If you changed your address recently– please read

M

Maja

Registered Users (C)
I went to Laguna Niguel INS office to investigate why didn’t we get the approval notice and neither did the attorney. Note – we changed the address in august and we changed the attorney in April this year. INS was notified about all the changes. After waiting in line for about 45 minutes I got to see the faces of infamous IIO’s. Mine was very nice Indian lady, whom herself must be an immigrant, since she speaks with strong accent. I explained to you why I was there, that the case was approved on September 6th and we didn’t get notice yet – neither did the attorney. She checked the status of all 4 cases (for all family members) and said that they are indeed all approved, and the notice was sent on the seventh. I asked her what address did they send it too and she gave me our OLD address. I said to her that we have changed the address, and she said that since it was very recent they don’t have it in the system yet BECAUSE THEY HAVE 3 MONTHS OLD MAIL they didn’t open yet. Ok, I said, but what about the copy you sent to the attorney. And here comes the shock – we changed the attorney in April 2001 and the attorney sent the signed form about representing us to INS right away. The INS never updated that info either – so another copy was sent to the old attorney, somewhere in Texas. So I asked her – you sent one copy to old address (we have all the mail forwarded to the new address but she said that INS MAIL DOES NOT GET FORWARDED UNLESS YOU SPECIFICALLY ASK FOR IT ON THE FORM FOR FORWARDING MAIL OR UNLESS USPS MAKES A MISTAKE AND DON’T RECOGNIZE IT AS INS MAIL . And she also said that if you didn’t ask for INS mail to be forwarded, it GETS RETURNED TO INS LOCAL OFFICE and then DESTROYED – (SHREDDED IN PIECES are her exact words) BECAUSE OF FRAUD. So I asked – can you please then just generate another notice for us? I pointed out that the fact that INS has not updated any of the details we have been notifying them about CAN NOT be held against us, and I also said that I tried to phone number of times but could never get through, and she just said – I know! But then she said THEY NEVER REPRINT THE APPROVAL NOTICES, AND IF YOU DIDN’T GET IT FIRST TIME THEY SENT IT (or your attorney) , YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR ACTION ON APPROVED PETITION ( I think she said I-824?) WHICH CAN TAKE UP TO TWO YEARS TO BE APPROVED!!! I was so stunned with what she said, I said to her – please, that cannot be true! I explained that we already wait for 5 years, and it’s not our problem that they are behind with opening their mail. She kind of nod, like she agrees with everything I say and said that they don’t even have a place where to keep the incoming mail any more, and it is laying along the corridors and all over the place (UNOPENED, of course).
She also said that they destroy returned approval notices BUT DO NOT destroy returned PLASTIC CARDS–THEY KEEP THEM FOR 6 MONTHS and then, if nobody claims them, they get destroyed too.

Well, for all of you that have changed the address – please either call or go there to confirm – all you need to bring is I485 notice of action (copy is ok). If both approval notices get lost (yours and attorney\'s), you are screwed. To make this a happy ending story – I came back to work devastated, just to find an e-mail waiting - the employer notifying that the OLD attorney has contacted them about approval notices received by their office. They FedEx it to us yesterday and we are supposed to receive it today. Thank God, since that was the best news EVER.
I thought I will share it with you guys, and some of you might find it useful (kind of pay it forward );
Good luck!
FYI – you don’t need an appointment to go to Laguna Niguel office – just walk in and you can investigate about the status of your case/address change etc.
 
Luck favours the brave

Maja,
I praise your guts. Many would have sunk hearts .
Hearty congratulations !!! enjoy.
 
No Title

Thanks guys :)
good luck to all of you
I just found out that FedEx people left \'sorry we missed you\' notice at my door - so I go and pick up the notices right after work. And than - celebration time ...
 
Maja - pl. answer these questions ?!!

I have changed my address recently and would like to inform INS...by looking at your post I have decided to go personally to INS office...for that i need some more information from you.
1. What is the best time to go there ? Is there a big Q ? How many hours , before they open the office we have to be there ?
2. Is there any "screening" section before we were allowed to meet IIO\'s? I mean, do we need to tell what we came for to anybody before we meet IIO or we will be allowed just straight to meet IIO ?
3. In your opinion, you think we will be send back if we ONLY went there for change of address ?

Please share this information. And GOOD LUCK.
 
At least the story has a happy ending!

Good for you - Maja

Now I realize why I did not get the courtesy copy - because I had changed my address. However, I don\'t remember seeing anything in the US Mail form requesting all mail to be forwarded about also forwarding mail from INS.I presumed that all mail will be forwarded. Also, the acknowledgement that I got from USPS says that all First Class, Priority and Express Mail will be forwarded - the only exceptions being Circulars, books, catalogs and and advertising material.
 
No Title

1.You can go any time, I went during the lunch our. There are not many people waiting, however, some of them take a long time so be prepared to wait maybe even an hour or so.
2.There is no screenning at all, you go through metal detector and stand in the line to get into the room. There is a person at the entrance, but only for safety reason, and asks no question as why are you there.
3. I don\'t think so - you can just say that you have notified them about the address change, but have heard that it takes them a long time to do that, so you just want to double check and make sure that they have correct address. If they don\'t they\'ll change it there and then, and you are all set. Bring your I485 notice and some form of identification with you since they will ask you for that if you are doing address change.

Good luck.

Good luck :)
 
No Title

Thanks for sharing all the valuable info with us.It\'s really a happy ending.We can understand howmuch tesnion you could have faced that time.
 
Maja and others please read inside...

Thanks Maja for prompt reply..
I have tried this morning and couldnt get through the line...but when my wife called she was able to got through and she was able to change her address. When she requested to change my address ( iam primary applicant) the IIO refused to do it and instead she gave fax number and attention information. So, I faxed the "address change request" document this morning.
Do you think if I can call like tomorrow or day-after tomorrow to double check/verify my address would be enough ? When you requested for address change first time, did you requested over the phone or did you fax/mail the request ? What is the best method of relying on : FAX /MAIL /PHONE ?
BTW please accept my heartly congratulations for your green card approval and good luck to you.
I have been approved last month and I have changed my address recently...all these pain is for actual "green card". Does anyone know the "actual card envelope" will be forwarded or does the envelope says "DONOT FORWARD" message on the top ? Pleae, anyone clarify.
I checked the change of address request at the post office..the request form doesnot say anything in particular about INS. Can you guide me how should I request my post office about these "special envelopes" to forward?
 
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