Got Approved: Now What?

[Frenchy 0]

When I filed my original application for the Green Card, my lawyer told me to hang on to all my documents. Then he repeated that comment for my RFE stuff. I still have ALL of it. And on top of it, I have my Removal of Conditions documents too. Should I still hang on to this stuff? If so, for how long? What have you guys done with all this old paperwork? I just hate having all this stuff laying around in a file, you never know what can happen if say I get broken into and it lands in the wrong hands, Everything is there for great and easy identity theft!

[angus28 7]

When I filed my original application for the Green Card, my lawyer told me to hang on to all my documents. Then he repeated that comment for my RFE stuff. I still have ALL of it. And on top of it, I have my Removal of Conditions documents too. Should I still hang on to this stuff? If so, for how long? What have you guys done with all this old paperwork? I just hate having all this stuff laying around in a file, you never know what can happen if say I get broken into and it lands in the wrong hands, Everything is there for great and easy identity theft!

you can rent a lockbox at your bank and lock all those papers in, but before you do that if you think you may need those files to look for something and you want to have them instantly instead of going to the bank then you can also scan all the documents, make it just one big pdf file. Now, if you are a control freak like myself then encode the content (there are a couple of free softwares, you can just google it and choose the one that has good reviews) and then zip the encoded file, finally you can save that zipped pdf file on a flash drive or your computer. Well, what if you lose the flash drive or your computer gets stolen, nothing is predictable. However, I am considering getting a lockbox.

Edited September 28, 2011 by angus28

[Drogs 24]

Get a fireproof safe/box, i am sure you have other stuff that could be put in there as well, not too expensive, available in a variety of sizes.

[Frenchy 0]

Wow. So we really do need to keep all that stuff then? For how long???

[angus28 7]

Wow. So we really do need to keep all that stuff then? For how long???

till 2 years after you become a US citizen

[Frenchy 0]

...and if I never become a US citizen? Keep them forever? Sorry to sound so stupid, but at least tax documents can be destroyed after a number of years!

[DrVS 10]

...and if I never become a US citizen? Keep them forever? Sorry to sound so stupid, but at least tax documents can be destroyed after a number of years!

Government will keep it (ALL of it!) for at least your lifetime. Shouldn't you? Why does it seem to be strange for you? I still keep my I-20 from my very first student visa 12 years ago. I can give you one practical reason to keep it - I cannot remember all the information in there - the exact dates I entered USA, when I graduated, etc. In the future when you will file various forms you will need the exact information (visa numbers, dates, etc.) do you really want to risk it to rely on your memory and provide potentially wrong information on government forms. Remember - they will have all the information on you for an easy cross-check. Edited September 28, 2011 by DrVS

[angus28 7]

...and if I never become a US citizen? Keep them forever? Sorry to sound so stupid, but at least tax documents can be destroyed after a number of years!

you can find a similar topic to yours on US citizenship forum, that is where I got two years from, but if you are to renew your GC every ten year, I think you should keep your documents for at least ten years..

Edited September 28, 2011 by angus28

[Barca 10]

get a lock box, that's what I have!

[Jessica24 3]

You are going to lose nothing by saving those documents! Method of safeguarding them is up to your discretion. As suggested above, you can keep them for at least the time of expiry of your green card as you will be asked a fresh set of documents while renewing your green card.