Waiting for I-751, need to know when we can get 551 stamp

[Barry and Mila 5]

Filled out I-751, received 1-year extension NOA.  Based on USCIS estimated processing times, that is not enough, extension letter will expire well before unconditional green card received.  Anybody know when can I make an Infopass appointment to get the 551 stamp in my wife's passport?  Can't find an answer to this anywhere.  It's clear that the stamp is necessary, and I know how and where to make an Infopass appointment, but cannot determine *when*.  As most of you know, Infopass appointments are only 2 weeks in advance and fill up quickly online, so knowing when to start trying is important.  Thank you!

 

--Barry 

Edited August 11, 2018 by Barry and Mila

[aleful 1,905]

hi

 

a month before the letter expires

 

 

[Barry and Mila 5]

H Aleful, thanks for the quick response.  Is one month the soonest they will give the stamp?  Can I ask how you know this?  Is there a link, an official USCIS publication, anything?  I ask because if it's really a month then that's going to cause us a lot of problems that we're going to need to start thinking about  now.  

[NYCruiser 423]

50 minutes ago, Barry and Mila said:

Filled out I-751, received 1-year extension NOA.  Based on USCIS estimated processing times, that is not enough, extension letter will expire well before unconditional green card received.  Anybody know when can I make an Infopass appointment to get the 551 stamp in my wife's passport?  Can't find an answer to this anywhere.  It's clear that the stamp is necessary, and I know how and where to make an Infopass appointment, but cannot determine *when*.  As most of you know, Infopass appointments are only 2 weeks in advance and fill up quickly online, so knowing when to start trying is important.  Thank you!

 

--Barry 

It depends. If you have imminent travel you can go earlier. We did..and got it. THEN after all that late night trying to sign on and get appointments, the Green Card was approved yesterday after 15 months wait..

PS I used Super Auto Refresh on Chrome and activate it around 11:50pm on Sundays and Tuesday evenings and sit and wait...

[Barry and Mila 5]

She does indeed have imminent travel, so that is useful to know.  Thank you!

[2018_West 0]

To get the stamp is a month before the letter "I-797" expires.  If you travel abroad you will need to take the letter with you and show it to the airline on your return flight and CBP.  For 551 stamp you are required to make an Infopass appointment and is valid for a year from the date you get stamped.

[mollenne 11]

On 8/11/2018 at 11:35 AM, aleful said:

hi

 

a month before the letter expires

 

 

Do you mean a month before the letter's "Received Date" hits one year? There is no specific "Expiration date" on the letter, I am assuming "Received Date" on the letter is what this means? My husband and I have the same question as OP for his ROC situation.

[aleful 1,905]

hi

 

no, the received date doesn't matter. the letter is an extension of the GC that has expired. so it's coverage begins the day after the card expires

 

so basically on year or 18 months, whatever the extension is, from the expiration of the GC

 

so one month before the coverage of the extension expires you should renew the extension if the 10 year GC hasn't arrived

 

 

[Y3+E 25]

We made an info pass appointment to get the I551 stamps in the passport, 90 days before the 12-month extension expired.  We did this early because the family was traveling overseas a couple months before the expiration date.  And, we would be overseas when the extension expired.  Good thing that we did so, we still have not receive 10 year green cards (NOA was April 2017)

[Pheebs1201 269]

My letter will expire November 6th and I have a trip booked to England for Christmas.

 

Hoping that I get the magical second extension letter before then to avoid the infopass appointment, sounds like some people have been receiving a second letter.

[Barry and Mila 5]

6 hours ago, Y3+E said:

We made an info pass appointment to get the I551 stamps in the passport, 90 days before the 12-month extension expired.  We did this early because the family was traveling overseas a couple months before the expiration date.  And, we would be overseas when the extension expired.  Good thing that we did so, we still have not receive 10 year green cards (NOA was April 2017)

Exactly our situation, so thank you, this is *very* good to know.

[Barry and Mila 5]

5 hours ago, Pheebs1201 said:

My letter will expire November 6th and I have a trip booked to England for Christmas.

 

Hoping that I get the magical second extension letter before then to avoid the infopass appointment, sounds like some people have been receiving a second letter.

Second letter?  What second letter?  Is such a thing even possible?  If anyone has direct experience with a second letter, please let us all know, think a bunch of us would be interested in learning how to get that.

[Y3+E 25]

9 hours ago, Barry and Mila said:

Second letter?  What second letter?  Is such a thing even possible?  If anyone has direct experience with a second letter, please let us all know, think a bunch of us would be interested in learning how to get that.

There is some discussion of this in the April 2017 Filers board.  Evidently, USCIS is issuing follow-on extension letters, extending the initial 12-month extension to 18 months -- giving you an additional six months.  But, there are so many posts of people receiving these 2d extensions after they receive the green card.  I still think your best bet is to get info pass appointment.  We went in and simply stated our situation, i.e., that we would be overseas when our 12-month extension expired.  The agent at the window understood immediately,  and issued I-551 stamps in mother and children's passports giving all a new 12-month extension.  Don't forget to take your 2-year green cards; they must be turned in to get the I-551 stamp which of course replaces a temporary green card.  

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

A second extension letter is being sent out - extending another 6 months to the original 12 months extension. This is because it is taking more than a year to approve. July and August filers have been receiving them the past week. Good news because you may not have to get a stamp.

[Pheebs1201 269]

18 hours ago, Barry and Mila said:

Second letter?  What second letter?  Is such a thing even possible?  If anyone has direct experience with a second letter, please let us all know, think a bunch of us would be interested in learning how to get that.

Yes it is possible. Review the ROC threads, July and August 2017 filers have been receiving a second extension letter, so the 12 months moves to 18 months. I assume due to extreme backlog.

 

8 hours ago, Luckycuds said:

A second extension letter is being sent out - extending another 6 months to the original 12 months extension. This is because it is taking more than a year to approve. July and August filers have been receiving them the past week. Good news because you may not have to get a stamp.

Yes, this. I hope I get one soon so I don't have to get the info pass appointment/stamp.

Edited August 15, 2018 by Pheebs1201