******Ciba, pls add this to your web site if it\'s usable*********
As you guys know we received our FP notices yesterday scheduled for 11/07 in Santa Rosa. Thanks to our online immigration community I have known since long time ago that we can try to do FP ahead of schedule
We reached Santa Rosa ASC at around 9:10. It\'s quiet there. Keep in your mind that we have two Americas: metropolitan America and rural America, and rules made in metropolitan America may not have to apply to rural America. Cities like Santa Rosa and Sacramento are located in rural America. Most of the people if not everyone are extremely nice, helpful and cooperative, even including INS staff. That\'s why FP-ahead-of-schedule can be done here without too much hassle.
The receptionist, a young Asian lady, noticed we are "too early". I asked "does that matter?" She then turned to ask a manager-like officer, an old white lady. The officer came up to us, asking for a reason. I said, "well, we live in this area, so we just come by ... my wife studies in South Bay, she got classes to take, it\'ll be much inconvenient for her to take FP on 11/07." That\'s true. Before my wife showed her student ID and tuition bill as we prepared, that officer said to us that we are supposed to follow INS\'s appointment schedule because other people may have been scheduled to show up today, however "we are quiet today, so we can take your fingerprints." How quiet is it? We saw 5 INS staff members, serving only us and 2 other clients.
We showed our California Driver\'s Licenses to the receptionist. She asked us for any INS-issued ID (THAT\'S IMPORTANT, PROBABLY AS A NEW SECURITY MESURE AFTER THE SEP11 TERRORIST ATTACK) and got satisfied with our interim EADs. We filled out an information sheet for each of us which will become your FP receipt. Your social security number is needed to fill in. Giving fingerprints was a pleasant experience. I say again, they are very nice. They chatted with us in a friendly way, boasting their new FP machine, comparing with the one they were using a year ago and now sleeping at a corner. I guess that\'s why as I learned from our BBS that the failure rate of FP got tremendously lowered than last year. Yeah, I have to agree that the machine is pretty cool.
When we left at 9:45 the ASC got empty. It was really quiet since they had no client to serve! The waiting area is furnished with too many seats than needed They also put a TV there! The office is very clean, neat and comfortable.
My suggestion to those folks who are seeking doing FP ahead of schedule is:
1. Observe and get in. If it\'s crowded inside, just turn back and try again later on.
2. Try to avoid visiting your ASC on a Monday, Tuesday (if it\'s the first day after the close) or Saturday when high volume of appointments is expected.
As you guys know we received our FP notices yesterday scheduled for 11/07 in Santa Rosa. Thanks to our online immigration community I have known since long time ago that we can try to do FP ahead of schedule
We reached Santa Rosa ASC at around 9:10. It\'s quiet there. Keep in your mind that we have two Americas: metropolitan America and rural America, and rules made in metropolitan America may not have to apply to rural America. Cities like Santa Rosa and Sacramento are located in rural America. Most of the people if not everyone are extremely nice, helpful and cooperative, even including INS staff. That\'s why FP-ahead-of-schedule can be done here without too much hassle.The receptionist, a young Asian lady, noticed we are "too early". I asked "does that matter?" She then turned to ask a manager-like officer, an old white lady. The officer came up to us, asking for a reason. I said, "well, we live in this area, so we just come by ... my wife studies in South Bay, she got classes to take, it\'ll be much inconvenient for her to take FP on 11/07." That\'s true. Before my wife showed her student ID and tuition bill as we prepared, that officer said to us that we are supposed to follow INS\'s appointment schedule because other people may have been scheduled to show up today, however "we are quiet today, so we can take your fingerprints." How quiet is it? We saw 5 INS staff members, serving only us and 2 other clients.
We showed our California Driver\'s Licenses to the receptionist. She asked us for any INS-issued ID (THAT\'S IMPORTANT, PROBABLY AS A NEW SECURITY MESURE AFTER THE SEP11 TERRORIST ATTACK) and got satisfied with our interim EADs. We filled out an information sheet for each of us which will become your FP receipt. Your social security number is needed to fill in. Giving fingerprints was a pleasant experience. I say again, they are very nice. They chatted with us in a friendly way, boasting their new FP machine, comparing with the one they were using a year ago and now sleeping at a corner. I guess that\'s why as I learned from our BBS that the failure rate of FP got tremendously lowered than last year. Yeah, I have to agree that the machine is pretty cool.
When we left at 9:45 the ASC got empty. It was really quiet since they had no client to serve! The waiting area is furnished with too many seats than needed
They also put a TV there! The office is very clean, neat and comfortable.My suggestion to those folks who are seeking doing FP ahead of schedule is:
1. Observe and get in. If it\'s crowded inside, just turn back and try again later on.
2. Try to avoid visiting your ASC on a Monday, Tuesday (if it\'s the first day after the close) or Saturday when high volume of appointments is expected.