glus
08-26 09:21 AM
This interview EXPOSED how un-informed and careless and whimsical are IOs in handling cases. MEMO should have been framed on their desks/mind....we don't have to remind these guys. In one moment they can deny as important a petition as AOS and just in a flash second they can approve it. They won't make any effort to dig out relevant info. It is like fliping a coin...plain luck when it comes to GC.
God BLESS all those current...Amen!!!
The problem with the IOs is that they have so much work they don't have time to look at the folders for long. Some time ago I attended interview of my fiance's - she was sponsored by her mom. This was such a shock to me, the IO had NO IDEA what was in folder, asked stupid questions and attempted to deny the case improperly - and then I kicked in and explained the story.... That really sucks.
God BLESS all those current...Amen!!!
The problem with the IOs is that they have so much work they don't have time to look at the folders for long. Some time ago I attended interview of my fiance's - she was sponsored by her mom. This was such a shock to me, the IO had NO IDEA what was in folder, asked stupid questions and attempted to deny the case improperly - and then I kicked in and explained the story.... That really sucks.
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sunny1000
12-18 07:50 PM
just made the $50 contribution...guys and gals, keep 'em coming!!! Happy holidays:cool:
Sreenuuk
07-17 07:16 PM
Thanks IV. You guys really did awesome job.
2011 HP/Compaq Evo D530 SFF P4
bsbawa10
09-12 08:59 AM
If we can even collectively demand official data, which I think we are entitled to, it will help IV community in estimating the wait times for individual cases. It may also help USCIS in correcting their projections and foreseeing the demand.
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=21462
Count me in for any effort in this direction.
I think USCIS actions are too random . I do not think they want to see the real projections or the real demands. If they wanted to , believe me it should not have been difficult at all. Nevertheless, the first step towards that would be asking for transparency. The letter and poster campaign can do that.
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=21462
Count me in for any effort in this direction.
I think USCIS actions are too random . I do not think they want to see the real projections or the real demands. If they wanted to , believe me it should not have been difficult at all. Nevertheless, the first step towards that would be asking for transparency. The letter and poster campaign can do that.
more...
ksrk
09-11 08:48 PM
Anybody please comment. I have done some hard work here. Do you like the idea ? should we go for it ?
Hi bsbawa10,
You have put some good effort here and I think the posters make a point. But like you said, we need a substantial letter to accompany these.
We might need to take a bit of time to re-organize and pull this effort together. The Oct. VB news has been quite a damper - I came very close to not logging into IV today - I needed some time away from all this to collect my thoughts. It is likely that several people are doing the same.
IV core, in addition to the letters and calls to Congress persons to support HR5882, what else can we do? Several small efforts will likely not cut it for us. We need to pull our efforts together towards one single powerful protest. Any ideas from our advisors?
Hi bsbawa10,
You have put some good effort here and I think the posters make a point. But like you said, we need a substantial letter to accompany these.
We might need to take a bit of time to re-organize and pull this effort together. The Oct. VB news has been quite a damper - I came very close to not logging into IV today - I needed some time away from all this to collect my thoughts. It is likely that several people are doing the same.
IV core, in addition to the letters and calls to Congress persons to support HR5882, what else can we do? Several small efforts will likely not cut it for us. We need to pull our efforts together towards one single powerful protest. Any ideas from our advisors?
amitjoey
06-16 12:44 PM
I was one of the guys from MI that redds777 hosted. I must say I can't thank enough for the hospitality he and his family had shown us.
Also I know a couple of other DC members who hosted outside folks. Thanks to them also.
Ajay and his family hosted us. Thanks a lot to him and his family.
Also I know a couple of other DC members who hosted outside folks. Thanks to them also.
Ajay and his family hosted us. Thanks a lot to him and his family.
more...
delhirocks
07-05 07:20 PM
Thats a pretty harsh message in my books...
Type: "Get Well Soon"- with a big balloon
Message:
Only a very sick mind can play such games with our lives. We wish you all the best in predicting the next visa bulletin and pray to god to have mercy on your soul. Regards, A victim of July 2nd Visa scam!
For July 10th.
