Options for travel when green card extension expired

[aoshusband 3]

hello all,

 

I am a US citizen and my wife and I are currently waiting for her I-751. We filed on November 2020 and at this point it still seems nowhere near complete.

 

We need to travel out of the country sometime this year, ideally April but can be pushed to June, but we are stuck in a spot where she has no means to travel. Her green card expired on January 2021 and we've been waiting so long that our 24 month extension letter has also expired.

 

After some brief research I've found two possible options for us, the travel stamp and a supposed 48 month extension letter that is incoming. The problem is I'm not sure when I can obtain either of these. When I called for a stamp appointment, they told me that a USCIS officer would call me within 30 days to follow up. Considering we've been waiting over 2 years for her I-751 I'm not confident in their ability to follow up within 30 days, and after the follow up call I'm assuming there are more steps that take time. 

 

Are there any other options or something I could do to expedite these processes? Or does anyone know how long these things take? Originally we were with the potomac center but were transferred in November 2022 to the benefits center. As mentioned, ideally we want to get something resolved by April, but we can push to June in a worst case scenario.

 

Thank you in advance!

[OldUser 6,456]

4 minutes ago, aoshusband said:

Are there any other options or something I could do to expedite these processes?

1. Call every day

2. Try walking in to USCIS office without appointment

 

It helps to book flights (get fully refundable tickets in case if your plans change) to demonstrate you have upcoming travel that you need the stamp for.

 

Good luck!

 

[Verrou 1,960]

call uscis and ask for urgent info pass call ( 72 hours not 30 days) especially if your extension letter is already expired. if she has DL and its expired too because its connected to her GC, it can be use as evidence.

 

second option. walkin and just ask nicely. worst case scenario they will say no. nothing to lose

Edited February 9, 2023 by Misscloud

[Crazy Cat 41,594]

I hope USCIS gets these 48 month extension letters out to EVERYONE soon.  Too many people are getting caught in the "trap" of not having evidence of legal status and the inability to get an info pass appointment.  In fact, it's actually a denial of your right as a legal resident.  I agree with @OldUser and @Misscloud. 

The only other suggestion I have is to file for citizenship whenever you get the chance.  Then you'll be rid of USCIS !!

Good luck.  Please let us know how it goes.

[aoshusband 3]

Hey guys,

 

thank you all so much for the quick responses. I had no idea there was an "urgent" infopass scheduling status so I'll call them about that right away. Her license is indeed tied to her expired I797 so she can't renew that either. As for walking in, I never really considered it because they explicitly say not to and I guess I was afraid of pissing them off and making them process our case even slower but I'll keep that in mind.

 

@Crazy Cat We actually did apply for citizenship last November so hopefully that happens soon though I'm not holding my breath. I see you and your wife recently got past all this so congrats! My wife and I are actually both from Taiwan as well.

[Crazy Cat 41,594]

2 minutes ago, aoshusband said:

@Crazy Cat We actually did apply for citizenship last November so hopefully that happens soon though I'm not holding my breath. I see you and your wife recently got past all this so congrats! My wife and I are actually both from Taiwan as well.

Thanks.  Long Live Taiwan!!!  Hopefully, they will process your N-400 soon.  I can't verbalize how great it is to be rid of USCIS forever!!!  Good Luck.

[Verrou 1,960]

37 minutes ago, aoshusband said:

Hey guys,

 

thank you all so much for the quick responses. I had no idea there was an "urgent" infopass scheduling status so I'll call them about that right away. Her license is indeed tied to her expired I797 so she can't renew that either. As for walking in, I never really considered it because they explicitly say not to and I guess I was afraid of pissing them off and making them process our case even slower but I'll keep that in mind.

