Did not stamp my passport (I 551)!

[fresh 0]

Hi every one,

I had my interview a while ago; however, they did not stamp my passport with the I 551 stamp.

My name check cleared and the case was approved, and the green card is gonna be mailed to me soon.

but there is no I 551 stamp on my passport. Does that make any difference?

and can I leave the US and come back without this stamp?

Thanks

[kim&james 0]

They dont usually give out the stamp now. You should wait until you have your green card in hand before leaving just in case something happens to it if it needs to be sent overseas to you.

[Created 6]

Hi every one,

I had my interview a while ago; however, they did not stamp my passport with the I 551 stamp.

My name check cleared and the case was approved, and the green card is gonna be mailed to me soon.

but there is no I 551 stamp on my passport. Does that make any difference?

and can I leave the US and come back without this stamp?

Thanks

Congratulations!

we interviewed in Atlanta, and didn't get the stamp either. The card arrived 9 days later. You have to keep it with you at all times, you show it on entry into the country, therefore no stamp needed.........just don't loose it outside of the US!!!!

[fresh 0]

Thans guys for your responses.

[Nanusia & Lukaszek 0]

We had our interview a week ago, and no I-551 stamp either. The officer said that if my husband needs to travel before the GC is in hand to come back and they'll stamp it in. She reminded us twice "don't come back and say you want to go to a friends wedding, emergency situations only for the stamp"

[poons02 0]

Hi. I have a conditional green card that expires this year. I applied for I-751 to have conditions removed. I received the I-797 (NOA) stating that green card has been extended for 1 more year. I also had the bio metrics done.

I need to travel abroad now. I came to know that I need I-551 stamp on my passport in order to re-enter the US. I got an Info pass appointment and went to the USCIS. There they refused to give I-551 stamp stating that my expired green card and I-797 NOA should be enough for me to come back to the US. But I am worried. My immigration lawyer insists that without I-551 stamp I should not leave the US. But USCIS is not giving me the stamping.

Do I need I-551 stamp? How to get it?

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Your immigration lawyer is wrong. You do not need the stamp. Your extension letter NOA is your proof that your greencard status is extended for a year. When you travel you bring your expired greencard and your NOA extension letter together and show them to the US immigration authorities or the airline personnel - whoever you need to show that you have status in the US and are allowed to cross the border. They will allow you to return to the US. You can only get the I-551 stamp if you do not have the NOA extension letter. You will find many others here who have traveled with their expired greencards and the NOA and have had no problems returning to the US. You won't either, don't worry.

[poons02 0]

Thanks Kathryn41. That's exactly what the official at USCIS told me last week. I was just worried if I would not be allowed back into the US.

But the confusing part is the following paragraph in this link https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=of...r.zipcode=94030

"Temporary Evidence of Permanent Resident Status

To request temporary evidence of your Permanent Residence Status, you must schedule an INFOPASS appointment, on our website, to visit this office in person.

Remember to bring the following items, to the office, for your appointment:

•Form I-797, ''Approval Notice'' from the Service Center or an approval letter to process a Form I-551 card

•2 new passport style photos and a valid passport

•If you do not have a valid passport, bring 3 passport-style photos with you."

This part confused me. Thanks again for your advice and help.

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Thanks Kathryn41. That's exactly what the official at USCIS told me last week. I was just worried if I would not be allowed back into the US.

But the confusing part is the following paragraph in this link https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=of...r.zipcode=94030

"Temporary Evidence of Permanent Resident Status

To request temporary evidence of your Permanent Residence Status, you must schedule an INFOPASS appointment, on our website, to visit this office in person.

Remember to bring the following items, to the office, for your appointment:

•Form I-797, ''Approval Notice'' from the Service Center or an approval letter to process a Form I-551 card

•2 new passport style photos and a valid passport

•If you do not have a valid passport, bring 3 passport-style photos with you."

This part confused me. Thanks again for your advice and help.

You do not need any more evidence you have it. your expired Greencard and the extension letter are all the evidence you need.

Jon

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Thanks Kathryn41. That's exactly what the official at USCIS told me last week. I was just worried if I would not be allowed back into the US.

But the confusing part is the following paragraph in this link https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=of...r.zipcode=94030

"Temporary Evidence of Permanent Resident Status

To request temporary evidence of your Permanent Residence Status, you must schedule an INFOPASS appointment, on our website, to visit this office in person.

Remember to bring the following items, to the office, for your appointment:

•Form I-797, ''Approval Notice'' from the Service Center or an approval letter to process a Form I-551 card

•2 new passport style photos and a valid passport

•If you do not have a valid passport, bring 3 passport-style photos with you."

This part confused me. Thanks again for your advice and help.

Yes, that is if you do not have proof of your Permanent Residence status - you do:-). Enjoy your trip!

[pinay 0]

Last May 5 was my aos interview and i also did not get my passport stamped. The interviewer did get my I-94 and i ask her why she take my I-94 and did not give me any stamp. And she said, i don't need it because i have an entry stamp on my passport aside from my I-94. And she said i could use that and no need for her to stamp my passport, but she never really tell me im approve. She said she need to check my husband's tax return income the one that we submitted because its below the poverty limit and we got an rfe for that asking to get a joint sponsor. But my husband and i are being stubborn we never get any co-sponsor so we forgot about the rfe for like 5 months until we got my husband recent w2 and that's what we submitted instead of a co-sponsor, lol. Very late rfe reply and not the one they are asking. But just a week after we submit our rfe back, we got our interview date already, no question ask about the very late rfe reply. And on march 22, card production is ordered already. now im just waiting for the greencard. hopefully it will be here soon.

[Murphette 0]

My husband (us citizen) and I went to our initial interview for my green card today and everything went well. The officer said that she had no doubt that our marriage was real and that we were APPROVED. She said wait down in the waiting area and she will stamp my passport, we waited 30 minutes and then she came down and said that they could not stamp my passport today, that there were other files that have to be put together with my current file, (i didn't understand this part) I asked is it could be old petitions from my parents before i got married, she said possibly.

So, then she said we will get the approval letter and green card in the mail within 60 days. That there was nothing negative in my file but she couldn't stamp the passport.

Has this happened to anyone else?? why would she take back what she said? what could be wrong with my file??

I;m really nervous.

[JeroenAndMichelle 28]

I wouldn't worry about not receiving the stamp.. they also told me that they had to go through certain files and see if everything was ok, this seems to be a normal procedure these days. You should most likely within a few weeks receive a welcome letter and about a week later you will receive your green card.

Also, in case you need to travel outside the US and you do not have your greencard yet, it is possible to get the stamp when you show them your plane ticket when you visit the local office again, or so I was told by the IO at the interview.

[Murphette 0]

I guess it's what happens, I just got really disappointed when she came back to us with no stamp.

I also don't want to wait months and months for the GC to get to me, I wanted to apply to different schools before september and do my state fingerprints for teacher certification, I don't think i can do that until i get a GC.

Thanks for you reply

[JeroenAndMichelle 28]

I guess it's what happens, I just got really disappointed when she came back to us with no stamp.

I also don't want to wait months and months for the GC to get to me, I wanted to apply to different schools before september and do my state fingerprints for teacher certification, I don't think i can do that until i get a GC.

Thanks for you reply

I know, I felt sorry about the stamp also.. I like new stamps in my passport (especially to tick my wife off (as a joke tho) coz I got more various ones haha)

Don't worry about receiving the GC, it wont take long.. I received my GC today, exactly two weeks after the interview and it is with most people like this.. You will have the GC in no time

Edited March 28, 2009 by JeroenAndMichelle