Interim EAD Experience in Houston

M

Mad Par

Registered Users (C)
Can someone please post their experiences of obtaining interim EAD at local INS office in Houston? I might have to go there sometime this week or next week as my wife's EAD will expire on December 12th 2002. My details are in the tracker as MADROCKET

I-485 RD 8/17/2001
I-485 ND 9/24/2001
2nd AP approved on 10/25/02 (Filed on 08/15/02 for EAD and AP)
My EAD approved on 11/22/02

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Madhav
 
Get there before 7:00am

Hi,
I just went there yesterday 8:00am, after 1 hour waiting in the line of about 150 people, my turn was coming. Then the officer told me no more EAD for today. Come back another day at 7:00am.

That's it. I'll go another day.:(
 
Thanks

Thanks for the message FujiS. My lawyer told me to get there at 6:00am. And she said it might take me more than one trip to get it. I just called INS and the IIO says that they are now processing July 31st cases for EAD and this should be done very soon. Surprisingly my wife and I applied at the same time and mine got approved on November 22nd 2002. Anyway, I might go by the end of this week or next week. Please post your experience if you can. Let me see if anyone else has any more experiences.

Thanks for the message though.
 
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Can you guys post your experience after your visit to the Houston INS. I will most probably have to go at the end of this month.

Also, where is the INS located in Houston?

Thanks
 
I sure will..I haven't decided which day to go though..Here is the address
Houston INS District Office
126 Northpoint
Houston, Texas 77060
 
Houston Interim EAD

Hi All

I went to the local INS office about a week before my EAD was expiring. Reached there at 8.00 a.m - stood in line till 10 and had two people in front of me before they said the quota for the day was reached and those in line would have to come back another day.

Went back another day (Wednesday) at 6.30 a.m. - rec'd a token and a I-765 form at 8.30 - got to the counter at 10.30 - the lady at the counter looked over copy of EAD application receipt & current EAD and gave me an appointment for Friday at 8.30 a.m.

Went straight to the EAD counter on Friday at 8.30 - placed the appointment sheet there - was called in a few minutes - picture taken and interim EAD issued for 3 months.

Got my EAD extension for a year in the mail a week later.

Good luck!

TXHOPE (in the tracker)

PD Aug 2000
485 RD 9/2001
485 ND 10/2001
No FP Yet
On second EAD
 
Processing August16 as of Today 12/4/02

Hi Madhav,
I called IIO today and she said they are processing August 16 cases. So you may wait and see at least for this week to avoid a trip to INS office.

- GK
 
Thanks

Thanks for all your messages, my wife's EAD expires on 12/12/02. I want to get an extension/approval before that. I might still go tomorrow to local INS office just to get a token and if I get the approval before that, I might not go back. Anyway, even if it's approved this week, there is a high chance that we might not receive it before 12/12/02. Lets see. if you have any other suggestions please dont hesitate to comment.

Thanks
Madhav
 
Thank you, TXHOPETX. One more question:

Did AVM or online case checking message had changed before you got EAD card?

My EAD RD date is 8/26/2002, but online case checking message is same like " case is pending..."

Thanks.
FujiS (in the tracker):confused:
 
FujiS

I think it did for me..the day it was approved 11/22/02..the message was something like.."After approving your application on 11/22/02 we ordered you a new card. Processing normally takes 60-90 days...and so on"...within few days it changed to this.."This case has been approved. On November 26, 2002, an approval notice was mailed. If 14 days have passed and you have not received this notice, you may wish to verify or update your address. To update your address, please speak to an Immigration Information Officer during business hours."
Hope that helps.

MADROCKET in the tracker
 
Please post your experience

Madhav,

Please post your experience to a trip to Houston, INS office, if indeed you make trip. It will be helpful for those who are in the same boat.

Good Luck!

Kamal
 
Just went today. Reach early at 6 am and stand in line. You must go tomorrow 12/5 since they anyway will NOT give you appointment to return till next Wed 12/11 or Friday for interim picture card. Long waiting so be prepared. Take your SRC receipt, driver license/ID and 485 notice , former two are must. All the best
 
FujiS answer

Online case status updated 2-3 days before I rec'd EAD in the mail.

Have not checked AVM.

Good luck!
 
My experience at Houston INS office

OK..Here's what we did..we reached there by 6:00 am on 12/5/02 as suggested by most of you and my lawyer (I suggest go before that..between 5:00 am and 5:30 am if you dont want to come another day for picture)..it was DAMN COLD!!! they let people in from 6:00am..we got in by 7:15 or so...and there is a huge yellow line (obviously..where would all the people go once they enter the building...right??) We got the ticket at 8:16am...#199...

