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Any recent experience of Interim EAD at SF?
- Thread starter henrysh
- Start date
Interim EAD at SF - our experience
We just came back from the INS office in San Francisco, after successfully getting our EAD cards.
We arrived around 12.30, stood in line for half an hour, arrived at the desk, showed our receipts for applications for EAD (Receipt date April 23, Notice date June 20). The Office counted on her fingers, yepp, they had to give us the interim card. She gave us two forms to fill in and a waiting number, and stapled everything together with one staple.
We went into the waiting room and sat down. I was pleased to see that there were seats. Hey this is better than DMV! They even played soft music for our ears. Time slowly ticket away. The number on our sign (F) never advanced. Then after a couple of hours the (F) sign went black for a few minutes until it came to life again.
We watched people in the room. It was not that crowded. Occasionally, someone was asked to leave the room because they tried to eat something. At 2:10 a voice in the speaker informed that no more numbers vere given that day. There were still many people standing in line in front of the first counter, and more were arriving.
Now and then people in the other "lines" were called. Only our line did not move. When it finally started moving, things went surprisingly fast. Some people had trouble getting to the counter fast enough, as the clerk found it amusing to press the button five times in a row. When our number finally came up, the officer took our papers, carefully removed the staple while shouting at a child that was crying, put his signature on the two forms, and stapled everything back together, this time with two staples. He told us to go upstairs. This was it! We had been waiting for almost three hours for this?!
We went upstairs, no clerk visible, but there was a basket and a sign, we put the papers in the basket. After a few minutes, a hand came and took the papers. My wife managed to quickly eat something without being punished. No one saw us. There was a sign telling NO QUESTIONS NO INFORMATION PLEASE. We did not ask anything. Now finally we got our EAD cards, valid for 3 months. We had to show drivers license and had our pictures taken at the counter. We were out of the building around 4 pm. No need to stay overnight on the streets.
We just came back from the INS office in San Francisco, after successfully getting our EAD cards.
We arrived around 12.30, stood in line for half an hour, arrived at the desk, showed our receipts for applications for EAD (Receipt date April 23, Notice date June 20). The Office counted on her fingers, yepp, they had to give us the interim card. She gave us two forms to fill in and a waiting number, and stapled everything together with one staple.
We went into the waiting room and sat down. I was pleased to see that there were seats. Hey this is better than DMV! They even played soft music for our ears. Time slowly ticket away. The number on our sign (F) never advanced. Then after a couple of hours the (F) sign went black for a few minutes until it came to life again.
We watched people in the room. It was not that crowded. Occasionally, someone was asked to leave the room because they tried to eat something. At 2:10 a voice in the speaker informed that no more numbers vere given that day. There were still many people standing in line in front of the first counter, and more were arriving.
Now and then people in the other "lines" were called. Only our line did not move. When it finally started moving, things went surprisingly fast. Some people had trouble getting to the counter fast enough, as the clerk found it amusing to press the button five times in a row. When our number finally came up, the officer took our papers, carefully removed the staple while shouting at a child that was crying, put his signature on the two forms, and stapled everything back together, this time with two staples. He told us to go upstairs. This was it! We had been waiting for almost three hours for this?!
We went upstairs, no clerk visible, but there was a basket and a sign, we put the papers in the basket. After a few minutes, a hand came and took the papers. My wife managed to quickly eat something without being punished. No one saw us. There was a sign telling NO QUESTIONS NO INFORMATION PLEASE. We did not ask anything. Now finally we got our EAD cards, valid for 3 months. We had to show drivers license and had our pictures taken at the counter. We were out of the building around 4 pm. No need to stay overnight on the streets.
I\'m so thankful with tears!
Why do I always encounter nice people here? Why?
Your information is tremendously minute and helpful!!!
So, you arrived at INS-SF office at noon? Oh, my Goodness, SJ guys must be envious of us! Haha! You know what, my lawyer suggests me be there by 6:30am!
Why do I always encounter nice people here? Why?
Your information is tremendously minute and helpful!!!
So, you arrived at INS-SF office at noon? Oh, my Goodness, SJ guys must be envious of us! Haha! You know what, my lawyer suggests me be there by 6:30am!
Thanks for the nice words
Yes we arrived around noon. Maybe the morning rush was over, but I have been there once before and that time the line was quite short so I figured there was no need to go early.
My lawyer told me that the reason that the interim card is only valid 3 months is that the real card should arrive soon. I still think that the interim card should be issued for a year. This is why in my opinion it is discrimination by INS to issue EAD cards for only 3 months:
I think there are many employers that have no understanding when you try to explain the reasons for that your Employment Authorization is only valid for three months.
(Another issue is that the employer has no right to ask for your EAD card or ask about your immigrant status BEFORE you are hired. Employers can be sued for discrimination if they do, and later decide not to hire you. I think many employers are not aware of this fact or do not care. The law says that within three days of hire, you have to show the employer documents that you have work authorization, and fill in the I-9 form. This form with your name on it even has to be kept separate from your personal file to avoid that your immigrant status affects the way you are treated by the employer)
If you go for a job interview and the employer asks to see your EAD card, inform him about this law. He only needs to know that you have work authorization, when you are hired you have to show the EAD card and your SSN card.
I am not a lawyer, but I am pretty sure this is how the law is written... Am I right, gurus?
Yes we arrived around noon. Maybe the morning rush was over, but I have been there once before and that time the line was quite short so I figured there was no need to go early.
My lawyer told me that the reason that the interim card is only valid 3 months is that the real card should arrive soon. I still think that the interim card should be issued for a year. This is why in my opinion it is discrimination by INS to issue EAD cards for only 3 months:
I think there are many employers that have no understanding when you try to explain the reasons for that your Employment Authorization is only valid for three months.
