Went to Monterey Road CIS office (in South San Jose) on July 8, 2004 at 7AM, for getting our passports stamped (I-551). Couldn't get in! :-(
Went again today (July 9) at 4AM. And got it done eventually!!
FYI: On an average, it takes about 7.5 to 8 hours for this! The sad thing is that, this time is NOT the same on every day -- it depends on how many counters are really open (read, how many have taken vacation) on a given day.
Some suggestions for a better experience in this process!
1. Be there atleast by 5 AM.
2. There's a mobile food court that operates till 7 AM. Choices are limited
for vegetarians -- donuts, fruits and some pastries. Coffee/tea is ok.
3. Suggest to take some warm clothing because there's a long wait time
outside.
4. Please, please take care of your morning ablutions because there are only
a couple of temporary restrooms outside and THEY ARE PATHETIC!
Please note that there are NICER restrooms inside the building, BUT,
you can use them ONLY after getting your token number! :-(
5. NO food or drink (including water!) is allowed inside the building. So, please
be prepared for an 8 hour fast! All they have is a water fountain!
6. Books, novels, etc might be better choices than twiddling your thumbs
during the wait inside!
7. Finally, a note about the security check: again, no food, drink or water
allowed inside the building. No cameras and cellphones with cameras
allowed.
Regards
-Kathir.