I wish we can somehow capture the delivery on film. The reaction will be worth the while. Also someone needs to tip off the media to be there.
Type: "Get Well Soon"- with a big balloon
Message:
Only a very sick mind can play such games with our lives. We wish you all the best in predicting the next visa bulletin and pray to god to have mercy on your soul. Regards, A victim of July 2nd Visa scam!
For July 10th.
I wish we can somehow capture the delivery on film. The reaction will be worth the while. Also someone needs to tip off the media to be there.
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chanduv23
09-14 10:08 PM
This thread is good. Keep it going. I strongly recommend that - everyone active on thbis thread , please update your IV profile and also join a state chapter if you have not already done that. if you do not have a state chapter, contact your neighboring state chapters or if you want to start a state chapter, contact pappu or paskal and get permission to start one.
It is very nice to see a lot of new mwmbers getting organized.
It is very nice to see a lot of new mwmbers getting organized.
more...
paskal
12-18 05:19 PM
we are off to a good start!
those reading- plesae join in.....!
those reading- plesae join in.....!
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ItIsNotFunny
03-06 03:57 PM
I will contribute $25.
How to contribute? I have a regular payment going out to IV. How to ensure this one goes to this separate bucket and not mixed with the general contributions.
If this has been discussed in the middle of this thread - please consider updating the first post with the info so that we don't have to dig through pages of discussions to find it.
Puddonhead,
I am still in process of finalizing how to collect money for this. I and Pappu are discussing possible solutions and will come out with something soon.
Please vote above to pledge. I will go through this list once account is created to follow up.
How to contribute? I have a regular payment going out to IV. How to ensure this one goes to this separate bucket and not mixed with the general contributions.
If this has been discussed in the middle of this thread - please consider updating the first post with the info so that we don't have to dig through pages of discussions to find it.
Puddonhead,
I am still in process of finalizing how to collect money for this. I and Pappu are discussing possible solutions and will come out with something soon.
Please vote above to pledge. I will go through this list once account is created to follow up.
more...
asanghi
07-17 07:11 PM
i know we desis.. once our work is done .. we will not turn back to IV again...
PLEASE do not do that..
It is time to strengthen IV for next big fight.
PLEASE do not do that..
It is time to strengthen IV for next big fight.
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ssreenu
04-14 12:00 PM
Can we rope in organizations like those mentioned in the subject line for our cause?
Single most important reason I have not bought a house yet is that I do not have a GC and thus can be kicked out anytime. Most of my savings have been invested in Real Estate in India not because I think investment there is more profitable but because I do not have confidence that I will get GC here for sure. All of my friends who own a house waited till they got GC and those who do not own one, are those waiting for GC. In short, more GCs to Desis generally would mean increased housing demand, at least that is what the initial look at numbers indicate. Thoughts?
I am in the same boat, I have seen many people who are also in the same situation. I don't like investing here at all for the very fact that my future is uncertain.
Single most important reason I have not bought a house yet is that I do not have a GC and thus can be kicked out anytime. Most of my savings have been invested in Real Estate in India not because I think investment there is more profitable but because I do not have confidence that I will get GC here for sure. All of my friends who own a house waited till they got GC and those who do not own one, are those waiting for GC. In short, more GCs to Desis generally would mean increased housing demand, at least that is what the initial look at numbers indicate. Thoughts?
I am in the same boat, I have seen many people who are also in the same situation. I don't like investing here at all for the very fact that my future is uncertain.
more...
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dvb123
07-10 12:13 AM
http://www.visaserve.com/CM/Articles/DOL%20Fact%20Sheet%20for%20Labor%20Certifications. pdf
http://www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/pdf/OFLC_Report_v11_8-23-07.pdf
Look on page 10 and this number is only with the leading occupations. There may be others like auditors.
Note: Occupations with a salary greater that 60k are EB2 95% of the time.
I think comparing both these data I can approximately say 90,000-100,1000 EB2 labors have been cleared in 2004 and 2005. That is like 2 lakhs applicants including primary and derivative applicants. Even if we put a 50% error margin thinking that there were more Eb3 labors, 140's are denied or downgraded to EB3 or a problem at 485 stage there are 1lakh - 485 applicants including Eb2 and EB3 waiting for 2004 and 2005. With a per country quota of 3800 + a bit of row how many years will it take to come to 2006 - where a lot of Eb2's are stuck?
