Physical Green card

[milimelo 4,561]

I came back into the US on 7th April 2007 via Philadelphia, after having to have another medical in London and three visits to the Embassy, due to me not renewing my Visa, read the wrong date on a trip back to Uk to see my Mum & Son.

Entered Philadelphia and gave Immigration my paperwork, he stamped my passport with Temp !-551 Stamp good for 1 year. Notice of action 15th May, my Green Card (10year was on its way). Never arrived, contacted USCIS via 800 number, told to re-file and Pay again, of course fees had gone up. Got hold of my Senator, he received same story pay again. Green card sent out and not returned to PO. Finally sent I-90 again and $370 waited 30 days, no Green card, spoke to USCIS again, did a service request, letter from them in November , - "Wait 6month's if your card doesn't arrive contact us again". Senator trying to sort it out, says it is a farce. Why does it take sooo long to produce a replacement card when the original only took 1 month. Does someone just say it's been mailed and use the fee??

I never got AOS as I waited two years for a FBI Check, no-one seems to know what happened to my paperwork.

Now been married over 4 years and still waiting.

cowgirl, montana

Wow! You've got it worse than me - I am so sorry and I do understand what you are going through. Did you e-file or sent in I-90 via PO Box?

[Silas 0]

I came back into the US on 7th April 2007 via Philadelphia, after having to have another medical in London and three visits to the Embassy, due to me not renewing my Visa, read the wrong date on a trip back to Uk to see my Mum & Son.

Entered Philadelphia and gave Immigration my paperwork, he stamped my passport with Temp !-551 Stamp good for 1 year. Notice of action 15th May, my Green Card (10year was on its way). Never arrived, contacted USCIS via 800 number, told to re-file and Pay again, of course fees had gone up. Got hold of my Senator, he received same story pay again. Green card sent out and not returned to PO. Finally sent I-90 again and $370 waited 30 days, no Green card, spoke to USCIS again, did a service request, letter from them in November , - "Wait 6month's if your card doesn't arrive contact us again". Senator trying to sort it out, says it is a farce. Why does it take sooo long to produce a replacement card when the original only took 1 month. Does someone just say it's been mailed and use the fee??

I never got AOS as I waited two years for a FBI Check, no-one seems to know what happened to my paperwork.

Now been married over 4 years and still waiting.

cowgirl, montana

Wow! You've got it worse than me - I am so sorry and I do understand what you are going through. Did you e-file or sent in I-90 via PO Box?

Reading through this thread it seems that this GC farce is not an unusual occurence when this sort of muck-up should be an rare extremely rare abberation. For those, of you who have had these long-standing problems (so long that the original 1 year temporary i-551 in the passport expires) are you left high and dry or is it possible to get a further 1 year I-551 stamp in order to travel outside of the US?

Also, do they normally stamp the I-551 on people entering with a CR1? I've had a look on google images and it shows a block-shaped stamp that reads "processed for I-551. Temporary evidence of lawful admission for permanent residence. valid until ______. Employment authorized."

I didn't get anything like that stamped at POE. I got the standard admitted stamp that I always received when I travelled on the VWP. The only difference being that the officer the on this occasion wrote CR1, my alien number and classed it until 8 November 2009 (2 years from my POE).

[Captain Oates 911]

I was expecting an endorsement ON the visa but he put the usual entry stamp on the facing page in the passport and wrote 'IV' on it.....

when i told the DMV I had green card status and pointed out the I551 line on the visa, they didnt want to accept it but I argued and they brought a supervisor over and it was accepted - then they gave me a paper license and sent it off for verification - got a real license a couple of days before the temp expired... I dont think the USCIS cleared it because she muttered something like - if they dont pass it in the month we issue the license anyway....

[Silas 0]

I was expecting an endorsement ON the visa but he put the usual entry stamp on the facing page in the passport and wrote 'IV' on it.....

when i told the DMV I had green card status and pointed out the I551 line on the visa, they didnt want to accept it but I argued and they brought a supervisor over and it was accepted - then they gave me a paper license and sent it off for verification - got a real license a couple of days before the temp expired... I dont think the USCIS cleared it because she muttered something like - if they dont pass it in the month we issue the license anyway....

