I-751 June 2015 Filers

[Milatx 0]

Guys just stopping by to let you know that Saturday I got my approval letter dated April 26. I'm so happy the wait is over now I'm preparing everything for citizenship.

I wish you all the best!

[KASH2011 382]

Guys just stopping by to let you know that Saturday I got my approval letter dated April 26. I'm so happy the wait is over now I'm preparing everything for citizenship.

I wish you all the best!

Congrats!

[Maya&Matt 2]

Give them couple more days, status will be "card mailed", a day later after that it will show the USPS tracking number. Probably sometime next week you will have it in your hands.

Sounds great, thanks for the info!

[at long last 58]

12 days from approval to card in my hands.

[camgol 0]

Finally, I received my approval notice in the mail today, May 2nd. The date of decision: April 27. I haven't received any other notification by email or text, and the online status remains unchanged. The letter was issued by the New York City field office.

[camgol 0]

Now I have another problem. I didn't expect my processing time would exceed 330 days (the average was around 240 days only a few months ago), so I made plans to travel out of the country this month. But I'm not sure I will receive my new green card before my flight (next Tuesday, May 10), and the approval notice explicitly says: "You should not travel outside the United States before receiving your new card, as you may have difficulty reentering the United States." It also suggests making an appointment with the local USCIS office for a stamp in my passport in case of an emergency. The problem is that there seem to be no InfoPass appointments available in my area between now and next Tuesday.

Does anyone have any advice on how to handle this situation? For example, should I try to do a walk-in at my local office? Or has anyone actually traveled without the new card---only with the old one and the approval notice? Any tips would be much appreciated.

[charmander 692]

Finally, I received my approval notice in the mail today, May 2nd. The date of decision: April 27. I haven't received any other notification by email or text, and the online status remains unchanged. The letter was issued by the New York City field office.

Now I have another problem. I didn't expect my processing time would exceed 330 days (the average was around 240 days only a few months ago), so I made plans to travel out of the country this month. But I'm not sure I will receive my new green card before my flight (next Tuesday, May 10), and the approval notice explicitly says: "You should not travel outside the United States before receiving your new card, as you may have difficulty reentering the United States." It also suggests making an appointment with the local USCIS office for a stamp in my passport in case of an emergency. The problem is that there seem to be no InfoPass appointments available in my area between now and next Tuesday.

Does anyone have any advice on how to handle this situation? For example, should I try to do a walk-in at my local office? Or has anyone actually traveled without the new card---only with the old one and the approval notice? Any tips would be much appreciated.

Congrats! Regarding new card and/or stamp, mine took two weeks between approval date and card in hand. That timeline could be too tight for you. I'd suggest you continue to check to make an infopass appointment. Hopefully something would become available right before your trip. I doubt they would allow a walk in infopass, especially in NYC.

If your new card arrives before your trip, just cancel your your infopass appointment. If it doesn't you would have a I-551 stamp on your passport and still bring your approval letter with you. If an appointment is not available online, call the customer service and ask if they could contact your local office for a emergency infopass or maybe just give you advise what to do.

Regardless I wouldn't cancel my trip because of this. Your old GC with the NOA letter (1 year extension) has still not expired yet. You are eligible to travel by all means.

Edited May 2, 2016 by charmander

[Milatx 0]

Now I have another problem. I didn't expect my processing time would exceed 330 days (the average was around 240 days only a few months ago), so I made plans to travel out of the country this month. But I'm not sure I will receive my new green card before my flight (next Tuesday, May 10), and the approval notice explicitly says: "You should not travel outside the United States before receiving your new card, as you may have difficulty reentering the United States." It also suggests making an appointment with the local USCIS office for a stamp in my passport in case of an emergency. The problem is that there seem to be no InfoPass appointments available in my area between now and next Tuesday.

Does anyone have any advice on how to handle this situation? For example, should I try to do a walk-in at my local office? Or has anyone actually traveled without the new card---only with the old one and the approval notice? Any tips would be much appreciated.

[Milatx 0]

I suggest you Keep trying to make that appointment every time you can sign in and try I'm sure something will come available. And if you recieve your green card before your appointment just cancel it, so you'll give someone else chance to take that spot.

[camgol 0]

Thanks both. I will keep trying to make an InfoPass appointment. I remember from two years ago that sometimes appointment slots become available in the morning.

I will also call the national hotline if need be, both to ask for help in making an appointment and to inquire whether I can travel with my current documents---I worry that the one-year extension might not be valid anymore, given that I've been approved for the unconditional green card.

One way or another, I will sort this out. It feels good to finally have the decision!

[charmander 692]

Thanks both. I will keep trying to make an InfoPass appointment. I remember from two years ago that sometimes appointment slots become available in the morning.

I will also call the national hotline if need be, both to ask for help in making an appointment and to inquire whether I can travel with my current documents---I worry that the one-year extension might not be valid anymore, given that I've been approved for the unconditional green card.

One way or another, I will sort this out. It feels good to finally have the decision!

Yeah some people would cancel their appointments, then those slots would become available. They sent the cards with two day mail, if it is mailed by the end of this week. It should just arrive in time for your trip.

One last question, you mention the letter was sent from the NYC office, but is it what shows on the envelope? We had this conversation with another approved petitioner with a few days ago, seems like the approval letters are standardized where the local office's address is shown on the bottom but the mail was sent from Vermont Post Office. Could you check?

[camgol 0]

Yeah some people would cancel their appointments, then those slots would become available. They sent the cards with two day mail, if it is mailed by the end of this week. It should just arrive in time for your trip.

One last question, you mention the letter was sent from the NYC office, but is it what shows on the envelope? We had this conversation with another approved petitioner with a few days ago, seems like the approval letters are standardized where the local office's address is shown on the bottom but the mail was sent from Vermont Post Office. Could you check?

I just checked and the letter was sent from a Vermont zipcode indeed. It's odd how my online status hasn't changed at all, even though the decision seems to have been made at the VSC.

Here's hoping that I get the "card mailed" update by Thursday or Friday the latest. But in the meantime, I'll keep checking the InfoPass page for appointment slots.

[jaydhar 0]

I just checked and the letter was sent from a Vermont zipcode indeed. It's odd how my online status hasn't changed at all, even though the decision seems to have been made at the VSC.

Here's hoping that I get the "card mailed" update by Thursday or Friday the latest. But in the meantime, I'll keep checking the InfoPass page for appointment slots.

i guess the earliest you will receive your green card will be next week tuesday may 10th. so try to make appointment and get the stamp even if you dont get the appointment go there directly and get the stamp good luck.

[StuManda 0]

Hi guys, my stats aren't in the list but I applied June 1st last year, NOA June 3rd. Got my approval letter yesterday in the mail from the local Norfolk office, approved April 27th. My online status has not changed and still says Case received. I can't believe how long it took. Filing N400 May 23rd!!!

[camgol 0]

Thanks again to all who replied to my question. I have an update that might be helpful to others who find themselves in a similar situation: I called USCIS this morning and they confirmed that I can travel with the old GC and the one-year extension letter without any problem. In other words, the extension is still valid even after one's I-751 has been approved. So I don't need to get a stamp in my passport or anything of the sort. (When you think about it, it makes perfect sense that it would work like this: after all, someone could travel outside the country while still waiting for a decision, and it would be absurd if they had any trouble re-entering the country just because an approval was issued in the meantime.)

Best of luck to all those who are still waiting for their approvals!