Just wanted to share my special registration experience in Sacramento, CA.
I'm on an H1B visa, and have been in the US for more than 7 years now. Originanly came on an F1 visa, and transferred to H1B after I got a job after graduation.
I was a citizen of one of the country in group IV, so I went to register myself on 3/2/03. I got to the Sacramento INS office at around 7.20. Went to room 230, window 9, on the second floor. Nobody was at the window yet (even though the blind was open) until 30 minutes later. She took my passport, gave me a questionnaire, and told me to fill it out and she was gonna call me in a few minutes.
At around 8.20 she called me, returned my passport, and gave me a green sheet. She then told me to go to room 220 for the interview. I went to the room, gave the green sheet, and waited to be called. At about 9.20, a very nice lady called me in (I think she's the nicest INS officer I've ever met). She took me to her office and started asking a few questions: proof of financial, where I worked, what my occupation was, etc. But before she started with the real interview, I told her that I was last admitted to the US on Oct 3rd, 2002. I had called INS' hot line number before and I was told that I needed to register even though the announcement said the cut-off date was Sept 30, 2002.
She told me that I didn't need to register, and she wrote me a letter that explains that I did come to register but the office determined that I didn't need to register. Therefore the yearly registration is waived (yay!!!).
So that's my experience.. hope this helps..
I'm on an H1B visa, and have been in the US for more than 7 years now. Originanly came on an F1 visa, and transferred to H1B after I got a job after graduation.
I was a citizen of one of the country in group IV, so I went to register myself on 3/2/03. I got to the Sacramento INS office at around 7.20. Went to room 230, window 9, on the second floor. Nobody was at the window yet (even though the blind was open) until 30 minutes later. She took my passport, gave me a questionnaire, and told me to fill it out and she was gonna call me in a few minutes.
At around 8.20 she called me, returned my passport, and gave me a green sheet. She then told me to go to room 220 for the interview. I went to the room, gave the green sheet, and waited to be called. At about 9.20, a very nice lady called me in (I think she's the nicest INS officer I've ever met). She took me to her office and started asking a few questions: proof of financial, where I worked, what my occupation was, etc. But before she started with the real interview, I told her that I was last admitted to the US on Oct 3rd, 2002. I had called INS' hot line number before and I was told that I needed to register even though the announcement said the cut-off date was Sept 30, 2002.
She told me that I didn't need to register, and she wrote me a letter that explains that I did come to register but the office determined that I didn't need to register. Therefore the yearly registration is waived (yay!!!).
So that's my experience.. hope this helps..