Enroute to Alexandria Virginia, my fiancee at her JFK POE was not issued an EAD or stamp. Instead the Immigration officer directed her to the Norfolk office for all her future dealings regarding her K-1 process. The officer also added that the Brown Envelope would be forwared to the Norfolk office, since that would be our designated INS center.

I live in Alexandria, VA. I am a little perturbed by the thought that we'd have to drive 200 miles South to Norfolk, while the INS Arlington office is just ten minutes away.

I have heard that Norfolk office is a small office but friendly people. However, unless there is an added advantage by going to the Norfolk sub-office, can i go to Arlington office for an EAD and apply for AOS after the marriage?


any suggestions?

thanks

ralph

Have you checked out the INS website yourself to determine whose jurisdiction you fall under? Let's face it, the examiner at the POE is not always right ;-)

From the Norfork site:

Welcome to the Norfolk, Virginia Sub Office of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

This office handles immigration-related matters for the
residents of southeastern Virginia. This includes the cities and/or counties of Chesapeake, Fredericksburg, Richmond, Prince Edwards, Rockville, Williamsburg, the Hampton Roads Area, Accomack, and Mecklenburg.

From the Washington DC (Arlington) site:

Service Area:
District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Virginia. This office is responsible for processing most immigration benefit applications (such as legal residence and naturalization), and enforcing US immigration law, for the entire state of Virginia and the District of Columbia.
The Norfolk, VA Sub Office has jurisdiction for the counties located in the southeastern area of Virginia. The area includes Tidewater,Chesapeake, and Southside, Virginia.

My suggestion is to file where the forms tell you to file and let INS call up your brown envelope from Norfork if it is sent there and you are to use Arlington.

Also book mark the INS website for future use. It will not be the first time you will be using it and it surely will not be the last.

http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/index.htm

Rita

Yes, i did all the homework. Fearing something like this would happen, i had instructed my fiancee to request 2 things: EAD stamp and Arlington office. Nontheless, they insisted on Norfolk, and declined the EAD stamp. They said they dont provide EAD stamps at JFK anymore.

I could go to Arlington today, but would it cause any confusion, resulting in runarounds by going to a non designated office?

thanks, Rita

ralph

No it won't cause confusion. Actually your file is not suppose to be sent directly to any one INS office. It is suppose to be sent to a central storage area and should be send to the INS office that requests it.

After all, not all K-1 visa holders will continue to live in the area in which their current USC fiancee's now live. Many people are students and/or change jobs and/or decide that the climate stinks in their present area and what to move to the other coast. So sending a file to one jurisdiction before it is called for is stupid.

As for your fiancee's EAD, others have reported that JFK no longer gives the stamp. They never gave the card in the three odd years I've been around. I believe one or perhaps two people were lucky enough to get an examiner who did give it to them but it seems to be a hit and miss situation.

Before you marry, get your fiancee to the social security office so she can get her card. She is eligible for it as a K-1 visa holder. Once you marry, your K-1 is invalid and the guarantee of getting it is expired as well.

Rita

Yes, it does makes sense.

Thanks again,

ralph