thought i should share our i551 (GC) stamping experience in des moines, iowa, with you.
i had read that most people recommend getting to the BCIS office really, really early to beat the rush, but my wife and i thought, "how about getting there really, really late?" so on a hunch, we decided to reach the BCIS office at around noon.
one advantage possibly of this hour was we found plenty of available parking by the roadside on locust ave, so we did not need to park in the city parking ramp at the corner of 3rd and grand where we usually park.
the guards at the entrance of the federal building at walnut ave where the BCIS office is located were courteous as always. we found that our hunch had paid off when we finally wandered into the BCIS office just past noon, and found that there were only four or five people waiting ahead of us, which was in contrast to the earlier times we had come for our fingerprints. our total wait time in the queue was around 25 minutes.
the immigration officer at the counter was among the friendliest, most courteous and polite people we have ever met. she corrected my wife's name on her form which was misspelled on the approval notice, commiserated with us that our little son was still not approved, even gave a lollipop to take home with us for our son. she was very efficient and had us on our way in a only a few minutes, and all the while we had pleasant conversation. remarking, for example, on the clarity of my fingerprint, she said, "so, it does not seem like you help your wife very much with the dishes!" i could only mumble that i did provide moral support to my wife in the matter of house chores.
i hope there are more people like her in the BCIS.
i had read that most people recommend getting to the BCIS office really, really early to beat the rush, but my wife and i thought, "how about getting there really, really late?" so on a hunch, we decided to reach the BCIS office at around noon.
one advantage possibly of this hour was we found plenty of available parking by the roadside on locust ave, so we did not need to park in the city parking ramp at the corner of 3rd and grand where we usually park.
the guards at the entrance of the federal building at walnut ave where the BCIS office is located were courteous as always. we found that our hunch had paid off when we finally wandered into the BCIS office just past noon, and found that there were only four or five people waiting ahead of us, which was in contrast to the earlier times we had come for our fingerprints. our total wait time in the queue was around 25 minutes.
the immigration officer at the counter was among the friendliest, most courteous and polite people we have ever met. she corrected my wife's name on her form which was misspelled on the approval notice, commiserated with us that our little son was still not approved, even gave a lollipop to take home with us for our son. she was very efficient and had us on our way in a only a few minutes, and all the while we had pleasant conversation. remarking, for example, on the clarity of my fingerprint, she said, "so, it does not seem like you help your wife very much with the dishes!" i could only mumble that i did provide moral support to my wife in the matter of house chores.
i hope there are more people like her in the BCIS.