Infopass Appointment.... Need Help.. Please respond.

[Immigrant2009 0]

Hello all,

My GC will expire in April. I got NOA and Biometric. I have read in a lot of places that, companies require stamp on passport and also some countries like Italy don't recognize NOA for international travel. Also i am in between jobs, so my new employer has request further proof of my work authorization/PR. So,

I got an Infopass appointment for next week to get my passport stamped. Here are few questions, that i have.

1- What documents do i have to take with me?

2- Does my wife has to be there with me (as she's out of town)?

3- How long does one has to wait before he/she can see an Immigration Officer. Let's say, if the appointment is at 9:00 AM and you are there by 8:30, how long will you have to

wait before you get called by the immigration officer.

4- What kind of questions does the Immigration Officer ask?

5- How long does the meeting last?

6- Do Immigration Officers normally stamp the passport or not, what are my chances?

Please reply... and guide me. Any one with similar situation please share your experience.

Thanks

Edited March 3, 2009 by Immigrant2009

[Immigrant2009 0]

Can Somone please reply.

Thanks

[jasminelily 1]

1- What documents do i have to take with me? NOA, biometrics appointment letter, unexpired passport and conditional GC.

2- Does my wife has to be there with me (as she's out of town)? USC spouse doens't have to be present.

3- How long does one has to wait before he/she can see an Immigration Officer. Let's say, if the appointment is at 9:00 AM and you are there by 8:30, how long will you have to wait before you get called by the immigration officer. Hopefully before 9:30am, but no one can say for sure, depends on volume of people.

4- What kind of questions does the Immigration Officer ask? Most likely they'll ask you why do you need the I-551 stamp, and you would tell them the truth, which is your employer needs proof of your eligibility to work legally in the US and your conditional GC is about to expire but you're in the process of lifting conditions with no result yet.

5- How long does the meeting last? Usually 10-15 minutes. Shouldn't take longer than 20 minutes. They wouldn't let you stay there that long anyways.

6- Do Immigration Officers normally stamp the passport or not, what are my chances? Yes they will and they have to. They have no excuse for not giving you the stamp. I don't see why not. If the first person that you speak to is not willing to or doesn't know what you're talking about, immediately and politely ask to speak with a higher up, don't waste your time, tell them firmly that you're not leaving without the stamp. Write down all the names of the people that you dealt with if neccessary for future needs but 99.99% of the time you won't have to do this step.

[Immigrant2009 0]

1- What documents do i have to take with me? NOA, biometrics appointment letter, unexpired passport and conditional GC.

2- Does my wife has to be there with me (as she's out of town)? USC spouse doens't have to be present.

3- How long does one has to wait before he/she can see an Immigration Officer. Let's say, if the appointment is at 9:00 AM and you are there by 8:30, how long will you have to wait before you get called by the immigration officer. Hopefully before 9:30am, but no one can say for sure, depends on volume of people.

4- What kind of questions does the Immigration Officer ask? Most likely they'll ask you why do you need the I-551 stamp, and you would tell them the truth, which is your employer needs proof of your eligibility to work legally in the US and your conditional GC is about to expire but you're in the process of lifting conditions with no result yet.

5- How long does the meeting last? Usually 10-15 minutes. Shouldn't take longer than 20 minutes. They wouldn't let you stay there that long anyways.

6- Do Immigration Officers normally stamp the passport or not, what are my chances? Yes they will and they have to. They have no excuse for not giving you the stamp. I don't see why not. If the first person that you speak to is not willing to or doesn't know what you're talking about, immediately and politely ask to speak with a higher up, don't waste your time, tell them firmly that you're not leaving without the stamp. Write down all the names of the people that you dealt with if neccessary for future needs but 99.99% of the time you won't have to do this step.

jasminelily,

Thank you very much for your reply.

Anyone with similar experience or infopass experience please share your experience.

Thanks

[Immigrant2009 0]

Can someone who got infopass and got stamp for I551 share your experience please.

Thanks

[Roosterwife 0]

Can someone who got infopass and got stamp for I551 share your experience please.

Thanks

I got my biometrics letter but never did get my NOA. When I went for my biometrics appointment, I used the machine in the lobby to make an Infopass appointment to get a stamp in the passport. When I went back (about a week later) I had absolutely no problem getting the stamp. I was seen about 10 mins after my appointment time and explained that I needed the stamp because I travel internationally for work. The officer was very pleasant. He took my passport and asked me to wait a few minutes back in the waiting area. Ten minutes later I got my stamped passport back and was out of there!

Don't worry; you should be fine.

[Mrs.J06 4]

The officer I talked to during my infopass appointment said I would only get a stamp once my extension letter is close to expiring. This seems to vary from office to office though.

From what I have heard, both HR people and airline employees seem to like the stamp more than the extension letter. However, if you are firm in telling them that this is what authorizes you to travel and work they have to accept it. Ask to speak to a supervisor if the airline people give you trouble.

At the POE the extension letter is just as good as the stamp, and these guys are the ones who matter in my opinion.

Your spouse does not have to be with you, I only had to wait about 10 minutes but had the first appointment in the morning right away at 8:00 am.

If you have your paperwork (NOA), your expired green card and your passport with you you are good to go.

[Immigrant2009 0]

Thanks a lot

Roosterwife and Mrs.J06 for sharing your experience and giving guidance.

