AFTER ARRIVING IN THE US

[The Robinsons 0]

HI EVERYONE,

IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I POSTED ANYTHING ON HERE. BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO REMEMBER ME YOU KNOW I FINALLY GOT MY VISA. SINCE THEN I'VE ARRIVED IN THE US WHERE I'M AFRAID TO SAY THINGS HAVE BEEN NO SMOOTHER. IT WOULD MOST OF ALL SEEM LIKE THE POE OFFICER AT THE AIRPORT STILL HAS MY PAPERS SINCE 3 WEEKS INTO BEING IN THE US I WAS STILL NOWHERE TO BE FOUND IN THEIR SYSTEM.

YOU ALL KNOW WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GET OUR SSN AND PERMANENT RESIDENT CARD/GREENCARD WITHIN ABOUT 30 DAYS OF ARRIVAL. I WISH. 3 WEEKS INTO BEING HERE I HAD TO RE-FILE FOR A SSN BECAUSE I WAS NOT IN THE RECORDS. AND NOW 30 DAYS INTO IT THERE IS STILL NO SIGN OF MY SOCIAL SECURITY CARD OR PERMANENT RESIDENT CARD.

SO TO ALL OF YOU GETTING READY TO COME HERE.........MAKE SURE YOU'RE PREPARED FOR ANOTHER WAIT. BUT YOU MIGHT NOT BE HAUNTED BY BAD LUCK LIKE WE ARE.

(30 DAYS INTO LIFE IN THE US THIS IS WHAT WE HAD TO DEAL WITH.....NO SSN CARD, NO PERMANENT RESIDENT CARD, HAVING TO RUN THROUGH THE AIRPORT AND MAKING IT ONTO THE PLANE IN THE LAST SECOND - BECAUSE IMMIGRATION WAS SLOW -, A BROKEN PC, BROKEN GLASSES, LIVING WITH IN-LAWS AND STILL NOT BEING ABLE TO WORK....IF I DIDN'T LOVE MY HUSBAND!!

[MaydayDas 1]

Wow, sorry to hear this.....it looks like a problem to the POE, they didn't forward your documents ...weird

Hope things will go on the good path for you soon

[LvivLovers 39]

Add to the list a broken caps lock key too....

j/k Hope things go smoother in the future!

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Apr 17, 2007 - Arrived in Newark Intl. Airport

May 07, 2007 - Someone f****D up and I have to re-file for SSN

May 11, 2007 - Gets SSN but still waiting on actual card

May 17, 2007 - USCIS issued Permanent Resident Card/Greencard 2 days ago - still no sign of Welcome Letter

You say you are meant to receive Greencard and SSN within 30 days..... well you timeline shows you started shouting before the 30 days were up... since when did 3 weeks = 30 days?? I dont think anyone fcuked up they just took the full 30 days to issue things....

Welcome to the world of USCIS and America....

Kez

[Dr. Obvious 49]

I hope things start looking better soon too. Hang in there.

[john_and_marlene 162]

Take a look at some of the timelines of those in the K-1 and K-3 forums. Some wait years just to get a visa. Some have to wait years for a permanent resident card. Some have to wait months for employment authorization, SSN, drivers license, ability to travel outside the U.S.

Feel fortunate. Your difficulties pale next to so many others here.

Edited May 17, 2007 by john_and_marlene

[The Robinsons 0]

Apr 17, 2007 - Arrived in Newark Intl. Airport

May 07, 2007 - Someone f****D up and I have to re-file for SSN

May 11, 2007 - Gets SSN but still waiting on actual card

May 17, 2007 - USCIS issued Permanent Resident Card/Greencard 2 days ago - still no sign of Welcome Letter

You say you are meant to receive Greencard and SSN within 30 days..... well you timeline shows you started shouting before the 30 days were up... since when did 3 weeks = 30 days?? I dont think anyone fcuked up they just took the full 30 days to issue things....

Welcome to the world of USCIS and America....

Kez

If you've ever received a letter from Social Security Admin you would know that your SSN is supposed to come within 3 weeks and they tell you to contact them if it doesn't. It is ONLY the Greencard that needs 30 days. That is why I called Social Security. Just as I was told to.

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Most people have to wait much longer than 3 weeks looks like you are all set with SSN and your Greencard..... you are so lucky that you have had such a smooth Journey.... so far

Kez

[homesick_american 1]

3 weeks = 21 days. It has not been NEARLY long enough for you to start complaining.

[Mephibosheth 0]

hey, I sympathize

just because others have worse situations, that doesn't mean you're journey was awesome.

My wife got her German residency in a day - that is awesome.

I'm a little freaked by the possibility of finally making it to the POE and then there's SOME problem

it's difficult to feel secure with all these insecurities

blessings to you

Maa Gud velsigne dig

Gorm

[The Robinsons 0]

Some of you guys in here really need to chill with the hostility. All we're doing is going by what we're told by US officials. I don't think it's too much to expect them to go by their own deadlines. Besides we're just putting the information out there. If people can use that information then by all means do so, but if you can't then you can't. I just know personally I wanted to get as much information from as many people as possible who had been through it. And I do feel entitled to complain when one deadline after another isn't met. I know some of you out there have been through worse and my heart bleeds for you. But I also know some of you have had it easier. And I'm very sorry if I'm finding it hard to be a ray of sunshine when my husband was kicked out of my country and I'm struggling to find a place in his. Those of you who are as young as we are know we simply have not had time to save up money and what else to be in this situation forever. Like I said before we're just telling people what we went through. Personally I've thought of this forum as a place where we could vent and get some support. So why some people....not only on this threat.....feel they need to post "negative" comments is beyond me.