The lady did not ask for any letter from employer which Ooty reported at the Dallas office...But we did carry a letter saying that the person will be illegal to work for that company after the first EAD expiry date..We said that EAD at mesquite was applied more than 90days ago and they could not send a reply and we need a Interim EAD...By the time we got our number they were processing #129...there were SEVENTY people before us..

By the time our turn came, it was 1:25pm..you would have to sit atleast 5-6hours if you have 70 people ahead of you..Remember that the EAD expedite slots for the picture are limited..So she asked us to come back on wednesday to get the card...

I wonder what all the INS guys actually do there..they process couple of people..close the window..come back after 10-15mins..process couple of people..take a break..and you will have lunch inbetween..I think if they were little more efficient, we could have been out in 2-3 hours...

Here are the documents we carried...

Copy of I-765 application
Copy of I-765 receipt
Copy of I-140 receipt
Copy of I-140 approval notice
Letter from employer (though they didnt ask for this)
Copy of I-485 receipt
Birth Certificates
Marriage Certificate
Passport(s)
I-94s
Previous EAD card

I think i didn't miss anything..The woman kept copies of I-765 application..I-140 approval notice and I-485 receipt and gave us a appointment letter for wednesday 12/11/02...You dont need to stand inline for this one..be there at that time and get your card in an hour or so..

Remember to wear ample clothing to resist the cold
Be prepared to wait for a long time
If you can actually go by 4:30 am or so, you can probably come out by 9:00. That's my guess! I know my friend who did this 3 times already. I should've listened to him!!

Lesson Learned: No matter which country you are in, government services and their personnel SUCK big time. Before anyone accuses Indian government for their lackluster performances, I suggest them to goto the DPS, INS or IRS offices in USA.

Let me know if you have any questions or comments.
 
Madhav,

Thanks for sharing your experience with all of us who might have go through the same process some time.
 
After came back from INS district office, online message changed!

After came back from INS district office 12/5/2002, my EAD is approved on 12/4/2002 by online message!

On 12/5/2002, I went to Houston District Office again, on 6:30AM, earlier than the first time (12/3/2002, didn't get the number), got talked to an officer on 3PM. -- That's the longest and coldest day for me since I've been in US.

They work 7AM - 3:30PM workday. I saw how inefficent they worked. Some officer had his/her counter closed more than an hour at lunch break. Also they close counter about every hour, then come back and work on 2 or three cases, chat to each other for a while, then close again. It took about 20 minutes for him to work on my case.

I got a number at about 8AM. It took me 7 hours then waited for number' is called at 3:10PM -- just before office is about to close -- thank you officer!? At that time, only 3 counters opened. T

There are more than 10 counters, but at most time, only 4 or 5 counter open! By counting the number called totally, they processed less than 300 cases at counters for a whole day!

After you take a token (number) , then you can sit and wait, or have your breakfest/lunch in a fast-food cafe across street.

My advice: Get there as earlier as possible. i hour earlier may save 3 hours waiting later! Be prepared for a long day, A CD player + 7 CDs will be a good company.

By the way, I saw somebody didn't get an appointment number even he is in the line before me. I think my employer letter helped me to get a number. -- Thank friends in this board give me this idea.

The officer then let me come next week to pick up the card.

When I came back home, checked the online message, it says: " you case is approved on 12/4/2002" !!!

I saw mass approvals on 12/5/2002 on this board. TSC just comes new processing date, for EAD it's 8/26/2002, which is also my EAD ND. (For I485, it's 11/1/2000 -- one month forward).

-- Looks like the officer can't check my case's status, or the message was just updated after the officer checked my case!

Any way, I'll go get the award interim card if the normal card doesn't come.

Good luck!

FujiS
12/9/2002
 
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Got the card

Went back today (12/11/02) to get the card. The appointment time was 8:30 am. We reached a little early. I think they dont care about the time as long as you have an appt. You probably can go at 7:00 am when they open. But that's my guess. Everything was done in 10mins. We left the appt letter. The woman came back in a minute and gave a small receipt sorta thing. The guy called after few mins. Took the picture and asked us to wait while he does the card. Called after 3mins and gave the card.

That ends my Interim EAD experience in Houston INS office.

Though we carried almost all the documents they have asked for, none cared to verify anything other than the ID of the person.

Hope this helps.

Madhav
 
Got interim card in the morning, and 1 year ead card came in evening.

On 12/4/2002, checked online, message was "case is pending";

On 12/5/2002, went to Houston INS office, got yellow appointment paper at 8:30am on 12/11/2002;
In the evening, online message changed to "case is approved on 12/4/2002"!? (read my previous post message on this thread);

On 12/11/2002, went to Houston office at 8:30am , got interim card valid for 8 months;
In the evening, the real card came in mail-box! It's good for 1 year.

I'm tired on this ...

By the way, two cards are different in size and design.

FujiS (Tracker user id: TexasCity)
 
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