Edited March 4, 2009 by Immigrant2009

[cherr1980 1]

I never had problems and I was stamped twice.

But I did heard and read people that had a very hard time get it in. So yes, it varies from officer to officer.

Some of them tend to not like that the US citizen talk instead of the immigrant...just a tip, so leave your spouse at home.

If the airline employee, actually the security person which normally is not an airline employee refuse to accept the expired green card and the NOA1, make him/her speak to a supervisor. They have the rules of documents accepted for entry to the US and is define in there.

I do prefer to carry a stamp, I used the NOA just one time. But that's a personal choice as long you carry the valid documentation and unexpired passport.

[jasminelily 1]

Someone just posted his recent info pass experience. Click this link:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=182771

[Immigrant2009 0]

Someone just posted his recent info pass experience. Click this link:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=182771

Thanks a lot everyone.

[peb 0]

Someone just posted his recent info pass experience. Click this link:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=182771

I had my infopass appointment in NYC, Got there at 9 for the 9:15AM appt.

Officer "why are you here"

me " to get an extension, my green card will expire march 15th and I just recieved a RFE".

Officer " ok , complete this form and take it upstairs"

9:15 my name was called and another officer asked for the form and my passport then told me to have a seat. I wrote my A# (U DEFINATELY NEED THAT FOR THEM TO LOOK UP YOUR CASE) I also explained that i need to travel In april and I travel for work of the country. She told me to have a seat and wait while she took the passport and form in the back office.

10am ...i am still waiting

11am i am still waiting

12noon .....i am turning red still waiting

1pm.....I finally asked the assistant at the front how long the procedure takes because i have been waiting a long time...she told me she does not know but for sure it will be more then 2hrs because they do background check....

2pm finally someone called my name and gave me the passport with a 1yr stamp.

[Immigrant2009 0]

I went to for my infopass appointment today. I was an hour late coz i thought my appointment was at 9 AM and went to the local USCIS office

at 9:00 AM instead of 8:00 AM:( .

The receptionist asked me told me you are 1 hour late, i told him the reason. He asked me what was the purpose. I told him i applied for I-751 got NOA and biometric and would like to get a stamp on the passport for job related purpose also i might be traveling abroad so it's god to have that. He said the letter is sufficient. I asked him can i please talk to an IO. He said the IO will say the same thing.

Anyways after 2-3 mins my number came up i went to the officer and told him the whole story. He said he can't stamp my passport coz the letter is sufficient and my employer should comply with it. I give him a lot of reasons etc, that they want an official evidence. He said the letter is official as it's from immigration. I also asked him i need the stamp coz i might be travel abroad he said that the IO's at the entry port know about this NOA letter and there should be a problem for me. After 4-8 minutes of talk, nothing happened. He gave a card with a number, so that i can give to my HR to contact immigration if they need further evidence etc. He said he will only stamp my passport after my NOA expires which sucks.

So my infopass wasn't successful. I wasted gas and 3 hours of my time for nothing .

Any thoughts...

[botipapa 0]

So my infopass wasn't successful. I wasted gas and 3 hours of my time for nothing .

Any thoughts...

I' m really sorry that your experience was bad.

However as others stated, don't get upset, your extension letter

is just as good as a stamp in the passport.

Your employer has to accept the fact that you are a PR,

even your GC about to expire.

When I applied a year ago @ TSC they did not send (apparently they never do...)

an extension letter, so I had no other choice, but INFOPASS, and get a stamp.

When I went to the local office, and mentioned TSC, they knew exactly what I was

talking about, and stamped me in 2 minutes.

[3600rs 24]

Hello all,

My GC will expire in April. I got NOA and Biometric. I have read in a lot of places that, companies require stamp on passport and also some countries like Italy don't recognize NOA for international travel. Also i am in between jobs, so my new employer has request further proof of my work authorization/PR. So,

I got an Infopass appointment for next week to get my passport stamped. Here are few questions, that i have.

1- What documents do i have to take with me?

the stamp is also called ADIT. take your NOA, green card, and 2 passport size photos ( maybe asked for )

2- Does my wife has to be there with me (as she's out of town)? No, u can do infopass by yourself

3- How long does one has to wait before he/she can see an Immigration Officer. Let's say, if the appointment is at 9:00 AM and you are there by 8:30, how long will you have to

wait before you get called by the immigration officer.

it depends from office to office and the rush on that day. but after you enter the office the process is pretty fast.

4- What kind of questions does the Immigration Officer ask?

you will have to convince the officer on why u need a stamp when you already have an extension letter. People have reported they have not got the stamp because the had the letter. Now when the letter itself expires, the officer takes your expired green card to give you the stamp.

5- How long does the meeting last?

the officers are quick, it wont last more than 10 minutes. they are usually fast and precise. you will come to know in the first 5 minutes whats the officers stand about giving you the stamp.

6- Do Immigration Officers normally stamp the passport or not, what are my chances?

it all depends on the officer and the urgency of the stamp. if your letter extension expires they MUST give you a stamp, otherwise they are not required to give you the stamp. Some have got, some have not. you may have to do some talking to convince the officer that you cant get a job or travel to italy with only an NOA extension.

Please reply... and guide me. Any one with similar situation please share your experience.

Thanks