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

K

Kamal Matta

Registered Users (C)
My details are RD:5/23/01 ND:8/3/01 Transfer date(TD): 5/16/02

Need to assess how much time it takes for the interview call.
 
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Hi Kamal

Did you get an interview call. Can you give some insight as to any information you have about the dates.

My and my wife's case got trasferred 05/11/2002 from NSC.
RD 07/18/01
ND 08/28/01

Please respond !!!!!!:confused:
 
I have not got any interview call till date.

Is your case transfered to New York City INS Office. I could not find that in the text.
 
To Kamal

I got the transfer letter that says
"To speed up processing your case has been tansfrerred to our local office in New York,NY"

So I believe the case has gone to the local NY city office at Federal Plaza.

BTW, did you try to contact your senator/congressman to see if the case can be expedited ? What was the reason mentioned on your transfer letter ?What could be the possible reason for your transfer ?

Pl reply.
 
Let's keep this thread alive

:( Hi,
My case has also recently been transferred to NYC INS office. My lawyer told me that it takes at least 6-9 months for the NYC INS to process my file. I have asked three other lawyers in NYC. One of them told me it may take up to two years in some cases, another said at least 6 months to hear from NYC INS, yet another one told me to keep bothering NYC INS so they will not leave my file in dust.
I am very frustrated right now as you all can understand. Please keep this thread alive so we can at least get a little more information as to what is going on in 26 Federal Plaza.
My case detail:
RD: 10/12/2001
ND: 1210/2001
FP: 01/31/2002
TD: 10/30/2002
 
I did contact both NY senators. Charles Schumer did not respond. Hillary clinton did respond. Her office has sent the query to INS NYC but have not received any response till date.

I did try to find out from NYC INS by visiting them. They informed that I should get the interview date by Dec 2002.

I had analysed cases transfred in 2001. On average it took 6 to 9 months to complete the interview process. What needs to be verified is if the time has increased or is the same. This is relevant as VSC time to process I-485 has increased. This would be confirmed if some one gets an interview call. I am waiting to hear from that some one.
 
Local INS Interview Exp

My case was transferred to Local INS NY around the middle of 09/2002. I got a letter in the last week of 10/2002 that I have a interview at the Garden City INS Local Office in the middle of 11/2002.
I was really surprised to get the interview call because I had heard it takes anything from 6 months to a year for the interview to be scheduled.
Anyway, the interview was a disaster/ joke (Yes, I already went for the interview). I was given, a RFE (at the time of the interview)and was asked to submit copies of corporate IT returns for the last three years. (This for a fortune 100 commpany!!).
So, Now I am in limbo, hope this helps...
 
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garden city interview

My case was transfered to NYC local INS in OCT. I got interveiw letter last week and was schedule a interview next month in Garden city.

My interview letter didn't give any useful information. Any one please share your experiences with me. What should I bring to the interview? what the procedure of the interveiw? Do they even give you REF at interview???

I would like to hear your valueable information.

Thanks in advanced

leaves
 
question for ajny

HI, ajny,

Thanks for the info. I am sorry that you got an RFE, but it is very incouraging for us to know that you had the interview in two months! My lawyer told me it would be at least 6 months to hear anything from NYC INS.
But I am a little confused about your post. Your case was transferred to local INS NY, I wonder if it was 26 Federal Plaza, you know, the NYC INS. I don't understand how come you got an interview in garden city. Please let me know if on your transfer notice, it says New York city INS (26 Federal Plaza). thanks so much!
P. S. do you have a lawyer? perhaps your lawyer helped you in any way to get you a fast response? :)
 
leaves 123 asked: Do they even give you REF at interview???

Yes. RFE 'DURING' the interview. I guess this might have been a first...

GCNYC asked: I wonder if it was 26 Federal Plaza, you know, the NYC INS. I don't understand how come you got an interview in garden city. Please let me know if on your transfer notice, it says New York city INS (26 Federal Plaza). thanks so much!

Transfer letter said 26 Federal Plaza. Interview Letter asked me to go to Garden City Office. From what I understand, INS NY Local Office has a (new?) branch office in Garden City. INS web site has the details on this office. (Look for list of INS Local Offices...)

dengdeng asked: Why you guys case transferred? Are you in EB1 category?
EB3. Same job/ addr all along.

leaves 123 also asked: Any one please share your experiences with me
First the good news: Garden City is a nice office. Plenty of (free) parking! They are pretty quick. It took just under an hour for me from the time of my arrival at the office to the time they started my interview.
I did get a list of documents to bring along with the interview letter. But I understand (from my lawyer) it was the wrong list (it was for people who are adjusting based on family category or something like that). So, I took everything- paystubs since 1/2002, bank stmts since 1/2002, employment letter, all INS related documents (labor, I-140, EAD, AP etc), IT returns for the last 4 yrs. What I did not bring along was my company's IT statements, for which I was given a RFE. Moral of the story: Never underestimate INS's capability to surprise you and you can never be prepared enough for the interview ;-)
 
What is corporate IT return? For a fortune 100 company, they still need to see the IT return?

