looivy
12-22 10:13 PM
I flew to Phoenix and then drove to Nogales. Stayed at Best Western run by Manu Naik (very helpful guy). Took a taxi from hotel to border ($6), crossed the border into Mexico. The guy at Mexico checked my bags for any contraband. Cleared me (Did not ask for Mexico visa). Took another taxi from border to consulate ($8). There is a guy outside the consulate in a trailer who sells food with whom you can leave electronics (cell phone etc) for $3 tip.
At the consulate the lady checked for appointment letter and then okayed it. Went through security and then was given a number after presenting the visa fee receipt, DS-160 confirmation letter and original I-797 H1B approval notice. They finger printed me and then I had my interview. The interviwer was a tough guy. He asked me questions regarding my employment and for the bold items below. Make sure that you go as much prepared as possible (Notarize documents if possible). He complemented me on being well prepared and well documented :). I told him, Anything to make your life easy.
1. Passports (old and new)
2. The original Notice of Action (Form I-797).
3. Employment Contract
4. Labor certification (LCA)
5. The entire approved petition (I-129)
6. Original letters verifying your employment history and specific work skills.
7. Original degree certificates along with mark sheets.
8. Relevant diplomas or certificates, e.g. computer certification.
9. Visa fee receipt Banamex (Manu Naik makes it for you or you can try mexicoassistance dot com or something like that - both do it for a commission)
10. Employment letter from current employer
11. DS-160
12. DS-160 confirmation letter with barcode
13. DS-156 (just in case). They are all shifting to DS-160 slowly. Nogales did not need it but I still took it with me.
14. DS-157 (just in case). They are all shifting to DS-160 slowly. Nogales did not need it but I still took it with me.
15. Payslips
16. All previous I-797s
17. Original AP (For your own backup if applicable)
18. Original EAD (For your own backup if applicable)
19. I-485 Notice of action
20. Appointment confirmation printout
21. Company annual report (if any)
22. Company's tax returns (if applicable)
23. Your personal tax returns for last 5 years. He asked for last three years.
24. Marriage certificate (if applicable)
25. Take your business card, if you have one
26. Driver license
It may not hurt to take your company's documents (tax returns if it is small or annual report if it is a big company) with you.
The guy said that I can pick up visa the same day. If they tell you to pick it up the next day, just go back to border (Mexican side) and there are few hotels where you can stay for the night. Killed my time at local Walmart and ate at Applebees but you can eat at other fast food joints at a nearby mall. Make sure that you take ample $1, $5, $10 and $20 bills.
Nobody speaks frikkin English (unlike Tijuana). I had a tough time communicating when ordering food.
Picked up the visa at 4 PM, took a taxi back to border and showed my new shiny H1B visa to the border agent. I told him that nobody asked me for my I-94 in the morning when I left USA. He took it cool and took the I-94 from me and asked me to staple the I-94 attached to my I-797 to my passport. Drove back to Phoenix.
Hope this was helpful.
Good luck!
At the consulate the lady checked for appointment letter and then okayed it. Went through security and then was given a number after presenting the visa fee receipt, DS-160 confirmation letter and original I-797 H1B approval notice. They finger printed me and then I had my interview. The interviwer was a tough guy. He asked me questions regarding my employment and for the bold items below. Make sure that you go as much prepared as possible (Notarize documents if possible). He complemented me on being well prepared and well documented :). I told him, Anything to make your life easy.
1. Passports (old and new)
2. The original Notice of Action (Form I-797).
3. Employment Contract
4. Labor certification (LCA)
5. The entire approved petition (I-129)
6. Original letters verifying your employment history and specific work skills.
7. Original degree certificates along with mark sheets.
8. Relevant diplomas or certificates, e.g. computer certification.
9. Visa fee receipt Banamex (Manu Naik makes it for you or you can try mexicoassistance dot com or something like that - both do it for a commission)
10. Employment letter from current employer
11. DS-160
12. DS-160 confirmation letter with barcode
13. DS-156 (just in case). They are all shifting to DS-160 slowly. Nogales did not need it but I still took it with me.
14. DS-157 (just in case). They are all shifting to DS-160 slowly. Nogales did not need it but I still took it with me.
15. Payslips
16. All previous I-797s
17. Original AP (For your own backup if applicable)
18. Original EAD (For your own backup if applicable)
19. I-485 Notice of action
20. Appointment confirmation printout
21. Company annual report (if any)
22. Company's tax returns (if applicable)
23. Your personal tax returns for last 5 years. He asked for last three years.
24. Marriage certificate (if applicable)
25. Take your business card, if you have one
26. Driver license
It may not hurt to take your company's documents (tax returns if it is small or annual report if it is a big company) with you.
