They didn't open the sealed envelope!!

[PJB 0]

Just spent an hour chasing down Customs and Boarder Patrol (www. CBP.gov) only to get more useless info. Of course the website offers no helpful info or answers (not even in the Q&A section). So after calling and getting sent from officer to officer (again with lots of comments like "OMG!!" "This is terrible!!) I was told that only the Office of Deferred Inspections can accept those packets. Called them, got an answering machine, left my number. They actually called back in about 10 minutes and told me that my husband cannot get his green card without turning in that packet but that we shouldn't turn it in because we "will need all the paperwork in the envelope to file for AOS, so just open the packet and turn it all in with your AOS."

OK. So here goes plan B. Drink a lot, compile our AOS packet, drink some more, then try and turn in the UNOPENED envelope at our INFOPASS appt. We'll file the AOS after we find someone who will actually take the sealed embassy envelope.

[pushbrk 12,882]

Just spent an hour chasing down Customs and Boarder Patrol (www. CBP.gov) only to get more useless info. Of course the website offers no helpful info or answers (not even in the Q&A section). So after calling and getting sent from officer to officer (again with lots of comments like "OMG!!" "This is terrible!!) I was told that only the Office of Deferred Inspections can accept those packets. Called them, got an answering machine, left my number. They actually called back in about 10 minutes and told me that my husband cannot get his green card without turning in that packet but that we shouldn't turn it in because we "will need all the paperwork in the envelope to file for AOS, so just open the packet and turn it all in with your AOS."

OK. So here goes plan B. Drink a lot, compile our AOS packet, drink some more, then try and turn in the UNOPENED envelope at our INFOPASS appt. We'll file the AOS after we find someone who will actually take the sealed embassy envelope.

The packet belongs with USCIS. Just take it to them at the local office. When you hand it over, you can just look them in the eye and shrug your shoulders. They've seen it before. They are the ones that need the papers in the file because it is the beneficiary's case file. CBP is just responsible for getting the sealed envelope to USCIS. They failed to do so. You just need to do it for them.

No "worries", just a simple action on your part to correct the CBP agent's error.

I'm sorry you were sent on a wild goose chase to CBP. They caused the problem. You get to solve it for them.

Now, if the I-94 has a problem, CBP needs to take care of that for you. Your USCIS office will have the direct contact information you need to solve any CBP correctable problem. If not, PM me and I'll put you in contact with a CBP station Chief who can.

Edited February 20, 2009 by pushbrk

[agd108 0]

That's really odd. I just went to the airport, talked to someone there who took care of mailing to USCIS. Makes sense that if you mail it with your packet it would work, but anyway the lady on duty had no problem with it. I assumed she filled out some forms or something.

[PJB 0]

That's really odd. I just went to the airport, talked to someone there who took care of mailing to USCIS. Makes sense that if you mail it with your packet it would work, but anyway the lady on duty had no problem with it. I assumed she filled out some forms or something.

I thought you said you turned in your envelope at the INFOPASS appt. I tried to call the airport CBP office but the number was impossible to find and once I got ahold of a live CBP officer on the info line I ended up with that crazy advice and was told I couldn't turn the envelope in at the airport office because it was the wrong place. And not only is LAX huge, but the CBP airport address is not even near the actual terminals and public areas.

Does anybody remember what happened when you gave your envelope to the customs officer as you entered the US? Did they open it? give you back some of the papers?

My understanding from talking to CBP today was that they were supposed to stamp some of the documents from inside the envelope and send some of the documents to USCIS that would be used for the AOS.

[rebeccajo 14]

Like the OP discovered when he tried returning the envelope to the local office, the packet needs to go pack to Customs and Border Patrol at the airport.

When we needed to contact CBP (about my husband's missing I94 and not the brown envelope) we didn't find a lot of joy by ringing national phone numbers either. After some digging, I rang the CBP office for the state of West Virginia. They in turn advised me to contact CBP officials at Pittsburgh National Airport. I cannot exactly recall if WV CBP provided me a phone number for the duty officers at the airport OR if I simply rang the airport and they connected me.

At any rate, it was a bit complicated to get in touch with the proper parties. But it was doable. CBP had to cross over to the outbound terminal at Pittsburgh International to meet us. They spoke to the TSA officials about our situation, who allowed us to cross over with the CBP officers back to the inbound terminal (CBP had told us this would be necessary as we had no official 'business' pass the security checkpoints - ie we were not flying anywhere).