I think it will take 10 years for a EB2 2006 applicant to get his physical green card including 485 waiting time etc.
http://www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/pdf/OFLC_Report_v11_8-23-07.pdf
Look on page 10 and this number is only with the leading occupations. There may be others like auditors.
Note: Occupations with a salary greater that 60k are EB2 95% of the time.
I think comparing both these data I can approximately say 90,000-100,1000 EB2 labors have been cleared in 2004 and 2005. That is like 2 lakhs applicants including primary and derivative applicants. Even if we put a 50% error margin thinking that there were more Eb3 labors, 140's are denied or downgraded to EB3 or a problem at 485 stage there are 1lakh - 485 applicants including Eb2 and EB3 waiting for 2004 and 2005. With a per country quota of 3800 + a bit of row how many years will it take to come to 2006 - where a lot of Eb2's are stuck?
I think it will take 10 years for a EB2 2006 applicant to get his physical green card including 485 waiting time etc.
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pr02
07-17 08:25 PM
Thank you to the IV core, thank you to the members of this board.
Thank you to all the people who took the initiative, and also to the people who had the foresight to support those initiatives.
Thank you to all that contributed money( I myself have contributed only once; I pledge more in the future), time, and effort.
Finally thanks to every one who lent us a sympathetic ear, to every one who doubted IV, to all the nay sayers who strengthened our resolve.
Finally once more to IV for uniting us all.
Thank you to all the people who took the initiative, and also to the people who had the foresight to support those initiatives.
Thank you to all that contributed money( I myself have contributed only once; I pledge more in the future), time, and effort.
Finally thanks to every one who lent us a sympathetic ear, to every one who doubted IV, to all the nay sayers who strengthened our resolve.
Finally once more to IV for uniting us all.
more...
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unitednations
07-20 11:15 PM
Chronology
========
#1 May 2001 - Come to US on H1B (California) I-94 valid till Nov 2003
#2 Oct 2001 - Change employers and get a H1 transfer (California) New I-94 valid till Feb 2004
#3 Nov 2002 - Fall in love with an American girl
#4 Dec 2002 - Quit job and move to Michigan to be with girlfriend (Out of status)
#5 March 2003 - Find job in MI, employers lawyer botches my H1 transfer / extension (Out of status)
#6 October 2003 - Fall out with employer and quit.
#7 November 2003 - Marry girlfriend (Out of status)
#8 April 2004 - Wife files I-130/I-485/I-765 (AOS Pending status)
#9 April 2004 - Find a new employer "X" and start working for him
#10 June 2004 - Wife and I have irreconcilable differences and I separate, later file for divorce
#11 June 2004 - "X" petitions for new H1B for me for FY-2005 starting in Oct.
#12 July 2004 - leave US and go back to homeland, get new H1 visa stamped with expiration date of June 2007
#13 Sept. 2004 - Come back to the US with new H1 visa stamp and get new I-94 (exp. June 2007) -----> Fresh start, eh ?
#14 Nov 2004 - Divorce final
#15 Dec 2004 - "X" files Labor RIR EB3. PD is Dec 2004
#16 Dec 2005 - "X" files labor PERM EB2. PD is Dec 2005
#17 Feb 2006 - PERM labor EB2 approved
#18 March 2006 - Voluntarily went to local CIS office and withdrew old I-485. Proof of withdrawal obtained.
#19 June 2006 - EB2 I-140 filed with copy of labor (Still pending) Obtained receipt
#20 Oct 2006 - EB3 labor approved from backlog center
#21 May 2007 - File for 7th year H1B extension
#22 Jun 2007 - EB3 I-140 filed (Still pending). Obtained receipt
#23 Jul 2007 - H1B Extension approved (new I-94 with expiration of Jun 2008)
#24 Jul 2007 - Ready to file I-485 concurrent with EB3 I-140
UN from what I read he was out of status from Mar 2003 to Apr 2004. Pls correct me if I am wrong
Yes; he was out of status from March 2003. However; he had a valid I-94 card until February 2004. He didn't have a valid I-94 from February 2004 until april 2004.
once;he left and re-entered then the out of status time was finished. Since he didn't overstay his I-94 card by more then 180 days then he is not subject to the 3 year bar.
