I wrote this for another post...but it fits your need too...so here goes.....
Go as close to 90 as you can. I went on the 87th day and got it.
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1st things first.
If you have an attorney or attorney firm helping you, ask them to create all your required documents and give them to you so you are not fumbling at the Newark BCIS location.
I will tell you what I took.
1) Original EAD card that was issued last to me. - They will take that away from you, I will will tell you further down in the message when that will happen.
2) Take a copy of the receipt notice for the latest EAD filing - This they need to make sure you are actually 90 days behind. I went when I was away only 87 days behind, they still took me in
3) Take a copy of the I 485 reciept notice to prove why you need the EAD
4) Take completed applications for applying for the EAD, I can't remember whatever the name is I 765 or whatever
5) Take copies of the passport pages that prove your identity.
6) Take a G28 form which I believe is for the attorney representing you. I don't know if it's a reqd form or not, so better check!
7) Take your passport also with you.
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Now for the location itself.
The address of the place is
970 Broad Street
Newark, NJ 07102
Assuming that you are driving. Here's what you should do. If you are on Broad street coming from RT 1/9 and the Newark airport area, this 970 Broad street is on the RIGHT HAND side. The place is a Mult-Story building, can't really see any SIGNS!
It's between E.KINNEY ST and WALNUT STREET.
The building is not accessible by CAR. Its part of a federal buildings area, plenty of GOVT buildings around it so you cannot drive up to it.
DO THIS.
From Broad Street, make a right on to E. Kinney and then make your first left on to Orchard Street. This is the closest you can get to 970 Broad by CAR. There is a public parking lot on Orchard Street. It will cost you a maximum of $11 there.
Park at this lot. TRUST me it's worth every dollar to be close to you car after the long wait you will endure at 970 Broad.
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I got there at any unearthlly 1 AM!!! YOU DON'T.
If you get there by 4:30 AM, it should be plenty. You will be among the 1st 15-30 to get in from your line.
The LINE forms on the opposite side of the street from the building. There is a children's TOT LOT, that's where you need to be.
At 7 AM, a fellow wearing a BROWN SUIT will show up and start checking for the ID's. Dunno why!! But he does. All you need to show is a Driver's License.
He will ask people who have Appts to form a separate line, those folks get to go in FIRST. By the way for IEAD's they dont give APPTS.
At about 8 AM they will start letting you in, you will go through a Metal detector with a mean security guard who will warn you that you will be arrested if you have any contraband! So you better don't!
After the Metal Detector you will be asked to go up to the 3rd FLOOR. I know some people have written down in previous message that it's the 2nd Floor and then the 13th Floor....etc... All that has now changed. Everything you need to do is on the same FLOOR. Make sure you get into the correct elevator, every elevator does not go to teh 3rd floor! I did not see any signs warning me about it, hopefully there is one when you get there.
On the 3rd floor, after you get off the elevator, tell the guard you are there for iEAD and she will send you to a line which is on the left hand side of the corridor. The line leads up to 7 windows dedicated for people like you with no APPTS. Rest assured only a couple of those windows will be continously manned!
The lady here will check your docs. Primarily she will need the Application for for an iEAD and the reciept notice to prove that you are 90 days behind. She will confirm your identity and the like and will ask you to take a seat until your name is called. Depending on when you got to this lady, you may wait for about 30-45 minutes, unless they are severely backlogged by the time you saw an agent at the counter. This wait will be the EASY ONE.
Make sure you stay within the 1st 5 rows of seating so you can be within EARSHOT when your name is spelled. When you are called, you will be given a WHITE ENVELOPE with some reciept staped to it. DON'T OPEN IT.
You will be asked to go the FAR END of that room to a place where a lot of people will be sitting. There will be a SIGN saying EAD so go that area of the room. With out waiting go straight to the 1st counter on the RIGHT and handover your WHITE ENVELOPE and take a seat in front of the counters.
This is where you will achieve your NIRVANA of getting your iEAD. Hope and pray that they will call your name soon, It took them 3 hours to call me, so be prepared for an AGONIZING wait. You will see that there is no reasoning on who get's called FIRST. This place will operate as if they are in no REAL Hurry.
When someone said PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE, they must've waited at the EAD counter.
WHEN you are called the fellow at the counter will ask for YOUR EAD and KEEP IT. He will ask for your PASSPORT and verify your DOB, First Name , Last Name, Middle Name and ADDRESS. AFter that GUESS WHAT!!
WAIT AGAIN until they call you. But this wait should be relatively short. You will be called in a batch of 6-7 people to take a MUGSHOT. SO be sure to SMILE. Your ordeal is coming to an END. Before your mugshot, you will get fingerprinted. After the mugshot, you guessed it, You go back out and WAIT until you are called again to receieve your PRIZE (iEAD).
Don't RUN out of the place YET, be DAMN sure to check that they did not screw up any info on that iEAD card, if they did, then have them correct it right then, sorry that will mean more waiting.
If everything looks good, then get the HELL out of that place.
Once you get your EAD, go have a PARTY, if you did not get any sleep the night before, then Go and Get some SLEEP.
Good LUCK.
