Maryland Transfer: Please share your interview experience

I-485 and AC21 question

I-485 and AC21 question
Friends,
Just need some info from Immigration experts:
I filed I-485 based on Approved I-140 to VSC in the first week of August 2002
Received Receipts for I-485, AP, EAD
Checked the AVM and my EAD has been approved, AP approved (not received in hands)
I received Finger Printing Notice today and my FP is scheduled on September 25th.

I have to take the benefit of AC21 and I want to change my employer.
Service Center is VSC and I am in Baltimore MD

I have a fear that once FP is over then my case may be transferred to Baltimore local INS office and they may schedule my Interview date before 180 days.
I was reading in some threads that once FBI clears the Finger printing then service center sends the file to local INS and they may conduct final interview in one month, that will be bad for me as I want my I-485 not to be approved before 180 days from filing.

I have few questions:
1. Is I-485 approved by service center and then file will be sent to local office or after Finger Print is received by VSC from FBI they will send file to local office to approve1-485 or I-485 is only approved by VSC
2. I hope one can take advantage of AC21 only if the case is pending with INS more than 180 days.

3. Should I postpone the finger Prints or I do not have to worry?
I have filed my I-485 in first week of August 2002, AP, EAD
approved according to AVM but not recieved, Finger printing notice recived and FP is scheduled on September 25th.

4 If transfred to Baltimore and Local INS is going to Approve it, how many days it takes to approve 1-485

5 If I-485 is approved by Baltimore then how many days it takes to send the final Interview,
6 Can one gove the New Employer letter at the time of Interview or it has to be before I-485 approval only.

I am posting in this thread because most of you are from MD, I hope you will share the info or help me.

Please guide because I have to take the benefit of AC21.

Thanks in advance
 
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My opinion

Once your case got transferred to Baltimore, the normal Interview schedule timing is 3 months to 6 months. If you get the interview letter in a month, if you dont want to go. You can very well reschedule the interview date. In the interview letter itself, its stated. So you dont have to worry about that. Worst case you can postpone the INTERVIEW DATE. After postponment,You should not feel bad, if baltimore delays the ID. Coz its also stated that if you reschedule it, it will delay your processing. Its a tricky situation..

My opinion for Question 1.

Preliminary processing like checking to make sure all the files are there will be done in VSC. They wont go indepth in to ur cases. Then they will just transfer ur case to Baltimore. Most of the times it happens once VSC receives the FP.

My opinion for Question 2.

You are correct. Everyone knows that.
My opinion for Question 3 ;

Why should you postpone ur Finger prints. Just go for it. Dont delay FP.

My opinion for Question 4 :
Once case got transferred to baltimore, you need to go with all the originals mentioned in the interview letter. Assigned officer will go thru one by one and if he finds ur case is straight forward, YOU WILL BE AN IMMIGRANT STRAIGHT AWAY. They will stamp the passport immediately. Thats my personal experinece. I got my GC thru an Interview in MD last week.
So, if you get an ID means, if your paperwork is in order, ur ID becomes ur AD.

So approval and interview are related.

I didnt get question 6, at the time of interview, u need to take the Employer letter.

I think you should be okey, you have sufficient time to use AC21. WHen are u joining ur new job or when did u join ur new job.

YOU CAN ALWAYS RESCHEDULE THE INTERVIEW, if you are willing to reschedule..

BUT U HAVE TO TAKE THAT RISK, People are praying for interview in Baltimore.


Best of Luck... You should be okey.
 
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Dear hhs, Thank you very much for the info and help.

It was a god information for me that once one gets Interview date,one can reschedule the Interview.
If I reschedule the interview date and I do not get new Interview date for 2-4 months from Baltimore I do not have problem, it is better late than never.
Not attending the Interview means more time to get Approval for I-485 and GC, am I correct?
not attending the interview means your case still has not been approved, that is what I need to hit 6 months for AC21 after filing I-485,
My only concern is that my I-485 should be pending till March,2003, then I will have NO problem...

your Comment"So, if you get an ID means, if your paperwork is in order, ur ID becomes ur AD."

I will postpone the interview not to get my I-485 AD , even if INS says Processing will be delayed, Sir, I WANT IT TO BE DELAYED the delay will be good for me.
To your question:
"I didnt get question 6, at the time of interview, u need to take the Employer letter."
regarding question 6 you have given me some insight , my question was that If the i-485 file is Still with VSC after 6 months are over I-485 filing, then I should send a New Employer or Employer Switching letter to VSC, but if the file is transfred to Baltimore and I cross 6 months by rescheduling FP or Interview date then I have to provide my INTENT Change or New Employer letter to Baltimore, does it sound correct?
Can Ialso submit my new Employement letter at time of Interview to Baltimore or it has to be before the interview date? If this sounds Legal and correct then I will have no problem getting GC.

