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Return to AOS main page EAD #1 and AP December 19, 2001 We filed this EAD application with our AOS application. Chicago does not allow AP to mailed in - it must be done in person - so we did that after Dan picked up his EAD. This is Dan's experience getting his first EAD and AP, as told by Becky... We brought... For EAD For AP Dan's passport EAD appointment letter Green letter & yellow AOS/EAD receipt. DO NOT FORGET YOUR YELLOW RECEIPT Lots of people had problems because they didn't bring it. So don't forget it! Marriage Certificate (the appointment letter said to bring it, but they didn't ask for it) I-131 (already filled out and signed) $95 money order (Chicago only accepts money orders) Photocopy of Dan's passport photo page Photocopy of Dan's I-94 (front & back), which also happens to show his K-1 visa (now expired of course) Photocopy of green letter & yellow AOS receipt 2 forms of ID - passport & EAD new G-325A (not actually needed, but some newsgroup postings I saw suggested he might need it so I figured better safe than sorry!) Time What Happened 8:30 am We arrive downtown at Ogilvie station, fresh off the metra and head towards the INS office. En route we stop by Walgreen's on Madison Ave. to get out cash. 8:50 am We're at the doors of the INS. There is no line outside, only a handful of people just inside the doors. We show the lady overseeing the entry Dan's EAD appointment letter and are allowed through to security. 8:55 am Dan drops off his (white) appointment letter into a paper tray at "Booth 15" and we have a seat. "Booth 15" turns out to be a niche in the back of a large room. The "booth" is at one end, and the rest of the area is filled with rows of chairs, which are far too close together. 9:18 am One of the ladies at the desk calls Dan's name. He joins the queue against the far wall. Get to the counter. The lady asks for his green letter & yellow receipt. She asks to see his ID (passport). She stamps the green letter, yellow receipt, and the white appointment letter. She hands these things back and gives him a white card, telling him to sign in the box, and not to go outside the line. He moves to the next (very short) line. The lady there takes a print of his index finger on the card. Dan then goes to a little room at the very back where his photo is taken, and the take his white card with signature & finger print. (They made Dan take his glasses off, and they made the lady in front of him take out her earring. We guess they make you remove anything that might be reflective in the photo.) Dan is sent back out to wait. 9:31 am Dan's name is called again and he gets his EAD! 9:45 am After we got his EAD card, we jumped into the line for AP. This isn't actually a line for only AP. I guess if you get into the INS building to do anything other than (or in addition to) an appointment, you get funneled through the lady at the "Information and Forms" desk. The lady is a bit gruff but polite. She takes a quick look at our documents and warns us that AP costs $95, and it will not be refunded even if it is denied. She scribbles something on the I-131 and sends us to the cashier. 9:55 am After giving our $95 money order to the cashier, (remember, Chicago only accepts money orders!!) we go to the 3rd floor and hand our I-131 to the lady behind the glass. She gives us a sheet saying what "evidence" we need to submit with it and tells us that if we need to photocopy anything there is a photocopier on the 2nd floor. (We had noticed the copier on our way up... it costs 25¢ per copy, so you should try to make copies of everything before you get there. We take a moment to organize ourselves and then hand her copies of Dan's passport photo page, I-94 (front & back), K-1 visa (this is on the same page as the I-94), and the green letter & yellow receipt. She looks at Dan's passport, and asks for another ID as well (fortunately he just got his EAD!) then tells us it is a 2 to 4 hour wait, and that we must let her know if we are leaving. (Otherwise if our name is called and Dan is not there, he'd be considered a no show.) 10:05 am So, we find a seat in this new overcrowded room at WAIT. 10:30 am The room we are in holds people waiting for AP and people waiting for something else... It's too crowded, so they move the AP people down the hall to room 305, a training room. Every so often someone comes in and calls a few names. So we wait some more. 12:15 pm We get a pass from the receptionist in the original 3rd floor room so we can go get something to eat and then get back in the building. Apparently most of the INS workers are out at lunch - in particular the one person who is able to type up APs, so it looks like nothing is going to happen until after 1:00 pm. There are several fast food places just around the corner from the INS office. (In particular we saw a McDonald's and a Subway.) 12:50 pm After finishing our lunch at McDonald's (wow what a line there was!) we return to the INS and settle back down in room 305 to wait. 1:35 pm They move the AP people back to the main room. 1:40 pm Dan's name is called... he has his AP! 2:35 pm We take a train from Ogilvie back towards home... next stop is the Social Security Office 3:10 pm We arrive at the Social Security Office. Dan takes a number, fills out his form, and waits while to be called. 3:30 pm Dan hands the lady at the counter his form, his passport, and his brand new EAD. She looks the stuff over, punches it into the computer, has Dan verify his name and other information, and tells us he should receive his card in 2-3 weeks, or maybe sooner.

Last updated Dec 20 2001
Disclaimer: Neither of us are lawyers. Do not take this as legal advice - we are only able to relate our experiences. We hope that you will find this information beneficial, but cannot take responsibility for consequences of following - or not following - our example.