Re-Entry Permit: Applied After Departure

[gnasa 3]

Hello, I'm sharing this info in case it might be helpful to someone. My wife (and I) decided to apply for another Re-Entry Permit after our departure abroad for my temporary (2-3 year) work assignment with an international company. This was due to her original Re-Entry Permit status as 'lost in the mail' after it was issued, see thread titled: 'Re-entry Permit - Lost in Mail'

To accomplish this, we sent in the I-131 form during a recent holiday trip to the US, ensuring USCIS received it while we were still in the US. We departed US and waited for the biometrics notice to be sent to our US residence in CA. We received the notice ~ 3 weeks later and biometrics was scheduled at a CA location. Our/her biometrics appointment always seem to be scheduled at the most difficult times for us, this time my int. business trips and the start of her 3rd trimester were big conflicts. So, instead of flying all the way to CA from Europe, my wife flew to New York and completed a biometrics walk-in before and at a different USCIS support center (ASC) than listed on the biometrics notice. She had allotted 2-3 days for visiting the different USCIS biometrics offices in the NYC area, but she was let in to complete the fingerprinting at the 1st location visited. So it is possible to complete an early biometrics appointment at a different facility (appointment in CA, walk-in in NY) than listed on the appointment notice. Although, I do not want to give the impression that it is simple, being well organized and being clear was helpful. There was a big risk that she couldn't complete an early walk-in in NYC, but it worked out for us this time. Finally a grey-area that worked out in our favor in our dealings with USCIS!

Result: Re-Entry permit in hand and valid until late next year, when we must remove conditions...

[davidid 0]

Glad to hear the good outcome.

Did you only get a 1 year Re-Entry permit (instead of 2 years) ?

How many times have you applied for Re-Entry Permit ?

Thank you.

[gnasa 3]

Davidid,

This is our 2nd application for a re-entry permit, 1st was granted approximately 6 weeks after obtaining GC but never received.

Re-entry permits are valid for 2 years or the expiration date of the green card, which ever is earliest.

As my wife's current GC is conditional, the RP is valid until conditional GC expires in Aug next year.

We'll be applying to remove conditions (most likely from abroad) at that time.

To clarify, I'm a US citizen, wife is Australian.

Glad to be helpful.

Edited September 6, 2011 by gnasa

[davidid 0]

Thank you for the info and help

[axb2011 0]

Thanks for posting your experience. I am in the same boat (appt in CA, presently in NJ), and this tells me I should at least try to get my biometrics done here.

[simpsons 0]

Hi axb2011, were you able to get your biometrics done at NJ Or did you have to go to CA? I am asking because I might be in the same situation too. I am in California but my permanent address is in Louisiana. I wanted to avoid making that trip to Louisiana for the bio-metrics, if possible.

Thanks gnasa for sharing your experience!

Thanks for posting your experience. I am in the same boat (appt in CA, presently in NJ), and this tells me I should at least try to get my biometrics done here.

[Marycar 0]

Hello everyone

I am very happy to find this article which is helping me a lot, and on the other side I would like to know or have some help (I really need it) about this issue. Me and my daughter are a permanent resident with a 10 year GC. I lost our green card in Mexico while traveling and We have been outside of U.S.A. since December 2014, I know If I don't go back before December I can get in trouble, but I need to be in Mexico longer than December. So, I don't know what should apply first my replacement of GC or my Re-entry permit, both are expensive and I could not afford to do both same time.

If I apply for replacement of my green card, which means I have to be in u.s.a. for our biometrics and travel back to Mexico, will I still need to apply for a re-entry permit if I need to stay longer than December in Mexico? Or my new departure and GC will give me another year to be in Mexico? I will appreciate any help and insight!!!!

Thanks a lot!!!!

Marycar.

[Darnell 8,478]

i suggest a re-entry permit at a consulate.