Baltimore transfer at 8/6 (RD 1/16/2002)

You are done , I-181 is a Welcome Letter, your GC will follow in a days. Congratulations !!! ( same thing happened to me )
 
status letter

I recently went to Baltimore office to verify about my address change. The officer verified the address (was already updated) and didn't give us any info on the I-485 status.

Yesterday i received a letter from Baltimore to my new address saying..

Case Status : Waiting for interveiw.

What does that mean?

I am currently stuck under retogression. EB3, PD 04/2002.
 
Personal Interview

Hi Guys,

Its been like couple of months that I been to this site. I was totally lost of hope that ever i get an interview letter for local INS.

Yesterday evening I have received the letter from Baltimore. With a very big check list.

1) Current letter of employment(With Employer's
Telephone number and address)
2) Approved I-140 with all attachments
3) ETA-750 Labor cerification package
4) Evidence of employer's ability to pay your wages
such as employer's tax returns, financial statements,
your W-2 forms and last 3 paychecks stubs issued.
and other info like birth certificate etc.

Guys can you put some light on this to get prepared for this interview,I don't know what that officer is gonna ask me.

"Compass" can you please give me some tips as you recently been to interview, any inputs will be great help
 
vikramab said:
Hi Guys,

Its been like couple of months that I been to this site. I was totally lost of hope that ever i get an interview letter for local INS.

Yesterday evening I have received the letter from Baltimore. With a very big check list.

1) Current letter of employment(With Employer's
Telephone number and address)
2) Approved I-140 with all attachments
3) ETA-750 Labor cerification package
4) Evidence of employer's ability to pay your wages
such as employer's tax returns, financial statements,
your W-2 forms and last 3 paychecks stubs issued.
and other info like birth certificate etc.

Guys can you put some light on this to get prepared for this interview,I don't know what that officer is gonna ask me.

"Compass" can you please give me some tips as you recently been to interview, any inputs will be great help

Hi vikramab,
Congratulations with your letter!
I think, interview officers ask standard questions more or less. You can look back in this thread. In my case, lady officer asked for fresh employment letter also. I-140 (approved before filing I-485) was already in the file but I had it with me just in case. She had a list and she checked items, like EL she took from me, I-140 was there already, W-2, 3 paychecks, tax returns for last 2 years she took from me, told that they want taxes for last 3 years but she had already tax for 3rd year back which I filed together with I-485. I did not have labor cert but if they ask, sure you should bring all copies.
Evidence of employer's ability to pay - yes, they want to fill this with some document, in my case I was with University, I got a booklet from HR telling about University funding and brought it with me, but officer did not ask for it (and I did not volinteer to give it). If you are with some small company, maybe you will need company's tax returns or some letter stating funding.
Birth certificate - yes she asked for it, also for my daughter, I only had one copy for my daughter's and she wanted to put copies into 2 files (mine, and my daughters), so she made one more copy and added to my file and my daughter's file. We had all originals also but she did not look at them
We took fresh pictures, it was not on the letter list but I knew that we submitted old format (with ear) and now they need new format (front passport style), we asked if she wants them, she told yes, took them and removed old pictures.
Questions all were standard, like if you were ever arrested, terrorist, communist, etc. She looked through question list in the I-485 form we filed.
She asked paystubs also from my spouse, we were surprised (I thought only mine are needed) but we had them so we gave them to her. It was part-time job but officer did not care.
Also she verified parent's names (my father's first name was misspelled I think, she corrected this), and the dates of last entry in USA for all of us.
We also had proof of common residence/life such as car insurance, joint bank account copies, lease with all names, but she did not ask for this.
Prepare a folder with all docs, we had a folder for each person, with all docs inside clearly labeled with yellow stickers showing what doc is where, so we can easily find whatever officer is asking for. I put each doc into such clear little 'pocket' folder, together original and copy, and attached yellow sticker so it showed outside the folder what is it (for example "birth certificate", "pictures", "tax returns"). All clear folders were arranged inside a big folder according to the list of interview letter. This helped a lot.
Good luck!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
interview

Compass,

Thanks a lot for the valuable suggestions, I am sure these points will help me a lot.

Slowly started gathering all the paper work for my Interview (July 20th).

My case transffered to local baltimore office on Dec 21 2004.

On Feb 5th 2006 I got a RFE from local office wheather I am still working with my employer or not. I replied like on Apr 4th for RFE, thought i will get approval after that reply. After two months on 10th jun 2006 I called Customer service and enquired, my guess that call has initiated for my interview.

On 14th Jun 2006 I got the interview letter, hope the interview go smooth and give me approval soon. My Priorty date is May 2003.

By the way after your interview how long they took to give you approval. Did u wait till priority date became current ??? My fringer prints are like more then a year and half (Nov 1st 2004). I don't know (fringer prints ) this will make to wait more, or can I ask on interview date for new finger prints. Actually I am not even sure did my FBI name check is cleared or not.