I think I should postpone Fingerprinting, why to take a chance for early approval of my I-485, i hope by doing this I can atleast get one month more.

what is the RISK in rescheduling Interview? if it is only Delay of few months NO PROBLEM SIR!!
Every one has a diffrent case, I know that Everybody prays that they should get the Interview date Fast and I pray for them that they should get interview as early as possibl!!

I need Prayers that my I-1485 should not be approved before 6 months by VSC or Baltimore office.
I would like to join new employer/job only once i hit 6 months. then wish to send latter from my new employer and my job is going to be same.
Thank you very much for sharing the Info.
Sincerest Best Regards and Good Luck to you !!!
Adarsh
 
Thanks for sharing your info nov2001waiting

nov2001waiting,

Thanks for sharing your info. I updated the list on 'Baltimore local transfer list' thread with your info.

Thanks
Arun
 
why nobody is sharing their experience ?

Synapse - a slightly different case. Did not have pay stubs and we all would like to know how it went on. It will help others and also make us knowledgable. But where is this person ? no updates ??

There was one person who said he missed the interview date. We would like to know how he managed ?

And even if the cases are straight forward, we would like to know that they were approved. It just builds our confidence level.

HumaraGC, KuttinVijay where are you guys ? Hope you had a successful interview.

Thanks,
teleks
 
Why are people afraid of approval before 6 months

Reading adarsh's post and also murthy chat transcripts..people always say that "it could be a problem" if approved before 6 months. Doesn't approval give you more flexibility than the 6 month rule. Why do people wait to postpone their interview rather than going and getting "it" done. my FP is this month at MD and I hope I get ID soon.
I would appreciate any input on my dilemma.
 
My friend had a successful interview yesterday.

My friend had a successful interview yesterday.
Just regular stuff was asked :
1. Pay-stubs
2. Employment Letter
3. photo-ids.
4. Birth certificates...
 
Waiting

Hello everyone,

My details are as follows

pd: April 2000

RD: Sep 28th 2001

ND: Nov 17th 2001


FP: May 7th 2002 ( wheaton)

Case transfered to Baltimore on Aug 8th.

waiting for the Interview date??
 
Adarsh:

I think you might have a got a fair idea by this time about using AC21. Actually every one is trying use this rule based on their convenience. Bottom line is you should have a letter from your current employer saying that he has job with so and so salary upon approval of your green card. In Other thread Sunny has given some good tips about this.I agree with HHS also. What you can do is you can take your employer change letter with you. Take a letter from your Lawyer saying that you are using AC21 (485 portability) to change your employer with same job description.
I think you can go head do your finger printing. Any way talk to your lawyer again. I think after finger printing they will take considerable time in transferring your file to Baltimore. I think in your case there will not be any interview before 6 months. Now slowly Baltimore office becoming busy. They will not only work on 485, they need to take care of so many things like renewing green cards, citizenship, EAD'S and some may family based cases. An average per day they will have 4 to 5 interviews for employment based Green cards that to not every day.
Analyze all the probabilities and talk to your lawyer and come to one decision. Finally one thing I can tell you are 100% OK because all you need is Curent employer letter, latest pay checks and your tax returns.
God is always with you.
Good luck
Sai55
 
Dear Sai55
Thanks for your help Please read below my concerns and my ANS:
I think you might have a got a fair idea by this time about using AC21. Actually every one is trying use this rule based on their convenience. Bottom line is you should have a letter from your current employer saying that he has job with so and so salary upon approval of your green card.

_____ MY I-485 SHOULD BE PENDING more than 180 days with INS to use AC21, once I cross 180 days then only I have to inform INS about my new Employer Change or Can take the new Employer letter at the time of Interview, If 180 days have NOT passed then if my I-485 is approved then I have to work with the Original Sponsor of my GC for minimum 6 months or a year and I do not want to work with him.

. In Other thread Sunny has given some good tips about this. I agree with HHS also. What you can do is you can take your employer change letter with you. Take a letter from your Lawyer saying that you are using AC21 (485 portability) to change your employer with same job description.

