Green Card Question

[TamDill 29]

Hey VJ  I have checked the forums already, but still feeling a bit uncertain so any assistance would be amazing!

 

We paid my visa fee ($220) on 24 Aug 2020 and POE was 01 Sep 2020 at Washington - I am the applicant for a CR1 visa.

 

I've checked my USCIS case status (https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do) and it says my case was submitted to Department of State? This is the status update from when my application was approved and sent the NVC for processing. 

 

Am I looking at the right page for an update on my Green Card, if not where can I check. Do I still use the original case number from when we started my process or is there a new / updated number I am meant to use? If I'm looking in the right place, surely this is a problem as they have not updated to reflect that payment was made, never mind producing my GC? Payment was made more than a month ago and just about on 30 days from entering the US. I know its a 120 days (roughly) to receive my GC from entering the US, but I am concerned about the case status, surely it should reflect the payment by now? We have not received any new notices either since payment was made. Are we meant to receive something else in the mail, beside the GC?

 

The next question is this - I work for myself and need to set-up an LLC and get a Business License for the city I'm going to be working in. Do I need my GC for my LLC and Business License application or is my visa enough? My visa does have my alien number which I understand is my GC card number - is this correct? Will I need to wait for my GC and SSN in order to open a bank account or can I do this with just my visa? 

[Crazy Cat 41,845]

1.  There will be no CEAC update.......you will simply receive the Green card and Social Security card (if you marked the box) in the mail. 

2.  Depends on your state's  requirements for registering a LLC.  Check your Secretary of State's Office.  

 

 

[TamDill 29]

1 minute ago, Lucky Cat said:

1.  There will be no CEAC update.......you will simply receive the Green card and Social Security card (if you marked the box) in the mail. 

2.  Depends on your state's  requirements for registering a LLC.  Check your Secretary of State's Office.  

 

 

1. Okay so I don't need to stress about the USCIS case status then?

2. That's easy enough thanks for that!

[Iscir 295]

To check the status of your green card on the USCIS website, you now need to use the IOE number that is on the receipt of the visa fee payment. 

Edited September 29, 2020 by Iscir

[TamDill 29]

33 minutes ago, Iscir said:

To check the status of your green card on the USCIS website, you now need to use the IOE number that is on the receipt of the visa fee payment. 

 

Thank you for this, life makes a whole lot more sense now  

[Crazy Cat 41,845]

1 hour ago, Iscir said:

To check the status of your green card on the USCIS website, you now need to use the IOE number that is on the receipt of the visa fee payment. 

and what will the status indicate after POE?

[TamDill 29]

1 hour ago, Lucky Cat said:

and what will the status indicate after POE?

I tracked my IOE number down - it's emailed when payment is made (FYI) My status is still on "payment received", so status doesn't update on POE. Next update should be a processing one I would think. From there it would be that the card has been sent. That's my understanding. You check your status at https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do for definite but you need the IOE number specifically.

[Crazy Cat 41,845]

45 minutes ago, TamDill said:

I tracked my IOE number down - it's emailed when payment is made (FYI) My status is still on "payment received", so status doesn't update on POE. Next update should be a processing one I would think. From there it would be that the card has been sent. That's my understanding. You check your status at https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do for definite but you need the IOE number specifically.

I don't recall my wife's status changing after POE.  I could have forgotten...LOL

[carmel34 3,626]

5 hours ago, TamDill said:

I work for myself and need to set-up an LLC and get a Business License for the city I'm going to be working in. Do I need my GC for my LLC and Business License application or is my visa enough? My visa does have my alien number which I understand is my GC card number - is this correct? Will I need to wait for my GC and SSN in order to open a bank account or can I do this with just my visa? 

Your passport, spousal visa, and endorsement at POE serve as a "green card" or proof of your LPR status for one year from date of entry to the US.  It may or may not be accepted for what you want to do, it depends on the office's policies and what their approved list of documents looks like.  It's the same challenge at many state DMVs, as my husband discovered here in California.  They couldn't be convinced that the visa was enough.  So we just waited for his green card to arrive, which took 3 months from POE in 2019.  It may take longer with the pandemic.  So I suggest that you try to register your LLC, business license, bank account, etc. with your passport and visa, driver's license, whatever.  SSNs typically arrive in a week or two after POE, sometimes longer, and you may need the SS card too, again, you'll have to ask to find out.  Some banks are picky, others less so.  Ditto for government offices.  Good luck!

[TamDill 29]

8 minutes ago, carmel34 said:

Your passport, spousal visa, and endorsement at POE serve as a "green card" or proof of your LPR status for one year from date of entry to the US.  It may or may not be accepted for what you want to do, it depends on the office's policies and what their approved list of documents looks like.  It's the same challenge at many state DMVs, as my husband discovered here in California.  They couldn't be convinced that the visa was enough.  So we just waited for his green card to arrive, which took 3 months from POE in 2019.  It may take longer with the pandemic.  So I suggest that you try to register your LLC, business license, bank account, etc. with your passport and visa, driver's license, whatever.  SSNs typically arrive in a week or two after POE, sometimes longer, and you may need the SS card too, again, you'll have to ask to find out.  Some banks are picky, others less so.  Ditto for government offices.  Good luck!

This helps a lot thank you!! I thought that was the case with the visa, or that was my understanding at least. But I would rather be sure than assume  

[Iscir 295]

6 hours ago, TamDill said:

I tracked my IOE number down - it's emailed when payment is made (FYI) My status is still on "payment received", so status doesn't update on POE. Next update should be a processing one I would think. From there it would be that the card has been sent. That's my understanding. You check your status at https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do for definite but you need the IOE number specifically.

@Lucky Cat

 

The status is payment received until they produce your card. When they do it changes to “card is in production”, then “card was mailed”. You may or may not get a USPS tracking number, I got it a couple of days after my card was delivered  It was another status that said “your card was picked up by the USPS”. 

Edited September 30, 2020 by Iscir

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Progress Reports to General Immigration-Related Discussion.