回複：The A# on your EAD (OPT) card is not a real A#. Actually,

This is an area that has certain flexibility.

1. A# is usually created for immigration benefit seekers such as GC applicants and EAD applicants, not only for immigration applicants. Once an A# is issued, an A file is created for you.
2. When an immigration application is filed, you can put your old A# number there or just say N/A. If you say N/A, a new A# is created. If you put your old A# number, INS may give a new number or assign the old number to you (mechanism not clear)
3. During the priliminary processing of the 485 (before final review), CIS will search all your A-files and other related documents and combine them together for reviewing. However, it is not very unusual that only the reviewing officer detects the unavailability of certain of your A-files (most likely OPT-EAD related A-file) and requests them from their archive. Such a processing sometimes causes a significant delay (several months to a year).