I want to share with you our unbelievable story how we got our interim EAD at Bloomington INS office in Minneapolis, MN
1. We have our EAD renewal pending at VSC since 9/18 and the current one is going to expire end of this month.
2. Our application for EAD renewal was delayed by major distractions, circumstances and poor planning.
3. We had no chance of getting the EAD renewal before the current one expires and we were in difficult situation of loosing the jobs if we dont hv EAD (it is a different story that I save it for another day).
4. We got our first notice of FP after 12 months (looks like our EAD renewable application made the movement of our file by an inch at VSC).
5. From this forum we learned that there is no way INS offices will even let us inside before the 90 day time it takes for processing the EAD applications at VSC.
6. We went to give FP at 8 AM and drove 15 miles away to INS office in St. Paul. They were not allowing many inside without appointment and already there was a long line inside.
7. The security woman outside talked to someone and asked us to go inside and show the EAD notice. We only told them all along that we came to get interim EAD. NOTHING ELSE. the officer looked at the notice and asked us to wait in the line. You guys can guess what we were thinking at that moment.......90 days !!!!
8. luckily the officer does not know 90 day rule....we got thro our first hurdle. We waited in the line while reciting Hanuman chalisa... for an hour. Finally, we were let in.
9. When we got inside we saw a special notice in bold letters that EAD are no longer given at that office and have to be applied to regional center 90-120 days early. Our hopes (1% at that time) hv totally vanished. we had to wait another painful 2 hrs before our number called in.
10. we appeared infront of the window and told the younger looking officer "we came to get interim EAD" nothing more. He looked at the EAD notice and said "I will give you an EAD for 3 months only". We could not believe our ears. I thought I was hallucinating...He printed a paper and stamped "APPROVED" and then passed some papers for us to sign.
11. Later he said, "wait here, I will be back !" we though he was going to discuss with some one. It was painful wait for few minutes and none of us even said to word to each while we waited. He came back and asked us to check the name and DOB on the approval and asked us to go inside with hime for photos and FP (index only). Then we know we got the interm EAD for sure.
12. Minutes later we picked up the cards and got out to hug each other in joy......thanking....Promised to ourselves to be Careful next time.
I just wanted to post this so people like us do not need to give up hope and trust that you run into officers who unknowingly be helpful. Stop blaming INS of inefficiency or rigid. Sometimes it is help ful. Good luck.
To discuss more on this experience
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