 

@Crazy Cat We actually did apply for citizenship last November so hopefully that happens soon though I'm not holding my breath. I see you and your wife recently got past all this so congrats! My wife and I are actually both from Taiwan as well.

u wont pissed anybody off by showing up without appointment.  whoever the person who's in charge to guard the door is not the same with the IO. there no such thing as make ur case even slower. worst case scenario they said no u cant come without the apppointment. the end

Edited February 9, 2023 by Misscloud

[aznhouston 130]

 

4 hours ago, aoshusband said:

hello all,

 

I am a US citizen and my wife and I are currently waiting for her I-751. We filed on November 2020 and at this point it still seems nowhere near complete.

 

We need to travel out of the country sometime this year, ideally April but can be pushed to June, but we are stuck in a spot where she has no means to travel. Her green card expired on January 2021 and we've been waiting so long that our 24 month extension letter has also expired.

 

After some brief research I've found two possible options for us, the travel stamp and a supposed 48 month extension letter that is incoming. The problem is I'm not sure when I can obtain either of these. When I called for a stamp appointment, they told me that a USCIS officer would call me within 30 days to follow up. Considering we've been waiting over 2 years for her I-751 I'm not confident in their ability to follow up within 30 days, and after the follow up call I'm assuming there are more steps that take time. 

 

Are there any other options or something I could do to expedite these processes? Or does anyone know how long these things take? Originally we were with the potomac center but were transferred in November 2022 to the benefits center. As mentioned, ideally we want to get something resolved by April, but we can push to June in a worst case scenario.

 

Thank you in advance!

I got the first stamp last year, and have just renewed it 2 weeks ago. They did call me within  48 hours to schedule an appointment at the field office (Houston, TX). It only took them 15 minutes to verify my case and stamp it. I've been traveling in and out of the country 4 times and  each time when I'm back, I always got sent to secondary inspection where they double check if my stamp is legit. They also put a pause on my Global Entry. It's a bit annoying but really not that big of a deal.

Edited February 9, 2023 by aznhouston

[aznhouston 130]

1 hour ago, Misscloud said:

u wont pissed anybody off by showing up without appointment.  whoever the person who's in charge to guard the door is not the same with the IO. there no such thing as make ur case even slower. worst case scenario they said no u cant come without the apppointment. the end

They won't let you in without an appointment, that's for certain. They won't even let you in if you arrive too early. When I was there two weeks ago, there were a lot of people being asked to stay outside until their appointment time.

Edited February 9, 2023 by aznhouston

[Rearviewmirror 397]

7 minutes ago, aznhouston said:

They won't let you in without an appointment, that's for certain. They won't even let you in if you arrive too early. When I was there two weeks ago, there were a lot of people being asked to stay outside until their appointment time.

Not necessarily true. This is very field office and luck dependent. 

[Fromthemit 23]

9 hours ago, aoshusband said:

hello all,

 

I am a US citizen and my wife and I are currently waiting for her I-751. We filed on November 2020 and at this point it still seems nowhere near complete.

 

We need to travel out of the country sometime this year, ideally April but can be pushed to June, but we are stuck in a spot where she has no means to travel. Her green card expired on January 2021 and we've been waiting so long that our 24 month extension letter has also expired.

 

After some brief research I've found two possible options for us, the travel stamp and a supposed 48 month extension letter that is incoming. The problem is I'm not sure when I can obtain either of these. When I called for a stamp appointment, they told me that a USCIS officer would call me within 30 days to follow up. Considering we've been waiting over 2 years for her I-751 I'm not confident in their ability to follow up within 30 days, and after the follow up call I'm assuming there are more steps that take time. 

 

Are there any other options or something I could do to expedite these processes? Or does anyone know how long these things take? Originally we were with the potomac center but were transferred in November 2022 to the benefits center. As mentioned, ideally we want to get something resolved by April, but we can push to June in a worst case scenario.

 

Thank you in advance!

As someone who now has 3 of those stamps in their passport (originally filed i751 in 2018) i can say confidently that they do call back within the 30 day window if they dont give you a  72hr emergency one. Also if they dont call you back within the 30 days and you in turn call them. They no longer make you wait a further 30 days and instead give you a call within 72hrs