Choy Foong Wong

I am in shock. Arrived home at 5:30pm today, April 23, and there was
an envelope from the BCIS. We had just gone to the Philadelphia office
on April 2, got my passport stamped, handed in my photos, etc. My
heart sank when I saw the envelope today - we'd just paid for our
plane tickets on April 2 to fly home for a visit...could it be that
somehow the BCIS needed more information/lost my photographs/I forgot
to sign something.... they can't be making me go back to Philly...I'm
leaving for my vacation in less than two weeks.....

Well, guess what, it was the new green card! Yup, brand-new,shiny and
all. The mailer was dated April 16, 2004, and the green card's good
till April 15, 2014! So the letter was printed exactly two weeks after
I was at the office. Exactly three weeks after April 2, I have the
card in my hand!

I was impressed before, when they sent a second 1-year extension,
saving me a trip to Philly for a stamp. I was pleased when the
petition was approved without an interview. Now, though, I am in
shock! The BCIS guy who took my papers had said it would take 6-12
months for the card to be ready, and that if I hadn't gotten it then,
to come back for another passport stamp. This is so unreal, 3 hours
later, I still keep reaching for the card and checking it to make
sure nothing's wrong with it.

I'd been meaning to sit and write about the Philadelphia office
experience, and never in my wildest dreams imagined I'd be writing
about both that and about receiving the card. Well, here goes...

Had received the letter notifying of removal of conditions on January
10. It was way too cold to go stand in line in Philly then, so we
decided to put it off till the weather was less punishing. On April 2,
we made the trek from Harrisburg to Philly. Got there around 6:15am,
drove right past the BCIS office, there was no line at all. Maybe the
forecast for rain helped. We parked on 16th Street, just about half a
block down from the BCIS office. The parking meters don't have to be
fed till 8am (nice) and the meters on 16th Street were 4-hour ones
(very very nice!). I peeked at the Callowhill St (cross street)
parking meters; those were 2-hour ones.

So we stood in line, and soon, the line started growing. It never got
too long, not over 40 people we think. The doors opened a little after
7:30am, we were the first ones in. Was directed to a counter, lady
asked for my papers, and photos, and then everything sort of
unravelled. The pictures I had taken at Sears were not acceptable
because I was wearing glasses. This was entirely my own fault, the
Sears ppl had said to take off the glasses, but I said, 'but my 2-year
green card pic has glasses and it was fine.' (Guess the CSC/San Jose
was more easy-going with picture requirements). $30 down the drain,
that'll teach me to argue with photographers next time. Anyway, the
lady said to get the pictures re-done at the photo vans outside, and
then come back straight to her. So, with an increasingly unhappy
husband following, we walked out across the street to where the two
photo vans were parked. He stood in line again to save us a spot, and
I walked towards the vans.

That was when the fun began. Reading up old posts on this group
helped: I'd learned that the photo vans charge $15 for two pics, but
you can bargain it down to $7 or $8. These two guys rush up to me,
calling out prices, and I just try to get them to outbid each other.
Finally went with the $8 guy. $16 for four pics. Not bad. It was just
a digital camera, hooked up to a printer. But I thought the quality
was better than the Sears' photos. Guess the photo van ppl used better
quality paper.

We had to stand in line and go through the metal detector again, but
it didn't seem to take too long to get back into the office. Went
straight to the counter, lady checked that everything was in order and
gave us a number. We were two numbers after the number being served.
After a short wait, we were called, went up, did the usual - gave
photos, green card, the letter of notification, finter prints,
signature. Guy asked when we got the approval and why I hadn't come in
till three months later, and I mumbled something about it was too cold
and I had difficulty getting time off. He didn't press the issue. Only
gave me a 9-month stamp in my passport, till January 2005, because
that's when my passport expires and "we don't give stamps going beyond
the passport expiration." And, "if you haven't received your green
card and need to travel after the stamp expires, come in for a new
stamp", and "no, you may not make an appointment for that." Pretty
painless. We were out of the office at 8:15am. Not bad at all,
considering the whole photo fiasco and losing our #1 place in line.

I guess this should be my last experience with the INS/BCIS for the
next 10 years. The whole process hasn't been too onerous, except for
when they mispelled my name on my first green card, and the long wait
for the 1-751 to be approved, and gathering paperwork and evidence.
I'm done with that, now I'll just have to do it once a year for tax
day! :)

DCF (Malaysia) and I-751 (VSC) experiences are on
http://www.kamya.com/interview/intro.html under the I-130/DCF Abroad
and I-751 links.

Here's the full timeline:

March 15, 2000 Filed DCF at U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
April 27, 2000 Interview at Embassy, CR-1 approved, receive mysterious
brown envelope.
Sept. 16, 2000 Entered the U.S. via SFO.
June 27, 2002 Mailed I-751 via certified, return receipt requested
June 29, 2002 Package delivered to INS as reported by USPS tracking
system.
July 11, 2002 Received NOA, 1 year employment and travel extension.
NOA was dated July 6, postmarked July 9.
Aug 22, 2003 Received second NOA, extending for 1 additional year
employment and travel authorization. NOA was dated Aug 18, 2003.
Jan 10, 2004 Conditional basis removed. Date of decision: Jan. 6,
2004.
April 2, 2004 Visit to Philadelphia District Office to process new
10-year green card, get passport stamp.
April 23, 2004 Receive new 10-year green card in mail, valid till
April 15, 2014

It's only been 4 years, but it feels like it's been 10. Hard to
believe it's finally over. Thanks to all who helped, advised,
suggested, etc. Good luck to those waiting. I plan to drop in every
now and then to read posts and see some familiar names.

Choy-Foong
Harrisburg, PA

Rete

Congratulations Choy-Foong. So nice to see another alumni having made
it through the process. Thanks for posting your I-751 experience on
Kamya. Have a wonderful vacation and if you decide to naturalize I know
we will see your smiling face once again.

Rete

Andy Platt

Congrats!

Andy.

Vinnic

Congratulations! Thanks for posting your experience, too. It's nice to
hear that everything went so smoothly for you, especially receiving your
permanent card so quickly!