Passport Stamping Experience at Philly INS

J

JJ Agarwal

Registered Users (C)
Can any body please post the passport stamping experience at Philly INS.
I would like to know the following details:
1. Days of the week they stamp your passport and timings.
2. Is there any deadline that you have to get it done before that?
3. Documents required for stamping.
4. Curtesy copy or attorney\'s copy of approval notice or both?

Please respond.
Thanks.
 
No Title

It\'s pretty easy getting passport stamped at Philly INS office.
I got it stamped on 06/22/01.

I took the following with me:
1.Lawyer\'s copy of I-485 approval forms (originals)
2. All I-94 cards (in passport and those attached to H1-B renewal forms).
3. All EADs and APs
4. passport (ofcourse)
5. 2 INS Style pictures

I reached INS office at 6:45 am. There were about 30-40 people before me, but when the office opened at 7:30 am and when I took the number for this type of application mine was the first one.
Around 8:15 am, my number was called and the lady at the window asked for I-485 approval form, pictures, passport, I-94 cards, all EADs and APs. She took finger print of my index finger and signature in 2 places. Then, she stamped the passport and wrote the A# on the passport and the date of expiry of the stamp. She said that the plastic card should arrive in about 9 months, if I did not receive it by then, stop by and get your passport stamp extended. She said I don\'t need any visa to work or to enter the US now.

That\'s it. All done in about 10-15 minutes. The experience is the same for my spouse -- pretty simple and straight forward.
 
No Title

485EB3PD0998 !
Thanks a lot for such a detailed information. I really appreciate it.
Do you know if they do passport stamping only on Fridays (Yours was on Friday) or certain days of week only and is there a deadline that I have to get it done before that deadline. Please reply.

Thanks.
 
No Title

What I heard from my para-legal is that you can get it stamped any working day -- FYI -- on thursday the INS office is open only half a day (till 11 am or 1 pm, not very sure about the closing time).

Regarding deadline to get the passport stamped, there is no such mention on the I-485 approval form. The only condition that\'s mentioned was about the pictures. They should have been taken in the last 30 days from the day you go for stamping. Ofcourse there is no way INS can check this. To avoid any complications here, we took our pictures at one of the stalls next to the INS office that morning ($6 for 2 copies).
I read on another discussion that someone got PP stamped after 45 days without any problem.
 
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