Can I ask them regarding my FBI name check ??? and for Finger prints

Hope my waiting gets over n seen the approvals sooooooon.



compass said:
Hi vikramab,
Congratulations with your letter!
I think, interview officers ask standard questions more or less. You can look back in this thread. In my case, lady officer asked for fresh employment letter also. I-140 (approved before filing I-485) was already in the file but I had it with me just in case. She had a list and she checked items, like EL she took from me, I-140 was there already, W-2, 3 paychecks, tax returns for last 2 years she took from me, told that they want taxes for last 3 years but she had already tax for 3rd year back which I filed together with I-485. I did not have labor cert but if they ask, sure you should bring all copies.
Evidence of employer's ability to pay - yes, they want to fill this with some document, in my case I was with University, I got a booklet from HR telling about University funding and brought it with me, but officer did not ask for it (and I did not volinteer to give it). If you are with some small company, maybe you will need company's tax returns or some letter stating funding.
Birth certificate - yes she asked for it, also for my daughter, I only had one copy for my daughter's and she wanted to put copies into 2 files (mine, and my daughters), so she made one more copy and added to my file and my daughter's file. We had all originals also but she did not look at them
We took fresh pictures, it was not on the letter list but I knew that we submitted old format (with ear) and now they need new format (front passport style), we asked if she wants them, she told yes, took them and removed old pictures.
Questions all were standard, like if you were ever arrested, terrorist, communist, etc. She looked through question list in the I-485 form we filed.
She asked paystubs also from my spouse, we were surprised (I thought only mine are needed) but we had them so we gave them to her. It was part-time job but officer did not care.
Also she verified parent's names (my father's first name was misspelled I think, she corrected this), and the dates of last entry in USA for all of us.
We also had proof of common residence/life such as car insurance, joint bank account copies, lease with all names, but she did not ask for this.
Prepare a folder with all docs, we had a folder for each person, with all docs inside clearly labeled with yellow stickers showing what doc is where, so we can easily find whatever officer is asking for. I put each doc into such clear little 'pocket' folder, together original and copy, and attached yellow sticker so it showed outside the folder what is it (for example "birth certificate", "pictures", "tax returns"). All clear folders were arranged inside a big folder according to the list of interview letter. This helped a lot.
Good luck!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi vikramab,
I was approved in end of March, long time after interview, because of my pending name check (see my signature).
My priority date was ALWAYS current...
In end of Feb I got 2nd FP notice because my 1st FP expired - so sure ask about this on interview, maybe they even let you do FP same day.
 
approval letter I-485

Hey Guys, I received an approval letter from INS last Saturday (June17). The letter said that my I-485 application has been approved and my green card will arrive within 9 to 12 months. But if i want my passport stamp i just get an infopass appoinment. the following is the information about my application.

Schedule A (Nurse)
from the Philippines
Concurrent application I-765, I-140 and I-485 (April 2004), under 245(i)
Received Date (May 2004)
Fingerprints (April 2005)
I-140 approval date (August 2005)
I-485 application was transferred to Baltimore office on Sept. 2005
Received letter for interview on Nov. 2005, was interviewed on Dec. 2005.
Got an RFE during the interview and responded to it on Jan. 2006.
Approval on June 09, 2006 and got the letter on June 17. 2006.

It was a very long journey but Im glad the everything is over. thanks for all the people who posted also their experiences here in this forum. and if somebody would like to get information about my lawyer, i would be glad to share her name with you. she'd been very good lawyer and supportive all throughout my journey. thanks everyone and good luck to all.
 
Last name

Thanks Compass,

I will ask them regarding FP, hope they give a chance for Finger Printing.

One more question regarding my Birth Certificate, in that I don't have my expanded intials.

Say my last name is "kiran varun", where as in my Birth Certificate it is written as "K.V"

In my passport and SSN etc,, other legal documents it is written as "kiran varun"

I am kind of concerned how I make them understand this. That my last name "K.V" in Birth certificate and "kiran varun" are same.

Guys any body in similar kind of experience please share your views.


compass said:
Hi vikramab,
I was approved in end of March, long time after interview, because of my pending name check (see my signature).
My priority date was ALWAYS current...
In end of Feb I got 2nd FP notice because my 1st FP expired - so sure ask about this on interview, maybe they even let you do FP same day.
 
finger prints in baltimore

My case has just transferred from virginia to baltimore office. I just moved to maryland.
Can someone tell me about the finger print process, what kind of identification they ask for, when you go for finger prints. I have not changed my address on my ID, I plan to do that soon. In Virginia they only ask for the EAD. Could someone tell me where one goes for the prints in the federal building(what floor) and what kind of ID they ask for?
The people who take our fingerprints know anything about the status of our cases or we have to take seperate appointments to check the status.
In Virginia the people in the application support center was seperate and they knew nothing about the case status.
 