Edited February 21, 2009 by rebeccajo

[rebeccajo 14]

Does anybody remember what happened when you gave your envelope to the customs officer as you entered the US? Did they open it? give you back some of the papers?

My understanding from talking to CBP today was that they were supposed to stamp some of the documents from inside the envelope and send some of the documents to USCIS that would be used for the AOS.

Yes they do open and inspect the documents. It is their responsibility for an aliens admission to the US. A visa only gives you permission to attempt an entry for a specific purpose. CBP is the final authority on admissions and there is the occasional RARE occurrence of persons with K visas in their passports being denied admission.

[pushbrk 12,882]

Like the OP discovered when he tried returning the envelope to the local office, the packet needs to go pack to Customs and Border Patrol at the airport.

When we needed to contact CBP (about my husband's missing I94 and not the brown envelope) we didn't find a lot of joy by ringing national phone numbers either. After some digging, I rang the CBP office for the state of West Virginia. They in turn advised me to contact CBP officials at Pittsburgh National Airport. I cannot exactly recall if WV CBP provided me a phone number for the duty officers at the airport OR if I simply rang the airport and they connected me.

At any rate, it was a bit complicated to get in touch with the proper parties. But it was doable. CBP had to cross over to the outbound terminal at Pittsburgh International to meet us. They spoke to the TSA officials about our situation, who allowed us to cross over with the CBP officers back to the inbound terminal (CBP had told us this would be necessary as we had no official 'business' pass the security checkpoints - ie we were not flying anywhere).

I took my wife's sealed envelope to an infopass appointment and they took care of it from that point forward. I don't know whether they took it to a CBP office or not but they gave me the contact information so I could get correct date stamps on the I-94.

[rebeccajo 14]

Like the OP discovered when he tried returning the envelope to the local office, the packet needs to go pack to Customs and Border Patrol at the airport.

When we needed to contact CBP (about my husband's missing I94 and not the brown envelope) we didn't find a lot of joy by ringing national phone numbers either. After some digging, I rang the CBP office for the state of West Virginia. They in turn advised me to contact CBP officials at Pittsburgh National Airport. I cannot exactly recall if WV CBP provided me a phone number for the duty officers at the airport OR if I simply rang the airport and they connected me.

At any rate, it was a bit complicated to get in touch with the proper parties. But it was doable. CBP had to cross over to the outbound terminal at Pittsburgh International to meet us. They spoke to the TSA officials about our situation, who allowed us to cross over with the CBP officers back to the inbound terminal (CBP had told us this would be necessary as we had no official 'business' pass the security checkpoints - ie we were not flying anywhere).

I took my wife's sealed envelope to an infopass appointment and they took care of it from that point forward. I don't know whether they took it to a CBP office or not but they gave me the contact information so I could get correct date stamps on the I-94.

All I know is this -

I would surely prefer to have all my documents inspected by the proper parties.

[rebeccajo 14]

..... CBP is just responsible for getting the sealed envelope to USCIS.

They are responsible for inspecting the contents of the envelope and THEN getting it to USCIS.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Try this number for info. Odd hours they have posted, but maybe closer to giving you information

LAX

Name: Deferred Inspections (Immigration)

Phone: (213) 830-5178

08:00 -16:30

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday

(Closed Thursday)

or this

CBP Passenger Service Manager

Los Angeles International Airport Kris Rueda (310) 665-4545

Edited February 21, 2009 by Nich-Nick

[PJB 0]

Just spent an hour chasing down Customs and Boarder Patrol (www. CBP.gov) only to get more useless info. Of course the website offers no helpful info or answers (not even in the Q&A section). So after calling and getting sent from officer to officer (again with lots of comments like "OMG!!" "This is terrible!!) I was told that only the Office of Deferred Inspections can accept those packets. Called them, got an answering machine, left my number. They actually called back in about 10 minutes and told me that my husband cannot get his green card without turning in that packet but that we shouldn't turn it in because we "will need all the paperwork in the envelope to file for AOS, so just open the packet and turn it all in with your AOS."

