got I-551 stamp in passport

[a&o 4]

We went to an InfoPass appointment and got the I-551 stamp in O's passport.

The representative cut up the expired greencard and said that we could bring in a passport-size photo and they will use it to issue a temporary card. (O doesn't want to carry his passport around and would be technically required to do so now that he doesn't have a greencard to carry around.)

We didn't have a photo, so we'll have to go back with one.

Has anyone else received this temporary card?

Also, for those who received the stamp, did they keep and destroy the greencard? (I mean, it's expired so it's useless, but it felt weird seeing it cut up after working so hard to receive it!)

[road2kros 0]

Also, for those who received the stamp, did they keep and destroy the greencard? (I mean, it's expired so it's useless, but it felt weird seeing it cut up after working so hard to receive it!)

They did not ask for my green card when I had my infopass. They just asked for my passport and stamped it. So I have my old green card for me to keep.

[keepfaith 0]

well they can do anything. they do things like that to prevent its use and misuse anymore. i dont agree with that but there is nothing we can do. i cant uderstand why you (A & O) went for passport stamp at this time because you should have extension letter at this time!

Edited May 5, 2009 by keepfaith

[seldommseene 0]

well they can do anything. they do things like that to prevent its use and misuse anymore. i dont agree with that but there is nothing we can do. i cant uderstand why you (A & O) went for passport stamp at this time because you should have extension letter at this time!

I never received a NOA but was able to get my passport stamped with the one year extension. For some reason m=not everyone receives a NOA but it should not be a big deal. They did not ask to see my GC.

03/10/09-I 751 sent

04/01/09 notice for Biometrics received

04/08/09 -Biometrics done

04/16/08 Still no receipt (NOA)-made infopass appt for 04/29/09 ATL

04/29/09 went to local office received one year extension (day 43)

05/04/09 day 48

[a&o 4]

Follow up info for anyone interested:

We went back with the passport size photo and what they were going to do was void the stamp in the passport and then give us O a paper "card" with his information filled in with a pen, the same stamp, and the photo glued to it. We had thought it was going to be more of a government issued, plastic ID card type of thing. So, not wanting to really confuse things with a voided stamp in O's passport, we decided not to get the paper card. You can't have both.

keepfaith asked why we went for the stamp: O needs to do his driver permit exam and they said he needs the I-551 stamp, not the NOA. They are probably wrong at the DMV, but who wants to try to deal with that.... Most likely our case will be in Vermont for more than a year and O will end up needing a stamp at some point anyway for travel to Ghana (I'd love to see the piece of paper the NOA is on after a couple of months in Ghana!), so it seemed best to get the stamp.

Another interesting thing the immigration officer said was that removal of conditions cases are now "taking up to two years to process." She said that once O is eligible to apply for naturalization the removal of conditions case would be "forced through, because by law they have to do the naturalization case within six months." Interesting, hadn't really heard either of those things in the forum here....

Anyway, stamp is in passport as we wait. And he is just going to carry a color copy of it in his wallet since he's technically required to carry it and doesn't want to risk losing his passport!

[keepfaith 0]

thanx for sharing inromation. yeah it true that N-400 forces the decision on I-751. I think you will get the decision soon as VSC processing Nov 2008 cases these days.

[Immigrant2009 0]

Follow up info for anyone interested:

We went back with the passport size photo and what they were going to do was void the stamp in the passport and then give us O a paper "card" with his information filled in with a pen, the same stamp, and the photo glued to it. We had thought it was going to be more of a government issued, plastic ID card type of thing. So, not wanting to really confuse things with a voided stamp in O's passport, we decided not to get the paper card. You can't have both.

keepfaith asked why we went for the stamp: O needs to do his driver permit exam and they said he needs the I-551 stamp, not the NOA. They are probably wrong at the DMV, but who wants to try to deal with that.... Most likely our case will be in Vermont for more than a year and O will end up needing a stamp at some point anyway for travel to Ghana (I'd love to see the piece of paper the NOA is on after a couple of months in Ghana!), so it seemed best to get the stamp.

Another interesting thing the immigration officer said was that removal of conditions cases are now "taking up to two years to process." She said that once O is eligible to apply for naturalization the removal of conditions case would be "forced through, because by law they have to do the naturalization case within six months." Interesting, hadn't really heard either of those things in the forum here....

Anyway, stamp is in passport as we wait. And he is just going to carry a color copy of it in his wallet since he's technically required to carry it and doesn't want to risk losing his passport!

thanx for sharing inromation. yeah it true that N-400 forces the decision on I-751. I think you will get the decision soon as VSC processing Nov 2008 cases these days.

Hi a&o,

Thanks for sharing your experience. As far i have seen. They take expired GC when either your NOA or previous stamp of I-551 expires, meaning your case processing take over a year and your extension expired in the mean time.

But the experience depends and may be now they are just taking the expired GC away for I-551 stamp.

Like keepfaith said, VSC is trying to catch up to CSC case processsing time period. i.e. their official goal of 6 month which they always seem to lag. So hopefully if VSC stays within 6 months windows you will hear something in late August or Mid September.

Good Luck