Well it\'s official now. Finally got my passport stamped at Philly INS today.
My details are PD 08/96 EB3 India, RD/ND July \'99, RFE 08/14/00, Response received by INS 9/12/00 and approved on 09/14 (amazingly true).
I still have not received the so called courtesy copy, but my lawyer sent me the original by fedex yesterday.
We didn\'t waste any time and got the passport stamped today before they could change their minds.
Reached INS office at 7:45am and already about 50 people were ahead of us. We were sixth and seventh in the passport stamping queue (they lump it together with other stuff in replacement card queue). They started processing our queue only after 8:30 am andour number was called at 9:30. The actual stamping time was less than 15 minutes between me and my wife.
The officer at the window asked for all the cards (EADs), I-94, any advance paroles, photos and passports. Don\'t worry if you do not have photos as you can get them right outside the INS office for $10 and it takes only 2 minutes. One guy even went to get his photos taken during the process as the IIO did not like his photos and he was back in less than five minutes with new photos.
We were told it will take 9 -10 months before we get the cards, but I have read the experiences of people getting them much more earlier than that. Oh well!
Good luck to all waiting for their approval. Hang in there, it will come.
My details are PD 08/96 EB3 India, RD/ND July \'99, RFE 08/14/00, Response received by INS 9/12/00 and approved on 09/14 (amazingly true).
I still have not received the so called courtesy copy, but my lawyer sent me the original by fedex yesterday.
We didn\'t waste any time and got the passport stamped today before they could change their minds.
Reached INS office at 7:45am and already about 50 people were ahead of us. We were sixth and seventh in the passport stamping queue (they lump it together with other stuff in replacement card queue). They started processing our queue only after 8:30 am andour number was called at 9:30. The actual stamping time was less than 15 minutes between me and my wife.
The officer at the window asked for all the cards (EADs), I-94, any advance paroles, photos and passports. Don\'t worry if you do not have photos as you can get them right outside the INS office for $10 and it takes only 2 minutes. One guy even went to get his photos taken during the process as the IIO did not like his photos and he was back in less than five minutes with new photos.
We were told it will take 9 -10 months before we get the cards, but I have read the experiences of people getting them much more earlier than that. Oh well!
Good luck to all waiting for their approval. Hang in there, it will come.