Firstly, your website is simply superb and answers from Amazon are truly Amazing, both in speed and clarity. Keep it up :). I have a few queries: Is the I-485 filed for both EB and FB categories? If yes, is I-485 filed immediately once the PD becomes current? (for instance, if all f2a dates become current in Aug/Sep VB, do all the applicants for the two years until June 2013 fill I-485 immediately? in such a case, does the waiting period get longer at I-485 stage because there are too many applicants?) After I-485 is filed, what is the processing time for CSC? According to the CSC website, processing time frame for I-130 corresponding to F2A is September 23, 2011. What does this mean? Is it the same as PD date or is it anything else? Lastly, IF retrogression takes place, does it mean all PDs before September 2012 will be issued green card as soon as I-485s are processed at the service centers? I saw somehwere that f2a has three stages - USCIS, respective Service Center and then local consular office in the applicant's country. If yes, in the current scenario, for f2a applicants in 2012, what is the time to receive a gc? Thanks.

[quote=newtofbforum;76]Firstly, your website is simply superb and answers from Amazon are truly Amazing, both in speed and clarity. Keep it up :).[/quote] Thank you :) [quote] I have a few queries: Is the I-485 filed for both EB and FB categories? [/quote] Yes, if the applicants are inside US. Else they would have to go to US embassy. [quote] If yes, is I-485 filed immediately once the PD becomes current?[/quote] You can file I-485 anytime as long as PD is current. [quote] (for instance, if all f2a dates become current in Aug/Sep VB, do all the applicants for the two years until June 2013 fill I-485 immediately?[/quote] It depends on individual applicant when they want to file the application. [quote] in such a case, does the waiting period get longer at I-485 stage because there are too many applicants?)[/quote] If USCIS receives a lot of application, it could increase the processing time. [quote] After I-485 is filed, what is the processing time for CSC? According to the CSC website, processing time frame for I-130 corresponding to F2A is September 23, 2011. What does this mean? Is it the same as PD date or is it anything else? [/quote] It means that CSC is currently processing application with PD upto September 23, 2011. [quote] Lastly, IF retrogression takes place, does it mean all PDs before September 2012 will be issued green card as soon as I-485s are processed at the service centers?[/quote] To issue GC, PD has to be current. If it retrogress to say Sept 2012, only applicants before that PD could be eligible. [quote] I saw somehwere that f2a has three stages - USCIS, respective Service Center and then local consular office in the applicant's country. If yes, in the current scenario, for f2a applicants in 2012, what is the time to receive a gc? Thanks.[/quote] Please see this article for full details on I-485 application: http://blog.mygcvisa.com/2013/04/how-to-file-i-485-application.html

Thanks for all the replies. Is the processing time at USCIS different from the time taken in the service center? Suppose, an individual's PD becomes current in August 2013 VB, he/she can file for I-485 any day starting from August 1, 2013 right? After that, is it 4 months at USCIS and then another 4 or 8 months at the service centers or is it 4 months in total for gc to be issued? Before that, one more question - once PD becomes current, does USCIS notify the applicants in email or phone or normal post intimating that we can go ahead and file I-485 or is it the applicant's prerogative to check for updates on USCIS website and file I-485? Are I-485s approved on a 'first come first serve' basis or are they approved in the chronological order of PDs? Further, regarding the I-485 application, I did go through the article provided. Can you please let me know approx. processing time at California Service Center? (The article mentions average I-485 processing time as 4 months in NSC and 8 months in TSC.) Since there is no I-485 inventory published for FB category, where and how can we look at figures for F2A applications/speed of clearance etc?

[quote=newtofbforum;79]Thanks for all the replies. Is the processing time at USCIS different from the time taken in the service center? Suppose, an individual's PD becomes current in August 2013 VB, he/she can file for I-485 any day starting from August 1, 2013 right? After that, is it 4 months at USCIS and then another 4 or 8 months at the service centers or is it 4 months in total for gc to be issued?[/quote] The 4-8 months is the TOTAL processing time by USCIS to make a decision on the application. Actually it is average processing time. Some could be faster or slower. [quote] Before that, one more question - once PD becomes current, does USCIS notify the applicants in email or phone or normal post intimating that we can go ahead and file I-485 or is it the applicant's prerogative to check for updates on USCIS website and file I-485?[/quote] If you are filing I-485 application, you have to send those documents to USCIS. If you are doing consular processing the local embassy will schedule the interview. See section "Visa Interview" in this link: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1306.html [quote] Are I-485s approved on a 'first come first serve' basis or are they approved in the chronological order of PDs? [/quote] Neither. Each case is unique. Depending on USCIS officer working on the case, it could take shorter or longer to make a decision. [quote] Further, regarding the I-485 application, I did go through the article provided. Can you please let me know approx. processing time at California Service Center? (The article mentions average I-485 processing time as 4 months in NSC and 8 months in TSC.) [/quote] You can find the latest processing time here: https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processTimesDisplayInit.do [quote] Since there is no I-485 inventory published for FB category, where and how can we look at figures for F2A applications/speed of clearance etc? [/quote] You can find it here: http://travel.state.gov/visa/statistics/ivstats/ivstats_4581.html

Hi, thanks for the reply. Just wanted to get a fundamental doubt clarified - if the beneficiary is not in the US, is the I-485 step not there once PD becomes current? (As in, does the embassy in my country process my papers once my PD becomes current?)

If you are outside US, you have to go for consular processing. If you are inside US, you can either file I-485 application or you can go for consular processing. http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1306.html

Thanks a lot for the reply.