If his I-94 card expired in March 2003 then he would have had unlawful presence from that date forward and since it was more then one year then he would have been subject to 10 year bar.
========
#1 May 2001 - Come to US on H1B (California) I-94 valid till Nov 2003
#2 Oct 2001 - Change employers and get a H1 transfer (California) New I-94 valid till Feb 2004
#3 Nov 2002 - Fall in love with an American girl
#4 Dec 2002 - Quit job and move to Michigan to be with girlfriend (Out of status)
#5 March 2003 - Find job in MI, employers lawyer botches my H1 transfer / extension (Out of status)
#6 October 2003 - Fall out with employer and quit.
#7 November 2003 - Marry girlfriend (Out of status)
#8 April 2004 - Wife files I-130/I-485/I-765 (AOS Pending status)
#9 April 2004 - Find a new employer "X" and start working for him
#10 June 2004 - Wife and I have irreconcilable differences and I separate, later file for divorce
#11 June 2004 - "X" petitions for new H1B for me for FY-2005 starting in Oct.
#12 July 2004 - leave US and go back to homeland, get new H1 visa stamped with expiration date of June 2007
#13 Sept. 2004 - Come back to the US with new H1 visa stamp and get new I-94 (exp. June 2007) -----> Fresh start, eh ?
#14 Nov 2004 - Divorce final
#15 Dec 2004 - "X" files Labor RIR EB3. PD is Dec 2004
#16 Dec 2005 - "X" files labor PERM EB2. PD is Dec 2005
#17 Feb 2006 - PERM labor EB2 approved
#18 March 2006 - Voluntarily went to local CIS office and withdrew old I-485. Proof of withdrawal obtained.
#19 June 2006 - EB2 I-140 filed with copy of labor (Still pending) Obtained receipt
#20 Oct 2006 - EB3 labor approved from backlog center
#21 May 2007 - File for 7th year H1B extension
#22 Jun 2007 - EB3 I-140 filed (Still pending). Obtained receipt
#23 Jul 2007 - H1B Extension approved (new I-94 with expiration of Jun 2008)
#24 Jul 2007 - Ready to file I-485 concurrent with EB3 I-140
UN from what I read he was out of status from Mar 2003 to Apr 2004. Pls correct me if I am wrong
Yes; he was out of status from March 2003. However; he had a valid I-94 card until February 2004. He didn't have a valid I-94 from February 2004 until april 2004.
once;he left and re-entered then the out of status time was finished. Since he didn't overstay his I-94 card by more then 180 days then he is not subject to the 3 year bar.
If his I-94 card expired in March 2003 then he would have had unlawful presence from that date forward and since it was more then one year then he would have been subject to 10 year bar.
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eb2india
07-17 07:12 PM
Great job IV!
Thanks for everything you do.
Thanks for everything you do.
more...
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ThinkTwice
03-06 12:57 PM
ItIsNotFunny,
I have a suggession. It would help if you can provide some context for this initiative, it may help if in your first post you provide the link to the thread that started this effort.
- Peace
I have a suggession. It would help if you can provide some context for this initiative, it may help if in your first post you provide the link to the thread that started this effort.
- Peace
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InTheMoment
08-18 12:30 PM
jsb,
Yes...I am aware of the facts that you mention...but now that data entry is made since long, the ND has no value.
Last year when the EB2 PD's were current for 28 days in August, only those RD's whose data was entered in TSC had chance of getting GC's. In other words, receipts are now generated for all '07 fiasco filers and hence the ND has no value!
That said if a Service Center rep says about the ND replacing the RD in their system, then it is time for corrective action. With these small windows of PD being current, why take chances!
