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Hooray for Houston Office - EAD, AP, and 485 filing FINALLY! (long post)

Hooray for Houston Office - EAD, AP, and 485 filing FINALLY! (long post)

Old Sep 30th 2001, 3:54 am
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Actually, I should preface this by saying that not all of Houston INS office receives our praises - but one lady certainly does - thank goodness for JANE NOBLE!! Bless her benevolent soul.

Martha and I arrived at the Houston office at 2:00 a.m. very well prepared for the long wait that awaited us. We brought lawn chairs, a blanket, and plenty of reading material. The surrounding area is not the best part of Houston, but we both felt safe. The area is well lit and there are always people there. When Martha and I got there, we were 3rd in line. By 3:00 the line had grown to around 20 people. By 4:00, the line was at about 300. Martha and I were not pleased at having to arrive so early, but we were definitely glad that we got there when we did.

A security officer came out at 6:00 and bellowed some directions, separating those of us there on a first-come, first-serve basis and those there with appointments. He notified us that he would back out in a half hour to get the appt. people. There were not too many this morning, which ended up being good for us. By the time that 6:30 rolled around and the appointment folk were let in, there was still room in the queue for a handful of the rest of us. The security guard let us in with them at 6:30. As a result, we were able get our number and have a seat in the waiting room as opposed to standing outside. We drew #2 and as soon as the windows opened at 7:10, we were called to window #8.

Our officer asked why we were there and I told her that we were: (1) filing for AOS with the I-485, (2) Martha's EAD, and (3) Martha's Advanced Parole. She asked to see the money orders before anything else. Nice touch! Then she asked for the $25 money order for the fingerprints. I was not expecting that. I had three money orders with me, but none for those prints. Thankfully the INS office has their own money order service (how convenient) - but it is cash only. So, I had to leave the building, walk to a service station (so I would not lose my parking spot in the VERY FILLED lot), make an ATM withdrawal, walk back to the money order office and purchase one. THEN we were able to go back to window #8 and finish filing. She asked for the I-864 affadavits - which surprised me. I almost did not bring them b/c AOS interviews and acceptance was running at almost three years and was surprised that she asked for them. She noticed my surprise, I think, because she said that they are trying to get K-1 and K-2 visas processed more quickly.

Then, I asked her about the AP and EAD. She said that we needed to take our packet to waiting room B where all of the Permanent Resident applicants were waiting. It was there where we would ask questions about the AP and EAD since she was not sure what to do. I marveled at her wondering - Martha and I were more informed about the K-1 than she was. She simply passed the proverbial buck on to someone else.

So, Martha and I were off to Waiting Room B. We dropped our K-1 packet to the secretary in the waiting room and then we sat. And sat. And sat. We saw tons of people come and go, but no one had called our name yet. I stood up to inquire what the status was, when Jane Noble came into the room and called Martha's name. We followed her to her office, which was which the managers there. What happened was that they called the managers to handle cases in addition to the AOS officers b/c they were so backed up. Well, we sat down with Jane and she went through the paperwork with us. She even gave us the I-89 interview and Martha was conditionally approved for the 'green card,' lacking only the fingerprints. So we felt pretty good about that. She only asked how we met, what I did for a living, some questions about mine and Martha's educational background, and a bit about the wedding. That was it.

Then we asked her about the AP and the EAD. She had no idea what the status was - she does not handle the K-1ers normally. So, she made a call back to the lady at the window. By now it was about 9:30 or 10:00 and we were told by Jane to go back to the front windows to give the I-765 for the EAD and the I-131 for the AP and both would be expedited so that we would receive both of them before we left that day. Well, when we got back to the window the officer was totally surprised that this expediting was taking place. She was humming-and-hawing and repeating how "this has never been done before!!!" She must have repeated that four or five times. So, she took our money orders and inspected them before sending me back to the cashier for a receipt. Then, BACK to window #8 for her approval. She directed us to the EAD area for the EAD and instructed us to go back to Waiting Room B for the Advanced Parole after the EAD was obtained.

So, off to the EAD area we went. Well, the lady there was having a poor day I suppose. I gave her the expedited and approved I-765 only to have her refuse me. I told her that we were suppposed to get it that day and she told me that I was misinformed. What I had to do was wait in the longest line in the place to wait for a green appointment letter and then I was ordered NOT to go back to her without a green letter. So, I went to the line and waited. The line was going nowehere and it was 10:15 by this time - no way was I getting the green letter before 11:00 which is when they stop issuing EADs. So, I walked back to the EAD lady and asked her what I was to do if I did not get the letter before 11:00. She smirked and said she hoped I did not think that I was getting the EAD that day, because that was impossible - they simply did not do it that way. I was not pleased and told her that I was told I was to get it that day - again - I was in the wrong. They would give me the first available date and Martha would have to come back. So, I waited in the EAD-letter line (which was about 80 people long and moving at about a person every two minutes). I told Martha that I would wait for this letter while she went to Waiting room B for the Advanced Parole.

