I-551 Stamp

[dirtyweebesom 8]

I had my interview yesterday, and got the I-551 stamp in my passport.

I was somewhat surprised, as I thought I had read somewhere that immigration officers no longer stamp passports with it.

Does anyone know why some people get the stamp and others don't? Personally, I think it's quite nice to get it because even if you come out of your interview knowing you're approved, it's still nice to have something showing you are. Also, the immigration officer took my EAD away, so what do people do if they need to prove employment eligibility but don't have the I-551 stamp?!

[marie09 5]

I had my interview yesterday, and got the I-551 stamp in my passport.

I was somewhat surprised, as I thought I had read somewhere that immigration officers no longer stamp passports with it.

Does anyone know why some people get the stamp and others don't? Personally, I think it's quite nice to get it because even if you come out of your interview knowing you're approved, it's still nice to have something showing you are. Also, the immigration officer took my EAD away, so what do people do if they need to prove employment eligibility but don't have the I-551 stamp?!

I think it just depends on the office. Some offices still do it - I think another NOvember filer - Yokomist/Bevan got a stamp at his interview in FL. My office don't stamp, but they let me keep the EAD - they didn't ask for it back. They did ask though if I had any overseas trips planned in the next month and when I said no they said they needed the AP back as my status has now changed to permanent resident and since i had no trips planned before I was likely to receive my GC...

That's so cool yours did the stamp - and you have proof from the get go! Def. good to have in case the mail is slow...

[dirtyweebesom 8]

Yes, they took my AP away, too. I was sad that they took it and my EAD because it would have been nice to hang on to them both - just for sentimental reasons! I spent all that time filling out those bloody immigration forms, and waiting for them to arrive in the mail, so I wanted to keep them forever! Also, I only had the chance to show my EAD card once (I got a job as a substitute teacher last week) so I don't really feel that I got to use it as much as I could have done. :-)

The I-551 stamp is quite cool actually, too. The immigration officer stamps your passport with red ink first and then he stamps over the top of that with something that makes a pretty little indent saying "Department of Homeland Security".