USCIS ELIS Change of Status from H4 to F1

[jiteshdesai]

My wife currently on H4 got an admit for a Top 50 MBA Program and hence we applied for a COS from H4 to F1 using USCIS ELIS.  We paid the fees and the amount got deducted from the credit card.

 

However, there are some unusual things happening with our application:

 

1. We never got any confirmation notice by post nor email.

2. Although the receipt ID got generated, we cannot find the status of the application in "USCIS Check My Status"

3. The status of the application in USCIS ELIS still shows as Accepted.  Usually it turns Optimized on the day of the application (Note:  There are 4 status on ELIS: (DRAFT, SUBMITTED, ACCEPTED, OPTIMIZED, CLOSED, REOPENED).  Out status, after 2 months still shows as Accepted in USCIS ELIS with no status on USCIS Check my Case Status.

4. We cant even see I-539 Snapshot against the application.  When the receipt ID got generated first, there was snapshot link in the confirmation message on the screen,  But against the case status, we cant access I-539 snapshot

 

We have reached out to USCIS L2,  L2 confirmed that they have the application, but when we raised the service request through them that we have not received the confirmation notice, we got the message on the service request from USCIS California Center that "USCIS doe not have any record for our I-539"  We even called up ELIS Helpdesk, but they were not able toa answer as to whats the issue.  So in a nutshell, we are getting the message from L2 Customer service that they have my application, but the processing center is saying that they do not have the records

 

We are almost certain that there is a technical glitch because one of my wife's friends did the same procedure one month after ours and she got the status as Optimized on same day, she is able to check here status as "Initial Review" on USCIS Check my Case Status AND she received a confirmation notice by mail

 

We are extremely nervous now since it is almost two months since we submitted and our H Visas expire in Oct and program begins in August

 

Any advise/suggestions/experiences in this regard will be highly appreciated.

[t75]

Exit the US for stamping

[DiyaRajan]

Hi,

 

I am in a same boat now. Any updates on your case. If I call the service center they are saying they are seeing my application. But not the Processing center. Please update.

[jiteshdesai]

We were advised not to leave US for stamping.  However, in mid-June USCIS accepted that there was an issue in the system and we were able to get the receipt notice in mid-June.  But further complications have happened and ALL IS USCIS fault.  First, they put the application in queue at Vermont Service Center and we kept on asking them and they said that it is awaiting an adjudication officer.  Also, from mid-June to July first week, we were able to see our application in USCIS Check My Case Status with filing date as April 29.  After that the date changed to Jul 3 with ELIS status as optimized.

 

We did not get any decision by August (4 months since application).  We again contacted USCIS and they came back saying now the application is with California Service Center.  Now we are in September and whats worse, the date of filing in USCIS Check my Case Status in September 10.  We applied in April 29 and are still waiting for the decision and USCIS is engaging in unethical tactics online by deferring our submission dates online in USCIS Check My Case Status AND USCIS ELIS Portal

 

The moral of the story is that if your luck is bad, your USCIS ELIS Application will not even reach USCIS after submission

 

TIP:  For all future applications that take in place in USCIS ELIS, make sure that the case gets Optimized within couple of days. Thats usually how it should work.  The status should change from Accepted to Optimized within few days.  If not, please keep calling them because it is perfectly possible that there is system issue.  My wife's friend applied a month later and she got her case optimized within couple of days and she got her status in exactly 3 months

 

Request any feedback/suggestions in this regard.