No, it is not always a 2 month gap. Normally RD (on your receipt), the data entry date (you see online as "your case was received on..."), and ND should be in quick succession. It was only in July/Aug 07 when due to high volumes many cases (including mine) waited for data entry for months, as no center wanted to accept that additional responsbility. Those whose cases were entered in July/Aug 07, became ahead of those whose cases were entered in Sept and Oct 07, no matter when they filed or what their RD (as on the receipt). People with PD in 2005 and 2006 who got GC last year were those lucky ones who cases were entered in the system in July, Aug (and may be some in Sept) 07.
Yes...I am aware of the facts that you mention...but now that data entry is made since long, the ND has no value.
Last year when the EB2 PD's were current for 28 days in August, only those RD's whose data was entered in TSC had chance of getting GC's. In other words, receipts are now generated for all '07 fiasco filers and hence the ND has no value!
That said if a Service Center rep says about the ND replacing the RD in their system, then it is time for corrective action. With these small windows of PD being current, why take chances!
No, it is not always a 2 month gap. Normally RD (on your receipt), the data entry date (you see online as "your case was received on..."), and ND should be in quick succession. It was only in July/Aug 07 when due to high volumes many cases (including mine) waited for data entry for months, as no center wanted to accept that additional responsbility. Those whose cases were entered in July/Aug 07, became ahead of those whose cases were entered in Sept and Oct 07, no matter when they filed or what their RD (as on the receipt). People with PD in 2005 and 2006 who got GC last year were those lucky ones who cases were entered in the system in July, Aug (and may be some in Sept) 07.
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hope7
09-21 10:01 AM
hello
my uncle is the citizen of US and he applied for the green card for my mother so my father an me also can follow her and our case has been approved and we are waiting for interview appointment. the problem is that my surname in my passport has written different from my father, i mean his surname is ABCDEF and mine is ABC DEF,there is one space between my surname but in my birth certificate it is correct. i want to know will it make any problem for us then?
thank you
my uncle is the citizen of US and he applied for the green card for my mother so my father an me also can follow her and our case has been approved and we are waiting for interview appointment. the problem is that my surname in my passport has written different from my father, i mean his surname is ABCDEF and mine is ABC DEF,there is one space between my surname but in my birth certificate it is correct. i want to know will it make any problem for us then?
thank you
bsbawa10
09-14 01:47 PM
And just to add to this, not all actions require money. Some actions require will to solve the problem.
chanduv23
12-03 11:55 AM
It is always advisable to take an Immigration Attorney with you during an AOS interview. Attorneys usually fill in when you pause or are uncertain. Thanks for sharing this information - looks like this is a very generic interview.
The most important question was - to know if your educational qualification is good enough for the job and all other questions were just fillers.
Congrats - hope you get ur GC soon :)
We had our AOS interview this week at LA USCIS office. We are EB2-I, PD 02/06, Filed 08/07, RD 10/07, I-140 approved 12/06. Reason for interview was a double failure to get clear FPs for spouse. This necessitates a police clearance certificate from the city of residence and upon our lawyer's advise, we went armed with two of these, one from each of the two cities we have lived in during the 5 previous years.
Getting a Police Clearance Certificate entails just going and requesting it at their counter. Their charges are reasonable ($11 and $19.50 for us) and in one case we got it after a few minutes of wait and in the other, had to return the next day to collect it.
We reached a couple of minutes late at the mapped location of the USCIS building, courtesy our unfamiliarity with downtown areas including LA and terrible freeway traffic. I dropped off my spouse and kid at a building which had bold signs saying "Passport", "Immigration" and like (on our right as we went on Los Angeles St from Aliso St to Temple St). I went to find a parking space meanwhile. Just as I was returning from an uncomfortably long circuitous tour of the area, I got a call from my spouse telling me that that building was not the right one. Our GPS had finished guidance just at that particular crossing (Los Angeles St and Temple St) btw. Through some good people there, we got a clue about the long lines in a nearby building (diagonally across), which is where I dropped them off then and again went on a parking hunt. I wish I had also carried a map printout of this area.
I managed to find a parking some 6 blocks away and was walking back with some bags which is when my spouse called to say that this was indeed the right building and gave me further directions.
I sprinted across a narrow side street when it was bereft of traffic even though the pedestrian light was unfavorable. This act of mine earned me a citation from a peace officer obviously watching from a hiding place for people who are more used to pedestrian crossings with buttons. Here I was just not sure as to when to expect the light to turn in my favor, with obvious thoughts of the delay playing on my mind. Thankfully, I still reached upstairs well before our names were called.
