Green card expired, but have letter of extension for 1 yr

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Just a quick comment, you can renew your Canadian passport in a much shorter time than that. Using the old form you can get a US guarantor - one of the professionals previously allowed - get a professional camera place to do the passport photographs to meet Canadian (not American) standards and send it by courier - I got my application and expiring passport sent off and the new one and canceled old one returned in less than 2 weeks last January. I too expected it would take months, especially with the new Guarantors requirement.

Oh, and congratulations on your approval!

Edited May 31, 2008 by Kathryn41

[raphael7546 0]

Just a quick comment, you can renew your Canadian passport in a much shorter time than that. Using the old form you can get a US guarantor - one of the professionals previously allowed - get a professional camera place to do the passport photographs to meet Canadian (not American) standards and send it by courier - I got my application and expiring passport sent off and the new one and canceled old one returned in less than 2 weeks last January. I too expected it would take months, especially with the new Guarantors requirement.

Oh, and congratulations on your approval!

Thanks!! How much did it cost you and where do I get the form?

[katand7 0]

This isn't a new situation. My husband had a similar problem but yours will have a much quicker resolution since green card is already in process. If you have any interest in reading what happened to us you can go to my page and you'll see my posts you can link to. There are plenty of employers out there that don't understand marriage based immigration status and processing. Unfortunately there are equal numbers of people in govt type offices like SSA that don't get it either. Getting the run around anywhere doesn't surprise me anymore.

Good luck with your employment!

[NickD 203]

This isn't a new situation. My husband had a similar problem but yours will have a much quicker resolution since green card is already in process. If you have any interest in reading what happened to us you can go to my page and you'll see my posts you can link to. There are plenty of employers out there that don't understand marriage based immigration status and processing. Unfortunately there are equal numbers of people in govt type offices like SSA that don't get it either. Getting the run around anywhere doesn't surprise me anymore.

Good luck with your employment!

History shows that with the new immigration of 1986 over two million marriages occurred to bring immigrants into this country, first thing that was done was a much more thorough background check that knocked the number of applications down by close to 90%, lots of bad people living here. But that wasn't apparently enough, in 1988 they started the conditional residence that we have to learn to live with.

No problem in getting my wife back into this country when we traveled abroad, the DHS understood an expired green card with the one year extension, and even said congratulations for submitting your I-751. Not so with her employer, took me over three hours to bring in proof and plenty of documentation from the USCIS to make excuses for them why they are so slow. My wife really couldn't handle this, so asked her legal department to deal with me, they finally accepted our proof. Also not the case with our DMV, they refused to renew her driver's license with an expired green card, and what in the hell is a one year extension notice. I contacted our governor, he put me in direct contact with the head of our DMV, with a week going back and forth sending faxes and phone conversations until they finally agreed to renew her license. Yet another problem was keeping our daughter in school.

She did get her ten year card in a couple of months ago, asked her if I should handle her legal department again, she said no, I want to do it. Took her all of two seconds to show the card, we already made copies of it for their records, she called me back, everything went smooth she said.

People do not understand an expired green card, and frankly, neither do I. The I-751 clearly gives the impression that it should take no longer than 90 days to get a new card so send it in 90 days before your card expires. Was kind of shocked to see that one year extension notice and learned about case processing times. Then we were getting extremely close when Nebraska decides to go way back to July 05, 2006 for the processing date of the I-751.

At first we were told we need valid current foreign passports to get that I-551 stamp, that took a very long trip with expense as you do not find a foreign consulate in your home town. But we did that to find later on, only had to get a couple of passport photos to have an I-94 done, but try to make a infopass appointment when the current processing date is 18 months before your application date when an idiot picks up the phone on the other end of the line. Have to call back and hope you get someone with brains.

If was frustrating to say the least, but the cards finally came in and all that is history for us now. My immigration attorney was helpless because of posted processing dates as was my senator and congressman. But it took that long trip to get passports first, when we got home late at night, dead tired, their new green cards were waiting for us in the mailbox. Something about Murphy's law

[imailin 0]

Well I recieved an email yesterday from USCIS stating they removed the conditions and my green card is ordered. So I copied that and took it down to Adecco and the chick still wouldn't accept that. She gave me a paper to sign that said I was contesting what immigration told Adecco ( that they can't verify my status) She said I had 8 days to call this number at Department of Homeland Security Immigration Status Verifyer , or else I could be fined.

So I called this number and they said I had to fax a copy of my expired green card ( front & back), my extension letter and the email that states my card is in production.

What a freakin pain, just to get listed with a clerical staffing company!

I'll have to do that tomorrow as I can't today.

First, congratulations on the good news on your green card. Second, I wouldn't put up with that staffing agency, there are soooo many of them out there. WHy don't you try going to a different one? I know it's a pain to get tested and everything. When I was looking for a job, I registered with 4 different ones.

Good luck!

This is the 3rd agency I've applied at and no other one asked for this stuff.

This should not be happening but it does... people is ignorant on immigration laws... with the extension letter should be enough for the.... I commit the error of not taking the conditions out of my SS Card and went months later after the expiration of my green card and I did not succeed...(here in Miami FL) they told me that the only way to take the conditions was with a stamp on my passport... even if your passport takes months I recommend you to go ahead and do it.... just in case ... or for the future...

I dont know where you filled for lifting conditions.... if you did in California you are all set, your approval should came withing months... if Vermont, Nebraska or Texas... you ave a LOOOOOOOOOOOOng wait ahead of you.... so If I would you I will get a new passport

[jethro 0]

This should not be happening but it does... people is ignorant on immigration laws... with the extension letter should be enough for the.... I commit the error of not taking the conditions out of my SS Card and went months later after the expiration of my green card and I did not succeed...(here in Miami FL) they told me that the only way to take the conditions was with a stamp on my passport... even if your passport takes months I recommend you to go ahead and do it.... just in case ... or for the future...

I dont know where you filled for lifting conditions.... if you did in California you are all set, your approval should came withing months... if Vermont, Nebraska or Texas... you ave a LOOOOOOOOOOOOng wait ahead of you.... so If I would you I will get a new passport

Wow, I'm glad I don't have to do anything with SSA. Thankfully, Mine never had the work restriction clause on it (got it before all the changes) -- man, what a hassle.

[YuAndDan 153]

This should not be happening but it does... people is ignorant on immigration laws... with the extension letter should be enough for the.... I commit the error of not taking the conditions out of my SS Card and went months later after the expiration of my green card and I did not succeed...(here in Miami FL) they told me that the only way to take the conditions was with a stamp on my passport... even if your passport takes months I recommend you to go ahead and do it.... just in case ... or for the future...

I dont know where you filled for lifting conditions.... if you did in California you are all set, your approval should came withing months... if Vermont, Nebraska or Texas... you ave a LOOOOOOOOOOOOng wait ahead of you.... so If I would you I will get a new passport

Wow, I'm glad I don't have to do anything with SSA. Thankfully, Mine never had the work restriction clause on it (got it before all the changes) -- man, what a hassle.

SSA has put the restriction on the card for years. If you entered the country on a CR-1 visa you will receive an un-restricted card, if you enter the USA on a K-1, and apply for SSN before adjusting status, the SS Card will have the restriction on it.