Hi All,
My father-in-law passed away on Saturday at about 2:30 am (IST). I got the message at about Friday 1:30 pm (PST) from my wife. I was about to mail my and hers I-131 application as we planned to visit India in summer.
I contacted my lawyer and he told me that I should get the death certificate from India and go to BCIS office at LA Downtown. Since it was friday afternoon he told me nothing could be done until Monday.
On Monday armed with my 485 receipts, passport and all the other documentation, I arrived at LA downtown office. I was amazed at the line I saw at about 8:00 am. I went and talked to the guard and showed him the death certificate and he allowed us in without having to wait in line. After waiting in line for about 20 minutes, I met the first officer. He looked at all the paperwork and asked us to go to Room 2050 for the parole.
We went to room 2050 and since nobody was in line I talked to a lady immigration officer. She looked at the papers and punched the A# and WAC # and told us "sorry your case is not in this office, you have to go to Laguna Niguel office. The officer does not have the neccesary paper work to take a decision on your case". I asked her what if my case was filed in Vermont or Nebraska service centers. She had no answer and she handed out driving directions to Laguna Niguel.
In the meantime I had to get my daughter's US passport (newborn 2 months old), which is not very far away from the BCIS office. By the time we finished it, it was 12:30 pm.
Driving from Wilshire/405 to Laguna Niguel a 70-75 mile drive was achieved in about 50 minutes and we headed for the BCIS office. The security guard at the gate told us that the office is closed and to come back tommorow. We once again showed him the death certificate and explained what we went thru at LA BCIS office. He asked us for our A#'s and went inside. After a few minutes a Immigration officer called us in and told us that she would require supervisory clearance to issue advance parole.
We waiting for about 30-45 minutes after which the supervisor called us and started verifying all documents. The only document I missed was our marriage certificate and she informed us that she cannot issue without that. Since it was already 3:00pm she took down our phone # and gave us hers and told us that she would call when everything is ready the next day. She asked to bring a copy of the marriage certiificate.
the next day she called around 10:00 am and told us that the computers were down and she cannot take a print of the AP. she would call us whenever it is up and running. We got the oppurtunity asked us about our 485 cases. She told us that CSC has slowed down since January but speeds should pick in the next couple of weeks. She informed that our cases looked good and it was just a matter of time. When we asked what length of time? she informed us that we are looking 2-3 month.
She called us back at 1:00pm and asked us to pick up AP from her. It was a great help from her and truly amazing.
codex
WAC-02-099
My father-in-law passed away on Saturday at about 2:30 am (IST). I got the message at about Friday 1:30 pm (PST) from my wife. I was about to mail my and hers I-131 application as we planned to visit India in summer.
I contacted my lawyer and he told me that I should get the death certificate from India and go to BCIS office at LA Downtown. Since it was friday afternoon he told me nothing could be done until Monday.
On Monday armed with my 485 receipts, passport and all the other documentation, I arrived at LA downtown office. I was amazed at the line I saw at about 8:00 am. I went and talked to the guard and showed him the death certificate and he allowed us in without having to wait in line. After waiting in line for about 20 minutes, I met the first officer. He looked at all the paperwork and asked us to go to Room 2050 for the parole.
We went to room 2050 and since nobody was in line I talked to a lady immigration officer. She looked at the papers and punched the A# and WAC # and told us "sorry your case is not in this office, you have to go to Laguna Niguel office. The officer does not have the neccesary paper work to take a decision on your case". I asked her what if my case was filed in Vermont or Nebraska service centers. She had no answer and she handed out driving directions to Laguna Niguel.
In the meantime I had to get my daughter's US passport (newborn 2 months old), which is not very far away from the BCIS office. By the time we finished it, it was 12:30 pm.
Driving from Wilshire/405 to Laguna Niguel a 70-75 mile drive was achieved in about 50 minutes and we headed for the BCIS office. The security guard at the gate told us that the office is closed and to come back tommorow. We once again showed him the death certificate and explained what we went thru at LA BCIS office. He asked us for our A#'s and went inside. After a few minutes a Immigration officer called us in and told us that she would require supervisory clearance to issue advance parole.
We waiting for about 30-45 minutes after which the supervisor called us and started verifying all documents. The only document I missed was our marriage certificate and she informed us that she cannot issue without that. Since it was already 3:00pm she took down our phone # and gave us hers and told us that she would call when everything is ready the next day. She asked to bring a copy of the marriage certiificate.
the next day she called around 10:00 am and told us that the computers were down and she cannot take a print of the AP. she would call us whenever it is up and running. We got the oppurtunity asked us about our 485 cases. She told us that CSC has slowed down since January but speeds should pick in the next couple of weeks. She informed that our cases looked good and it was just a matter of time. When we asked what length of time? she informed us that we are looking 2-3 month.
She called us back at 1:00pm and asked us to pick up AP from her. It was a great help from her and truly amazing.
codex
WAC-02-099