Maybe your company had layoffs like Nortel or Lucent?
 
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.
 
Let me clarify a few things:

1. Garden City office has been there for a long time. In year 2001 also many people got interviwed there. I am not sure but believe Staen isalnd is called garden city and that is where this INS office is located. In the response no one has clarified the location.

Anjy: Would you please clarify the location. Is garden city office on Staten Isalnd.

2. I have read on this forum case where RFE was issued before the interview. I also know a case where the approval came without the interview. I also know a case where a new interview date was given ( 1 month later) to come with the documents requested by the officer. RFE at interview without next interview date with regular mail response is the first case I have heard. I conclude anything is possible till you get the approval notice in hand.

3. In 2001 also many people got their interviews in 2-3 months time at Garden city office, although people with earlier TDS were waiting. All the people with earlier dates got their Interview dates in next 2-3 months at 26 Federal Plaza after this kind of behavior in 2001. May be this is a good sign.

4. I do not know the criteria used by 26 ederal Plaza INS office to transfer the file to Garden city office.

Hope this helps.
 
----ajny----
Can you please elaborate on the details of your interview letter, such as:
a) What exactly documents INS asked you to bring to the Garden
city office
b) As for the REF, what is the follow up after that? Did they schedule something else after the your submit your REF, if you have submited your REF.
c) whateer you think it is helpful for people going up there to Garden City
Please advise!

----Kamal Matta----
a) Garden City office is NOT on the Staten Island. Garden City INS office is somewhere in long island...
b) Did you get your letter to go to Garden City yet?
Please advise!

----Some questions people asked here----
a) If your case got transferred to NYC, it will first go to 26 Federal Plaza.
b) then some months later (usually 6-9 months), (although there are people seem to get a letter very soon after their cases got transferred there to NYC office), you will get a letter to ask you to
go up to GARDEN CITY OFFICE for an interivew....

----Personal Info----
My case (EB3/RD:Jul2001/TD:April2002) got transferred to NYC in April of 2002. I got a letter on Nov 18th to ask me to bring just the letter to show up at Garden City office In Janauray of 2003. Since the letter states that I just need to show up and bring that letter, without mentioning other documents, I am NOT too sure what exactly is the purpose of the trip...

Any one can shred some lights? Thanks much in advance!
 
Thank you very much for clarifying that Garden city INS office is on Long Island and not Staten Island.

Congratulations for having your interview scheduled. Even if they do not ask for anything please carry all the relevant documents, namely pay slips, income tax returns, birth and marraige certificates, employment letter, affidavit of support, copy of your medical exam etc. INS officer can ask for any document and if you are not able to provide he may ask you to submit by mail which would be killing as it takes a few more months for the approval letter to come in. Best of luck. What is your interview date?

I have not received INS letter for my interview date. Wait is on.
 
garden city office location...

> Anjy: Would you please clarify the location. Is garden city office on Staten Isalnd.

From: http://www.ins.gov/graphics/fieldoffices/newyork/aboutus.htm#Garden City

Immigration and Naturalization Service
Garden City Naturalization Office
711 Stewart Avenue
Garden City, NY 11530
(516) 228-9242, (516) 228-9243

Garden City is in Nassau County. I495 exit 38. One exit North of Nassau Coliseum on Medowbrook Pkwy.

Hope this helps.
 
ajny: Thanks for Garden city update.
Can you please give your interview date and time. What did
the officer ask and how RFE is to be responded and when
do you expect to get the approval if you asked officer.

WaitingForTheGC: Thanks for your update too.
Can you please give your interview date and time.

leaves 123: Please give your interview date and time.
Give details of RD (receipt date), ND and category EB1/2/3.

Kindly post your interview details once you have completed.

Hope your experience would add to value to all waiting for being interview. Thanks.
 
Visited 26 Federal Plaza to find the status of my case. The only inofrmation I could get is that my file has been transfered to Garden city office. This holds good for most of the cases.

Please post your Interview experience once your have completed it at Garden city office.
 
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