This happened for about 40 minutes. I made it about a third of the way to the front of the line and it was nearly 11:00. Then, out of nowhere, Martha and Jane took me out of line and she made a beeline for the EAD lady. In VERY clear terms, Jane informed this employee that we were to get Martha's EAD that day NO MATTER WHAT. She said that we had no green letter and she had to turn us away - Jane told her that she should have accepted the handwritten note from Jane that indicated that we were to get it that day. The EAD lady was NOT pleased and I grinned. Finally, someone was treating us like living, breathing, sentient beings. So, we left Martha at the EAD area and took me to Waiting room B for Martha's AP that she had personally authorized while I waited in that wicked long line for the all-powerful green letter. She told the secretaries that I would be accepting Martha's AP letter. Well, the secretaries did not think that was possible. Jane replied that SHE was authorizing me to accept the AP on behalf of my wife. She told them that we had waited too long already and that we put up with enough mess prior to that point and that she was going to get us out of there as soon as she could see to it. While the secretaries discussed this, Jane informed me that after Martha and I left her office, she called the regional director and then the national office to see what they could/should do for the K-1. She was told that Houston was to begin processing K-1 and K-2 visas more quickly than they were and said that Martha and I should leave with all the paperwork that day. Then she invited me to sit in the waiting room for the AP. She apologized to me for having to deal with their overall lack of knowledge and the rudeness she knew that plagued the Houston district office, telling me that Houston's overall efficiency problems were well-known and they were under pressure to get through certain visas more quickly than others. Then, she left me in the waiting room, wishing me a good day.

20 minutes later, I was given Martha's Advanced Parole - good until September 26, 2002. WOO HOO! So I went to the EAD area to meet Martha who was only minutes away from having her photo taken for her EAD. The officer asked to see proof of marriage and then took Martha to be photographed. Then, 10 minutes later, they handed her her card.

And we were finally done!

It was a long day, but worthwhile. Martha is approved for her green card, pending a clear record from the fingerprints. All that remains is for her to recieve an orange letter in a month or two at the most to tell her to come pick up her permenant residence acceptance in person and given some instructions. This is SIGNIFICANTLY shorter than the 3 years that we were told. This is very good news for other K-1ers.

We also had all of our paperwork in order and brought much more than we needed to - but we felt it safer to err on the side of caution. It was a very exhausting day, but worth it in the end.

I feel that not nearly as much would have been accomplished if it were not for Jane. The waiting room B staff, EAD lady, and officer at window #8 all made it very frustrating and were reticent to help us or approve our receipt of the proper paperwork that day. But Jane made some calls and found out that we were entitled to them and should be granted them.

Thanks to everyone here on the newgroup who have helped me and Martha get to this point. There have been ups and downs, but we are togehter and everything has worked out. I especially want to thank Alveena, Rete, Jonathan, and Grinch for helping us on numerous occasions.

Much obliged, and all I can say in closing is:

WHEW!
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Old Sep 30th 2001, 12:18 pm
  #2  
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Congratulations! Now send Jane Noble to the NYC office to work on our case ;-)

Rita
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Old Sep 30th 2001, 1:59 pm
  #3  
Betastar
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Are you sure this wasn't a dream?? It reads like one! You had an instant-AOS,
same-day processing in HOUSTON! That just doesn't happen! I'm amazed! =)
Congratulations!

The only thing I wonder is why they bothered with the EAD/AP if Martha will be
getting her green-card stamp in a month or two. But I guess it's still good to have
it just in case something gets lost between now and then =)

Congrats!

On Sun, 30 Sep 2001 03:55:15 GMT, Razor Oye <[email protected]> wrote:

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Old Sep 30th 2001, 3:37 pm
  #4  
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Betastar -

Yes, that is precisely why they issued the AP and the EAD. Jane said that we *should* receive the proper paperwork soon but she could not guarantee that - especially at the Houston office. In fact, she suggested we save the money on the AP and EAD since she should get it soon. But we told her that we did not mind handing the money over because we fully expected to. The EAD was especially important. Martha is working everyday in the school district where we live and she is only legal until October 5. Jane said that likely nobody would ask Martha any questions about her status and she would be fine until the permanent residence came through. But, again, there were no guarantees. Also, we are leaving for a very formal reception in Canada in November and all plans are made. So, we wanted to make sure she could travel by then. Jane felt that we did not have to apply for them, but we insisted we felt safer doing that. It was more precuationary in case something happened - and all did not go as it should.

Also, betastar - I neglected to mention your name - sorry. In the early stage of the process, you did give me some very good advice and assurances. For that I am grateful!

Much obliged -

Jonathan and Martha
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Old Sep 30th 2001, 11:44 pm
  #5  
Doug Melville
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Anyone know if INS employees are allowed to accept bunches of roses from clients ?

Doug

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Old Oct 1st 2001, 12:22 pm
  #6  
Tim
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WOW ! Excellent news, congrats on your success. It's about time this office started
improving their act.

I suppose it is too much to hope that the Houston office will look through their
pending AOS applications and pull all K-1 adjustments for expedited processing, huh ?
Well, I can still hope. It sure would be nice if my wife could complete her AOS
sometime in 2002.

Regards, Tim & Wendy (K-1 adjustment filed at Houston INS on Sept. 28th, 2000)
 
Old Oct 1st 2001, 12:39 pm
  #7  
Andy Platt
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This doesn't seem to have happened for the other offices that do this unfortunately.

Andy.

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