cjcherri

sent on June 3rd
received on June 5th
check cashed on June 14th
extention letter dated June 5th and received today

filed with CSC
hope this helps everyone who filed from CSC

hcj1440

Hey Cjcherri,

We just went and got my husband's I-751 stamp today. A few SF-specific notes for you for when you get approved:

1) There is a roped off line outside the building. Guess what, that's for the people without appointments. So if you have an infopass appointment, just march right up and present your appointment paper. There's no sign and the guy doesn't say anything so we were not the only ones to stand in line for no reason. Argh!

2) As many people have reported, they only wanted two passport pictures not three passport pictures. (The approval letter said to bring three.) We did debate this when we were getting the passport pics taken -- they come in sets of two -- but in the end decided to spend the extra $8 and get a second set just in case. I think USCIS has stock in Walgreen's. Can you imagine all of us all getting an extra set of passport pictures we didn't need and will now never use.

3) They didn't specify that we had to bring hubby's drivers license or social security card. Both were requested. Luckily my husband keeps his SS card in his wallet.

4) They didn't specify that we had to bring the extension letter. She took ours and didn't give it back. Don't know what the procedure would have been if we hadn't brought it.

5) Remember to bring quarters for parking. Yes, it is now 25 cents for every 5 minutes in downtown SF. We barely scrouged up enough change for an hour's worth of meter time.

cjcherri

Thanks for the advice. We are kind of a long way from getting approval. we just sent out this month. unless we are lucky as you and your husband and got approval in less than 3 months. anyway, our worse case is to have to get approval over N400 interview. the letter says the minium is to wait 11 months before contact the office.

When we live in belmont(SF is district office), it was very hard to find parking when we went to SF office. We parked close to chinatown and walked a few blocks to SF office and on the way back walked around chinatown too. it's kind of fun and parking is actually cheaper(15 or16 per day) around chinatown. So, this is an option for people who are not in a rush out getting in and out of the city.
We are going to be using San Jose field office this year or upcoming years since we have moved to san jose and this is the closest office to us. Anyone have any idea how the traffic is there? and what should we look for?

AnnaV

Hi,

I'll add on to hcj1440's experience with the SF office. I went there on June 8 to get my I-551 stamp.

When I got there for a 12:45 appointment, there was a line outside the building (it was about 12:30). I marched up to the guy guarding the door to ask what the procedure is, and he told me that everyone in the line had an appointment and that, yes, I had to stand in line, too.

He later came down the line checking out everyone's papers showing the appointment time, etc. Important thing: don't bring a cell phone that has photo capabilities. You're not allowed to bring anything that has the capability of taking photographs at all. There were a bunch of us who didn't pay attention to that warning in the letter we got, and we had to go across the street where someone charges $3 to hold on to your property while you transact business with the USCIS. I asked the woman behind the counter (it's a food counter) how much business they make doing this, and she said it ranges from 25 to 60 people every day. So it's not uncommon.

When I got back to the line, the guard was saying something about "people who have appointments right now" so I went up to him where a shorter line formed. The guy in front of me had an appointment for 11 AM, so I guess they aren't too sticky about being late. I still wouldn't chance it, though.

After that, you go through a metal detector. For identification, I just showed my driver's license. I had my iPod and GPS/PDA in my bag, and I had to take them out and show them to the guards to reassure them that they are not cameras. One of the guards had a real huge chip on his shoulder and was practically screaming at everyone. Bunch of people were grumbling about it. That's when I thought they should remove the word "applicant" in all the forms and replace it with "supplicant" because that seems to be the way we're being treated. Oh, well. A bit of a digression there.

Inside, the lady behind the first counter acts like triage. She asked if I still live in the same address, then took my letter of approval and handed me a number. The only thing I brought with me was the actual letter of approval. I didn't even think of taking the extension letter with me. They never brought that up.

It took about 10 to 15 minutes to be called to the next available counter. He took my passport, made me sign something, then took a print of my right index finger. I handed him three pictures, and he took two and returned one. I told him that I tried to write my name in the back but it's difficult, and he said that's okay. He then took my conditional greencard and put that and the photos in a little plastic bag and sealed it. I guess that's supposed to cut down the chances of getting my data confused with someone else.

He then stamped the passport, and that was that. He actually started laughing while he was doing that. When he saw my puzzled look, he explained that the piped music was playing the theme song from Titanic, and he said that everytime he seems to stamp a passport, that same song is playing.

And that was it. Picked up my cell phone, headed for the car, and got out. For parking, the best place I've found close to USCIS is a parking garage at the corner of Kearney and Washington, right across from the Sheraton hotel, about two blocks from USCIS. I arrived at about 10:50, got out about 1:15, and I paid $7.50 (at a rate of $2.50 per hour, I think). There were lots of parking in the fourth level when I was there (which was a Thursday).

I think that's about all I can remember. In reading hcj's post, I thought it's funny that when I was there, I was told that you can't get in unless you have an appointment. Maybe it depends on who's manning the gates.

Anyway, good luck.

hcj1440

Well, at least they are consistent in their inconsistency.

curiousmelon

Is there only one office for whole Bay area, or there is one in Oakland too? We are in the East Bay.