Originally Posted by sunflwrgrl13

Are the processing times for I-485s the exception to the rule?? I ask because for those of us still pending, most of us had our applications forwarded to MSC from the local office. So most of us, I believe, are going by the processing times listed for our local office, since the MSC does not publish any processing times for the I-485s (as yet).

Originally Posted by sunflwrgrl13

So how do you explain that I watched the processing times for our local office jump from May 2004 back to Nov. 2003 and at this time they are still only processing Dec. 2003?? However, we filed in June 2004 and our interview is next week. That's 6 months ahead of the processing and not within that 1 month window. With that type of inaccuracy, how can any of us even dare try to guess when we think our case might be overdue?!?

Or should we only treat the Service Center processing times as being accurate and not the local offices? I suppose our local office could be an exception in that it isn't very accurate publishing processsing times.

Originally Posted by sphyrapicus

Penguin,

Looking at your timeline, you state that you received an I-797 NOA notifying you of your approved I-751. I-797s are usually not used (at least they haven't been for the last couple of years) to notify a petitioner of a successful I-751.

Here's what my approval letter said (on plain white paper - no letterhead, no color):

United States Department of Justice
Immigration and Naturalization Service

Notice of Removal of Conditional Basis of Lawful Permanent Residence

File Number: ***-***-***
Date of Decision: 06/23/2004
New Classification Symbol: IR6
Admission Date: 07/16/2001

Your request for the removal of the conditional basis of your permanent resident status has been approved. You are deemed to be a lawful permanent resident of the United States as of the date of your original admission or adjustment of status.

You must obtain a new alien registration receipt card (Form I-551). To do so, appear in person at the Service Office shown below. Bring your passport and three recent photos of the same type as on your present alien card (if needed, exact specifications may be obtained from the Service office shown below). Your new alien registration receipt card will be mailed to you within six months. You should not travel outside the United States before receiving your new card unless you have first received a passport endorsement from this Service indicating that your new card is being processed.

INS OFFICE:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
U.S. IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION
JF KENNEDY FED BLDG
J.F.K. FEDERAL BLDG.
ROOM E-160
BOSTON MA 022030000


Sincerely,

Evelyn Upchurch
DIRECTOR

Originally Posted by NC Penguin

Well, it might be interesting for you to see the letter I received notifying me of my I-751 approval.

The top of the letter is attached. The body of the letter is identical to sphyrapicus except that the Charlotte office address is given.

Note: the top righthand corner of the letterhead is marked, "I-797 Notice of Action".

Originally Posted by sphyrapicus

Very interesting Penguin. Even more strange is that my approval letter also came from TSC. Quite odd indeed.

Originally Posted by Trent

From what I understand, I-797 is a "Notice of Action" and could be sent for any letters where an "Action" is taken by USCIS triggering change of status. Action could be approval, denial, extension, etc.

Perhaps, USCIS had ran out of their I-797 forms and sent sphy the notice on a plain paper.

Originally Posted by sphyrapicus

I don't think so. Penguin is the first person I've heard of that received an I-751 approval on I-797 NOA letterhead.

Originally Posted by Trent

From what I understand, I-797 is a "Notice of Action" and could be sent for any letters where an "Action" is taken by USCIS triggering change of status. Action could be approval, denial, extension, etc.

Congratulations again to Penguin! It is great to know that USCIS is working even faster than their own published processing dates.

Perhaps, USCIS had ran out of their I-797 forms and sent sphy the notice on a plain paper.