OK. So here goes plan B. Drink a lot, compile our AOS packet, drink some more, then try and turn in the UNOPENED envelope at our INFOPASS appt. We'll file the AOS after we find someone who will actually take the sealed embassy envelope.

The packet belongs with USCIS. Just take it to them at the local office. When you hand it over, you can just look them in the eye and shrug your shoulders. They've seen it before. They are the ones that need the papers in the file because it is the beneficiary's case file. CBP is just responsible for getting the sealed envelope to USCIS. They failed to do so. You just need to do it for them.

No "worries", just a simple action on your part to correct the CBP agent's error.

I'm sorry you were sent on a wild goose chase to CBP. They caused the problem. You get to solve it for them.

Now, if the I-94 has a problem, CBP needs to take care of that for you. Your USCIS office will have the direct contact information you need to solve any CBP correctable problem. If not, PM me and I'll put you in contact with a CBP station Chief who can.

My husband was so excited about us finally being together that on the I-94 he wrote his first name incorrectly as YRIY instead of YURY. Is this a problem too? (I discovered this as I was making copies for the AOS)

[pushbrk 12,882]

..... CBP is just responsible for getting the sealed envelope to USCIS.

They are responsible for inspecting the contents of the envelope and THEN getting it to USCIS.

That's the way it's supposed to work but once the foreigner is admitted to the USA, CBP's "inspection" role is moot. The file belongs to USCIS. If something was amiss within the package, they deal with it, not CBP. If action must be taken it would be ordered by USCIS potentially using ICE, not CBP.

Again, USCIS took the sealed envelope at an infopass appointment and referred us to the local CBP office to take care of the errors in the I-94 and passport stamps indicating dates that don't exist.

Edited February 27, 2009 by pushbrk

[rebeccajo 14]

..... CBP is just responsible for getting the sealed envelope to USCIS.

They are responsible for inspecting the contents of the envelope and THEN getting it to USCIS.

That's the way it's supposed to work but once the foreigner is admitted to the USA, CBP's "inspection" role is moot. The file belongs to USCIS. If something was amiss within the package, they deal with it, not CBP. If action must be taken it would be ordered by USCIS potentially using ICE, not CBP.

Again, USCIS took the sealed envelope at an infopass appointment and referred us to the local CBP office to take care of the errors in the I-94 and passport stamps indicating dates that don't exist.

Pushbrk -

Good for you that USCIS took your wife's sealed envelope and passed it on.

There's a reason that CBP is supposed to inspect the contents of the envelope and I don't believe them failing to do so obviates their error for the alien.

People can be turned around at the border for any number of things - answering questions the wrong way; carrying contraband; acting suspiciously. If an alien carrying a visa packet manages to get by CBP without having that packet inspected by an officer, one could say the alien passed inspection for the items listed above.

But consulates make mistakes (rare but it happens) and CBP is responsible for checking the documents to see if they have. There is the case of Liam who attempted an entry at Dublin (circa 2005 or so) with an approved K1 in his passport. Upon inspection of the envelope contents, the officers at Dublin CBP turned Liam around based upon a conviction on his police report (the crime was petty - Liam had discussed it with his Consular Officer and never a word had been uttered about needing a waiver.) After his return home and long story short - DOS informed the London consulate they had indeed erred and a waiver would be necessary before Liam could enter.

I am sure we are going to have to disagree on this one. But here are my thoughts developed after years of reading this board and others including many communities which are immigrant advocacy groups. I DO NOT TRUST this system and I want every document in my husband's possession inspected, stamped, certified and/or signed by the parties accountable for that action. In the case of his I94 (or a brown envelope if that had happened to us) even if it meant spending several days on phone calls and trekking across the airport, I would do it. I am not, would not and never will be satisfied with an 'in-lieu-of' authority having any part of my husband's legal presence in the United States of America. There are too many loopholes in the law for my liking.

Edited February 27, 2009 by rebeccajo

[PJB 0]

Well, since CBP refused to take our envelope we'll find out if USCIS will take it at our INFOPASS appt on Monday. Maybe we'll get a decent answer on the name misspelling also..........

[rebeccajo 14]

Well, since CBP refused to take our envelope we'll find out if USCIS will take it at our INFOPASS appt on Monday. Maybe we'll get a decent answer on the name misspelling also..........

You need to speak to officers at the airport, not officers behind the desk at an 800 number.