绿卡之路---Relink 绿宝书

背景介绍：
Timeline:

NIW @NSC:
1/07, RD, I-140
7/07, RD, I-485
8/07, ND, I-485
6/08, AD, I-140
10/09, I-485 RFE, asking for Employment Verification Letter (可能是那个时候
USCIS没事干，在pre-approve 485. 及时回了，然后没动静了，可以理解，那时排期未
到)

EB1b, TSC:
12/21/09, RD, I-140
2/12/10, AD, I-140, no PP

Relink旧485到新140:
2/23/10, Faxed Relink Request letter to NSC (402-219-6171)
2/23/10, Emailed Relink Request letter to NSC ([e-mail])
3/1/10, Emailed Relink Request letter to TSC ([e-mail])
3/8/10, I-485 RFE, “If you wish to transfer this I-485 to your newly
approved Form I-140, a request for conversion must be made in writing.”
3/12/10, I-485 RFE replied
3/16/10, USCIS received my RFE response
3/23/10, Received welcome letter email
3/24/10, Received card production ordered email
3/25/10, Received welcome letter in mail, saying GC would arrive in 3 weeks
3/29/10, Received GC in post mail



背景:
PhD from a U.S. University
Major: Civil Engineering
Publication: 15+, 90% first author
Presentation: 20+
Citation: 50+
Review: 30+ for four journals and five conferences
Award: Best student paper award, but didn’t claim
Membership: Sigma Xi  & three other professional associations (mentioned as
a support for original contribution, but didn’t claim separately)
Recommendation letter: 6 (two from Europe, one from Israel, and three from U
.S.). 多准备了三封，但律师说六封足够了。

Claim:
Original contribution
Publication
Review

几点总结（纯属个人意见）：
1．    我的case不强，希望能给大家带来希望。毕竟不是Bio, EE, 或CS，专业面比较
狭窄，发文章相对来说较难，Citation也不多。但我想IO也会照顾到这一点的；
2．    鉴于目前的排期，所以大家如果能申Eb1就申Eb1；Eb1类能申Eb1-b就申Eb1-b,
毕竟相对于Eb1-a来说Eb1-b容易一些；
3．    能E-file 就E-file。我的申请本属NSC，但E-file就到了大家都比较喜欢的TSC
，而且没有被转到NSC；
4．    I-140审批看来很快，我的没有用PP，前后一共用了大约53天；
5．    关于推荐信，并非越多越好。看到有许多大牛，动辄就10封或更多（很景仰）
，但个人觉得没有必要。一来会惯坏IO (你叫后来人怎么活？)，二来关键是推荐信的
质量而非数量。
6．    不管是NIW还是EB1b，最头疼的就是推荐信。平时要广结人脉，参加Conference
时多讨论，多与各个国家的人接触，关键时候或许能用上；
7．    Review这一项其实相对Paper/Contribution来说更容易搞定。Again, 广结人脉
，还有就是一旦有Review的机会，慎重对待，花点时间好好Review。一般来说，
Journal 或Conference都有自己的Reviewer 数据库，不仅有你的联系方式，专长领域
，更重要的是你以前Review的优劣。如果Credit高的话，下次Editor还会找你的。很多
时候我们在找Review的机会，其实Editor有时找3+Reviewer何尝就容易呢？


