Received EAD/AP Combo card

[istrategist]

Since we had a big delay with my wife's AP (over 100 days) resulting in her not being able to renew her driver's license before it expired, I applied for my EAD and AP exactly 120 days before my EAD was going to expire in May.

- Paper filing (since I've never been asked for FP this way)
- Applied to TSC, but they transferred it to VSC
- Received online status updates earlier this week saying both had been approved.
- Received a combo card today.

Could not be more pleased - got a 2 year combo card starting after my current EAD expires in May!

Am EB3I and since I still have a wait ahead of me, this consolation prize was most welcome

[spaceguy]

Originally Posted by istrategist

Since we had a big delay with my wife's AP (over 100 days) resulting in her not being able to renew her driver's license before it expired, I applied for my EAD and AP exactly 120 days before my EAD was going to expire in May.

- Paper filing (since I've never been asked for FP this way)
- Applied to TSC, but they transferred it to VSC
- Received online status updates earlier this week saying both had been approved.
- Received a combo card today.

Could not be more pleased - got a 2 year combo card starting after my current EAD expires in May!

Am EB3I and since I still have a wait ahead of me, this consolation prize was most welcome

How much you paid for AP and EAD together.
Is there any monetary benefit by getting combo card ?

My EAD expires in Sep 2012 and I do not have AP now.
I want to apply a combo card and trying to know any benefit by applying a combo card

[sanju_dba]

Congratulations.
I am pulling up my sleeves to apply for renewing mine today.
Do I need to send my both EAD and AP application together? One cheque?
Can you tell what all docs you sent?

[transformer25]

Congrats, istrategist. I am considering doing the same. I have a few questions.

1. How long did it take for your application to get approved?
2. Did you send a single check for $740 or separate payments in same envelope?
3. 3. Do I have to file 2 copies of all supporting docs or 1 is fine?
4. Is all that you do is file both EAD & AP in the same envelope or I need to do something different?
5. I have had paper based AP/EAD before, wih no need for finger printing. Can you confirm that I still won't have to do fingerprinting with a combo app.

[istrategist]

I paid the usual fees of EAD and AP on separate checks.

Last time I applied for EAD and AP separately, I received a 2 year EAD but one year AP, so by that logic the benefit is the filing fees for AP for year 2.

And then there's the fact that you have one less document to worry about.

Originally Posted by spaceguy

How much you paid for AP and EAD together.
Is there any monetary benefit by getting combo card ?

My EAD expires in Sep 2012 and I do not have AP now.
I want to apply a combo card and trying to know any benefit by applying a combo card

[istrategist]

I created each application separately, two separate checks and put them in one envelope with one cover letter and one email / SMS update form.
On the cover letter, I had this para:
"Please approve the above mentioned applications with a two-year validity period since visa numbers for my category (EB3-India) has retrogressed and is unavailable for my priority date, according to the most recent Department of State Visa Bulletin."

Docs:
1. Form
2. Check
3. Photographs
4. Copy of prior EAD
5. Copy of 485
6. Copy of 140 showing PD
7. Copy of Passport page with photo and biographic info.

All the best!

Originally Posted by sanju_dba

Congratulations.
I am pulling up my sleeves to apply for renewing mine today.
Do I need to send my both EAD and AP application together? One cheque?
Can you tell what all docs you sent?

[istrategist]

1. Took little under a month (sent to TSC, but they routed it to VSC)
2. Two separate checks - just as if they were separate filings
3. I had two copies, since I created two stand alone applications - one for EAD other for AP
4. I just put both in the same envelope, did not ask for a combo card (since many posters here complained that they received combo cards with 1 year validity)
5. I did paper filing since I had never been asked for FP in the past with paper filings. Same this time - they did not send me FP notice.

All the best!

Originally Posted by transformer25

Congrats, istrategist. I am considering doing the same. I have a few questions.

1. How long did it take for your application to get approved?
2. Did you send a single check for $740 or separate payments in same envelope?
3. 3. Do I have to file 2 copies of all supporting docs or 1 is fine?
4. Is all that you do is file both EAD & AP in the same envelope or I need to do something different?
5. I have had paper based AP/EAD before, wih no need for finger printing. Can you confirm that I still won't have to do fingerprinting with a combo app.

[transformer25]

thanks for your reply, istrategist. may this journey be over soon for all of us.

[sanju_dba]

Thanks for the reply .
Did you mentioned any date for intend to travel in your AP form? A blank would be for too?
And for EAD is it still allowed to apply 120 days advance before expiry?

[istrategist]

I put June since I was planning a trip then.

EAD is still allowed 120 days before expiry of current one, which is how I timed mine

Originally Posted by sanju_dba

Thanks for the reply .
Did you mentioned any date for intend to travel in your AP form? A blank would be for too?
And for EAD is it still allowed to apply 120 days advance before expiry?

[rbalaji5]

the trick is paper file both together with a cover letter.

[Greentown]

Originally Posted by istrategist

Since we had a big delay with my wife's AP (over 100 days) resulting in her not being able to renew her driver's license before it expired, I applied for my EAD and AP exactly 120 days before my EAD was going to expire in May.

- Paper filing (since I've never been asked for FP this way)
- Applied to TSC, but they transferred it to VSC
- Received online status updates earlier this week saying both had been approved.
- Received a combo card today.

Could not be more pleased - got a 2 year combo card starting after my current EAD expires in May!

Am EB3I and since I still have a wait ahead of me, this consolation prize was most welcome

Thanks for the information.
So, since this is a combined EAD & AP, your new AP is valid only after your current EAD expired date. Am I right?

[coolngood4u80]

Guys, card production was ordered on my EAD on 02/18/2012. Do you guys know how long would it take to get the actual card? I called USCIS for tracking # and the 2nd level officer told me that my case still shows as pending and its not yet approved. But the online status shows as "Card production ordered" ..So Now I don't know who is correct...

[HypEss9]

I am going to apply EAD renewal and AP soon. In my family there will be 5 applications ( 2 EAD renewal + 3 AP). Do I need to include 5 separate checks or 2 (one for EADs and one for APs)? Do I need to write 2 cover letters for EAD and AP? Should I mention 'Combo' word in my applications? I live in TX in c(9) category so application will be routed to Lewiswille.....Please advise if you have recently filed EAD renewal....

[HypEss9]

iStrategist,

I have sent you a private message for EAD and AP, if you can look. Is there any catch for 2 years combo card....