485 transfer to New York city (Interview), Post details

leaves 123 - post your interview date and interview details on completion. You mentioned in December.

ajny - post your interview details

WaitingForTheGC - post your interview date and interview details on completion.

I have not received any interview letter.
 
interview detail

I had interview yesterday in Garden city.
Here is the detail:

our appointment was 11:00am, my husband and I arrived on time. we waited our lawyer till 11:45 am. we handed in our interview letters at 11:45 am, got call 12:05pm.

Because most officers were having lunch. we got the interview at around 1:00 pm. We met a young and back officer, he is nice and humor. He asked my husband (primary applicationer) Qs about his name, his parents name, his birth date. employer name, current visa, our current address, why he want to apply GC. After that, he asked my husband the details of his research, he said he just asked the deatils for his personly interests. Finnally he asked the Qs listed on I485, eg, did you ever be arrested?

I am the dependent case, I only got the Qs listed on I485. very easy!

Finnally he told us our case is fine, and they have security check now, he couldn't give us an offical stamp now, if we wanted he could let us come to stamp after the sec check is done. Before we left, our lawyer pull my husband employee letter and told officer keep for record. The officer didn't ask us single document, even we prepare bounch of them.

hope all the information can give you guys some help

My Q: Can I go NYC ask for EAD? The officer wrote a note on our passport saying our case is pending.
:)
 
NYC (Actually Garden City) Interview exp

leaves123 wrote:
> Finnally he told us our case is fine, and they have security
> check now, he couldn't give us an offical stamp now

Now that I read this in leaves123's post, I remember that my interviewing officer also made a similar comment (about security check not complete yet).

Actually my interview was pretty much same as leaves123's. Only, the officer asked for corporate IT returns for last 3 yrs. I had attached a copy of my employer's annual (share holder's) report for 1999 (which had the company's annual financial statement), with my I485 (or was it I140?) application, which the office accepted in place of 'corporate IT return' for 1999. So, I was given a RFE for 2000 and 2001 'corporate IT returns'. I found those on my company's web site and FedEx-ed those the same day in the evening (mid Nov timeframe). I have not heard from INS since then.

From the conversation I had with the officer, I got the impression that the officer was not ready to stamp the passport the same day and that the RFE for corporate IT returns was just to 'delay' the case. But again, this was just my feeling.

So now I am wondering if ‘not’ stamping the passport on the day of the interview is a standard practice for INS (Garden City Office)? If yes, what happens next? When does the security clearance come through? And the BIG question of all- When does the I485 finally get approved?

I had taken my lawyer with me for the interview. I will have my lawyer send an enquiry to INS Garden City office to check on the status of my case this week. Will update the thread if I hear something interesting.

Kamal Matta: Do you think if would help to go to Garden City office to check on the status of my/ our application(s) (Since 26 Fed Plz people told you that the application has been transferred to Garden City Office). Are you planning to visit the Garden City office?

Another info Re. EAD: My EAD was to expire in the last week of Nov 2002. I had mailed my application to INS Vermont about 2.5 months back. INS Vermont moved the EAD application to INS NYC as my I485 had been transferred to INS NYC. I had not heard back from INS NYC since then. Called the INS 800 number. Was told that NYC takes 3 months to clear a EAD application. So I decided to go to INS NYC to check on the status of my application. So, went to Fed Plz office at 6.30 in the morning. Waited in the line at the Broadway entrance (Entrance for Forms / Info etc., NOT the Worth St entrance which is for appointments only). Was in at about 7.45. Went to EAD section on 9th floor (Room # 900). Waited in line in the EAD section till 8.30. Explained to the lady that I was in trouble as I had mailed the application about 2.5 months back and had not heard back from INS and that my EAD would expire in a couple of days. Produced the receipt of I140 and I485 (ORIGINAL receipts). Filled in an application for EAD and attached copied of receipts of I140 and I485 and the INS cleared check for $120 (EAD renewal fees). Was photographed and issued a EAD in the next 60 min. Awesome!!! Hope it helps other people who are running late on their EAD renewal.

Leaves123: Would appreciate if you can update this thread if you hear something from INS.
 