The guy said that I can pick up visa the same day. If they tell you to pick it up the next day, just go back to border (Mexican side) and there are few hotels where you can stay for the night. Killed my time at local Walmart and ate at Applebees but you can eat at other fast food joints at a nearby mall. Make sure that you take ample $1, $5, $10 and $20 bills.
Nobody speaks frikkin English (unlike Tijuana). I had a tough time communicating when ordering food.
Picked up the visa at 4 PM, took a taxi back to border and showed my new shiny H1B visa to the border agent. I told him that nobody asked me for my I-94 in the morning when I left USA. He took it cool and took the I-94 from me and asked me to staple the I-94 attached to my I-797 to my passport. Drove back to Phoenix.
Hope this was helpful.
Good luck!
wallpaper 16th Street Baptist Church
SGP
03-25 03:02 PM
Congratulations on your freedom.
Folks,
I would like to share my success story of getting my I-485 application approved with a revoked/withdrawn I-140. We received our Green Cards and Welcome Letters in the mail yesterday. If you go through my profile, you should be able to get most of the information, but here it is anyway:
1] Company A applied for my LC followed by the I-140 application. We never got a chance to file I-485.
2] After I quite company A, they withdrew my I-140 application.
3] Company B started the process again with my labor application, followed by my new I-140 application. We didn't capture the older PD at this stage, but the A# was the same as the old one.
4] When we sent in our I-485 application, we included a letter describing that we would like to retain the older PD (we sent them a snippet of page 27 of the Field Adjudicator's Manual - Yates memo). In the interest of being transparent, we mentioned that the earlier I-140 was withdrawn by the previous employer. After an unrelated RFE, our case was finally approved last Friday (03/18).
I am sharing this information so that others who are stuck in a similar situation can use this as a datapoint in their struggle against the USCIS. I wish you all the very best in your Green Card journey.
Folks,
I would like to share my success story of getting my I-485 application approved with a revoked/withdrawn I-140. We received our Green Cards and Welcome Letters in the mail yesterday. If you go through my profile, you should be able to get most of the information, but here it is anyway:
1] Company A applied for my LC followed by the I-140 application. We never got a chance to file I-485.
2] After I quite company A, they withdrew my I-140 application.
3] Company B started the process again with my labor application, followed by my new I-140 application. We didn't capture the older PD at this stage, but the A# was the same as the old one.
4] When we sent in our I-485 application, we included a letter describing that we would like to retain the older PD (we sent them a snippet of page 27 of the Field Adjudicator's Manual - Yates memo). In the interest of being transparent, we mentioned that the earlier I-140 was withdrawn by the previous employer. After an unrelated RFE, our case was finally approved last Friday (03/18).
I am sharing this information so that others who are stuck in a similar situation can use this as a datapoint in their struggle against the USCIS. I wish you all the very best in your Green Card journey.
chanduv23
08-10 11:03 AM
Hello All
My employer paid me for my 485 application,he gave me his personal checks in the name of uscis, i applied with those checks, now i hear that
"The Address Printed On your checks Must Match the adress given in work sheets[in 485]"
I am confused,will they accept the application,checks are not cashed yet,applied on july18th
Please Help
R u sure? Mine don't match - where did u get this info?
My employer paid me for my 485 application,he gave me his personal checks in the name of uscis, i applied with those checks, now i hear that
"The Address Printed On your checks Must Match the adress given in work sheets[in 485]"
I am confused,will they accept the application,checks are not cashed yet,applied on july18th
Please Help
R u sure? Mine don't match - where did u get this info?
2011 Sixteenth Street Baptist
gc_chahiye
02-17 09:43 PM
3) If I invoke AC21 using my EAD and in the worst case scenario, if my 140 and 485 is rejected, can I then transfer my H1B to an other company (I still have some years left) or will that be a problem because I was not on H-1b at that time?
I think you can still re-capture any year left in your 6 your term on your H1B. That is, even after going to EAD you can revert back to H1B in case of any issues. As always, this is just my understanding and could be wrong even.
you can get back to H1 status, it might involve:
- filing a H1 petition (you wont be counted agianst hte quota)
- leaving US and coming back in, to "Activate" the h1.
