Extending 2-year GC after I-751?

[HY020 0]

Received I-797 NOA today, with Biometrics appointment date. In this NOA there is no mention of extending the 2-year Green Card one more year. Should this come in another letter? Does it normally come before or after the Biometrics NOA?

[Inky 1,110]

Its 2 different letters. It comes before the biometric letter generally.

[On-Queue 3]

Received I-797 NOA today, with Biometrics appointment date. In this NOA there is no mention of extending the 2-year Green Card one more year. Should this come in another letter? Does it normally come before or after the Biometrics NOA?

Your Biometric appointment/schedule is written in your NOA2.

Your 1-year GC extension is written in your NOA1.

Your NOA1 comes before your NOA2.

These are 2 different documents.

Suggestion; call them to request for a copy; that you did not received NOA1.

Before doing that: another suggestion; ask your neighborhood or at least the one beside your house or across your house if they got mail from USCIS. Why I am telling you this? Because I had experience with wrong mailbox. Been waiting for my noticed for more than a month. I received everything except 1 notice and 1 day my neigboor gave me a letter from USCIS! Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. LoL

Edited September 9, 2011 by On-Queue

[Kathryn41 3,205]

If you have not received the NOA1 after 30 days of submitting your application (and it sounds like you have not) then you will probably need to make an Infopass appointment to go in and have your passport stamped with the I-551 stamp, valid for one year. I had to do that as I too never received the NOA1 Extension letter, even though I got the biometrics letter without a problem. There was no problem getting the stamp.

[HY020 0]

If you have not received the NOA1 after 30 days of submitting your application (and it sounds like you have not) then you will probably need to make an Infopass appointment to go in and have your passport stamped with the I-551 stamp, valid for one year. I had to do that as I too never received the NOA1 Extension letter, even though I got the biometrics letter without a problem. There was no problem getting the stamp.

It hasn't been a month yet, maybe I will wait a few more days. Which number should I call or how do I make an infopass appointment (can I get the passport stamped during biometrics?)..

Also, how important is this NOA1? Do we really need it if we do not plan to leave US for the next year or so?

Thanks.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Go to the USCIS website at http://www.uscis.gov and on the upper left hand side below where you would check your case status you will see 'INFOPASS'.. Click on the link below that to make your appointment and follow the instructions. It should give you the option of where and some dates to choose from, at least it used to .

When you go to the appointment, bring all of the evidence that you have (including your biometrics letter) with you to the appointment along with your unexpired passport. If your passport is expired, you will also have to bring 2 passport type photos and they will make an I-94 type document that they will staple into your expired passport that will verify your legal status in the US.

If you ever need to prove your status in the US - and depending on some States that could involve just a random traffic stop - you would need the extension letter or some proof of your continuing legal presence. In some states, Driver's Licenses and State ID also expire on the same date that the green card expires - and they can be renewed or extended for the same amount of time authorized by the extension letter. While you are not planning on travelling, if there is some sort of a family emergency overseas and you need to get there quickly, you will not have proof of your legal status in the US for your return and will create a lot of hassle for yourself coming 'home'.

It is always a good idea to have ready access to proof that you are legally present in the US and have legal status in the US. You are actually required by US law to do so, but practically speaking it is also wise. You don't want to have to 'scramble' for it when you find out that you need to produce it 'in a hurry'. Hopefully the letter will arrive in time, but if not, it isn't a big deal to make an Infopass appointment, although it can be a nuisance, especially if you have to travel a distance to attend.

Edited September 10, 2011 by Kathryn41