下面谈谈如何Relink …
童鞋们也看到了，我需要把NIW 485 连到Eb1 140，于是在2/20收到140 Approval
Letter后，又开始了新的Relink征程……也许很多人会问，你EB1 140填了旧485的A#了
没有？如果填了应该会自动Relink的呀。我填了的呀，在批了的EB1 140上也清清楚楚
地写着我的正确的A#，但是没有自动Relink呀！140和485 在同一个中心，有很多是自
动link的，但是不同中心目前好像还没有自动link这一说。
“Relink” 这个词值得商榷，这个词好像是大家造的，电话中与USCIS交流，她们听不
明白这是啥玩意儿。正确的用词应该是”Transfer” 或者”Interfile,” 中文又叫”
重新挂靠”。PJIANG老师在他的Blog上也有介绍(http://blog.wenxuecity.com/blogview.php?date=200802&postID=19212#AAtransfer)
我首先想到了打电话，按照以前网友试过的如下办法，打了个电话。
********************
Call Customer Service
1) Call Customer Service:  1 800 375 5283;
2) Continue in English, hit 1;
3) To check the status, hit 2;
4) Know your receipt number, hit 1;
5) Enter Receipt number;
6) Confirm Receipt Number, hit 1;
7) You will now hear the status of your case. At this point, hit 3 to "
Report a problem". You will hear 4 options. Option # 3 is "If your case is
outside the processing time..." and # 4 is for "If you have filed several
cases and haven’t received a decision on...." You may pick # 3. Previously
there was a trick to hit # 4 and you would be connected to an IO, but I didn
’t have such luck.
***************
接电话的明显是个前台，啥也拎不清，说你这个情况怎么能转？这样吧，我帮你做个
Service Request. 我又给他解释，我只是想Transfer 485到EB1的140上来. According
to the USCIS' policies on Transferring Adjustment Application, this is
doable. 他说你等会儿，我给你接到另外一个人那儿。我一听，觉得好像有戏，说不定
能与IO说上话。片刻的等待，电话被接到另外一个人。很礼貌的跟她讲了一下情况，很
明显这位懂的比前台多的多。她说她明白我说的要求，同时噼里啪啦地在敲键盘。问我
要了一些信息之后，告诉我说，她会给IO发封内部邮件, 你就安心等待吧。噢，原来她
也不是管审批IO啊。本来还想在解释解释，她说不用了，已经知道了。
打完电话后，仍不甘心，于是起草了如下一封信…现在想想是对的，光打电话还不行，
信是少不了的！
_________________________________
[Date]
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Nebraska Service Center
PO Box 82521
Lincoln, NE 68501-2521
Re:    Mr. XYZ ([A#]) and Mrs. YXZ ([A#]) Request to Transfer Earlier
Priority Date to Pending I-485 Applications
Dear Sir or Madam:
My name is XYZ, and I am the beneficiary of an approved EB-1 Outstanding
Researcher Form I-140 (SRC-XX-XXX-XXXXX). This petition (SRC-XX-XXX-XXXXX)
was submitted on [Date] and has a priority date of [Date]. I, as well as my
wife, have pending I-485 applications with the Nebraska Service Center (see
LIN-XX-XXX-XXXXX and LIN-XX-XXX-XXXXX respectively) which were filed on [
Date], pursuant to a previously approved I-140 petition (see LIN-XX-XXX-
XXXXX enclosed).
The EB-1 China visa category is current for [Month Year] according to the U.
S. State Department’s Visa Bulletin. According to the USCIS' policies on
Transferring Adjustment Application, I request to have our pending I-485
applications with the Nebraska Service Center attached to my approved
Outstanding Researcher petition (SRC-XX-XXX-XXXXX) with this current
priority date of [Date]. Since EB-1 is current, I would like to request
adjudication of our I-485 applications.
Specifically, submitted in support of my request to transfer our pending I-
485 forms to my current priority date in which visas are available are as
follows:
•    Copy of Form I-797, Approval Notice for Form I-140 (SRC-XX-XXX-
XXXXX), Immigrant Visa Petition for Mr. XYZ, with priority date [Date] for
EB-1 outstanding Researcher Category;
•    Copy of For I-797, Approval Notice for Form I-140 (LIN-XX-XXX-
XXXXX), Immigrant Visa Petition for Mr. XYZ with priority date [Date] for EB
-2 [National Interest Waiver/or…];
•    Copy of my Form I-797C, Receipt Notices for Form I-485 (LIN-XX-
XXX-XXXXX), Applications for Adjustment of Status;
•    Copy of my wife’s Form I-797C, Receipt Notices for Form I-485 (
LIN-XX-XXX-XXXXX), Applications for Adjustment of Status;
On the basis of the foregoing, I have clearly shown that both my wife and I
qualify to have my now current EB-1 Outstanding Researcher priority date
transferred to our pending Adjustment of Status applications. Since EB-1 is
current, I would like to request adjudication of our I-485 applications.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions or should
you require any additional information or documentation. I look forward to
hearing from you shortly.
Sincerely,
XYZ
[Address]
[Email]
[Telephone]
Attachment
_________________________________
我把这封信发到了NSC的follow-up email: [e-mail], 一天后收到回
信，说“This email address is not for checking the status of a case”。我 倒
。。。立马有回了封信，说我不是checking the status of a case，而是Transfer
Priority Date, 然而这封回信从此石沉大海，直到18天后，才有回音。

