I-751 September 2016 Filers

[Teknodude 53]

1 minute ago, ARDallas said:

Are you asking what they asked for N400 biometrics? It's actually stated in my online profile (I filed N400 online) that we need to bring the green card (see below attachment).

 

When I got there, they said "can I have your permanent residence card?". So I gave them my green card and they never said a word about it being expired. Now I can only speak based on my experience. You may want to ask around what others who apply N400 with pending I751 experienced (at the biometrics office). I don't want to cause worry just because of one experience. If one thing I learned about immigration, it's not consistent.

 

Hope that clears things out.

ARDallas - I'm not doubting what you have done - in the same situation I would have done the same thing. If I had a physical green card - the plastic I551 I would take it.  But I don't.  I have a paper "green card" in my passport.  An I551 stamp.  

We are arguing about semantics, but I thought it important to make sure fellow readers know that "green card" doesn't mean the piece of plastic.  The I551 stamp is also a "green card". 

 

A ton of N400 applicants out there don't have physical green cards.  Like me.  

Are we all of a sudden no longer able to file for N400?  Of course not. 

I don't want to repeat myself - but in a basic sentence - Physical green card and I551 stamp are the SAME THING.  

So taking your passport with I551 stamp to your biometrics covers the "what to bring: green card" 

 

You did nothing wrong - you did absolutely the right thing - for someone who has a plastic I551.  For people who have I551 stamps, this is also what you should do.  

 

Aha - hope that clears it up.  Sorry ARDallas - don't mean to argue - I just want to make this point clear, as it is important.  Cheers. 

[ARDallas 59]

3 minutes ago, Teknodude said:

ARDallas - I'm not doubting what you have done - in the same situation I would have done the same thing. If I had a physical green card - the plastic I551 I would take it.  But I don't.  I have a paper "green card" in my passport.  An I551 stamp.  

We are arguing about semantics, but I thought it important to make sure fellow readers know that "green card" doesn't mean the piece of plastic.  The I551 stamp is also a "green card". 

 

A ton of N400 applicants out there don't have physical green cards.  Like me.  

Are we all of a sudden no longer able to file for N400?  Of course not. 

I don't want to repeat myself - but in a basic sentence - Physical green card and I551 stamp are the SAME THING.  

So taking your passport with I551 stamp to your biometrics covers the "what to bring: green card" 

 

You did nothing wrong - you did absolutely the right thing - for someone who has a plastic I551.  For people who have I551 stamps, this is also what you should do.  

 

Aha - hope that clears it up.  Sorry ARDallas - don't mean to argue - I just want to make this point clear, as it is important.  Cheers. 

Don't worry about it. I don't think we are arguing. It's a good to know information for anyone here. Good luck to your and everyone's application!

[Teknodude 53]

1 minute ago, ARDallas said:

Don't worry about it. I don't think we are arguing. It's a good to know information for anyone here. Good luck to your and everyone's application!

I agree hehe.  I do sometimes get too into a discussion about the semantics of the I551!  

I enjoy a good discussion! 

I'll be fascinated as to how long your N400 takes - I hear they are slowing down a bit across the board, but I hope you get yours very soon! I shall keep my eye to see how you get on. 

Best of luck! 

 

(Sorry I get a bee in my bonnet about getting terms right - apologies if I was annoying.) 

[ARDallas 59]

Just now, Teknodude said:

I agree hehe.  I do sometimes get too into a discussion about the semantics of the I551!  

I enjoy a good discussion! 

I'll be fascinated as to how long your N400 takes - I hear they are slowing down a bit across the board, but I hope you get yours very soon! I shall keep my eye to see how you get on. 

Best of luck! 

 

(Sorry I get a bee in my bonnet about getting terms right - apologies if I was annoying.) 

hahah no worries. I wish they would just process our 10 years GC in a normal processing time so that we don't have to ask for I551 stamp (and surrender the Conditional Green Card).

[Teknodude 53]

3 minutes ago, ARDallas said:

hahah no worries. I wish they would just process our 10 years GC in a normal processing time so that we don't have to ask for I551 stamp (and surrender the Conditional Green Card).

I hear you.  I'm June filer still waiting on I751 approval (CSC - no shock there) - but have the I551 stamp (physical card taken away) and plodding along. 

Can't file N400 until the end of the year, as I have been in Europe for a month, and need to wait until I have 3 months continuous residency.  

 

Is that still a thing?  You have to be in the USA 3 months before you can file N400?  (Sorry mods if this is OT - oooops) 

[Camelot13 63]

I had thought it was you had to be resident in the same state for 3 months prior to filing, but can travel during that time. So like if you have an apartment lease or a house or something it's fine? I hope that's the case because we were traveling too, although still had all the ties to our home in the US. That would be a shame to get rejected over it. 