Me too: transferred 1 year ago

My I-485 was transferred to 26 Federal Plaza in Oct 2001.

I called INS and they told me it takes 2 years from the date of transfer in order to actually have the interview.

My lawer said although the transfer notice mentions 26 Federal Plaza my application is actually in Garden City (Long Island). She said this is because section all I-485 old cases Section 245 go to Garden City.

When I see people say it only takes 8 months to actuallygo to the interview, I feel there some hope for a fast interview.

I did travel on Advance Parol while my I-485 was pending; and because of this I got an interview notice.

My I-485 was filed in sep 2000. A very long time ago as you can see. I do not know why it takes more than a year to receive an interview.

I could noit go in person to the Garden City office because I do not have an appointment letter. As you know, you could not enter any INS building without an appointment letter. This is what I think.

Thank you
 
cligman:

> I called INS and they told me it takes 2 years from the
> date of transfer in order to actually have the interview.

I got my interview letter in about 6 weeks from the date the case was transferred. My interview was 2 weeks after I got the letter. So, I do not think it will be 2 yrs before you are interviewed.
On the flip side, looks like INS no longer stamps the passport at the time of the interview. So, having the interview alone does not mean anything/ much.

> I could noit go in person to the Garden City office because
> I do not have an appointment letter. As you know, you could
> not enter any INS building without an appointment letter.
> This is what I think.

I think you might want to reconsider that. You can enter the INS building without any letter. Read my post from yesterday. I just went to Fed Plz office by myself to check out the status of my EAD application and came back with a re-newed EAD card.

If you think your case has been stuck for a while, it might be worth a visit to the INS. My $0.02.
 
Vermont Transfer letter

The strange thing is that the interview letter that I received in Oct 2001 said that it takes INS several weeks only to schedule and conduct an interview. But I waited more than 1 year since the transfer.

I am sure ajny is right: I got to go in person. May be INS officer doesn’t tell me to check after 2 years from the transfer notice. P.S.: Over the phone (using the 800 number), INS told me to wait 2 years. They also told me that I am eligible to check my status only 3 times over the phone. They took my info and I got no response for 6 months. When I called INS national number again to check the status of my inquiry, which in turn, is supposed to check the status of my EB2 I-485 application, I was told to call back after 1 year this is because according to them, I have to wait 2 years before I become eligible to submit another inquiry to check the status of the first inquiry.

Any way, the best thing for us to do is to find a lawyer who mostly deals with layoff and I-485s. My lawyer doesn’t seem to have dealt with transfer cases.

So does anyone know how much does it cost to hire such a lawyer? If it is not important to see a lawyer, then I think our conversation here becomes very important and critical.

Thanks again
 
got transfer notice again after 1 yr

I thought when I saw an INS letter in my mail box that this is my apoproval notice. But I was very disappointed when I opened the envelop and found out it is actually a transfer notice saying that my file was transferred to INS local office in Dec 6, 2002. I did not expect because I already received a transfer notice in Oct 2001. So now I got 2 trasfer noticed indicating that my file was transferred to 26 Federal plaza to schedule and consuct an interview.

I guess the 2nd Transfer Notice came because I inquiredover the phone about the status of my I-485.

I am not sure which transfer notice is correct: The first one that says my file was transferred in oct 2001 or the one that says my file was transferred in Dec 2002.

Any ideas?
Thanks
 
Your INS online case status might tell you the date of transfer - hope it's not yet another date! It must have been very frustrating really. I have read about extra FP notices (after first successful FP) on this forum - but haven't read about two transfer notices for the same case with different transfer dates. In past, I had received two approval notices for the same J-1 waiver from the INS - both mailed with a gap of two months and I was puzzled, too (in fact, I still am).

Anyway, best way probably is to try luck and visit local center personally to check status if they allow.

Best wishes,

Jigesh
 
I heard a few disturbing news. First INS is doing security checks for all adjustment based cases since there was an incident where a person with security threat was issued permanent residency. Well the rest of us -people like us have to suffer.Earlier INS did not wait for FBI report as they were verifying manually. Seems they are trying to put together some application that will help them connect to FBI database directly. How long will the security check take - anybody's guess.

