Travel after GC approval

[vmadhu]

HI,
I need some information regarding travel outside US after ur GC has been approved. My GC is approved almost 5 months back and i am still waiting for the plastic one. I am not sure how long that is gonna take. But, my point of interest is regarding travel to India. Due to my personal reasons, me and my wife are planning on going back to India for almost 6 months. Will that be a problem if we come back to US within 6 months??
And also, my wife has been travelling already out of country. She is presently in India and will stay there for 1 more month(total 2 months stay). Once she is back, she might stay here for 2 more months in US and then we fly back together to India for 6 months?
Is there any rule that my wife should have stayed here for more than 6 months after her GC is approved in US? She didnt stay here for long after her GC is approved. Right after her approval, she was here for 3 months and she flew to India.
I hope u guys understand my situation here. Any information regarding the "NECESSARY STEPS" that i should be taking here would be greatly apprecaited.

[vmadhu]

I understand that all travel should be temporary. I am still sticking for this travel to be temporary..saying...it will be less than 6 months. But, my wife has been making frequent trips. And if you count, after her GC approval, she might spend 4-5 months here in US and the rest 7-8 months in India with in a Yr. Will that be a prob?

[litmu]

if she got GC as your dependent, it is no issue, however if she got GC on basis of labor cert, then she must demonstrate permanent intent to reside in US and continuing with the employement for some time, bla bla...

[vmadhu]

Originally Posted by litmu

if she got GC as your dependent, it is no issue, however if she got GC on basis of labor cert, then she must demonstrate permanent intent to reside in US and continuing with the employement for some time, bla bla...

So, do U think it will still not be a problem if we go to India for 5-6 months and come back before 6 months expire?
Did u come across any one who had problem while entering back to US?

[litmu]

well, for merely entering in the US its no problem. It was hard to decipher from your email. Generally, you should keep working for the sponsoring employee for some time, to show genuiness and be safe from questioning, later.

[vmadhu]

Originally Posted by litmu

well, for merely entering in the US its no problem. It was hard to decipher from your email. Generally, you should keep working for the sponsoring employee for some time, to show genuiness and be safe from questioning, later.

Thanks for your reply. By the time, i go to India, it would be almost 7-8 months with my employer who has sponsored for my GC. Wont that be sufficient?

[vmadhu]

BTW...how long does it take for the plastic to arrive after stamping. Does it depend on stamping date or the approval date. It has been almost 5 months that i got approved and 4 months that i got stamped.

[Reddi]

Check Following govt link:

https://egov.immigration.gov/cris/jsps/index.jsp

"If you were granted permanent resident status or entered the U.S. with an immigrant visa more than 60 days ago and have not received your first permanent resident card, please call 1-800-375-5283"

[gcusa99]

Originally Posted by vmadhu

BTW...how long does it take for the plastic to arrive after stamping. Does it depend on stamping date or the approval date. It has been almost 5 months that i got approved and 4 months that i got stamped.

In your case it is taking long, you should make an enquiry and call the number at USCIS. A lot of people including myself got plastic card within 60 days. Good luck!

[TheEnquirer]

hi

may be it was answered earlier somewhere in this forum (couldnt find it)

but is getting the I551 stamp related to actually getting the physical card

i have seen soem repsonses in which forum users say that the I-551 stamp is jsut temporary- to show that ur I485 is indeed approved

but my question is what happens to the I-94 and other questions that the officer asks during I-551 stamp??????

[vmadhu]

Originally Posted by TheEnquirer

hi

may be it was answered earlier somewhere in this forum (couldnt find it)

but is getting the I551 stamp related to actually getting the physical card

i have seen soem repsonses in which forum users say that the I-551 stamp is jsut temporary- to show that ur I485 is indeed approved

but my question is what happens to the I-94 and other questions that the officer asks during I-551 stamp??????

I-551 stamping, as u said, is just a confirmation that proves ur 485 is approved. But also, u can travel out of country with 551. This is valid for a yr. But, a plastic is the one which is just like an EAD card with an approval for almost 5 yrs.

[vmadhu]

Originally Posted by gcusa99

In your case it is taking long, you should make an enquiry and call the number at USCIS. A lot of people including myself got plastic card within 60 days. Good luck!

I did that. I called USCIS. They were taking about a letter stating "WELCOME TO US". She asked me if i got that. I said NO. She told me to wait until i get that letter from them and then call them again. Whats this "WELCOME TO US" letter?

[wik]

Originally Posted by vmadhu

I did that. I called USCIS. They were taking about a letter stating "WELCOME TO US". She asked me if i got that. I said NO. She told me to wait until i get that letter from them and then call them again. Whats this "WELCOME TO US" letter?

More senseless advice from the NSC. Not everyone gets a welcome letter. We didn't, and many others I know didn't. Download form G-731 from the USCIS web site and send it by certified mail to initiate an enquiry.