_______ ONLY after 180 days from filing date I can use AC21 and my I-485 should have not been approved till that time. I have to change employer and do not want my GC to be approved for the Petitioning employer, he tortured me mentally for 4 years, I have to see that my I-485 should not be approved for that employer, that is the reason I want to postpone FP so that I can reach to 180 days and change the employer or send change in my INTENT and Employer switch letter to INS or take it to interview, I have my new employer ready any time and in the same job description and will change the day I hit 180 days.


I think you can go head do your finger printing. Any way talk to your lawyer again. I think after finger printing they will take considerable time in transferring your file to Baltimore.

_________Please see Baltimore Transfer update on this thread 2 cases have been immediately transferred to Baltimore after Fingerprinting and Interview date has been assigned for Baltimore INS both the cases are of 2002 and one got the transfer in 3 months time after FP for interview, I don’t know the reliability of posts but why someone will post wrong:

Attachment: id.xls
http://boards.immigrationportal.com/attachment.php?postid=343721

http://boards.immigrationportal.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=343420#post343420

Please also read:
INA 204(j) provides that:

"A petition under subsection (a)(1)(D) for an individual whose application for
adjustment of status pursuant to section 245 has been filed and remained
unadjudicated for 180 days or more shall remain valid with respect to a new job if
the individual changes jobs or employers if the new job is in the same or a similar
occupational classification as the job for which the petition was filed."

The issue of what happens if a person is terminated before the 180 days expires has
never been fully explored by INS. There is an old case that says that an I-485 is
automatically voided by a person losing his job if the application is based upon a
labor certification. On the other hand, the plain language of the statute allow you
to continue your I-485 if it remains unadjudicated for 180 days and you find another
job in the same or a similar occupation. Therefore it is at least arguable that it
doesn't matter when you are laid off, as long as the I-485 is not denied before the
later of 2 events: 180 day passing from the filing date and you finding a job in the
same or similar occupation.

Thanks for your help
Good Luck to you all!!!
Adarsh
 
Dear ag28
Please see my comments below:
Reading adarsh's post and also murthy chat transcripts..people always say that "it could be a problem" if approved before 6 months.
_______ IT IS NOT A PROBLEM IF YOU ARE WORKING AND WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE SAME EMPLOYER AFTER GETTING YOUR GC, IT IS A PROBLEM FOR THEM THOSE WHO WANT TO CHANGE THE EMPLOYER AND WANT TO USE AC21, IF APPROVED BEFORE 6 months it is PROBLEM for these peoples and if Approved they have to work for the same employer who sponsored for GC for 6 months to 1 year minimum

Doesn't approval give you more flexibility than the 6-month rule?
________ Approval gives you flexibility, but you have to work minimum 6 moths to a year with the same employer who sponsored you for GC ( after approval also), I hope you are fortunate to have good employer who sponsored your GC and pays you well, but Some Desi employers are……….

Why do people wait to postpone their interview rather than going and getting "it" done.

_______ They try to "Wait" Because they want to change Employer and for that 180 days should have been passed after filing I-485, they do not want to continue working with the same employer who sucks them. I hope you have good employer and may not understand the pains of others who have Desi employer

my FP is this month at MD and I hope I get ID soon.

_____ Good luck for FP in MD, Please continue posting for the updates, I am also from MD
If you wish can send me Private Mail.
Good Luck!!!
& Sincerest Best Regards to you and all!!!
Adarsh
 
Interview experiences ...

Hello
efmef, matharao,
Please post interview experiences tomorrow
after interview.

last week only wnqqnw's posted experience of friends.
No news from others. How did it go?

I have my interview this week. Just checking to see how it went
after the great first week.

Thanks!
 
Question?

Do we need to bring photos for the interview?
INS didn?t ask for the photograph though.

Thanks in advance..
 
INS didn't require photo. But we do see some people were asked for it. I took it with me even they didn't ask for. For a peaceful mind, take it with you.
 
Thanks Adarsh for your reply

I don't get paid much but my case is EB2-NIW. A colleague who had filed in late March got his case transferred to MD INS in first week of Aug. That is fast compared to others who had applied earlier. Just wanted to let others know of the current time frames.

p.s adarsh-I have sent you a pvt msg
 
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Medical Exam

Does Baltimore ask for Medical EXam?

1. Do Baltimore INS require you to redo medical exam if it is more than 1 year old.

2. If Medical Exam is not complete at the time of I-485 filing, (because of pregnancy), is it required to redo it?

thanks,
 
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