Yeah, when he didn't stamp the actual visa I thought he might have done it wrong. So that's fantastic, entry stamp on the facing page, check! Hopefully they should be no issues with getting back in (I hate secondary inspection; just one step up from the SSA office - although to be fair to the SSA I don't spend the whole time worrying my luggage is going to get nicked).

[Silas 0]

I was expecting an endorsement ON the visa but he put the usual entry stamp on the facing page in the passport and wrote 'IV' on it.....

when i told the DMV I had green card status and pointed out the I551 line on the visa, they didnt want to accept it but I argued and they brought a supervisor over and it was accepted - then they gave me a paper license and sent it off for verification - got a real license a couple of days before the temp expired... I dont think the USCIS cleared it because she muttered something like - if they dont pass it in the month we issue the license anyway....

Yeah, when he didn't stamp the actual visa I thought he might have done it wrong. So that's fantastic, entry stamp on the facing page, check! Hopefully they should be no issues with getting back in (I hate secondary inspection; just one step up from the SSA office - although to be fair to the SSA I don't spend the whole time worrying my luggage is going to get nicked).

Oh and Alan; re: Chaplin. Just make sure you don't p*ss off J. Edgar at any dinner parties you might be at and you should be fine.

[Captain Oates 911]

I was expecting an endorsement ON the visa but he put the usual entry stamp on the facing page in the passport and wrote 'IV' on it.....

when i told the DMV I had green card status and pointed out the I551 line on the visa, they didnt want to accept it but I argued and they brought a supervisor over and it was accepted - then they gave me a paper license and sent it off for verification - got a real license a couple of days before the temp expired... I dont think the USCIS cleared it because she muttered something like - if they dont pass it in the month we issue the license anyway....

Yeah, when he didn't stamp the actual visa I thought he might have done it wrong. So that's fantastic, entry stamp on the facing page, check! Hopefully they should be no issues with getting back in (I hate secondary inspection; just one step up from the SSA office - although to be fair to the SSA I don't spend the whole time worrying my luggage is going to get nicked).

isn't VJ wonderful - I worry about stuff so it's great we can all compare notes and be assured that everything is 'normal'

now I am 7 weeks in and no green card I would be doing my nut if I didnt know that most VJ people are reporting 7 weeks ish at the moment.. so I am content to wait until the new year

and if it is lost or wrong then I know I am not alone and it can be sorted - I will certainly do an infopass if it is wrong or lost

How unfair that they reject us for the tiniest flaw in our paperwork or envelope addressing but they can issue a garbled piece of junk with sometimes the wrong photo on it - or nothing at all - and stay on their high horse and make people pay again and again...

I reckon they wouldnt have to 'waterboard' people to have em screaming for mercy - just put em through the USCIS system for a while - most intense form of torture yet invented and it can be done legally right here in the U.S. without need for 'rendition' to murky countries...

[Captain Oates 911]

Oh and Alan; re: Chaplin. Just make sure you don't p*ss off J. Edgar at any dinner parties you might be at and you should be fine.

Carolyn is amazed I haven't been shot already after 7 weeks here so it's only a matter of time before the powers that be see me as a threat to the survival of the US government...

Actually the more I look at the original constitution, the more I like what the US set off as, and I would love to be part of the original 'project' - it should be the finest country in the world if that constitution was still at the forefront

It's a lot better than the UK set up...

Government of the people by the people - tell that to the USCIS

But if the UK has a head of state who is head of the church and the US has separation of church and state and guaranteed freedom of religion, how come I can get away with being a non believer in the UK a lot easier than I can here in the US ?

When I opened my bank account she asked us which church we went to...and she did NOT like my answer.. and I never even mentioned the tooth fairy this time

I digress - again

[Silas 0]

When I opened my bank account she asked us which church we went to...and she did NOT like my answer.. and I never even mentioned the tooth fairy this time

I digress - again

Was that small talk or some sort of procedural question?