The security at the downstairs entrance was airport-like except that they did not ask me to take my shoes off. They allowed me everything I was carrying including my cellphone and laptop.
I duly reached the waiting room upstairs and found my family. By this time, my spouse had already submitted the interview notices to the personnel there. Our lawyer had advised us to stick a note therewith saying that all of us are a family and should therefore be seen together. We forgot this but my spouse mentioned this verbally. This had the desired effect, thankfully.
After a wait of about 2 hours, we were called up and went inside to an IO's office. I do have to mention here that the security officer outside was very nice and friendly.
The IO was courteous and asked us to take an oath of truth before we sat down. She asked us if we had our attorney with us. Since we did not, she made us sign a waiver saying that we did not object to being interviewed sans our attorney. She then proceeded to ask us for our government-issued IDs. We handed her our Indian passports and California DLs. She went through our applications and asked us simple questions like:
..What is your child's name?
..How old is your child? (two separate times from each of us)
..What is your child's DOB?
..What is your home address? (two separate times from each of us)
..What is your home phone number? (two separate times from each of us)
..What do you do for your employer? Describe.
..Does your job require you to have the educational qualification that you have? Why?
..What is your father's full name?
..What is your mothers full name?
..What is your DOB?
..When does your H1B visa expire?
..When did you last enter the US? (It helped us tremendously that we had a prepared note of our arrival-departure record)
The IO then took out the original I-94s from our passports and stapled them to our files. She then observed that both of us were on H1B and had had I-140s from our respective employers. She said that the other I-140 process (which is pending btw) could not be kept alive while the beneficiary was getting their AOS as a dependent on their spouse's process. She had us write a letter requesting withdrawal of that I-140 process, which she said she will keep on hold till we got our immigrant visas.
Some documents that she asked for copies of from us for included paystubs from 3 previous months, letter of employment verification from our employers, university degrees (or diplomas as she called them), our and our kid's birth certificates and our marriage certificate. We voluntarily put our mortgage statements on the table which she did not take more than a cursory glance at.
She did not ask us for our tax returns, joint photographs or university transcripts. However, it is always better to have these around, imho.
We were missing some documents, so she permitted us to go out for a couple of hours to get their copies and grab some lunch. She handed us a signed form which she instructed us to show the security personnel for them to either let us in or to drop off the document copies for her. In this case, she did see us again even though we were delayed by an extra 20 minutes.
The IO then let us know that all processing was done from our side and all that we needed to do was to wait for our priority date to become current, which is when the USCIS would allot us the immigrant visas. We could also, if we so wished, make an inquiry with the USCIS once our date became current, she said.
She then returned us all our originals (I wish I had made a checklist of these for my ease). Courtesy a wonderful post on IV by gimme_GC2006, I remembered to ask the IO for our original I-94s. She asked us if we intended traveling before we got our green cards. I replied that we had no existing plans but that this was probably the only time we were getting to meet her. She smiled at that and gave us back our I-94s after making copies for herself. I requested a copy from her of the letter for I-140 withdrawal and she obliged.
That was it. She wished us good luck and we thanked her. The security officer outside was once again his pleasant self and we walked out feeling elated.
I have some useful information for folks who go to the USCIS office on 300 N Los Angeles St in LA. If you take the Los Angeles St exit from US-101, you will cross Aliso St followed by Temple St. This USCIS building is the one on your left side as you go from Aliso to Temple. There is an underground parking for LA mall bang opposite the USCIS building before you hit Temple St. After you pass Aliso, turn to your right into this parking. You can take the escalator up later and then cross Los Angeles St on foot to reach USCIS. I advise to not disregard the pedestrian lights in this area as police officers aggressively monitor and cite jaywalkers here.
If the LA parking lot is full, continue on Los Angeles St past Temple and turn left on to First St. Keep going for about a quarter mile and you will find parking on your right. This place is $6.00 for the day. Unfortunately I forgot the cross street here but if you hit Alameda St on First St, you have gone too far. From Google maps, it appears that that cross street is Central Ave. You will see large parking signs as you approach this decrepit unkempt street-level parking yard. There is another parking option which you would prefer over this.