ZKHAN said:
My case has just transferred from virginia to baltimore office. I just moved to maryland.
Can someone tell me about the finger print process, what kind of identification they ask for, when you go for finger prints. I have not changed my address on my ID, I plan to do that soon. In Virginia they only ask for the EAD.


- I think we showed DL, but maybe you can use EAD or passport, not sure.

Could someone tell me where one goes for the prints in the federal building(what floor) and what kind of ID they ask for?

-I think, room 110, ground floor, after entering go to elevator and down one floor, this info will be in your FP invitation letter, also when you enter they ask for your ID (again we showed DL but passport should work as well I think) and explain where to go.

The people who take our fingerprints know anything about the status of our cases or we have to take seperate appointments to check the status.

- Yes, FP people just do FP, to ask about your case you must make separate infopass appointment, come in person, they do not give you info on your spouse or kid over ? (18) if they do not come in person with you.

In Virginia the people in the application support center was seperate and they knew nothing about the case status.
 
You can also goto the center in Silver Springs if that is closer to you. Look it up on the website and it should tell u. FP centers dont have any info about your case. U could just take ur passport to suffice for ID purposes. If u have an EAD along with that it will make ur life easier. Hope this helps.

Regards,

QCO.
 
QCO1 said:
You can also goto the center in Silver Springs if that is closer to you. Look it up on the website and it should tell u. FP centers dont have any info about your case. U could just take ur passport to suffice for ID purposes. If u have an EAD along with that it will make ur life easier. Hope this helps.

Regards,

QCO.
You mean I can go to either one(baltimore or silver spring) of them???

Thank you compass and QCO1 for the info.
 
QCO1 said:
yes. I normally scheduled mine at the SS center but once also went to the Baltimore center since I had an infopass appt that day and wanted to kill two birds with one stone. The SS one is next to the Drivers License Office in wheaton. Check out the link for where it is closest to u.. Hope this info helps.

Regards,

Qco..

http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/fieldoffices/ascs/asc4.htm#maryland

It might sound strange but I have done FP twice and both time I got a notice to go to so and so and office on a specific date and time and if I can't make it then go there any wednesday after my appointment date.So what I gather from your reply is that they will tell me to go to the office of my choice. Do they have a standard notice for both offices??
If you have an old copy of your notice maybe you can post whatever it says here.
 
ZKHAN said:
It might sound strange but I have done FP twice and both time I got a notice to go to so and so and office on a specific date and time and if I can't make it then go there any wednesday after my appointment date.So what I gather from your reply is that they will tell me to go to the office of my choice. Do they have a standard notice for both offices??
If you have an old copy of your notice maybe you can post whatever it says here.
I also did FP twice, both times it was invitation stated very clearly to come to Baltimore office, room 110 (if I remember right, but definitely there was a room number), 1st time they gave me exact day and time, 2nd they gave my any time within definite week from Wed to next Tue.
 
compass said:
I also did FP twice, both times it was invitation stated very clearly to come to Baltimore office, room 110 (if I remember right, but definitely there was a room number), 1st time they gave me exact day and time, 2nd they gave my any time within definite week from Wed to next Tue.

I had the exact same experience in virginia.
 
Guys/Gals,

My expierence was the same. I called the 800 number and told them that I would like to goto the Baltimore office since i HAD AN INFOPASs appt and they rescheduled mine for the baltimore office. In this day and age u can get urs done from anywhere. I went and got my Biometrics done from Atl since my project was based out of Atl and didnt have the time to schedule it in Baltimore. Call the 800 number and ask them to schedule u to the nearest center. Hope this Info helps.

Regards,

QCO
 
Could some body tell me about the baltimore office. I have dealt only with the Virginia office. Virginia office was very slow in processing EAD and other petitions. The office was staffed by a lot old ladies(I got nothing against old women) and some young people.

Could someone who has visited the baltimore office couple times write about the conditions there.
 
ZKHAN said:
Could some body tell me about the baltimore office. I have dealt only with the Virginia office. Virginia office was very slow in processing EAD and other petitions. The office was staffed by a lot old ladies(I got nothing against old women) and some young people.

Could someone who has visited the baltimore office couple times write about the conditions there.

Please read my former posts about getting EAD from Balt office. In short, interin EAD when I came by infopass was refused despite application pending more than 90 days: reason: it is "approved" and interim EAD is issued only when application is pending. So I had no way of getting EAD card; application was "approved", then Balt office sent me invitation to show up at definite day, and then I got EAD card same day (took few hours). But, inbetween "approval" and the "definite day" I had no card and could not get interim EAD, so had to postpone my work...
So if you need EAD, apply 4 months in advance (not 3 months and a week like I did...)
 
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