I think you can still re-capture any year left in your 6 your term on your H1B. That is, even after going to EAD you can revert back to H1B in case of any issues. As always, this is just my understanding and could be wrong even.
you can get back to H1 status, it might involve:
- filing a H1 petition (you wont be counted agianst hte quota)
- leaving US and coming back in, to "Activate" the h1.
more...
rbalaji5
02-09 03:48 PM
Hi,
I have gone to India last Nov (2008) and got the H1B stamping upto Aug 2010. while entering the U.S due to the expiry of passport, I got the I-94 upto July 2009. Now I need extend my I-94.
I am planning to go out of country to get the I-94. Shall I go to Mexico to get the new I-94 ?. Note I have the stamping.
Shall I fly or drive ?. Which is the preferred way to get the new I-94. ? Any one did like this before ?. Your help is appreciated.
Thanks.
I have gone to India last Nov (2008) and got the H1B stamping upto Aug 2010. while entering the U.S due to the expiry of passport, I got the I-94 upto July 2009. Now I need extend my I-94.
I am planning to go out of country to get the I-94. Shall I go to Mexico to get the new I-94 ?. Note I have the stamping.
Shall I fly or drive ?. Which is the preferred way to get the new I-94. ? Any one did like this before ?. Your help is appreciated.
Thanks.
Blog Feeds
05-19 08:10 AM
Mexican President Felipe Calderon will meet President Obama and address a joint session of Congress this week. And immigration is expected to be front and center during his meetings.
More... (http://blogs.ilw.com/gregsiskind/2010/05/mexican-president-expected-to-make-immigration-key-issue-during-dc-visit.html)
More... (http://blogs.ilw.com/gregsiskind/2010/05/mexican-president-expected-to-make-immigration-key-issue-during-dc-visit.html)
more...
anilsal
03-14 04:52 PM
is appreciated at IV. This is in addition to any other contributions (either time or money) to IV. :)
I meant "Recurring monthly Contribution" :)
I meant "Recurring monthly Contribution" :)
2010 16th Street Baptist Church
Nagireddi
08-10 11:46 AM
Please stop this insanity and concentrate on good work.
more...
lbk
07-18 12:01 PM
Still I was confused. I got I-140 Approval, I have a benificiary no,
Can I use it in my I-485 application at A# and in my Wife I-485 application?
Can I use it in my I-485 application at A# and in my Wife I-485 application?
hair Sixteenth Street.jpg
NKR
06-02 10:35 AM
NKR, thanks . I am considering that option.
Can you please tell if I do the L1 Extension, will it NEGATE the approved H1 ?
I am sorry, I cannot help you there since I am not aware of the consequences. Please consult an attorney
Can you please tell if I do the L1 Extension, will it NEGATE the approved H1 ?
I am sorry, I cannot help you there since I am not aware of the consequences. Please consult an attorney
more...
nraja
03-09 04:26 PM
My 2 cents.
If you employer accepts or lawyer accepts the porting the date then your friend can apply the EB2 priority date to EB3 date.
Means he/she can get EB2 with 2002. As per my knowledge it is possible. But please dont ask me the document. Check with google or some website for document.
Thanks.
If you employer accepts or lawyer accepts the porting the date then your friend can apply the EB2 priority date to EB3 date.
Means he/she can get EB2 with 2002. As per my knowledge it is possible. But please dont ask me the document. Check with google or some website for document.
Thanks.
hot 16Th Street Baptist Church
pappu
08-15 11:54 AM
we can ask support from
http://www.usinpac.com/
let us register with USINPAC from here
http://www.usinpac.com/register.asp
another wikipedia which has lot of info on Indian Americans!!
check Politics section on this page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_American
another interesting item ..
Merrill Lynch recently revealed that there are nearly 200,000 Indian American millionaires. One in every nine Indians in the US is a millionaire, comprising 10% of US millionaires. (Source: 2003 Merrill Lynch SA Market Study).
IV is already working with USINPAC. if you know of any other indian orgs http://www.garamchai.com/desiassc.htm, pls contact them for support as an IV member.
http://www.usinpac.com/
let us register with USINPAC from here
http://www.usinpac.com/register.asp
another wikipedia which has lot of info on Indian Americans!!
check Politics section on this page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_American
another interesting item ..
Merrill Lynch recently revealed that there are nearly 200,000 Indian American millionaires. One in every nine Indians in the US is a millionaire, comprising 10% of US millionaires. (Source: 2003 Merrill Lynch SA Market Study).
IV is already working with USINPAC. if you know of any other indian orgs http://www.garamchai.com/desiassc.htm, pls contact them for support as an IV member.
more...
house 16th Street Baptist Church
kaisersose
10-28 11:40 PM
We recieved EADs 3 weeks back and I am planning to apply SSN for my wife and kid.
