Extension Application Receipt Date

[jimmylu]

Hi all,

My mom-in-law's I94 expires on Jan 17, 2017 and we filed the extension on Dec 23, 2016. We still have not heard anything from USCIS and then realized that the fee was increased on Dec 23, 2016 and we included the check with the wrong amount.

Here is my question: I know that a person needs a receipt to stay beyond I-94 expiration date. But which does USCIS consider as the receipt date? The date that the application package was postmarked/received, or the date that they actually review and confirm the application is complete?

I am asking only because we are thinking of re-applying now. The application will arrive at USCIS but unlikely to be reviewed before the expiration date.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

[newacct]

The "received date" will be no later than 1 or 2 days after the mail was physically delivered to them, at the latest. It takes a while to get the receipt, but as long as you are sure the mail has been delivered to them (and if you filed that early there's no way that it hasn't, unless it was lost, as mail doesn't take more than a few days), then you can rest assured that when you get the receipt, the received date will be before the I-94 expiry.