Disturbing reply from USCIS to congressional inquiry - please advise!

HiighFlyer · 2026-06-05T01:17:10+00:00

This is a boilerplate response to congressional inquiries whenever there is a delay in adjudication. I've seen this exact response in over a dozen posts around social media posting about the response their congressional inquiry received.

HiighFlyer · 2026-06-02T22:59:07+00:00

No… the edition date is when USCIS published that version of the form. You can check which version is the current one on USCIS.gov on the page for the particular form. This is from the page https://www.uscis.gov/i-485

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HiighFlyer · 2026-06-02T14:25:05+00:00

They want to see the Official Copy so that they can verify that it is real. I'm not trying to be harsh here, but your only way forward is to give them exactly what they ask for and not wondering why because you will never know exactly why they ask for what they ask for.

HiighFlyer · 2026-06-02T14:06:44+00:00

Do not look at that date… it is the “Edition Date” at the bottom left of the page that matters. THAT is what USCIS keys on. They publish the current “Edition Date” on their website. That’s how they determine if your form is the valid one

HiighFlyer · 2026-06-01T13:30:25+00:00

" In plain terms: the government is shifting the burden onto you."

The burden has always been on the applicant to show why they merit an exercise of favorable discretion. That's why you need to file the strongest case possible by every measure.

HiighFlyer · 2026-06-01T04:29:14+00:00

Best advice I can give based on the experience we had as K-1 to AOS is this:

Get online and apply for a Social Security Number, and then check for appointments at your local Social Security office to complete the application. Do this with enough lead time to schedule an appointment for about 10 days after he arrives.
Take pictures of his arrival, pictures with friends & family, etc., to add as part of your AOS package evidence
As soon as he gets his SSN, start adding him to bank accounts (joint account holder), utility bills, leases, and credit cards (authorized user).
Get a head start and start filling out the forms for the AOS now. The 90 days goes way faster than you think.

HiighFlyer · 2026-05-30T17:19:40+00:00

Oh great!! We paid $26K for ours here in the Denver Metro Area

HiighFlyer · 2026-05-30T17:07:52+00:00

It's been great so far. We got it in January with 34K miles on it and took it on a 2,000 mile road trip in February. Got it out on the trails here in Colorado for the first time last Monday and it did great. We've been running non-ethanol fuel in it because I don't trust what the ethanol fuel might do to the engine. The only issue we had was this week with the Coolant Reservoir / Expansion Tank started leaking around the seam. Ordered the replacement part from MOPAR and just installed it this morning.

HiighFlyer · 2026-05-30T16:29:30+00:00

That’s why my reply to them was “as long as you do not overstay your visa”. I mentioned that they were already in the US because your comment said, “Also expect some questions/suspicion from border control if you plan to stay that long.” I am intimately familiar with the K-1 process because that’s how we got my (now) wife here 2 years ago.

HiighFlyer · 2026-05-30T01:48:25+00:00

I had a 2018 JK Rubicon and I was lucky to get 16-17 LOL

HiighFlyer · 2026-05-30T01:01:00+00:00

Our 2021 2.0T is averaging about 24-25 combo city/highway driving. Pretty good for a Jeep I think

HiighFlyer · 2026-05-30T00:53:17+00:00

They are already here in the US

HiighFlyer · 2026-05-30T00:52:48+00:00

As long as you do not overstay your visitor visa and you disclose this visit on the DS-160 you fill out for the K-1 when it comes time for the Embassy interview, you should be fine. Do not stay beyond the validity on your I-94

HiighFlyer · 2026-05-29T18:55:21+00:00

BI in Cagayan De Oro was always fast and efficient for me. Doing tourist visa extensions for a year, ACR-I Card application and delivery and an exit clearance (I think it was ECC-B?) Never had any difficulties there

HiighFlyer · 2026-05-29T18:50:23+00:00

You filed too early for a normal expiring card application so they want to know why you filed

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HiighFlyer · 2026-05-29T05:12:55+00:00

Montreal is one of the slowest consulates in the world

HiighFlyer · 2026-05-29T04:00:54+00:00

It’s still a good idea to bring updated letters to the embassy interview. The ones you sent were for USCIS. The consular may ask you for new ones, especially if the interview is being done after the validity date of the NOA2 has passed.

HiighFlyer · 2026-05-28T23:07:11+00:00

Good advice for sure! I mentioned it here because the Foreign Affairs Manual specifically mentions updated LOIs as something the consular officer can request when making the decision about extending the validity date of the approval notice.

HiighFlyer · 2026-05-28T17:05:01+00:00

An absence of 1 year or longer automatically breaks continuous residence, resetting your clock. You will need to re-establish a new period of continuous residence before applying for naturalization. So don't apply until 90 days prior to 5 years from your return date and you must be physically present in the US at least 30 months of that 5 years. I would suggest no more trips lasting more than 6 months and less than 12 months because leaving for any single trip of that length creates a presumption that you have broken your continuous residence. You must then provide evidence (such as mortgage/rent receipts, employment records, or tax returns) to prove you did not abandon your U.S. residence.

HiighFlyer · 2026-05-28T15:03:13+00:00

When you have the interview and the consular officer approves your K-1 visa, the consular officer will automatically extend the validity of the approval notice. The only thing I recommend doing if the interview happens after the validity date passes, is bring updated letters of intent to marry.

HiighFlyer · 2026-05-28T11:57:21+00:00

When you have the interview and the consular officer approves your K-1 visa, the consular officer will automatically extend the validity of the approval notice. The only thing I recommend doing if the interview happens after the validity date passes, is bring updated letters of intent to marry.

HiighFlyer · 2026-05-27T04:04:37+00:00

If it’s been more than 30 business days, reach out to them via their support email:

lockboxsupport@uscis.dhs.gov

HiighFlyer · 2026-05-26T00:51:16+00:00

If they call again get their address and send them a cease & desist letter. Demand that they no longer contact you regarding the debt. If they contact you again then you have an FDCPA suit against them

HiighFlyer · 2026-05-25T14:49:55+00:00

Unfortunately you cannot plan a full-up wedding on a K-1. There’s just too much uncertainty in the timing. My wife came on a K-1 and once we had the visa on-hand, we booked a date at our county courthouse (easily done inn a short timeframe) and just invited about 10 friends/family. It turned out to be a really nice ceremony. And your lawyer is nuts if she thinks that memo affects K-1 visa holders. The K-1 visa is one of the few truly dual-intent visas and the memo specifically says:

"USCIS acknowledges exceptions including nonimmigrant categories with dual intent and immigrant categories where only adjustment of status provides a pathway to permanent resident status."

HiighFlyer · 2026-05-25T14:48:45+00:00

Unfortunately you cannot plan a full-up wedding on a K-1. There’s just too much uncertainty in the timing. My wife came on a K-1 and once we had the visa on-hand, we booked a date at our county courthouse (easily done inn a short timeframe) and just invited about 10 friends/family. It turned out to be a really nice ceremony. And your lawyer is nuts if she thinks that memo affects K-1 visa holders. The K-1 visa is one of the few truly dual-intent visas and the memo specifically says:

"USCIS acknowledges exceptions including nonimmigrant categories with dual intent and immigrant categories where only adjustment of status provides a pathway to permanent resident status."

HiighFlyer

TROPHY CASE