I-751 December 2021 Filers

[Toastbear 149]

Hey guys, just a question i am also a december 2021 filer, but I am planning on traveling to germany for christmas this year or maybe even before that. What are the steps for me? Like I know you can get a visa stamp in your password? But how do I do that, because I haven't seen anything where I could make an appointment in Norfolk with our Local office. 

I only have the extension letter, my greencard is expired.

 

And since I am already typing, is there a reason a lot of you guys decided to do the N400? Because I was kinda hoping I can just refile my greencard stuff every 10 years, because I dont want to become a US Citizen. I know that might sound weird for some of you, but its not super easy to have dual citizenship and I would never want to give up my german citizenship.

[OldUser 6,624]

2 hours ago, Toastbear said:

Hey guys, just a question i am also a december 2021 filer, but I am planning on traveling to germany for christmas this year or maybe even before that. What are the steps for me? Like I know you can get a visa stamp in your password?

What password? Passport? You don't need it unless you're travelling when your extension letter expires. If you do needed, then you need to call USCIS 30 days before extension letter expires to schedule an Infopass appointment. You will get the I-551 stamp valid for a year then if you don't have 10 year green card.

 

2 hours ago, Toastbear said:

And since I am already typing, is there a reason a lot of you guys decided to do the N400? Because I was kinda hoping I can just refile my greencard stuff every 10 years, because I dont want to become a US Citizen.

Reasons:

1. Do not have to deal with USCIS again

2. Do not have to pay increased fees for renewing Green Card

3. Do not have to wait for few years to get card renewed. This may be improved in the future, but nowadays I-90 takes years

4. Do not l have to worry about leaving US for 6+ months if needed, without abandoning LPR status

5. Do not need to worry about some silly thing happening by mistake (arrest etc) that will make a permanent resident deportable.

6. Germany is now liberalizing dual citizenship, see if you can keep it when becoming US citizen

 

Edited January 9, 2023 by OldUser

[Toastbear 149]

5 minutes ago, OldUser said:

What password? Passport? You don't need it unless you're travelling when your extension letter expires. If you do needed, then you need to call USCIS 30 days before extension letter expires to schedule an Infopass appointment. You will get the I-551 stamp valid for a year then if you don't have 10 year green card.

 

Reasons:

1. Do not have to deal with USCIS again

2. Do not have to pay increased fees for renewing Green Card

3. Do not have to wait for few years to get card renewed. This may be improved in the future, but nowadays I-90 takes years

4. Do not l have to worry about leaving US for 6+ months if needed, without abandoning LPR status

5. Do not need to worry about some silly thing happening by mistake (arrest etc) that will make a permanent resident deportable.

6. Germany is now liberalizing dual citizenship, see if you can keep it when becoming US citizen

 

im so sorry yes i meant passport! And oh wow I didnt know i could travel with the extension letter.

 

Thank you so much for your insights, I will have to look into that!

[OldUser 6,624]

58 minutes ago, Toastbear said:

im so sorry yes i meant passport! And oh wow I didnt know i could travel with the extension letter.

 

Thank you so much for your insights, I will have to look into that!

Here is a whole topic about travelling on extension letter:

 

 

The letter needs to be valid plus you need to have expired Green Card and valid passport to travel.

[snowdog 153]

5 hours ago, Toastbear said:

Hey guys, just a question i am also a december 2021 filer, but I am planning on traveling to germany for christmas this year or maybe even before that. What are the steps for me? Like I know you can get a visa stamp in your password? But how do I do that, because I haven't seen anything where I could make an appointment in Norfolk with our Local office. 

I only have the extension letter, my greencard is expired.

 

And since I am already typing, is there a reason a lot of you guys decided to do the N400? Because I was kinda hoping I can just refile my greencard stuff every 10 years, because I dont want to become a US Citizen. I know that might sound weird for some of you, but its not super easy to have dual citizenship and I would never want to give up my german citizenship.

As stated by another commenter, no worries, just take that extension letter and your green card with you whenever you travel overseas. When airlines ask for your green card expiration date, it’s simply your previous expiration date +2 years. I made my husband keep his extension letter in a plastic baggy to protect it while we were traveling in Europe this summer 🤣

 

And yeah citizenship is a personal thing, of course if your home country allows dual citizenships or you simply don’t care too much about your passport of birth, you should certainly go for it! My husband’s country is still trying to add dual citizenship to the constitution, but I’m hopeful they’ll allow it before the next green card renewal comes around 😅 Cheers, safe travels!