同时，我发了传真给NSC。我一共收集了三个传真号码，[phone];  (402)219-
6344; [phone]。我给(402) 219-6171发了一份，成功的传过去了，但是没有任
何回音，我想这份传真是彻底地石沉大海了。
在这期间，大约在2/26收到USCIS NSC一封信，确认他们接到过我打的电话，说NSC”
has requested the I-140 from the Texas Service Center. The applications will
be reviewed by an officer. Please allow thirty to sixty days.” ??? 原来（
难道）他们以为我要把140转到NSC给他们Review？140已经在TSC过了，我的USCIS大爷！
灵机一动，我在3/1把Relink Request letter Email了一份给TSC（tsc.ncscfollowup@
dhs.gov），两天后，收到回信，而且很明显是一IO写的，还署了她的真实名字（不是
编号）。她说” Your request has been forwarded to an officer in our Nebraska
office for review and action.   We coordinate efforts with the Nebraka
office to process your request.  We will notify you when processing is
complete.”立刻回了封Email谢谢她，希望能尽快收到回音。
童鞋们还记得上文提到过我发Email到NSC吧？我被教训道“This email address is
not for checking the status of a case”。我当时回了信说我不是checking the
status of a case，而是Transfer Priority Date, 然而这封回信从此石沉大海，直到
18天后，我收到这样一份来信，“Please send a written request, with supporting
documentation, to Nebraska Service Center, PO Box 87485, Lincoln, NE 68501-
7485 providing the information about the petition you and your family wishes
to adjust under. Once we receive the written request and it is connected
with your files, your cases can be sent back to the officer for review.” 与
此同时，收到短信，上网查了一下，I-485 Request for Evidence! 啥??? RFE？要啥
东东？去年的时候485被他们RFE过，那时排期还没到，但被要求出示Employment
Verification Letter,可能是那个时候USCIS没事干，在pre-approve 485.. 我及时回
了，然后没动静了，可以理解，那时排期未到。现在又整一RFE，会是什么东东呢。。
。四天后，收到RFE letter, 你猜是要啥？无他，核心基本就一句话, “If you wish
to transfer this I-485 to your newly approved Form I-140,  a request for
conversion must be made in writing.” 我倒。。。 原来光打电话发传真是不够的
，还要写信，physical 的信。为什么需要这样一封physical 的信呢，许多在同一中心
的不是自动连接的嘛，也没听说要写信，不过，大爷就是大爷，人牛，得服从。可是我
明明也给你们写过信，用特快寄过去的呀，看来他们没收到，或者干脆没有好好看。于
是，又给他们按要求特快了一封要求Transfer Priority Date 的physical 的信。

一周后，我之前给NSC的Email又有人给我回信了，这次明显是一个IO, 为什么这么说呢
？她提供了她的IO编号， EX####(具体编号略过)。她说: “…… I will have your
transfer request routed to your A-file. I have also notified an I-485
supervisor to let them know about the request. On XX/XX/XXXX [date] a
Request for Evidence was sent out for your case so we will need to receive a
response to that before we can continue processing your case. If I can be
of further assistance please let me know.” 这个IO，我检查过了她的编号，不是
那个给我发485 RFE的IO。心想只要有人理我，就是好事，说明她们至少知道动过我的
Case。 我于是回了份Email,首先谢谢她，其次告诉她那个RFE就是要个我的Written
Request。我已经照着做了，麻烦您再帮我看看。

快一周过去了，还没有动静，有点按捺不住，想到了那个Nice的TSC署了其名的IO, 给
她发了一封邮件，无它，就是告诉她我收到个485 RFE，就是要个我的Written Request
，我已经照着做了，但是还没有回音。You know what? 当天傍晚，收到短信，上网检
查Status, Welcome Notice sent。那个Nice的TSC IO在第二天还给我回了封信，说你
的申请已经批准了。〔赞一下TSC!）我想极有可能这个IO在审批中起了很大的推动作用
。再赞一下TSC！

第二天早晨，Card Production Ordered. 两天后，收到Welcome Notice Letter in
post mail, 信中说GC三周内到达。

五天后，绿卡收到。


Relink小结：
•    再同一个中心的，恭喜您，您极有可能不用担心Relink，因为你的Case极
有可能会自动Relink。
•    不再同一个中心的，要尽心Relink，否则他们不会主动上心去Relink。
•    要多管齐下，电话，fax, Email, 信件，样样用上。你不知道哪样最终会
起作用。
•    不管怎样，一定要把信件准备好。我上面有魔板，可以借鉴使用 (但不推
荐全文照抄)。目前不同中心的Relink，需要你的”Request in WRITTING.”
•    要发Email去follow up, 要不然，Case有可能一直在那作咖啡垫。
•    发Email时，可以考虑两个中心都发，你不知道那边会起作用。就我的Case
而言，虽然485在NSC, 但我也发Email给TSC了，而且极有可能这个TSC IO在审批中起了
很大的推动作用。
•    不管如何多管齐下，要有礼貌，跟你联系的有可能就是审批你Case的IO。
为了你着想（早批晚批在人手上掐着），也为日后的人着想，请礼貌待之。
•    真希望有一天，Relink这个词从此作古。凭什么要我们要求Relink呢？管
他NSC还是TSC， 明明在一个USCIS 系统下，不是多此一举么？难道他们用的是阿Sir开
发的数据库系统，实在太烂？（开个玩笑，不必当真）


至此整个GC过程结束， 也算是做了点贡献，减少了EB2的两个排队名额。从递交EB1
140开始，到卡收到，全程一共用了三个月零八天，其中140 用了53天，485 Relink 用
了38天， 绿卡制作到收到用了仅5天。看来USCIS在卡的制作方面还是挺有效率的。

说到中国EB排期，挺佩服未名上FA8, sfdg, IceIcer, Medson等人，自愿做点事，不容易。大
家还是团结起来，不为别的，为了自己的权益，团结起来，如果我们自己都不为我们自
己去争取，那么谁又会care呢？

码了这么多，希望对各位申友有点帮助，尤其是Relink这一方面。

最后真诚祝福各位XDJM们，人人都好运，早日变绿！