[ARDallas 59]

40 minutes ago, Teknodude said:

I hear you.  I'm June filer still waiting on I751 approval (CSC - no shock there) - but have the I551 stamp (physical card taken away) and plodding along. 

Can't file N400 until the end of the year, as I have been in Europe for a month, and need to wait until I have 3 months continuous residency.  

 

Is that still a thing?  You have to be in the USA 3 months before you can file N400?  (Sorry mods if this is OT - oooops) 

 

15 minutes ago, Camelot13 said:

I had thought it was you had to be resident in the same state for 3 months prior to filing, but can travel during that time. So like if you have an apartment lease or a house or something it's fine? I hope that's the case because we were traveling too, although still had all the ties to our home in the US. That would be a shame to get rejected over it. 

Dont know if I can answer it here. Mods, please feel free to remove it. The basic rules are you don't travel outside the states for more than 6 months under 3 or 5 years rules and you have lived in the same area for 3 months prior to applying. If you want to find more info, feel free to look at N400 forums. They have been discussed million times there .

[Camelot13 63]

Yep, sorry to veer off the I-751 course! All these processes are so intertwined. Feel free to delete.

 

We got a strange I-797 today that says it's for the I-751 and it has the date of last year's NOA1 and extends conditional residency for one year. It says amount received $590 and that we'll receive a notice for biometrics, but we obviously already did biometrics in autumn of last year. I wonder if this was somehow automatically and erroneously triggered because of our InfoPass appointment to get the I-551 stamp in the passport. We also have the N-400 pending that we're expending to get the I-797 for soon based on the email alert we received. So confusing. 

[Teknodude 53]

24 minutes ago, ARDallas said:

 

Dont know if I can answer it here. Mods, please feel free to remove it. The basic rules are you don't travel outside the states for more than 6 months under 3 or 5 years rules and you have lived in the same area for 3 months prior to applying. If you want to find more info, feel free to look at N400 forums. They have been discussed million times there .

Thank you for your helpful post. I shall go away research it so as not to derail the Sept 2016 thread. Thanks ARDallas for the interesting and hopefully informative discussion. These discussions help us all learn and we hopefully get something from it. I'm not always right, so do reply or message me if I've said something factually incorrect, or any of you disagree with me. Like I said to ARDallas, I enjoy a good discussion and some banter. We are all on the same side.... 

 

USCIS is terrible for different rules depending on which way the wind is blowing, so hearing stories on here helps us all.... 

 

Have a great weekend everyone! 

[usman104 23]

Hi guys,

 I received my physical green  card after one week of my approval letter. My service center is VSC . My case was received on 9/9/2016. Best of luck for all.

 

Thanx 

[stackeria 280]

3 hours ago, usman104 said:

Hi guys,

 I received my physical green  card after one week of my approval letter. My service center is VSC . My case was received on 9/9/2016. Best of luck for all.

 

Thanx 

 

Congratulations. I'm glad to hear they are still sending out the 10y GCs promptly after approval.

[noway123456 1]

Hi you guys, first off congrats to our those who received news!

 

my husband's extension letter expires in October. What are my next steps while waiting for the 10 year green card? When the extension letter expires is he then an undocumented immigrant and faces deportation?

[theanswerisdance 144]

2 hours ago, noway123456 said:

Hi you guys, first off congrats to our those who received news!

 

my husband's extension letter expires in October. What are my next steps while waiting for the 10 year green card? When the extension letter expires is he then an undocumented immigrant and faces deportation?

When his extension letter expires, all that means is that his proof of status has expired, not that his legal status itself has expired. You can make an InfoPass appointment for him to get an I-551 stamp in his passport that will serve as the new proof of his continued legal status. Many people wait until the extension letter is within 30 days of expiring to get the stamp, but if he's going to be traveling out of the country or needs it for employment reasons, it's possible to get it earlier. Some people choose not to get an I-551 stamp at all once their extension letter expires if they don't plan to travel internationally and they don't need it for employment purposes. Technically he could do that and he would still be fine, because he is still in legal status with or without the stamp while the I-751 is pending, but I'd suggest getting it regardless so he does have that up-to-date proof.

[stackeria 280]

We're currenty out of town. The neighbors who are bringing in our mail have reported a letter from USCIS in the mailbox yesterday. It would have arrived sometime this week. Our NOA is 9/16 from VSC. I will post once we find out what's inside. Hopefully later today.

 

[stackeria 280]

Approved. NOA2 8/15.

 

NOA was 9/16 at VSC. Will update timeline etc when I get in front of a computer later.

 

FYI, online status at USCIS is still "case received"

Edited August 20, 2017 by stackeria