[Toastbear 149]

13 minutes ago, snowdog said:

As stated by another commenter, no worries, just take that extension letter and your green card with you whenever you travel overseas. When airlines ask for your green card expiration date, it’s simply your previous expiration date +2 years. I made my husband keep his extension letter in a plastic baggy to protect it while we were traveling in Europe this summer 🤣

 

And yeah citizenship is a personal thing, of course if your home country allows dual citizenships or you simply don’t care too much about your passport of birth, you should certainly go for it! My husband’s country is still trying to add dual citizenship to the constitution, but I’m hopeful they’ll allow it before the next green card renewal comes around 😅 Cheers, safe travels!

Yeah I am so glad I asked here because I was under the impression I had to get a stamp. Also thank you for the tip with the expiration date, because I feel like if you put an expired greencard, they gonna be like what? They almost didnt let me on the plane back when I flew in with my k1 visa, because I didnt have a return ticket. 

 

And yeah I am still debating if I want to do it, the dual citizenship is one point, the other one is what happens if we move back to germany some time down the road. Because the US wants you to pay taxes even if you live overseas. Its such a weird concept to me, since Germany does not make me do that.

[OldUser 6,624]

@Toastbear taxes is a big factor when deciding to naturalize in the US for sure.

 

Few things to consider:

- As LPR you're liable for taxes just like a US citizen.

- You cannot simply move outside of the US and expect to stop being a taxpayer. Losing LPR status requires following a procedure

- US has foreign earned income exclusion. If you were to make less than $120000 in 2023 living in Germany, you wouldn't have to pay taxes on that income.

More here https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/foreign-earned-income-exclusion

[Toastbear 149]

10 minutes ago, OldUser said:

@Toastbear taxes is a big factor when deciding to naturalize in the US for sure.

 

Few things to consider:

- As LPR you're liable for taxes just like a US citizen.

- You cannot simply move outside of the US and expect to stop being a taxpayer. Losing LPR status requires following a procedure

- US has foreign earned income exclusion. If you were to make less than $120000 in 2023 living in Germany, you wouldn't have to pay taxes on that income.

More here https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/foreign-earned-income-exclusion

Wow I really thought I've read a lot in the past, but I did not know this either. I guess at this point it does not matter anymore once Germany allows dual citizenships. 

 

Thank you so much for that insight. 

[Akipog 54]

Update on my case a little over a week after applying for N400. Case is being transferred to another USCIS office. 

[Nag & Matt 82]

5 hours ago, Akipog said:

Update on my case a little over a week after applying for N400. Case is being transferred to another USCIS office. 

Did you apply for the N400 online? 

[Akipog 54]

5 minutes ago, Nag & Matt said:

Did you apply for the N400 online? 

Yes, we applied online. Received another update just now that biometrics have been applied. 

[Violax 72]

Hi, hope everyone is having a great 2023 so far.

 

My case is WAC, notice date is 12/4/2021.

Does anyone know if they require your spouse to be at the interview for I-751?

 

We're traveling from mid March to late April and hoping we don't have to change our return flight. California service center's processing time is 14 months now, don't know how true that is... anyone here is the same center as me?

[Rearviewmirror 397]

1 hour ago, Violax said:

My case is WAC, notice date is 12/4/2021.

Does anyone know if they require your spouse to be at the interview for I-751?

If you are filing without a divorce waiver, yes.

[OldUser 6,624]

1 hour ago, Violax said:

We're traveling from mid March to late April and hoping we don't have to change our return flight. California service center's processing time is 14 months now, don't know how true that is... anyone here is the same center as me?

Yes, currently WAC is processing cases from November 2021 and earlier. They haven't started December 2021 yet.

 

However, you may have a biometrics appointment. Mine took 5 months to reuse, but you may be called in. You don't want to miss it for sure.

Edited January 12, 2023 by OldUser

[Violax 72]

2 hours ago, Rearviewmirror said:

If you are filing without a divorce waiver, yes.

Got it, thanks!

2 hours ago, OldUser said:

Yes, currently WAC is processing cases from November 2021 and earlier. They haven't started December 2021 yet.

 

However, you may have a biometrics appointment. Mine took 5 months to reuse, but you may be called in. You don't want to miss it for sure.

Thank you for responding, may I ask where did you see that they're working on Nov's cases?

I did my biometrics back in May 2022, so I'm good with that.