Not going the Green Way

My green card process has been one winding one from the start. Initially when the lawyers asked me to submit papers, I did a lot of dilly-dallying before I finally started the process a year after they first started asking me. I didn't want to apply for one, till someone told me it might adversely affect my growth in the company if I didn't.

Then the papers. My gosh! The whole process requires you to dig out your history which even you might not be aware of. Letters from college professors all the way to infant vaccine records (alternatively you can get yourself shot for those vaccines all over again). It was one big painful process every new step of the way.

Finally we cleared some all important stages. I don't remember the exact order or names (I was always very bad with it although I used to make everyone explain it to me over and over again). I think the first one was the Labor stage, then some I-765 and I-485 and some other myriad such I- stages. We had to go through biometrics (in which they asked me to remove my bindi for the picture and I was mighty put-off) and got our EADs and Advance Paroles.

Then we moved to India. I asked my lawyers if I should close the Adjustment of Status process since I was traveling long term to India and they said we were in a stage where for my priority date to go current it would take at least four years and I was ok till then. They suggested that I leave it as is so that is exactly what I did and came back. They kept coming back with requests for more documentation time and again which i very patiently supplied although I was never sure why we were carrying on with it. Finally they wanted one more biometrics appointment, which the lawyers kept postponing and finally couldn't postpone any further I think. Then I told them it was impossible for me to travel and eventually the lawyers said, that since there was no definite date and time at which I know I would be back in the US with the same employer, it was best to withdraw the application.

Now, I wish the lawyers told me this bit of info two years back when I asked them. I never told them that I knew when I would be back in the US, yet they kept the app active. Which is Ok, didn't do me any harm, except that they kept asking for documents, which, if you have dealt with USCIS, you know how quickly how painful it can get.

Well, so this morning, I shot off the email. Please withdraw my Adjustment of Status application. Apparently when I get back to the US, I can re-start the process provided I am still with Cisco and my priority date has not become history by then.

We will see :)