I'm a fan of Infopass!

[Peter&Dana 0]

Hello all,

As some of you know, Peter was approved for his green card on 02/07 but we never received it, nor did we receive the Welcome to America letter.

We scheduled an Infopass for 7 a.m. (yawn!) and we arrived 30 minutes late. The building (77 Forsyth St, in case any of you will be going) is under severe construction so we thought it was an unfinished building. We kept driving up and down the street looking for it, and it was right there in front of our eyes the whole time!

We went through security, they took our appointment letter (they didn't care that we were late - didn't even ask), and gave us a number. We sat in the waiting room for about 30 minutes and then our number was called. I was bracing myself the whole time for the typical immigration fare - attitudes, long waits, no answers.

Turns out, the immigration officer we spoke to asked us our problem, we told her we had been waiting for the green card and it never arrived. She asked for the approval email and Peter's passport, then stamped Peter's passport with a temporary permanent residency stamp, then told us we should receive the GC in a couple of weeks because it's currently "in production." Yippee!!

Now we can (try to) go to Jamaica for our first anniversary next month!!!!

QUESTION: Are you allowed to leave the country with just that tiny little stamp and make it back OK? We never got AP and we don't have the actual green card, and that tiny little stamp makes me nervous! Any advice? Anyone ever traveled with just that?

[raymaga 25]

Yes, you can travel with the I-551 stamp in your passport. No worries.

[k_quandary 0]

I don't know the answer to any of your questions, but that is so nice to hear of a good and positive experience.

K.

[Inlove_tx 0]

I went back to my home country before receiving the actual GC, just with that "tiny little stamp" , and made it back with no problems last February.

Plus, for the first time I could go though the citizens' line and it was GREAT!

They did take me to the little room for "secondary verification", but the whole thing took barely 10 minutes (including the waiting in line part!) and the only questions I was asked were my parents' names and the day I left the country. I think maybe because I didn't have the GC, just the stamp in my passport and under my maiden name.

Anyway, the officers were very nice and after I answered those two questions they told me: "Welcome back"...it was a WONDERFUL feeling!

Have a good trip and congratulations on getting the stamp!

[Steffi 0]

Yes, the I-551 stamp is sufficient. Until when did they give it to you? And the ordered your card without you having to file the I-90?

[Peter&Dana 0]

Yes, the I-551 stamp is sufficient. Until when did they give it to you? And the ordered your card without you having to file the I-90?

They gave us the stamp during our visit this morning after seeing our email approval that the application was approved on Feb. 7. The lady looked in the system and then told us our GC is still in production since it's "only" been since Feb. 7. I did not have to file the I-90, and also was not instructed to. The stamp is valid for 6 months.

[Steffi 0]

Cool! Well I'm glad you got the stamp and can go on your vacation.

[Autumnal 25]

Glad this worked out so well for you.

[karotte 0]

Thanks for posting your experience.

My husband and I will be going to our own infopass appt for the same reason tomorrow morning. We haven't received a GC in the last four weeks and he needs to travel in early April. We're hoping for can-do attitudes all around! I don't want to have to get mad or cry.

Anyway, congrats!

[Jasman0717 9]

Congrats

[Dan&Mitzi 0]

Congrats & thanks for the heads-up on the building as we will be going there on April 11.