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Leaving US before receiving the Green Card

Mihaela N

New Member
Hello everyone!
I would like to know if you are allowed to leave US before actually receiving the Green card. I know you have to entry US in maximum 6 months before your visa or medical exams expire...however if I can not stay there for 2-3 months, only 2 weeks, until the green card will be issued would it be a problem?
Thank you!
 
until the green card will be issued
For the plastic, this will take far more than two weeks.

The immigration officer at the port of entry will "endorse" the visa foil in your passport and turn it into a "Green Card" (see fine print

UPON ENDORSEMENT SERVES AS TEMPORARY I-551 EVIDENCING PERMANENT RESIDENCE FOR 1 YEAR

on the foil). The plastic will be delivered by US Mail to the physical address in the USA you provided.
So you can leave the USA immediately, but you need someone in the States who receives the letter with the plastic GC for you.
The Social Security Card takes about two weeks to arrive at the very same address, if you ordered it on your DS-260 and U.S. bureaucracy doesn't mess up. You might need that if you try to open a bank account.
If you intend to apply for a (secured) credit card, I would wait a few weeks until your Social Security Number is retrievable in the banking system. The bank will check your credit report - if there is none, you risk a denial (bad!).

If you use the free app CreditKarma, you can check yourself whether your SSN is in the system (CreditKarma can pull the information from your file).
 
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be very careful of selecting the address for the GC to be posted to. You would not want the GC to be missing - replacing it will cost you USD 540 PER CARD!
 
be very careful of selecting the address for the GC to be posted to. You would not want the GC to be missing - replacing it will cost you USD 540 PER CARD!

It's $450 (unless it changed) but yes it's a lot - and it takes months to get a replacement.
 
USD 455 + USD 85 biometric.

yeah, i read it took ages to be produced. (i am unfortunately one of the person that sort of lost the GC due to the address - the GCs are MIA.. sigh)
 
Thank you very much for your replies!
On the website of US Embassy in UAE it says: "Do not travel outside of the United States until you receive your Permanent Resident Card. Once your card is issued, you should not stay outside of the United States for more than one year. If you do, you will lose your status as a Lawful Permanent Resident."
Anyone knows how I can find out for sure what are the rules? Should I ask at the interview day?
Thank you!
 
The stamp you get in your passport when you activate your visa at the point of entry acts as a green card until you get the physical card. We activated our visas and then left the US without the cards themselves (which came a few weeks later).

The second part of the statement is correct. Stay out of the US for a year and you run the risk of losing your status.
 
Check p.40 in
https://www.cbp.gov/document/guides/carrier-information-guide-english

Immigrant Visa
An immigrant visa is issued by the Department of State and will be affixed inside the passport of the immigrant. Once an immigrant has been admitted to the United States the immigrant visa becomes a re-entry document, valid for one year from the endorsement date. The statement “UPON ENDORSEMENT SERVES AS TEMPORARY I-551 EVIDENCING PERMANENT RESIDENCE FOR 1 YEAR” will be printed in the body of the visa directly above the machine-readable zone. This documentation is acceptable for travel and employment purposes and is intended to replace the ADIT stamp.


Have a look at
https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/after-green-card-granted/international-travel-permanent-resident

Also a good read:
http://forums.immigration.com/threads/denied-boarding-on-flight-to-us-with-i-551-stamp.325780/
 
Hi everybody. How long does is takes for a plastic green card to arrive at a designated U.S. address? I got the stamp, now waiting for a card itself...
Also, is there further 'registration' needed after arrival...?

Many thanks
 
Hi everybody. How long does is takes for a plastic green card to arrive at a designated U.S. address? I got the stamp, now waiting for a card itself...
Also, is there further 'registration' needed after arrival...?

Many thanks

Typically anywhere from 1-3 months, sometimes longer. And no, you have done all the "registration" you need. Just remember to update any change of address with USCIS (online form, quick and easy) within 10 days of moving. And welcome to the US!
 
Typically anywhere from 1-3 months, sometimes longer. And no, you have done all the "registration" you need. Just remember to update any change of address with USCIS (online form, quick and easy) within 10 days of moving. And welcome to the US!

Thanks, SusieQQQ!
Would that be the address I gave when I was entering the U.S.? That one has remained the same...
 
That address is fine but, if you move once you get to the States permanently, you have to inform USCIS that you have moved.
 
Also - sorry if I missed the topic - but can I work in the US before the GC arrives, obviously not I guess...
And, otherwise, do I need to file, saz, I-485 or I-756...? A bit confused about this one...

Many thanks again!
 
Also - sorry if I missed the topic - but can I work in the US before the GC arrives, obviously not I guess...
And, otherwise, do I need to file, saz, I-485 or I-756...? A bit confused about this one...

Many thanks again!

Yes you can. You don't need the plastic GC before you can start working. The only thing you need is your SSN which typically gets delivered to your listed address within 2 weeks of arrival in the US
 
Yes you can, but as Sm1smom said, you need your SSN.

The visa sticker with I 551 stated in your passport, once stamped is considered as your Green Card (and is valid as such).

No need to fill in any I 485 forms or anything (unless you want to petition for family members to come into the USA).



Also - sorry if I missed the topic - but can I work in the US before the GC arrives, obviously not I guess...
And, otherwise, do I need to file, saz, I-485 or I-756...? A bit confused about this one...

Many thanks again!
 
Yes you can, but as Sm1smom said, you need your SSN.

The visa sticker with I 551 stated in your passport, once stamped is considered as your Green Card (and is valid as such).

No need to fill in any I 485 forms or anything (unless you want to petition for family members to come into the USA).

Thank you for the reply. Not making any petitions for family or anything. And I do have my SSN...
However, I did not get my I 551 stamp. I suppose I need to find a local USCIS office te get it (Maryland resident)?
 
Thank you for the reply. Not making any petitions for family or anything. And I do have my SSN...
However, I did not get my I 551 stamp. I suppose I need to find a local USCIS office te get it (Maryland resident)?

Do you have a visa sticker on your passport stating I 551 ?

If yes, did that not get stamped when you entered the USA at the immigration counter?
 
imm2l.jpg
Thank you for the reply. Not making any petitions for family or anything. And I do have my SSN...
However, I did not get my I 551 stamp. I suppose I need to find a local USCIS office te get it (Maryland resident)?

Read the bottom of your immigrant visa.
 
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