[homesick_american 1]

Some of you guys in here really need to chill with the hostility. All we're doing is going by what we're told by US officials. I don't think it's too much to expect them to go by their own deadlines. Besides we're just putting the information out there. If people can use that information then by all means do so, but if you can't then you can't. I just know personally I wanted to get as much information from as many people as possible who had been through it. And I do feel entitled to complain when one deadline after another isn't met. I know some of you out there have been through worse and my heart bleeds for you. But I also know some of you have had it easier. And I'm very sorry if I'm finding it hard to be a ray of sunshine when my husband was kicked out of my country and I'm struggling to find a place in his. Those of you who are as young as we are know we simply have not had time to save up money and what else to be in this situation forever. Like I said before we're just telling people what we went through. Personally I've thought of this forum as a place where we could vent and get some support. So why some people....not only on this threat.....feel they need to post "negative" comments is beyond me.

No offense, but complaining that you haven't gotten your documents before they were promised to you is silly, particularly when you were clearly angry enough to type several paragraphs ALL IN CAPITAL LETTERS.

Here's a nickel's worth of free advice for you: the timelines you're given are ESTIMATES. If they say you'll get your SS card in 30 days and you call them on day 31 screaming at them demanding your card, they're going to tell you to chill the hell out and wait a couple more weeks before getting your knickers in a twist.

Chillax. If this is the worst thing that happens to you all year, consider yourself lucky.

[Candace 2]

A few people DCF-ing had the same issue as you over recent months with regard to the apparently-not-so-automatic procedure for getting a Social Security number - glad to read you got it sorted with a minimal delay. I seem to remember one of my fellow Frankfurters was still waiting several weeks *after* making enquiries as to the non-existent SS#.

As regards the green card however, were you not told that it might take several *months* for that to arrive and that you can use the validated visa in the passport until then? I know it's not normal for a green card to take very long, but for a fact I was warned (twice by the immigration officer at PoE) that it might be up to 3-6 months before my card arrived. Therefore I was pleasantly surprised to receive it after just over a month, rather than annoyed I think your immigration officer should have told you that. In fact, on checking, I even have a note given to me at PoE stating exactly that.

[The Robinsons 0]

Some of you guys in here really need to chill with the hostility. All we're doing is going by what we're told by US officials. I don't think it's too much to expect them to go by their own deadlines. Besides we're just putting the information out there. If people can use that information then by all means do so, but if you can't then you can't. I just know personally I wanted to get as much information from as many people as possible who had been through it. And I do feel entitled to complain when one deadline after another isn't met. I know some of you out there have been through worse and my heart bleeds for you. But I also know some of you have had it easier. And I'm very sorry if I'm finding it hard to be a ray of sunshine when my husband was kicked out of my country and I'm struggling to find a place in his. Those of you who are as young as we are know we simply have not had time to save up money and what else to be in this situation forever. Like I said before we're just telling people what we went through. Personally I've thought of this forum as a place where we could vent and get some support. So why some people....not only on this threat.....feel they need to post "negative" comments is beyond me.

No offense, but complaining that you haven't gotten your documents before they were promised to you is silly, particularly when you were clearly angry enough to type several paragraphs ALL IN CAPITAL LETTERS.

Here's a nickel's worth of free advice for you: the timelines you're given are ESTIMATES. If they say you'll get your SS card in 30 days and you call them on day 31 screaming at them demanding your card, they're going to tell you to chill the hell out and wait a couple more weeks before getting your knickers in a twist.

Chillax. If this is the worst thing that happens to you all year, consider yourself lucky.

You have got to be the rudest person I've met on here. No offense.

[The Robinsons 0]

A few people DCF-ing had the same issue as you over recent months with regard to the apparently-not-so-automatic procedure for getting a Social Security number - glad to read you got it sorted with a minimal delay. I seem to remember one of my fellow Frankfurters was still waiting several weeks *after* making enquiries as to the non-existent SS#.

As regards the green card however, were you not told that it might take several *months* for that to arrive and that you can use the validated visa in the passport until then? I know it's not normal for a green card to take very long, but for a fact I was warned (twice by the immigration officer at PoE) that it might be up to 3-6 months before my card arrived. Therefore I was pleasantly surprised to receive it after just over a month, rather than annoyed I think your immigration officer should have told you that. In fact, on checking, I even have a note given to me at PoE stating exactly that.

Hi,

yeah as for the SSN I'm so happy the delay wasn't longer. The lady at the local Social Security Admin was really sweet and helpful. And I just got the actual card the other day.

As for the greencard. Nobody has really told me anything about it. The only information I got was in a letter from the embassy saying if I hadn't received it within 30 days of arrival I needed to call USCIS. Other than that I haven't been told anything by the embassy, POE officer or anybody else. So if I can use my entry visa as a "temporary greencard" I don't know. But last time I called USCIS I finally got through to someone who knew what they were talking about and he said it should be here some time this week. So fingers crossed it won't come back as undelivered.