Green card for 2 or 10 years?

[LA80 3]

Hello everyone!

After the arrival to the USA, I need some clarifications again. The question might come a bit late because I already went through the POE, but I just wanted to see if other people had the same experience, and what did they do.

So, although the two years of marriage have passed when I entered, they wrote CR-1 in my passport. When I tried to explain the officer what I knew about the conditional status (actually asked him about the validity of green card), he answered that I am still going to get 2 year green card. I tried to show him the paper they gave me in the embassy about the conditional status, but he refused to see it and said "even if you show me, it will not change anything". The POE was in Philadelphia.

Should I contact USCIS directly? I read on this forum some people had same troubles at other POEs, but I could never find how everything ended. Is it still possible that they issue a green card valid for 10 years? Shouldn't they already have the data on marriage duration somewhere in the system? It is pretty much hard to believe that everything depends only on the officer's willingness to listen to you.

It is just so confusing and I did not feel like arguing after almost 20 hours of traveling.

[Dakine 26]

Hello everyone!

After the arrival to the USA, I need some clarifications again. The question might come a bit late because I already went through the POE, but I just wanted to see if other people had the same experience, and what did they do.

So, although the two years of marriage have passed when I entered, they wrote CR-1 in my passport. When I tried to explain the officer what I knew about the conditional status (actually asked him about the validity of green card), he answered that I am still going to get 2 year green card. I tried to show him the paper they gave me in the embassy about the conditional status, but he refused to see it and said "even if you show me, it will not change anything". The POE was in Philadelphia.

Should I contact USCIS directly? I read on this forum some people had same troubles at other POEs, but I could never find how everything ended. Is it still possible that they issue a green card valid for 10 years? Shouldn't they already have the data on marriage duration somewhere in the system? It is pretty much hard to believe that everything depends only on the officer's willingness to listen to you.

It is just so confusing and I did not feel like arguing after almost 20 hours of traveling.

Make an Infopass appointment at your local USCIS office.

[LA80 3]

Had Infopass appointment today, but people there could not change anything right now. I was told that I have to wait for the card to arrive, and then if it is a 2 year card, I have to write to USCIS (I guess file I-90) and ask for a 10 year card...Hopefully someone at the USCIS sees that I have been married over 2 years at the POE...

[pushbrk 12,883]

Had Infopass appointment today, but people there could not change anything right now. I was told that I have to wait for the card to arrive, and then if it is a 2 year card, I have to write to USCIS (I guess file I-90) and ask for a 10 year card...Hopefully someone at the USCIS sees that I have been married over 2 years at the POE...

They gave you the correct answer. You qualify for a 10 year card and will correct it if wrong. CBP officers don't always know the business of the USCIS.

Edited December 20, 2008 by pushbrk

[LA80 3]

They were really nice and understanding. My husband asked if this situation of ours repeated often and the man who talked to us just sighed and said : "all the time".

[LA80 3]

Sorry to bring this up again, but I have some good and some bad news.

I finally got the card last week (good news), but with the CR1 status (bad news). We called the National Customer Service Center immediately (as advised in the letter I got with the card), and the guy who answered told us (instead of sending I-90, etc.) to write a letter to "District Director" of the local office, ask for "secondary hearing" (instead of infopass) and send copies of GC, marriage certificate and passport. This is what we did exactly a week ago, but we still did not get any notification that they even got it.

I wondered if this approach was right? Are we losing time here? Do they even accept mail like that? How much time do I have to report the error after receiving the card?

I just want to be happy because of the green card, and if this drama continues, I will just accept CR1 status, continue my life and apply when the time for lifting of conditions comes. I am not planning to divorce my husband ever.