Live in US, but work in Mexico everyday

[bryan45876 0]

Hello,

My wife is a conditional permanent resident of the US and we are planning to file for removal of conditions in the near future. Her permanent resident card expires in May, so we will file in February.

We live in Texas and she crosses the border everyday for work in Mexico. Everyday she re-enters the US and must show her permanent resident card. After we file for removal of conditions what is the actual documentation that we receive that says the permanent resident card is extended for one year? Will it pass at the border patrol checkpoint? What happens if the letter does not arrive before the card expires?

Thanks,

Bryan

[raymaga 25]

You will get the NOA after your Removal of Conditions application is received by USCIS. As long as you are sending in your application 3 months before the Conditional GC expires, you will almost certainly receive the NOA before the Conditional GC expires.

The NOA states that it extends the validity of the GC for one year.

Good luck.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

And, if by any chance she does not receive the NOA letter, she can make an infopass appointment at the local USCIS office and get the I-551 stamp placed in her passport.

[bryan45876 0]

Thanks for the thoughts. Hopefully we will receive the NOA before the Permanent Resident card expires. I also hope that if we do not receive the NOA in time that there is not a long lead time for setting up an Info Pass appointment.

It would not be fun for her to have to miss work because if she goes to work (in Mexico) she may not be able to return with an expired GC, no NOA letter, while we wait for the Info Pass apointment. I guess that's better than the alternative of us forgetting completely, and she goes to work one day, only to find out that she can't come home that night.

-Bryan

[bryan45876 0]

Another question along these lines, when she applies for Naturalization does her work days in Mexico count for the required time in the US? She sleeps everynight in the US, but crosses for work everyday in Mexico. When I read on the USCIS website, it says that partial days are "generally" counted as whole days in the US. I hope that is true. I wonder what the circumstances are when partial days do not count?

-Bryan

[v333k 59]

Thanks for the thoughts. Hopefully we will receive the NOA before the Permanent Resident card expires. I also hope that if we do not receive the NOA in time that there is not a long lead time for setting up an Info Pass appointment.

It would not be fun for her to have to miss work because if she goes to work (in Mexico) she may not be able to return with an expired GC, no NOA letter, while we wait for the Info Pass apointment. I guess that's better than the alternative of us forgetting completely, and she goes to work one day, only to find out that she can't come home that night.

-Bryan

Hi Bryan,

I think you are getting too worried about NOA letter more than you should. When you are ready to apply, just make sure you are within the 90-day window and of course, as any other applicant does, send the packet with some tracking number or delivery confirmation. Most people receive their NOA within a week or two from delivery date - so you can plan accordingly. So if you don't recieve your NOA within the first 30 days, but already received your biometrics NOA, then you still have 60 days to get the Infopass appointment. By the way, your wife's green card is NOT expired when she gets her 1 year extension letter (NOA). I think it doesn't take a very long time to get an infopass appointment. You can schedule it online http://infopass.uscis.gov/ or you can call their number to do so.

In either case, you have plenty of time to arrange all of this without getting in the sticky situation you are afraid about.

All this said, I recommend you spend careful time on the application and packet, make sure you follow all instructions, get all the information they require, and work on your evidence (for some evidence, it is still early if you are filing in Feb). There are plenty of threads in this forum along the guides at the top of the Condition Removal forum that have plenty of useful information. I would focus on this and not the NOA. I received my NOA exactly one week after the delivery date (USPS tracking) and the biometrics a week and a half after my NOA.

Hope this helps...

Another question along these lines, when she applies for Naturalization does her work days in Mexico count for the required time in the US? She sleeps everynight in the US, but crosses for work everyday in Mexico. When I read on the USCIS website, it says that partial days are "generally" counted as whole days in the US. I hope that is true. I wonder what the circumstances are when partial days do not count?

-Bryan

I think you should post this question in the Naturalization forum and not here. I think you will be able to get more help there, as well as that is what the forum is intended for.

I would even search because I am sure there are more people working in similar conditions. I am interested in knowing the answer so I will follow this thread.

take it easy and I hope you get your answers soon.

Edited December 6, 2009 by v333k

[kipalkot 0]

Thanks for the thoughts. Hopefully we will receive the NOA before the Permanent Resident card expires. I also hope that if we do not receive the NOA in time that there is not a long lead time for setting up an Info Pass appointment.

It would not be fun for her to have to miss work because if she goes to work (in Mexico) she may not be able to return with an expired GC, no NOA letter, while we wait for the Info Pass apointment. I guess that's better than the alternative of us forgetting completely, and she goes to work one day, only to find out that she can't come home that night.

-Bryan

Hi Bryan,

I think you are getting too worried about NOA letter more than you should. When you are ready to apply, just make sure you are within the 90-day window and of course, as any other applicant does, send the packet with some tracking number or delivery confirmation. Most people receive their NOA within a week or two from delivery date - so you can plan accordingly. So if you don't recieve your NOA within the first 30 days, but already received your biometrics NOA, then you still have 60 days to get the Infopass appointment. By the way, your wife's green card is NOT expired when she gets her 1 year extension letter (NOA). I think it doesn't take a very long time to get an infopass appointment. You can schedule it online http://infopass.uscis.gov/ or you can call their number to do so.

I just crossed the border to Juares with an extension letter. They took a while to find out what's up with me but later on let me go. Yes she can still go with the extension letter.

In either case, you have plenty of time to arrange all of this without getting in the sticky situation you are afraid about.

All this said, I recommend you spend careful time on the application and packet, make sure you follow all instructions, get all the information they require, and work on your evidence (for some evidence, it is still early if you are filing in Feb). There are plenty of threads in this forum along the guides at the top of the Condition Removal forum that have plenty of useful information. I would focus on this and not the NOA. I received my NOA exactly one week after the delivery date (USPS tracking) and the biometrics a week and a half after my NOA.

Hope this helps...

Another question along these lines, when she applies for Naturalization does her work days in Mexico count for the required time in the US? She sleeps everynight in the US, but crosses for work everyday in Mexico. When I read on the USCIS website, it says that partial days are "generally" counted as whole days in the US. I hope that is true. I wonder what the circumstances are when partial days do not count?

-Bryan

I think you should post this question in the Naturalization forum and not here. I think you will be able to get more help there, as well as that is what the forum is intended for.

I would even search because I am sure there are more people working in similar conditions. I am interested in knowing the answer so I will follow this thread.

take it easy and I hope you get your answers soon.