I'm a bit of a book fanatic, the apartment is filled with them. Am always amazed with the hundreds of books in there, the one that everyone smells out is Richard Dawkins's 'The God Delusion'. I could have editions of Penthouse lying about it and it'd cause fewer comments.

[Captain Oates 911]

Was that small talk or some sort of procedural question?

I'm a bit of a book fanatic, the apartment is filled with them. Am always amazed with the hundreds of books in there, the one that everyone smells out is Richard Dawkins's 'The God Delusion'. I could have editions of Penthouse lying about it and it'd cause fewer comments.

It was small talk but I think she wanted to get me tithing before anyone else got me - pastor needs a new shiny suite, rolls -royce and private jet.

Without my glasses I thought I saw some food called #######-bits and i shouted to Carolyn 'get me some #######-bits'. Everyone stared at me horrified. Apparently they are called 'tid-bits' and what I said was obscene because chubbies (bristols) are rude over here. #######-bits is a magazine and the name for everything from cat food to news blogs in the UK. Still learning pilgrim.

[milimelo 4,561]

I came back into the US on 7th April 2007 via Philadelphia, after having to have another medical in London and three visits to the Embassy, due to me not renewing my Visa, read the wrong date on a trip back to Uk to see my Mum & Son.

Entered Philadelphia and gave Immigration my paperwork, he stamped my passport with Temp !-551 Stamp good for 1 year. Notice of action 15th May, my Green Card (10year was on its way). Never arrived, contacted USCIS via 800 number, told to re-file and Pay again, of course fees had gone up. Got hold of my Senator, he received same story pay again. Green card sent out and not returned to PO. Finally sent I-90 again and $370 waited 30 days, no Green card, spoke to USCIS again, did a service request, letter from them in November , - "Wait 6month's if your card doesn't arrive contact us again". Senator trying to sort it out, says it is a farce. Why does it take sooo long to produce a replacement card when the original only took 1 month. Does someone just say it's been mailed and use the fee??

I never got AOS as I waited two years for a FBI Check, no-one seems to know what happened to my paperwork.

Now been married over 4 years and still waiting.

cowgirl, montana

Wow! You've got it worse than me - I am so sorry and I do understand what you are going through. Did you e-file or sent in I-90 via PO Box?

Reading through this thread it seems that this GC farce is not an unusual occurence when this sort of muck-up should be an rare extremely rare abberation. For those, of you who have had these long-standing problems (so long that the original 1 year temporary i-551 in the passport expires) are you left high and dry or is it possible to get a further 1 year I-551 stamp in order to travel outside of the US?

Also, do they normally stamp the I-551 on people entering with a CR1? I've had a look on google images and it shows a block-shaped stamp that reads "processed for I-551. Temporary evidence of lawful admission for permanent residence. valid until ______. Employment authorized."

I didn't get anything like that stamped at POE. I got the standard admitted stamp that I always received when I travelled on the VWP. The only difference being that the officer the on this occasion wrote CR1, my alien number and classed it until 8 November 2009 (2 years from my POE).

You can't get a new stamp if your old one is expiring unless you have I-90 application pending. Then you could get an Infopass and get it stamped. No other way around it, unfortunately.

My visa was stamped on the opposite page and only says CR1 and date of entry (good for one year). I had to explain to people on Vienna airport what it was and why I don't have a green card yet. Took a supervisor to let me in the waiting area for my flight.

How did you get 2 years worth stamp? On the visa itself it says only one year unless you get a second stamp.

Mu hubby is now telling everyone what a mess USCIS and post office created - more USCIS though, it's their decision to mail it with no signature required.

Ok, off to find hubby's congressman and senator so he can send them rant letter - doubt it will do much good but always better to have a grievance recorded than nothing, right?

Forgot to add: lady at infopass said and these are her exact words: "this sort of thing [GC no show] happens all the time"

Edited December 21, 2007 by milimelo

[Silas 0]

How did you get 2 years worth stamp? On the visa itself it says only one year unless you get a second stamp.