Can anyone let me know what documents are required to show up at SSN office while applying SSN.
Thanks,
Sury
You got an EAD for your kid? What is the minimum age for a kid to be eligible for an EAD?
The SSN card will contain a restriction saying "authorized for work only" which would mean the kid should have reached the min age for eligibility to work.
Can anyone let me know what documents are required to show up at SSN office while applying SSN.
Thanks,
Sury
You got an EAD for your kid? What is the minimum age for a kid to be eligible for an EAD?
The SSN card will contain a restriction saying "authorized for work only" which would mean the kid should have reached the min age for eligibility to work.
tattoo 16th St Baptist Church
belmontboy
01-26 02:22 PM
Hi Friends, I searched through some of the prior posts and did not find the answer. I am not looking for cities to live in from the point of view of job, taxes, weather, desi population, desi amenties such as movies, restaurants etc. I am looking for answers from our indian friends living in various parts of usa, about where they felt was the best place for their children to live and go to school in terms of less racism and equal opportunities at school and playgrounds. I am also not looking at the whole state but cities themselves.
Many of us can't choose our job and where we want to live. but children are more vulnerable than us and in an environment you may not be able to control. A pooled information from my friends will be useful to me and I am sure my other friends. Also information about cities which you didn't like from your children's point of view and may reconsider living in if you had a chance.
I will say it first- some of the smaller cities in PA are not the best for your children.
Thanks in advance.
you could consider - Torrance, CA .
Warm Socal weather, beautiful and affordable houses, proximity to Beach, very good school districts, close to LA and SD.
Loving every minute of my stay there :)
Many of us can't choose our job and where we want to live. but children are more vulnerable than us and in an environment you may not be able to control. A pooled information from my friends will be useful to me and I am sure my other friends. Also information about cities which you didn't like from your children's point of view and may reconsider living in if you had a chance.
I will say it first- some of the smaller cities in PA are not the best for your children.
Thanks in advance.
you could consider - Torrance, CA .
Warm Socal weather, beautiful and affordable houses, proximity to Beach, very good school districts, close to LA and SD.
Loving every minute of my stay there :)
more...
pictures Sixteenth Street Baptist
Alabaman
04-05 03:57 PM
Nice Article... hits the nail on the head!! I wish it also highlighted the need for high skilled immigrants to be able to get GCs easily too.
dresses Sixteenth Street Baptist
kalinga_sena
09-01 05:43 PM
Here you go:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Contacts (http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/cmcs/)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Contacts (http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/cmcs/)
more...
makeup The Sixteenth Street Baptist
morchu
06-01 04:44 PM
If you "extension of status" is denied, you can "re-enter" only with a new visa stamping on your passport. Same applies for family.
USCIS most probably will issue RFEs if the exact dates of out of status is not clear. And eventually if it become obvious of 4 months of out of status, I think mostly your extension of status will be denied. Only exceptional situations / explanations can get an extension of status / change of status approved even with 4 months of out of status.
At this point, I suggest you plan for the return to home country (even if it is temporary), and if you can secure an offer, file for H1 and wait for its approval in your home country. I know it is painful, but please do plan for it, to make it less painful.
Staying out of status too long will even affect your next entry. And I think 4 months is long. But it is your choice.
Thank you for your immediate reply. I have 2 more questions as below :
My H1B is valid till 2011. I came through �A� company and this is my second employer (�B�). After I joined �B� company, I never went out of USA. �B� Company�s name is not reflected in my H1B visa (in passport). Only I have the copy of I129 with �B� company�s name. Now, I am no more with �B� company.
1. What is the process of re-enter to USA ? I mean, what type of documents I need to show to Immigration Dept ?
3. My families also need to re-enter to USA at the same time ?
Hopefully, I am able to explain my occurred situation correctly.
I need your valuable suggestion pls.
USCIS most probably will issue RFEs if the exact dates of out of status is not clear. And eventually if it become obvious of 4 months of out of status, I think mostly your extension of status will be denied. Only exceptional situations / explanations can get an extension of status / change of status approved even with 4 months of out of status.
At this point, I suggest you plan for the return to home country (even if it is temporary), and if you can secure an offer, file for H1 and wait for its approval in your home country. I know it is painful, but please do plan for it, to make it less painful.
Staying out of status too long will even affect your next entry. And I think 4 months is long. But it is your choice.
