My Interview(Employment based AOS) Experience in NYC

RLNY122004

Registered Users (C)
Our Interview experience at NYC 26 Federal Plaza.
Interview Schedule : Apr 4th, 2006 at 7:45AM

We(I am primary applicant and my wife is dependent) attended our employment based AOS interview today

We reached to 26 Federal Plaza building at 6:30 AM on worth street entrance and stood in line for 30 min . We took our 4 year old son (usc) with us There were two separate line one for info pass appointments and other one for interviews. After security check we reached inside to 8th floor at 7:20 AM, Security guard on 8th floor asked us if we have attorney we said no than he directed us to go inside the big hall and wait for counter to open. We went in and waited for 10 min and counter opened at 7:30 am. We submitted out interview appointment letters, gave finger print and signed and again asked to be seated and wait for name to be called. We waited for approximately 1 hour and were called by officer at 9:00 AM. Officer received us on the door and asked to follow her to her office . Interview was straight forward and immigration officer was lady in her late 30s. She was very polite & friendly. Interview lasted for 12 to 15 min.

First officer asked us to stand up and take a oath. After the oath she asked us about attorney and gave waiver to sign.
- First thing she asked for our passports.
- she looked at h1b stamping in my passport and than asked if I am in the status all the time ...I said Yes.
- my birth certificate.
- my wife's’ birth certificate.
- asked if our son is USC, and asked for his birth certificate.
- marriage certificate.

- she asked for Employment letter(mine is future employment based labor substitution case I had both the letters but only gave future employment letter).
she asked if I am working for the same employer (I think she assumed I was already working for my future employer) , I told I am working for sister concern(my employer) which is the part of the same parent group as my future employer. I am not sure if she didn't understand what I said or just didn't care about it. Also future salary mentioned in the employment letter in 20% more than labor salary but that too wasn't a problem.

(she didn't tell me for which years she want following but I gave past three years)
- Federal Tax Returns(I gave 2005,2004, 2003 tax transcript and copy of tax returns)
- W2s (I gave 2005,2004, 2003).

- asked if I have I140 approval notice with me , which I gave her and she kept it in the file.
- asked us to answer standard questions (arrest , prostitution, illegal etc.. ) from I485 to all we answered NO.
- she checked the photograph and they are already in the file so she didn't ask for new pictures.

After this she said "Do you feel anything important which I should have asked?" There were many things which had with us but I only mentioned pay stubs and handed over three months pay stubs.

Next thing she said we are done with the interview . Asked us if we are familiar with visa bulletin and visa number etc. I said yes she said basically we have to wait for visa numbers to become available for our priority date (Jan 2003) . She wrote on my passports "A# E3-7 section 245 Pending NYC - her name" and "A# E3-9 section 245 Pending NYC - her name" on my wife's passport . I asked if our name check is clear she said yes. Verified our address and asked for phone number gave home phone number. I asked if the file will be transferred to service center to which she said no files will stay here in NYC.


In between while we were taking time to look for documents etc.she spoke with our 4 year old son... . I don't think it was part of interview.
... Asked him what’s your name....How old are you ...Do you go to school.. Which school you go... after sometime he complaint that the seat on which he is seating is hard ... she was laughing. Also in the end he wanted to tell her pledge of allegions.......she had no choice but to listen to him.

At the end we said thanks to each other and she explained us how to exit the building.
 
That's true . I was worried when I received transfer notification email that it's transfered to Boston. But while I got the interview notice it was for NYC. And online status still says your case has been transfered to Boston.

gc2005nyc said:
you got your interview so quickly. amazing. all you do now is sit and wait.
 
not to scare you or anything, but once your file was transferred to NYC local office, then you are out of luck. You will end up with all sorts of "disaster", NC, visa retregression, long-long wait even if you have an AOS interview. My file was transferred back in 2003, got interview in March 04 and another like sort of interview but just a RFE in office in Aug. 05...

Once you are stuck in this office you will be there for ever. No matter what you do, visit office thru infopass, sent letters from you and/or attorney, congressman and/or senator... they really don't have anything to follow up with your case.

what you really can do is to WAIT WAIT and WAIT! :mad:
 
buzzhd,

You told me the same thing when my case was transfered to my local office. Please stop scaring people :D
 
Mr. Green said:
buzzhd,

You told me the same thing when my case was transfered to my local office. Please stop scaring people :D

sorry for that :p But if you expect too much you will definitely lose your hope big time down the road as I do speak of my experience with this local office. :confused: :D :eek:
 
buzzhd,

Since my PD is jan 2003 , there is nothing else I can do beside wait and watch. Since your PD date is going to become (I hope ) current soon you will have to be aggressive. I don't think anyone can do much in name check , but if name check is cleared and PD is current than your lawyer should be able to produce the results. Good luck to you!.




buzzhd said:
sorry for that :p But if you expect too much you will definitely lose your hope big time down the road as I do speak of my experience with this local office. :confused: :D :eek:
 
RLNY122004 said:
buzzhd,

Since my PD is jan 2003 , there is nothing else I can do beside wait and watch. Since your PD date is going to become (I hope ) current soon you will have to be aggressive. I don't think anyone can do much in name check , but if name check is cleared and PD is current than your lawyer should be able to produce the results. Good luck to you!.

they will not even tell me whether NC is cleared or not... that's what the NYC local office sucks
 
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