer, or even make an Infopass appointment to speak to an Immigration Officer; to make sure that your I-130 file joins your I-485. Sometimes people get to the interview, and the I-485 is at the field office, but the I-130 is still at the Service Center. It is just good practice to track them down and make sure the two files are put together as concurrently filed.

Let me know if that made sense.

Best,

USCFFS

PS: Your case should start moving forward soon. Make sure that you sign up for an account on these two sites:
https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do (this one links to the case tracker app)
https://myaccount.uscis.dhs.gov/

Thank you for bringing that up. I just now called USCIS to make sure about the I-130 and it did in fact merge with the other petitions. But we got some crappy news.... the background is not complete and no one has even started to work on the case.

[huyhoangvn]

We are signed up for the email and mobile notifications but I'm just clearly obsessing haha the job offer should be coming soon. Taking a lot of phone interviews so far but no offers yet.

Once you get the offer, tell the company to give you plenty of time in case the EAD won't come on time. Expedition takes a lot of time and very unpredictable outcome. Many people got rejected.

[UScitizenFilingforspouse]

Thank you I was unable to find where to add signature! That would be amazing to receive an interview that soon.

Cool, I see that you added your timeline to your signature. Does your receipt for the I-130 start with MSC? That is the national benefits center. You sent your I-130 first and then, a month later, your I-485. And that is fine. You may want to call and ask a Level 2 officer, or even make an Infopass appointment to speak to an Immigration Officer; to make sure that your I-130 file joins your I-485. Sometimes people get to the interview, and the I-485 is at the field office, but the I-130 is still at the Service Center. It is just good practice to track them down and make sure the two files are put together as concurrently filed.

Let me know if that made sense.

Best,

USCFFS

PS: Your case should start moving forward soon. Make sure that you sign up for an account on these two sites:
https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do (this one links to the case tracker app)

https://myaccount.uscis.dhs.gov/

[Misspaige]

Please take a moment to edit your signature (under settings), and enter your timeline and field office. It is easier to help you and answer your questions if we are able to see your timeline and field office.

I clicked through your posts. Your field office Buffalo, NY. It is not a very busy field office. I know of a few people who got their interview around the 5 month mark. You filed in September 2018. So your interview should take place some time in February or March, maybe even in April.

Thank you I was unable to find where to add signature! That would be amazing to receive an interview that soon.

[UScitizenFilingforspouse]

Actually just checked my USCIS account and the no activity notifications have been turned on but I have never received any emails or texts. Weird?

Please take a moment to edit your signature (under settings), and enter your timeline and field office. It is easier to help you and answer your questions if we are able to see your timeline and field office.

I clicked through your posts. Your field office Buffalo, NY. It is not a very busy field office. I know of a few people who got their interview around the 5 month mark. You filed in September 2018. So your interview should take place some time in February or March, maybe even in April.

[Misspaige]

I have observed that updates tend to occur around the Tools Outage that takes place twice a month. Typically, these tools outage happen on or around the 5th and 20th of every month.

It is also helpful to have the "No activity" notifications turned on. You will get a bi-weekly email letting you know that "We are still reviewing your case and there are no updates at this time. We last took action on your case on MM/DD/YY". While these emails may seem pointless at first, they are actually quite helpful. You will not get one when they are working on your case. So let's say that on the second Thursday of the month, you do not get the email. Then, after the next 2 week cycle, you will eventually get one letting you know that there are no updates at this time BUT the "We last took action on your case" date will be different. Those are "soft" updates. You can actually call USCIS and ask what is the most recent action they took.

Best,

USCFFS

Actually just checked my USCIS account and the no activity notifications have been turned on but I have never received any emails or texts. Weird?

[Misspaige]

It happens quite randomly. There's no fix time frame for them to update things. Better off signing up for email and mobile notification and just forget about it. I'm tired of waiting for the EAD/AP too. Got a job offer but can't work and my checking account is getting slimmer and slimmer. Request for expedition doesn't seem to help much. They don't really care.

We are signed up for the email and mobile notifications but I'm just clearly obsessing haha the job offer should be coming soon. Taking a lot of phone interviews so far but no offers yet.

- - - Updated - - -

I have observed that updates tend to occur around the Tools Outage that takes place twice a month. Typically, these tools outage happen on or around the 5th and 20th of every month.

It is also helpful to have the "No activity" notifications turned on. You will get a bi-weekly email letting you know that "We are still reviewing your case and there are no updates at this time. We last took action on your case on MM/DD/YY". While these emails may seem pointless at first, they are actually quite helpful. You will not get one when they are working on your case. So let's say that on the second Thursday of the month, you do not get the email. Then, after the next 2 week cycle, you will eventually get one letting you know that there are no updates at this time BUT the "We last took action on your case" date will be different. Those are "soft" updates. You can actually call USCIS and ask what is the most recent action they took.

Best,

USCFFS

where do you sign up for the No activity notifications?