Go from Aliso toward Temple on Los Angeles St. Turn left on Temple and you will find this $8.00 parking immediately past San Pedro St. If you find this lot full, go on down to Alameda St, turn right and then right again on First St to find the $6.00 parking lot.
If you need help with documents, there is a post office store which even does photographs, in the LA mall across from the USCIS building. If you need internet access, your best bets are Fedex Kinko's and Office Depot on the crossing of Second St and Central Ave. Kinko's is on the NW corner and Office Depot is on the NE corner. Office Depot has a Starbucks next to it. Parking at Office Depot is decent and free with validation. Office Depot will give you free wifi but they do not broadcast their SSID and I do not feel it ethical to disclose it here. Just go talk to them if you need it. It is slow though, like 11 Mbps. Office Depot will accept emailed docs from you to print right away and also will accept faxes for you. It is a very hospitable place for someone who gets nightmares in downtown areas.
You can find some passable eating joints in the LA mall area across from USCIS building.
Hope this post comes in handy for people. Good luck folks.
The most important question was - to know if your educational qualification is good enough for the job and all other questions were just fillers.
Congrats - hope you get ur GC soon :)
We had our AOS interview this week at LA USCIS office. We are EB2-I, PD 02/06, Filed 08/07, RD 10/07, I-140 approved 12/06. Reason for interview was a double failure to get clear FPs for spouse. This necessitates a police clearance certificate from the city of residence and upon our lawyer's advise, we went armed with two of these, one from each of the two cities we have lived in during the 5 previous years.
Getting a Police Clearance Certificate entails just going and requesting it at their counter. Their charges are reasonable ($11 and $19.50 for us) and in one case we got it after a few minutes of wait and in the other, had to return the next day to collect it.
We reached a couple of minutes late at the mapped location of the USCIS building, courtesy our unfamiliarity with downtown areas including LA and terrible freeway traffic. I dropped off my spouse and kid at a building which had bold signs saying "Passport", "Immigration" and like (on our right as we went on Los Angeles St from Aliso St to Temple St). I went to find a parking space meanwhile. Just as I was returning from an uncomfortably long circuitous tour of the area, I got a call from my spouse telling me that that building was not the right one. Our GPS had finished guidance just at that particular crossing (Los Angeles St and Temple St) btw. Through some good people there, we got a clue about the long lines in a nearby building (diagonally across), which is where I dropped them off then and again went on a parking hunt. I wish I had also carried a map printout of this area.
I managed to find a parking some 6 blocks away and was walking back with some bags which is when my spouse called to say that this was indeed the right building and gave me further directions.
I sprinted across a narrow side street when it was bereft of traffic even though the pedestrian light was unfavorable. This act of mine earned me a citation from a peace officer obviously watching from a hiding place for people who are more used to pedestrian crossings with buttons. Here I was just not sure as to when to expect the light to turn in my favor, with obvious thoughts of the delay playing on my mind. Thankfully, I still reached upstairs well before our names were called.
The security at the downstairs entrance was airport-like except that they did not ask me to take my shoes off. They allowed me everything I was carrying including my cellphone and laptop.
I duly reached the waiting room upstairs and found my family. By this time, my spouse had already submitted the interview notices to the personnel there. Our lawyer had advised us to stick a note therewith saying that all of us are a family and should therefore be seen together. We forgot this but my spouse mentioned this verbally. This had the desired effect, thankfully.
After a wait of about 2 hours, we were called up and went inside to an IO's office. I do have to mention here that the security officer outside was very nice and friendly.
The IO was courteous and asked us to take an oath of truth before we sat down. She asked us if we had our attorney with us. Since we did not, she made us sign a waiver saying that we did not object to being interviewed sans our attorney. She then proceeded to ask us for our government-issued IDs. We handed her our Indian passports and California DLs. She went through our applications and asked us simple questions like:
..What is your child's name?
..How old is your child? (two separate times from each of us)
..What is your child's DOB?
