180DaysGuy
Registered Users (C)
Hi Guys,
I renewed my wife's and my EAD yesterday at Boston, INS. Here are the details, as promised earlier:
- Got up at 4:15 a.m. in the morning
- Started the drive at 5:55 a.m. for Boston, aiming to reach there around 7 a.m.
- Route 3 South (I am from NH) and later I-93 South was full of traffic.
- Finally made near to JFK Federal Building around 7:20 a.m.
- Parked in the garage next to JFK building. Parking costs $12.00/day (early bird before 7 a.m.) and $14.00/day (early bird before 9:30 a.m.). Lost 2 bucks
- Entered the building by the main entrance at around 7:25 a.m.
- After security check, stood in line and got the tokens. When we entered the waiting room, token 3 was in progress and it was packed with people. We were 42 and 43 respectively. Approximate wait time listed on the token was 2 hrs 40 mins. Expected to be out by 10:30 a.m.
- But then I had the worst wait in a long time. Only one old lady was handling adjudications at the counter. In between she used to disappear and the reappear after 15 mins. And so it went on and on. 1030 hours passed, but still no sign of any progress.
- Meanwhile, an attorney with 2 clients had a big argument with the lady and lots of arguments and counterarguments were flying at the counter. The lady officer was losing her patience and I was shivering.
- An Indian couple form RI who had come from their EAD renewal were sent back as they were not from MA. This really scared me as I was from NH, also I was angry because after waiting for more than 3 hours, I might hear that I cannot renew my EAD here.
- So I immediately rushed to the parking garage and got the printed papers from INS web-site that people from NH can renew their EADs at Boston, INS. After coming back to the waiting room, confirmed with INS guys that I can renew my EAD.
- By now, I was so pissed off at the waiting time, that I told my wife, "Whatever happens I am going to get the EAD and walk out of here, even if that means arguing with the old lady".
- Finally at 12 noon, our tokens were called - walked to the counter and saw that the old lady's name was Ms. Jenkins.
- Told her that we had come to renew our EADs, she said OK, took the forms and asked if we got the MOs for $120 X 2 = $240. I said yes, and asked her that my EAD expires on 01/02/2003 and whether they would issue the new EAD from 01/03/2003. She had a look at my old EAD and said "Son, you came 2 months soon, you could have come in December". Man that very comment removed any misgivings that I had about Ms. Jenkins. I realized that although it's a government office, people are working there with all sincerity, quite unlike what experiences I have had in govt. offices in India.
- Nevertheless, she said, that hopefully you should get your approval before the expiry of the new EAD. She asked me to pay the MOs to the cashier and then walk across to the photographing room.
- Did all that stuff and was out of INS building by 12:30 p.m. with new EADs valid from 10/10/2002 to 10/09/2003 . But at least one tension was gone so
Finally my 2 cents,
1. Go to Boston, only if you are currently resident at MA or NH and have proof to show that if asked.
2. In case you are renewing at Boston, INS go about a month before expiry of the old EAD, 'worrywarts' like me may go earlier
Thanks
180DaysGuy.
I renewed my wife's and my EAD yesterday at Boston, INS. Here are the details, as promised earlier:
- Got up at 4:15 a.m. in the morning
- Started the drive at 5:55 a.m. for Boston, aiming to reach there around 7 a.m.
- Route 3 South (I am from NH) and later I-93 South was full of traffic.
- Finally made near to JFK Federal Building around 7:20 a.m.
- Parked in the garage next to JFK building. Parking costs $12.00/day (early bird before 7 a.m.) and $14.00/day (early bird before 9:30 a.m.). Lost 2 bucks
- Entered the building by the main entrance at around 7:25 a.m.
- After security check, stood in line and got the tokens. When we entered the waiting room, token 3 was in progress and it was packed with people. We were 42 and 43 respectively. Approximate wait time listed on the token was 2 hrs 40 mins. Expected to be out by 10:30 a.m.
- But then I had the worst wait in a long time. Only one old lady was handling adjudications at the counter. In between she used to disappear and the reappear after 15 mins. And so it went on and on. 1030 hours passed, but still no sign of any progress.
- Meanwhile, an attorney with 2 clients had a big argument with the lady and lots of arguments and counterarguments were flying at the counter. The lady officer was losing her patience and I was shivering.
- An Indian couple form RI who had come from their EAD renewal were sent back as they were not from MA. This really scared me as I was from NH, also I was angry because after waiting for more than 3 hours, I might hear that I cannot renew my EAD here.
- So I immediately rushed to the parking garage and got the printed papers from INS web-site that people from NH can renew their EADs at Boston, INS. After coming back to the waiting room, confirmed with INS guys that I can renew my EAD.
- By now, I was so pissed off at the waiting time, that I told my wife, "Whatever happens I am going to get the EAD and walk out of here, even if that means arguing with the old lady".
- Finally at 12 noon, our tokens were called - walked to the counter and saw that the old lady's name was Ms. Jenkins.
- Told her that we had come to renew our EADs, she said OK, took the forms and asked if we got the MOs for $120 X 2 = $240. I said yes, and asked her that my EAD expires on 01/02/2003 and whether they would issue the new EAD from 01/03/2003. She had a look at my old EAD and said "Son, you came 2 months soon, you could have come in December". Man that very comment removed any misgivings that I had about Ms. Jenkins. I realized that although it's a government office, people are working there with all sincerity, quite unlike what experiences I have had in govt. offices in India.
- Nevertheless, she said, that hopefully you should get your approval before the expiry of the new EAD. She asked me to pay the MOs to the cashier and then walk across to the photographing room.
- Did all that stuff and was out of INS building by 12:30 p.m. with new EADs valid from 10/10/2002 to 10/09/2003
. But at least one tension was gone so Finally my 2 cents,
1. Go to Boston, only if you are currently resident at MA or NH and have proof to show that if asked.
2. In case you are renewing at Boston, INS go about a month before expiry of the old EAD, 'worrywarts' like me may go earlier
Thanks
180DaysGuy.