Getting EAD info

[pkroger]

My wife if very concerned about how long it is taking to process her EAD. Our receipt date is Oct. 4, 2005, but we still haven't received her biometrics appointment (the I-797C stated that USCIS would make the appointment for us). Her EAD case was touched on Dec. 2 amd Dec. 5, but I did not receive an e-mail and the on-line status has not changed.

 

Are EAD's sent to the district offices before final approval? Is it possible to contact the district office to get info about an EAD application?

 

Thanks so much for any info.

[frank1538]

EADs shouldn't take longer than 3 months. Unless things have changed, if 3 months passes since your notice of receipt, you can make an appointment with the local office and go down and get an interim EAD. Based on your receipts date, it looks like you may have to wait until January. On the question of biometrics, I think others have tried to call for an appointment rather than waiting on USCIS. Maybe it'll work.

[yuehan123]

Some couples we know have had their biometric cases processed rapidly. Those cases were in Boston, Mass; Portland, Or; Phoenix, Az; and LA.

 

We (and at least one other) called and did not receive bioappointments. As Frank said, some called and did receive them.

 

The official gov't line is "these cases are taking 120-180 days to process. Please wait to contact us until that time."

[awch]

Add Chicago to that list. My husband recieved his biometrics appointment 4 days after recieving the NOA. (The appt itself is 16 days after the NOA).

Edited December 13, 2005 by awch (see edit history)

[NY-Viking]

Just to second what Frank said, we called and were able to schedule our biometrics appointment (for this afternoon!). We previously tried to do so and were denied, since the actual notice says we have to wait, but this time they scheduled the appointment.

 

Our receipt date is slightly later than yours, but we were getting concerned too, especially since my wife has been rejected from two jobs that I think she would have had a pretty good shot at had she had EAD. This really makes no sense. I understand the government needs time to process applications, but the EAD should be an automatic thing if you file for AOS. Why does the government want to turn down tax revenue from people looking to work legitimately within the system.

 

Anyway, remember that if it has been 3 months since the receipt date, your wife can get temporary EAD for free from the local office. She can probably use the USCIS to schedule an appointment for that, but you'll have to wait until early January (if she hasn't received the EAD before then).