Received 10-yr card today!! (VSC)

milesinfront · July 6, 2009

Found a non-descript envelope in my mailbox, saw St. Albans, VT as the return address, and opened it to find my 10-year permanent resident card!

As a side-note, my 2-year card had a typo (one letter) in my middle name. I did not get this changed at the time, as I heard stories of people spending months waiting to finally receive the corrected card. I mentioned the error on my I-751 cover letter. The card I received today is correct.

As for things I have learned from this whole process...

Have patience. The USCIS is notoriously unpredictable, and some people wait longer than others at every stage of the process. Just because your application is taking a long time, this does not mean bad news.
BE HONEST. I received a police caution for getting involved in a physical confrontation at college, nine years ago. I disclosed this in full at every stage of the immigration process. It caused me no problems. Obviously, every situation is different.
Notify USCIS immediately if you change address. I hear so many stories about letters going missing. Do it online, for speed. PRINT the receipt!!
Don't spend your time worrying. I admit, in the last few weeks, I have been somewhat obsessive with checking the mail. Relax, enjoy yourself in this great country, and if you have no major issues, the process should be a breeze.

Next step, naturalization! Edited July 6, 2009 by milesinfront