I consulted a reputed NY lawyer.Looking at my inital application that stated that my case will take 385 to 400 days, he suggested me to sue INS as it has taken longer. I dont know whether that is a right strategy. He said it will expedite the process.Cost $5000. Other option given to me by my lawyer was to do attorney certified consular processing. I wrote to Mumbai Consular office and they replied back positively saying that they do take up such cases. There are certain risks of course.
 
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2nd interview notice same like the one 1 yr ago

Yes, it is frustrating.. Thank you for your understanding..

It was the same transfer letter word by word except the date of tansfer is December xx, 2002. The first transfer notice has a date of October xx, 2001.

The online case staus of my I-485 application is as follows:
"
On December xx, 2002, we transferred your I-485 application to adjust to permanent resident status to another INS office for them to schedule and conduct your interview. Scheduling can take several months. That office will notify you when they schedule your interview or take other action on your case.
"

The Vermont Automated System provides a similar message.

I do not work in a company that will provide me with the papers that will help me apply for Consular Processing. I waited too long to start over again: My I-485 was submitted in Sep 2000. I don't have an H1 visa because I decided to choose the EAD path to get employment authorization.

I will try to go personally to INS offices: Garden City and NYC branches.

I want to do somehting to speed up my case but I feel there is nothing that can be done even if it is their mistake. Any transaction you do with INS makes your application take more time than I anticipate. Am I correct?

Do you think writing a letter tyo INS explaining this will confuse them.

I did Finger Printing twice.

Thanks:(
 
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Please update your info

ajny and leaves 123:
--------------------------
did any of you get an approval. Please update irrespective.

WaitingForTheGC:
------------------------
Did you finish your interview. Please give details.

I saw another case with a new thread. Transfer date 5/6/02 no interview notice recieved.
 
PLease help

I applied for I-485 in Nebraska on Jan,xx,2002,but now I'm living in upstate NY ( near NYC). I haven't received any response from INS. Is there possibility that my case will stay with Nebraska not transfer to NYC? Any suggestion how to avoid NYC?

Thanks for your reply.
 
Any Updates

Anybody any updates regarding the transfer to New York City.Pl keep this thread alive.

I havent received any information from INS. My case was transferred Nov 5th,2002.
 
Case transferred to local INS office ..

Hi, I am in the similar boat. My case was transferred to Local INS office also. The notice said that it could take several months before the office can schedule a interview. I will keep you all posted.
 
Visited Local INS

I visited Federal Plaza in NY last week. I was told that they are processing June2001 cases. My case was filed at NSC July 2001 and the immigration officer told me that my interview call might be scheduled in the next batch. I am not convinced since in this forum I saw many applicants who have a priority date less than mine.
My question is : Once the case is transferred, do they consider the transfer date as the priority date or is it the date on your original application that matters.
 
Sounds like question for immgration ..

Hi Pirij, Did you filed your case at NYC or did your case was transffered from Vermont in July 2001 ??
 
went in person to check status

and was told that they will consider 2 years from the last transfer notice. They also told me it is not NY office's problem but the VSC office's mistake. And therefore they will not help me in any way.

I called INS and they told me it is their mistake that my file was transferred twice.

What to do, I have no idea. I am just waiting..

Any suggestions?

Thanks
 
how long will it take after transfer?

GCNYC, and others,

My case was transfered to NYC on Dec. 2002. WHen can I expect to receive the interview letter? Some said it is about 6 months. Others said it could be 1-2 years! Let's keep this thread alive and help each other out.
 
disagree with dengdeng

It is not true. Case transfering will not depend on the catalogs. don't mislead the people here.

---------------------
Originally posted by dengdeng
Yes, most Eb1 cases are transferred now.

My guess is INS has too many backlogs, so they push everything to local INS.

Right now, you have 50% chance to either get RFE or transfer, 50% chance to get approvals. But for EB1 case, seems most likely will get transferred. This trend starts from Sep RD.

By the way, if you have ever left the country after you filed 485 using AP, you probably will get an interview since they want to make sure your identity is correct.
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