..What is your home address? (two separate times from each of us)
..What is your home phone number? (two separate times from each of us)
..What do you do for your employer? Describe.
..Does your job require you to have the educational qualification that you have? Why?
..What is your father's full name?
..What is your mothers full name?
..What is your DOB?
..When does your H1B visa expire?
..When did you last enter the US? (It helped us tremendously that we had a prepared note of our arrival-departure record)
The IO then took out the original I-94s from our passports and stapled them to our files. She then observed that both of us were on H1B and had had I-140s from our respective employers. She said that the other I-140 process (which is pending btw) could not be kept alive while the beneficiary was getting their AOS as a dependent on their spouse's process. She had us write a letter requesting withdrawal of that I-140 process, which she said she will keep on hold till we got our immigrant visas.
Some documents that she asked for copies of from us for included paystubs from 3 previous months, letter of employment verification from our employers, university degrees (or diplomas as she called them), our and our kid's birth certificates and our marriage certificate. We voluntarily put our mortgage statements on the table which she did not take more than a cursory glance at.
She did not ask us for our tax returns, joint photographs or university transcripts. However, it is always better to have these around, imho.
We were missing some documents, so she permitted us to go out for a couple of hours to get their copies and grab some lunch. She handed us a signed form which she instructed us to show the security personnel for them to either let us in or to drop off the document copies for her. In this case, she did see us again even though we were delayed by an extra 20 minutes.
The IO then let us know that all processing was done from our side and all that we needed to do was to wait for our priority date to become current, which is when the USCIS would allot us the immigrant visas. We could also, if we so wished, make an inquiry with the USCIS once our date became current, she said.
She then returned us all our originals (I wish I had made a checklist of these for my ease). Courtesy a wonderful post on IV by gimme_GC2006, I remembered to ask the IO for our original I-94s. She asked us if we intended traveling before we got our green cards. I replied that we had no existing plans but that this was probably the only time we were getting to meet her. She smiled at that and gave us back our I-94s after making copies for herself. I requested a copy from her of the letter for I-140 withdrawal and she obliged.
That was it. She wished us good luck and we thanked her. The security officer outside was once again his pleasant self and we walked out feeling elated.
I have some useful information for folks who go to the USCIS office on 300 N Los Angeles St in LA. If you take the Los Angeles St exit from US-101, you will cross Aliso St followed by Temple St. This USCIS building is the one on your left side as you go from Aliso to Temple. There is an underground parking for LA mall bang opposite the USCIS building before you hit Temple St. After you pass Aliso, turn to your right into this parking. You can take the escalator up later and then cross Los Angeles St on foot to reach USCIS. I advise to not disregard the pedestrian lights in this area as police officers aggressively monitor and cite jaywalkers here.
If the LA parking lot is full, continue on Los Angeles St past Temple and turn left on to First St. Keep going for about a quarter mile and you will find parking on your right. This place is $6.00 for the day. Unfortunately I forgot the cross street here but if you hit Alameda St on First St, you have gone too far. From Google maps, it appears that that cross street is Central Ave. You will see large parking signs as you approach this decrepit unkempt street-level parking yard. There is another parking option which you would prefer over this.
Go from Aliso toward Temple on Los Angeles St. Turn left on Temple and you will find this $8.00 parking immediately past San Pedro St. If you find this lot full, go on down to Alameda St, turn right and then right again on First St to find the $6.00 parking lot.
If you need help with documents, there is a post office store which even does photographs, in the LA mall across from the USCIS building. If you need internet access, your best bets are Fedex Kinko's and Office Depot on the crossing of Second St and Central Ave. Kinko's is on the NW corner and Office Depot is on the NE corner. Office Depot has a Starbucks next to it. Parking at Office Depot is decent and free with validation. Office Depot will give you free wifi but they do not broadcast their SSID and I do not feel it ethical to disclose it here. Just go talk to them if you need it. It is slow though, like 11 Mbps. Office Depot will accept emailed docs from you to print right away and also will accept faxes for you. It is a very hospitable place for someone who gets nightmares in downtown areas.
You can find some passable eating joints in the LA mall area across from USCIS building.
Hope this post comes in handy for people. Good luck folks.