(Another issue is that the employer has no right to ask for your EAD card or ask about your immigrant status BEFORE you are hired. Employers can be sued for discrimination if they do, and later decide not to hire you. I think many employers are not aware of this fact or do not care. The law says that within three days of hire, you have to show the employer documents that you have work authorization, and fill in the I-9 form. This form with your name on it even has to be kept separate from your personal file to avoid that your immigrant status affects the way you are treated by the employer)
If you go for a job interview and the employer asks to see your EAD card, inform him about this law. He only needs to know that you have work authorization, when you are hired you have to show the EAD card and your SSN card.
I am not a lawyer, but I am pretty sure this is how the law is written... Am I right, gurus?
No Title
Guys,
I\'m going to get my EAD cards at San Francisco
on Aug 01 (RD is 04/30). According to AVM EAD\'s
not yet approved.
Can I go to San Francisco irrespective of where I
live and work?
Does San Francisco generally respect the 90 day rule for
EAD cards? According to Cobwebs they do. Right?
What time do people typically get there?
Cowwebs said he got there at mid-day and everything
was fine, but maybe this was a freak occurance.
I plan to bring:
Receipt notice (original)
2 photos
EAD forms (pick them up at the office)
Check book (just in case).
Driver\'s licences (own countries and
American).
Anything else I need to bring (do I need passport)
Thanks,
Bongo
Guys,
I\'m going to get my EAD cards at San Francisco
on Aug 01 (RD is 04/30). According to AVM EAD\'s
not yet approved.
Can I go to San Francisco irrespective of where I
live and work?
Does San Francisco generally respect the 90 day rule for
EAD cards? According to Cobwebs they do. Right?
What time do people typically get there?
Cowwebs said he got there at mid-day and everything
was fine, but maybe this was a freak occurance.
I plan to bring:
Receipt notice (original)
2 photos
EAD forms (pick them up at the office)
Check book (just in case).
Driver\'s licences (own countries and
American).
Anything else I need to bring (do I need passport)
Thanks,
Bongo
It depends on where you live
See http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/fieldoffices/sanfran/aboutus.htm:
"
Service Area:
FOR ALL IMMIGRATION BENEFITS, EXCEPT NATURALIZATION:
San Francisco District Office: Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mendocino, Modoc, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Shasta, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tehama, and Trinity.
Fresno Sub Office: Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, and Tulare.
Sacramento Sub Office: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Sierra, Sutter, Tuolumne, Yolo and Yuba.
San Jose Sub Office: Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz.
"
I\'m not sure but think man, if South Bay people could do that in SF, they would have done that already and would not have got up at midnight to get a ticket from SJ office. Although in SF INS has a district office who serves much more counties than its sub-office in SJ, the skyrocketing numbers of Hi-tech and Mexican immigration applicants has congested SJ suboffice, when in SF office\'s service area these two indices are much smaller ...
Further, you don\'t need to bring with you photos.
See http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/fieldoffices/sanfran/aboutus.htm:
"
Service Area:
FOR ALL IMMIGRATION BENEFITS, EXCEPT NATURALIZATION:
San Francisco District Office: Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mendocino, Modoc, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Shasta, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tehama, and Trinity.
Fresno Sub Office: Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, and Tulare.
Sacramento Sub Office: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Sierra, Sutter, Tuolumne, Yolo and Yuba.
San Jose Sub Office: Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz.
"
I\'m not sure but think man, if South Bay people could do that in SF, they would have done that already and would not have got up at midnight to get a ticket from SJ office. Although in SF INS has a district office who serves much more counties than its sub-office in SJ, the skyrocketing numbers of Hi-tech and Mexican immigration applicants has congested SJ suboffice, when in SF office\'s service area these two indices are much smaller ...
Further, you don\'t need to bring with you photos.
Receipt notice and CA drivers license
They were only interested in the receipt notice (I had a copy) and wanted to see the drivers license when taking a fingerprint and a signature for the card. They had a Polaroid camera and took the picture for the card. No money needed.
To be on the safe side I brought all papers I could think of, including passports. I had to fill in a form, and had to look up the I-94 number in my passport.
They were only interested in the receipt notice (I had a copy) and wanted to see the drivers license when taking a fingerprint and a signature for the card. They had a Polaroid camera and took the picture for the card. No money needed.
To be on the safe side I brought all papers I could think of, including passports. I had to fill in a form, and had to look up the I-94 number in my passport.
You may not get a SSN card using the Interim EAD!
See my posting under "EAD and SSN"
Because the Interim EAD is only valid for 3 months, my wife had trouble getting her SSN card changed. The Social Security Office put some special rules for her to issue the card. It will be automatically cancelled within three days of the EAD card expiration date unless my wife shows up at the SSN office again and shows a new EAD card.
My wife had to spend over two hours arguing with the clerk at the Social Security Office, and they even called INS and asked why the EAD card was valid for only three months, and wanted a confirmation from INS that they were going to renew the card in October. Of course, the INS would not give any such assurance.
See my posting under "EAD and SSN"
Because the Interim EAD is only valid for 3 months, my wife had trouble getting her SSN card changed. The Social Security Office put some special rules for her to issue the card. It will be automatically cancelled within three days of the EAD card expiration date unless my wife shows up at the SSN office again and shows a new EAD card.
My wife had to spend over two hours arguing with the clerk at the Social Security Office, and they even called INS and asked why the EAD card was valid for only three months, and wanted a confirmation from INS that they were going to renew the card in October. Of course, the INS would not give any such assurance.