Topic: So... did I get it or not?

I would not worry about these USCIS e-mail notification and online case status 'discrepancies'. When my and my wife's and daughter's permanent residency was recently approved I received a number of 'back and forth', seemly contradictory, e-mail notifications, and we receive our permanent residency "green" cards in the mail in a few days. Our online case statuses also went directly from "Acceptance" to "Card Production". I was told this is 'normal', and just peculiarities of the USCIS automated notification system. I would think you are good, and should reasonably expect to receive your permanent residency "green" card in the mail shortly.

Topic: applying for AOS

[quote=berde;8992]Need some advise. My wife PD is now current and we are on the process of completing the I-485. I been on H4 and been working for 5 years now. I pay tax, medicare, SS and file income tax return every year. My question is, do I have to state it on the form that i am working even though H4 is not allowed to work or should I leave it blank? Thank you.[/quote] Since you have clearly violated the law with significant unauthorized, illegal employment, you may be facing significant negative consequences, including denial of your immigration petition, deportation, many year entry ban. Payment and filing of taxes, etc. does not matter, and does not excuse unauthorized, illegal employment. Further, falsifying information on an immigration application, including omitting information is a serious fraud. Your only choice at this point is to consult with a qualified, experienced immigration attorney before proceeding with your I-485 adjustment of status application. An attorney may know of some option, but I would not get your hopes up.

Topic: i-485 processing time - USCIS estimate vs reality

Myself, my wife, and my daughter received our permanent residency visas ("green cards") in the mail today (February 24, 2014) [smile]. Our I-485 adjustment of status applications were filed at the Texas Service Center (TSC) with a receipt date of October 17, 2013. I received the USCIS case status update (e-mail notification) of approval and card production on February 14. So our processing and approval was almost exactly 4 months (in accordance with the published process times). I would have posted this information last week, but I wanted to wait until we physically received our actual "green cards" so not to 'jinx' anything. After soooo long, a little superstition and caution are not bad things.

Topic: EB3 I485, Preadjucated?

A pre-adjudicated I-485 adjustment of status (AoS) application happens when a person's priority date becomes current and they file their I-485 AoS application, and then while it is being processed by the USCIS and before a permanent residency visa number is received from the Department of State, the Visa Bulletin cut-off date (for their preference category and country of chargeability) regresses and their priority date is no longer current. In that situation (which happened a lot following the July 2007 Visa Bulletin and with EB2 India) their I-485 AoS application is pre-adjudicated and then waits for their priority date to become current again and get a permanent residency visa number. The final processing of their I-485 AoS application is based on their priority date. For other person's whose priority date becomes current and they file their I-485 AoS application and their priority date remains current, their I-485 AoS application is processed based on the date it was received by the USCIS. It is not processed based on their priority date.

Topic: Fingerprints appointment: can we choose the date/location

IMO, I would wait until you receive your biometrics appointment letter from the USCIS (which will be ~2-4 weeks after your I-485 adjustment of status (AoS) application has been received by the USCIS). The scheduled date will be several days to a couple weeks from when you receive the biometrics appointment letter. At that point you could call the USCIS location and ask if you can do an early walk-in instead of the scheduled appointment. Note: Preference is given to scheduled appointments so it can be a couple hours wait time to get your biometrics done as a walk-in. Since biometrics are done in the first 4-6 weeks after your I-485 AoS application has been received, they generally do not impact the overall processing time, which is typically ~4 months for approval of your permanent residency visa (green card).

Topic: Fingerprints appointment: can we choose the date/location

I doubt the USCIS does biometrics appointments on Saturdays. I believe they are done during normal business hours Monday - Friday. They are also closed for federal government holidays. I believe the location is the closest to the applicant's (residential) address.

Topic: Fingerprints appointment: can we choose the date/location

You cannot chose the biometrics appointment date, time, and location. After your I-485 adjustment of status (AoS) application has been filed and you have a receipt date and receipt number, then in ~2-4 weeks you will receive a letter in the mail from the USCIS with your biometrics appointment (stating the date, time, and location). In other words, yes, the USCIS assigns you a date, time, and location for your biometrics appointment. If you call the USCIS after you receive your biometrics appointment to ask to have it rescheduled, then they will assign another data and time, but you still do not get to choose it. Also, rescheduling your biometrics appointment only serves to delay adjudicating your I-485 AoS application. You need to make whatever arrangements are necessary so to go to your scheduled biometrics appointment. (As an example, for my daughter she had to reschedule an university exam, and I drove the 2 hours to pick her up from school and the drove her back after our biometrics appointment.)

Topic: File ASAP for I-485?

Once you have filed your I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (AoS), and an accompanying I-765, Application for Employment Authorization (EAD), and I-131, Application for Travel Document (advance parole, AP) -- and the I-485 AoS application has been received by the USCIS (given a receipt date) -- you cannot travel outside the U.S. [u]until[/u] the I-131 AP application has been approved and you have received the I-512 Advance Parole. If you travel outside the U.S. while your I-485 AoS application is pending (has a receipt date, but not approved) without an approved I-512 Advanced Parole, then your AoS application will be abandoned and void. With respect to dates and processing times ... The I-485 AoS applications, and the other applications, will be given a receipt date within 24 to 48 hours of the package arriving at the USCIS Service Center. In other words, if you file your applications with all the required and supporting documentation in January, you can expect that the applications will have receipt dates before your family event in the beginning of February. The I-131 AP application will take anywhere from 45 days up to 120 days for approval and receipt of the I-512 Advance Parole. This means that if you file your I-485 AoS and other applications in January you will not be able to travel outside the U.S. in the beginning of February for your family event without abandoning your AoS application. (You will not be able to travel outside the U.S. for ~6 weeks up to 4 months.) Your options are to delay filing your I-485 AoS and other applications until after you return from your family event and hope that your priority date remains current in the February 2014 Visa Bulletin (probably will for EB3-ROW), or file your I-485 AoS and other applications in January and forgo your family event in the beginning of February.

Topic: File ASAP for I-485?

Your priority date (PD) does not expire, and you are not required to file an adjustment of status application the first month your priority date becomes current. An adjustment of status application can be filed at any time if the associated priority date is earlier than the current cut off date. In other words, as long as the cut off date published in the monthly Visa Bulletin remains the same or advances you can file an adjustment of status application. An issue arises if the cut off date regresses. In which case you could find that your priority date is no longer current, and thus you cannot file an adjustment of status application.

Topic: File ASAP for I-485?

The cutoff dates in the January 2014 Visa Bulletin are valid between January 1, 2014 and January 31, 2014. You should try to have your I-485 adjustment of status application and all the required and supporting documentation submitted to the USCIS (Service Center) by your lawyer by the middle of January to make sure it is received before the end of the month.