485 (EB3): WAC-02-109-5XXXX
ND: 02/11/2002
H1-B expiration: 10/01/2003
guys, here's my exprience with special registration today (01/24/2003) at the sacramento sub-office. i'm a paki citizen with I-485 (EB3) pending at the CSC. i've had a pretty straighforward immigration history: F-1, OPT, H-1B, I-485.
07:00 - arrived at 650 Capitol Mall. parked in the lot right across the street from the building (7th & Capitol - $9 flat rate). there're plenty of parking lots and garages in the area including the Downtown Plaza Mall. there were about 50 ppl ahead of me (650 Capitol has several other federal offices; INS is on the second floor).
07:45 - after going thru the building security, went up to the second floor. after a brief wait to the information desk, the person told me to go to room 230 window 9.
apparently, special registrants don't need to wait in the information line to get a ticket. they can go directly to room 230 window 9. ironically, i saw the sign stating this posted only at window 9!
if there's no one at window 9, as was the case when i got there, just go to one of the other windows and tell them u're there for special registration and there's no one at window 9... they'll send someone over. the person there just took my most recent passport and I-94s and gave me a questionnaire to fill-out (very similar to the one posted on www.aila.org). then u just wait (it seemed that there were only about 5 other special registrants with me at that time. so the special registration load in sacramento doesn't seem to be too bad).
08:45 - my name was called and i went back to window 9. there, the person gave me my passport back. she took my questionnaire and stapled a sheet on top stating i was there for special registration. she then asked me to go to room 210 (the citizenship room), and slide my questionnaire under the window slot in that room.
09:30 - an INS officer called my name and took me to his office. he was extremely courteous and polite. he then asked me general biographical questions about me and my parents. he also asked about my pending I-485, my employer, last entry, and other such information which i had already provided on the questionnaire. he entered all this information in his computer as he asked me the questions.
other than what was on the questionnaire, during the interview, he asked me for the following info: all passports, all I-94s, I-485 receipt, I-140 receipt, H1-B approval notice, one credit card number, SS#, driver's license number, email address. i also gave him a letter from my employer's HR department stating my position, home address, my H1-B expiration date, and that they had filed an I-485 on my behalf.
probably bcos the letter from my employer had my address, he did NOT ask for my paystub, utility bill or rental lease. he also did NOT ask me for my Advance Parole, EAD, AR-11 (bcos i had changed addresses since filing I-485), I-20s (from my F-1 days), tax returns, w-2s, or any such.
after entering all the information, he took prints of my right and left index finger only and took a photograph. he then gave me the information on registering in 12 months if my I-485 is not approved before then. he also put a fingerprint identification number (FIN) on the front and back of my I-94 and made an note that i had shown up for special registration.
10:00 - the officer thanked me, wished me luck, and walked me out of his office. other than the wait, it was quite a painless process. i highly recommend taking some reading material for the wait.
good luck to all!
sarmad
ND: 02/11/2002
H1-B expiration: 10/01/2003
guys, here's my exprience with special registration today (01/24/2003) at the sacramento sub-office. i'm a paki citizen with I-485 (EB3) pending at the CSC. i've had a pretty straighforward immigration history: F-1, OPT, H-1B, I-485.
07:00 - arrived at 650 Capitol Mall. parked in the lot right across the street from the building (7th & Capitol - $9 flat rate). there're plenty of parking lots and garages in the area including the Downtown Plaza Mall. there were about 50 ppl ahead of me (650 Capitol has several other federal offices; INS is on the second floor).
07:45 - after going thru the building security, went up to the second floor. after a brief wait to the information desk, the person told me to go to room 230 window 9.
apparently, special registrants don't need to wait in the information line to get a ticket. they can go directly to room 230 window 9. ironically, i saw the sign stating this posted only at window 9!
if there's no one at window 9, as was the case when i got there, just go to one of the other windows and tell them u're there for special registration and there's no one at window 9... they'll send someone over. the person there just took my most recent passport and I-94s and gave me a questionnaire to fill-out (very similar to the one posted on www.aila.org). then u just wait (it seemed that there were only about 5 other special registrants with me at that time. so the special registration load in sacramento doesn't seem to be too bad).
08:45 - my name was called and i went back to window 9. there, the person gave me my passport back. she took my questionnaire and stapled a sheet on top stating i was there for special registration. she then asked me to go to room 210 (the citizenship room), and slide my questionnaire under the window slot in that room.
09:30 - an INS officer called my name and took me to his office. he was extremely courteous and polite. he then asked me general biographical questions about me and my parents. he also asked about my pending I-485, my employer, last entry, and other such information which i had already provided on the questionnaire. he entered all this information in his computer as he asked me the questions.
other than what was on the questionnaire, during the interview, he asked me for the following info: all passports, all I-94s, I-485 receipt, I-140 receipt, H1-B approval notice, one credit card number, SS#, driver's license number, email address. i also gave him a letter from my employer's HR department stating my position, home address, my H1-B expiration date, and that they had filed an I-485 on my behalf.
probably bcos the letter from my employer had my address, he did NOT ask for my paystub, utility bill or rental lease. he also did NOT ask me for my Advance Parole, EAD, AR-11 (bcos i had changed addresses since filing I-485), I-20s (from my F-1 days), tax returns, w-2s, or any such.
after entering all the information, he took prints of my right and left index finger only and took a photograph. he then gave me the information on registering in 12 months if my I-485 is not approved before then. he also put a fingerprint identification number (FIN) on the front and back of my I-94 and made an note that i had shown up for special registration.
10:00 - the officer thanked me, wished me luck, and walked me out of his office. other than the wait, it was quite a painless process. i highly recommend taking some reading material for the wait.
good luck to all!
sarmad