Thank you for your immediate reply. I have 2 more questions as below :
My H1B is valid till 2011. I came through �A� company and this is my second employer (�B�). After I joined �B� company, I never went out of USA. �B� Company�s name is not reflected in my H1B visa (in passport). Only I have the copy of I129 with �B� company�s name. Now, I am no more with �B� company.
1. What is the process of re-enter to USA ? I mean, what type of documents I need to show to Immigration Dept ?
3. My families also need to re-enter to USA at the same time ?
Hopefully, I am able to explain my occurred situation correctly.
I need your valuable suggestion pls.
girlfriend 16th Street Baptist Church
Templarian
08-27 11:16 PM
Double posting bump this thing.
I just noticed we don't have a <3 hmm (to keep it traditional or actually a severed heart is the question).
I just noticed we don't have a <3 hmm (to keep it traditional or actually a severed heart is the question).
hairstyles 8 16th St. Baptist Church
NikNikon
August 8th, 2005, 03:48 PM
I think the shot turned out great Michael. I imagine you could use a similar technique as I have been doing with the infrared, with the filter off and the camera on a tripod using the autofocus to get focus where you want it then switch to manual focus and screw the filters on then take your picture. I'm also curious how much different shooting the same shot without the filters or possibly just one and setting the aperture at f/32 and using a slow shutter to try to achieve the same effect. Look forward to more experimentation.
coolpal
03-27 12:45 PM
I feel the same... but I'm not sure if I am ready to go back just yet. I spent beyond my means to get my masters and spent a couple of years just paying it back.
I might have some left in me to try again one more time and hoping that some reforms would happen which would help me then.
But yeah, I am not sure if I'll really go after that h1 if I have to go for stamping now.
pal :)
I might have some left in me to try again one more time and hoping that some reforms would happen which would help me then.
But yeah, I am not sure if I'll really go after that h1 if I have to go for stamping now.
pal :)
eb3retro
07-22 08:04 PM
Hi Suk,
We have been already working on this. Please see:
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/CISOmbudsman_RR_25_EAD_03-20-06.pdf
On July 30, 2004, an interim rule "Employment Authorization Documents." 69 Fed. Reg. 45555 removed regulatory language limiting EAD validity periods to one-year increments and provides for USCIS issuance of multi-year EADs. The intent of this rule is - USCIS is to begin issuance of EADs with validity periods of more than one year. The reason for this interim rule was that 80%-90% of adjustment of status applications remain pending for longer than one year. Therefore applying for renewal of the EAD every year, as mentioned in the July 2004 interim rule, "creates burden on the applicant" and "creates avoidable additional workload for USCIS".
This change to the EAD issuance policy and practice will benefit employers and individuals, as well as USCIS. Issuance of multi-year EADs and EADs with full periods of validity will also help to reduce USCIS workload and improve process efficiency. With the current practice, issuing EADs with one-year validity periods�in cases where it is likely that re-issuance of the EAD will be necessary�requires USCIS to perform redundant adjudications.
Thanks for your help!
Walden pond, is there anyway we can do a rigorous push for this. Is there something that we can do about it. Also, after this letter to USCIS, was there any response from their end...thanks for your time, btw, congratulations on receiving your green card. You really deserve it and trust me, every single soul in IV is happy for you.
We have been already working on this. Please see:
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/CISOmbudsman_RR_25_EAD_03-20-06.pdf
On July 30, 2004, an interim rule "Employment Authorization Documents." 69 Fed. Reg. 45555 removed regulatory language limiting EAD validity periods to one-year increments and provides for USCIS issuance of multi-year EADs. The intent of this rule is - USCIS is to begin issuance of EADs with validity periods of more than one year. The reason for this interim rule was that 80%-90% of adjustment of status applications remain pending for longer than one year. Therefore applying for renewal of the EAD every year, as mentioned in the July 2004 interim rule, "creates burden on the applicant" and "creates avoidable additional workload for USCIS".
This change to the EAD issuance policy and practice will benefit employers and individuals, as well as USCIS. Issuance of multi-year EADs and EADs with full periods of validity will also help to reduce USCIS workload and improve process efficiency. With the current practice, issuing EADs with one-year validity periods�in cases where it is likely that re-issuance of the EAD will be necessary�requires USCIS to perform redundant adjudications.
Thanks for your help!
Walden pond, is there anyway we can do a rigorous push for this. Is there something that we can do about it. Also, after this letter to USCIS, was there any response from their end...thanks for your time, btw, congratulations on receiving your green card. You really deserve it and trust me, every single soul in IV is happy for you.
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