how to get I551 stamp?

[buendia0716 0]

My wife finally got her green card(CR1). But the last letter of her first name are missing from the GC.

Therefore, we apply the I90 for the replacement. We have received the receipt of I-90.

I have a few questions:

1. To apply the I-551 stamp, what should I bring it with me?

2. Do I need to have info pass appointment to get the I-551 stamp?

Do they accept walk-in? we will go to San Francisco office.

3. After meeting with officer, if my wife has all the info/required document, will we get the I-551 stamp right away?

I am trying to get the I-551 as soon as possible since my wife and I will travel around middle of Dec.

Thanks for the help!

[Ryan H 3,810]

***Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Process & Procedures to General Immigration-Related Discussion.***

**Moderator hat off**

You don't really need to go and get some special stamp from USCIS; here's why, at the bottom of the visa itself is the following notation "Upon Endorsement Serves as Temporary I-551 Valid for One Year." The referenced endorsement would be a standard CPB entry stamp placed on the page next to the visa. This combination acts as a temporary green card until you receive the corrected green card.

[NickD 202]

We needed that I-551 stamp in my wife's passport, at the St. Paul's office had to make an infopass appointment on the net. Only went out two weeks as I recall, and the appointment blocks were always full. But can't recall the exact time, think the best time to do it was at either 4 or 5 AM in the morning when they would update the website. Had to be very quick and grab any open appointment you could to beat someone else.

Another option is to bring in two passport photos and apply for an I-94. Hard to say what the POE will say if just the first letter of her first name is different and may let you through if you have evidence that you applied for a new I-90.

Our reasons were different, she had an expired conditional green card and her one year extension notice that was about to expire due to super long delays in the I-751 processing, that is all they wanted to see. But since I had a brief case with all of our immigration history, brought that along just in case.

Key reason for us doing this was not to travel, but so my wife could keep her job. Her employer could be fined $16,300 by our state for employing an undocumented person. But weren't about to risk it, either get proof of LPR or leave she was told.

I-551 is the just ink stamp in her foreign passport book with blanks in it the officer filled in my hand. She had to carry that, her expired green card, and expired one year extension notice. And was not easy to explain to their legal department why the USCIS is so darn slow.

[NikLR 13,227]

Things have changed a bit NickD. Ryan is right on the money on this one. I could carry around my passport with the visa inside and the stamp right beside it and be good to go because it's a temporary green card, until the date on the stamp says it's no longer valid.