Originally Posted by nilleh

Hey everyone. I've been lurking here and on the spreadsheet since the beginning of August. My girlfriend has been going through this long process all of you have been going through, and thus by default I have been as well. I'm the person who changed all the formulas at the top of the spreadsheet a couple weeks ago. Though she's been on the google doc for awhile, here is her more detailed story. I share especially since a couple have asked about Advanced Parole.

January: Applied for Advanced Parole for a trip to Vancouver for a school presentation the end of March.

Early March: Called USCIS for a service request about AP

3/25 - (5 days before departure) Received approval for AP without biometrics ever being scheduled.

3/30 - Departed for Vancouver. We reached the border, at which time they were unfamiliar with Advanced Parole. After calling the US immigration officers and talking with them, the Canadian officer suggested we don't continue into Canada. The officer she spoke to said he would never let someone with Advanced Parole back into the US and the AP says it is up to officer discretion. Thus, we filled out a form essentially saying we changed our mind and didn't intentionally cross into Canada, stayed overnight, processed through US immigration there in Vancouver in the morning, and flew out a few hours later. Of course the whole process was filled with tears.

6/14 - Priority date. She sent in her 2nd renewal for the 821-D and I-765. We included the official AP paperwork along with all the boarding passes (to prove she left and returned within the required dates) and her letter from her professor that was used to request AP approval.

6/16 - (111 days until expiration) Information received by USCIS

6/17 - Her scans were uploaded for IOE/NSC.

8/12 - No biometrics had been scheduled yet, so a SR was submitted online. USCIS was called but the T1 was of no help.

8/27 - Biometric Appointment notice was sent to her.

9/14 - Went to scheduled biometrics appointment.

9/29 - (Day 105 from USCIS' receipt of her application, though day 104 from her scan date.) She called and the T1 rep agreed it was day 105 so submitted a SR for her.

9/30 - She called USCIS and T1 agent told her not to call back again until 30 days have passed.

10/3 - As she works at a school district, she met with her principal about the situation. He contacted HR.

10/4 - HR had missed her upcoming expiration. Now the bee hive had been kicked and everyone started scrambling to see what options there were going forward.

10/5 - (Expiration Date) At the end of the day she met with the HR director. The director called USCIS during the meeting to express the importance of maintaining my girlfriend on staff and how her students would suffer, etc and was told the EAD couldn't be expedited because of DACA and DACA can't be expedited. The agent did say, however, USCIS gives 15 days to process service requests, so she should hear back by 10/14. My girlfriend had to submit a letter of resignation, though she was told they would be willing to wait for a few weeks before seeking a replacement.

10/14 - (Day 120) At 11:00am USCIS case status updated to say the EAD card was being produced as of 10/13. As with many others, ELIS shows DACA was approved on 10/13 instead. Now of course she waits for the EAD to be produced and sent.


End result: SRs seemed to be effective in helping her case along. NILC/IRLC, congressman, etc were going to be contacted at the end of the day yesterday, but her approval came before those steps were taken.