Not sure it is a 2 years stamp. I think the officer probably meant it referring to the fact that my initial 2 year residency is until 8 November 2009 and it has nothing to do with the temporary I-551 which would only be valid until 8 November 2008. Of course, this could easily cause confusion with immigration which would probably mean me spending plenty of time in secondary when they sort out a muddle of their own making.

Good luck with the letter from your congressmen!

[milimelo 4,561]

How did you get 2 years worth stamp? On the visa itself it says only one year unless you get a second stamp.

Not sure it is a 2 years stamp. I think the officer probably meant it referring to the fact that my initial 2 year residency is until 8 November 2009 and it has nothing to do with the temporary I-551 which would only be valid until 8 November 2008. Of course, this could easily cause confusion with immigration which would probably mean me spending plenty of time in secondary when they sort out a muddle of their own making.

Good luck with the letter from your congressmen!

Trust me, you will not end up in secondary inspection if you do not have a GC yet. The stamp is enough. The guy at O'Hare asked me why I did not have it but when I told him it's not here yet and maybe because of fee increase/backlog, whatever he completely understood. They do ask you how long you have been outside of US and write that down in your passport (new oval stamp but on a different passport page and with a new admission date; below it they put how long you were away).

Thanks, I just sent online-form for hubby as he had to go to work.

[JA Tam 7]

Thanks for the response JA TAM with the mailing info.

Talk about timing...as I stumbled on this topic and started getting worried about my wife's GC, it arrived in the mail today! It even looks correct although I will follow Alan's procedure and look at again in the morning.

The good part is it is correct info. The bad part is it only lasts 2 years since it is the CR-1 variety. I hope the IR-1 version doesn't get screwed up or hopefully it's something my wife and I can pick up.

The date of the mailing was the 12/17th. That is one day short of a month since we arrived. Not bad. I wish everyone would have this kind of luck. Alan, I think we will buy a lottery ticket tomorrow.

Good luck to everyone else waiting on their GCs and SSNs!

WOW!!!! Congratulations! That was amazingly fast. Well, your next milestone is removing conditions in 2009; best of luck to you!

[Captain Oates 911]

Thanks for the response JA TAM with the mailing info.

Talk about timing...as I stumbled on this topic and started getting worried about my wife's GC, it arrived in the mail today! It even looks correct although I will follow Alan's procedure and look at again in the morning.

The good part is it is correct info. The bad part is it only lasts 2 years since it is the CR-1 variety. I hope the IR-1 version doesn't get screwed up or hopefully it's something my wife and I can pick up.

The date of the mailing was the 12/17th. That is one day short of a month since we arrived. Not bad. I wish everyone would have this kind of luck. Alan, I think we will buy a lottery ticket tomorrow.

Good luck to everyone else waiting on their GCs and SSNs!

yes I forgot to congrats you as I was so tied up with the bank losing my $60k for 10 days and saying they never had it - and the sending bank saying it had gone and so wasn't their problem....

It must be a huge relief to get the GC and so fast..

that is how it should be.... phew great holidays to you

I feel strong tonight and I am ready for whatever they throw at me in the new year. I called the SS today and they put me onto a message machine again.. The lady had such a strong Spanish accent with lots of missing words so I only made out about 25% of it - and she probably couldn't understand my prince Charles impression - so no chance of the promised call back I reckon

yes congrats again and a big hooray ! ...alan

[cowgirl 0]

Thanks for your replies, my I-90 was sent to Texas the first time and I quess that's where it stayed, some little Mexican is using it to cross the border or has sold it. My second I-90 was mailed to California, then sent to Lee's Summit, Missouri. My biometrics were taken again in Helena, MT. That's 360miles from where we live, but is the local field office.

Hi Saywhat, where in West Yorkshire are you from? I lived in Oxenhope, Nr. Keighley about 2miles from Haworth, famous for the Bronte Sisters and the Steam Railway.