After 9/11: Processed by the INS

My turn?

You’ve come to the wrong office.

No, I called your Customer Service line, the one on the video I’ve been watching and Pat said bring it here.

The agent picked up his corrector fluid and whited out the newly penned tick beside ‘mutilated’ and ticked ‘old edition’. I was not asked to initial any of these changes. He did not respond to my questions about when the law had changed. I handed over my photos, cheque, passport, Green Card, was finger printed and signed within the given space.

Do you have any identification?

I wanted to shout, ‘You have it all’, but I offered my driver’s license. He stamped my passport, wrote around the stamp, and gave me a small yellow receipt (the sort one gets in the dry cleaners).

OK, you’re good for a year?

What do you mean, a year? I came in with a Green Card with no expiry date.

You can work for a year.

And then?

You should receive your new card in the mail.

And if it doesn’t arrive?