Joe

Last week, I mailed my AOS package to the Greer, SC INS field office
and today it was mailed backed to me because:

(a) Medical exam results missing
(b) Incorrect Fee - $555 ( I had inadvertently sent $560)

I was under the impression that the medical results do not have to be
submitted until the actual interview! Can anyone confirm this??

Matthew Udall

When I file an AOS case with an INS office, and I have not filed an AOS there in a while, I usually call and talk to an officer first to see what their policy is (from the $555.00 you quoted, am I correct in assuming you are not a K-1'er who is filing for AOS?) [And even if you were a K-1’er filing AOS, its still not a bad idea to talk to an officer before filing and mention that conversation in your cover letter].

The I-485 form instructions itself seem to indicate that a K-1'er should not need a medical, but again, it can't hurt to get confirmation from the adjudications unit first.

If not a K-1’er, some offices want the medical at the time of filing, and some want it at the time of interview. You should always check with them first as I’ve seen INS offices flip flop on this policy from time to time (especially when their projected AOS wait time goes over, then under 1 year from filing to interview).

Since you are now facing the reality of trying to file again, have your attorney call Greer and talk to an officer for you and clear this up ahead of time. Of do it yourself. Of have your Congressman do it for you. Or just resubmit and point out to them what the instruction say (That is, if you "are" a K-1'er who is filing adjustment. If you are “not� a K-1’er, then either obey what they have already told you, or do some checking first before resubmitting to make sure what they have told you is what they really want).

And don't get "too" upset with INS for the medical issue, as they would have rejected your submission anyway due to "your" mistake with the filing fees.

Good luck
M.U.

Caro

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If you request the forms through the internet (not download them, but request them), there is a paper with the specifics for your local INS office. In particular, it mentions whether you need to submit a medical with your original AOS application (I am speaking of I-485/I-130).

Do not trust anybody else besides the officers at your local INS office! I was surprised that I had to do the medical before submitting the petition, and I called the 1-800, they told me that it was not necessary to submit it now, but when I checked with the Detroit INS office they told me that I had to submit it with the original submission (like the paper said...).

The day before submitting my application, I went to Detroit and spoke with an immigration officer to clear out the last questions we had about the filing and ensure that we had every form/supporting document. At the end, we showed the officer our assembled stack of papers, and she went through it for a couple minutes. She told us that everything looked good, and gave us a couple last minute advices [especially, she told us only one check, because Detroit tends to loose the checks when they are separate]. She gave us the correct address to mail out our application (!). The website was wrong. We woke up early that day, but we surely didn't regret it!

Caroline

Matthew Udall

Good advice Caroline.
Speaking of incorrect addresses on the INS website, the zip code for the West Palm Beach INS office is not correct.

I've got one AOS case that I just sent to them for filing (at the West Palm Beach INS office) and one that I'm having transferred to that office from the Santa Ana INS office (clients just moved to Florida). Of course, when I looked at the INS site a couple of days ago for the address listed for the West Palm Beach INS office, it still gave the "Riviera Beach" address (and it’s the zip code for the Riviera Beach address that has the wrong zip code for that address), however they just moved the office to a new location… a West Palm Beach address. I wonder how long it will take the INS to change the address on their site for the West Palm Beach Suboffice?

In this business, the devil is in the details!

M.U.

tara

We filed for our AOS (in person) at the Greer satellite office, January 2002, and attended our interview June, 2002. My husband entered the USA October 2001 on a K-1, we did not include a medical as he was told he did not need one.
Beforehand we did go to Greer personally to get the then current information which could be different now.
You can try calling them at: 864-801-0640
Best wishes,