Tuesday, April 29, 2008 11:02 am
Mike Dew

The address: 3rd Floor, 500 Shatto Place, Los Angeles

The photo: You don't need to bring photos because if
you bring, it is most likely that they will reject
them and let you take photos there. I wasted a lot of
time of taking photos for the size is not regular 2".
Even after I brought my photo according to their
requirement (21"-24" wide of the head, about 33" long
of the head), they rejected it. They will take photo
for you. $10 for 4, pretty reasonable price and it was
fast.

Forms: I downloaded the form online and filled it out
but they let me redo the form in lobby. They provide
forms and they don't like the form you download. Pick
up the form at the rack inside the lobby opposite to
the entrance door on the far side. Fill it before your
# being called. I didn't know that, so I was running
back and forth.

Mailing: They just changed the policy so that they
will NOT mail it anymore even you paid the $5 handling
fee. You have to pick it up IN PERSON yourself or hire
someone to pick it up for you, very inconvenient. I
prepared express mail and postage paid. What a waste.
If you don't have acquaints in L. A., hire some travel
agency to pick it up for you.

Cost: $55. You pay it when you pick up your passport.
Cash and credit card are acceptable. Don't need to
purchase money order. Save the money order fee.

Remove all your original I-94 forms, H-1B stuff from
your passport. You keep them. They don't need them.
Make copies of your passport, visa, I-20, H-1B. They
need those.

They open at 9:00. You don't need to wait in line. The
line is for picking up. Get a number from the machine
and find a seat in the lobby.

Sometimes they send a person to Hawaii but with very
short notice.

Remember, they constantly change policy without
noticing us. The info I shared could be outdated soon.

All of them speak Chinese except for the guard.