Location: Newark, NJ
Time of Arrival: 7:30am
Date: Jan 14th, 2003

I arrived at Newark, INS office around 7:30am. There was some confusion that the special registration is closed for Wednesday; I saw few people leaving, one had drove all the way from Boston! I however focused on getting the monkey out of my cap waited in the line hoping that the registration would take place.

INS guy showed up around 7:45am and he took us to room 1404. Only 13 Pakistani's showed up till I was there (which was till short while ago). My passport was taken by the receptionist and a generic form was given which asked for the following information:

Name, Address, Address in Pakistan, Date of Birth, Name, place of birth and date of birth of father and mother, Credit Card #, Contact person in the United States, Contact Person in Pakistan. Driver License #,I was called after approximately one and half hour. INS inspector took my oath and then asked for my I-797 and my employment letter. Inspector then asked for my License and inquired as how come my license is issue much before my H1B; I told her that I was on F1 before; She asked for my I-20's as well the passport which was stamped with my original F1 Visa. She asked last time I entered United States. She went through the form and confirmed all the entry as she was entering it in the computer.

Papers she specifically asked was; driver license, I797, proof that I was legal when my license was issued for which I showed my F1 and I-20.Current employer letter, credit card, and form of ID other then passport and license. She also asked for car registration # (which I forgot)

The last step was finger printing and a digital photo, and a form which says that you have to come back next year!!

All in all, the process lasted for about 40 minutes, majority of which was going through the data on the sheet.