485 approved. next steps?

Ryanlin

Registered Users (C)
My wife and I got our I-485's approved on 11/2/2004 (ND 7/8/2003) at TSC. I think the approval notices will be in the mail soon, and I have the following questions and would greatly appreciate your answers.

(1) My understanding is that the next step is to get our passports stamped. Should I schedule an appointment through infopass? With which office, Texas service center or any local offices?

(2) What I need to bring when we go to get the stamp?

(3) Do they start to make plastic cards only after we get our stamps? How long it takes normally?

(4) My wife actually has one AP application pending. What does she need to do about it?

Thanks a lot,
-Brian
 
Congratulations!

When you recieve your approval notices, just go for stamping.. Bring your approval notices, your passports, your old EADs and current EADs, your old APs and your current AP, your photos, and your driver license(s) or id cards with you.

I think you need an appointment thru InfoPass, but you need to wait for approval notices. Notices will instruct you with full details such as name of building, room, time, etc. (but I think any office would be okay if you live closer to the USCIS office).

After stamping, they will tell you how long you will receive your plastic cards. Don't worry about that since stamping will be enough. it is sufficient for work and travel. Also, make sure to update your social security cards to remove the restriction). You don't need to know about your wife's AP pending application. Just ignore (you won't get a full refund. just think of it as a gift to USCIS). You and your wife are already approved. :)

Also bring a champagne with you home to celebrate your becoming an official U.S. Permanent Resident. :)
 
I forgot to mention to bring your I-94s (white portions attached to your passport or white portions on H1 approval notices). Officers will take your I-94s away when they stamp on your passports.

Cheers!!
USGC485 :)
 
One More info. required after I485 approval

Hello Brian,
Congratulation for approval!!!.
Hello USGC485,
My wife and I got our I-485's and I-140 approved on 11/2/2004 (ND 12/18/2003 concurrent ). I think I would receive in the mail soon. I got answers of almost all questions except one.
In the last week of october'2004 my wife and I applied for EAD extension and we already received receipt notice with SRC number. Once I receive I485 approval, then do I need to do anything regarding EAd extension? Also you mentioned in reply that you won't get full refund. Does it mean that you would get any refund?
I appreciate for your replies. Thanks in advance.
Thanks
HETAL_S
 
Do we need to wait for the actual approval notice to arrive before making infopass appointment? My I485/140 got approved tonight!
 
HTEAL_S, Once you receive your 485 approval and you already applied for EAD extension or AP extension, you won't get full refund. USCIS rules that some applications including ead and AP are non-refundable application forms except 485 or 140 or 130 or any other forms that are probably refundable application forms.

chongyip, both you and your attorney will receive approval notice. You may go to USCIS without waiting for an actual approval (like you have an email approval printout), but some officers won't accept email approval printout and sometimes they accept it. My suggestion is to wait for an approval notice or courstey copy approval (either one is fine. copy of notice from your attorney is fine).
 
USGC485 said:
HTEAL_S, Once you receive your 485 approval and you already applied for EAD extension or AP extension, you won't get full refund. USCIS rules that some applications including ead and AP are non-refundable application forms except 485 or 140 or 130 or any other forms that are probably refundable application forms.

chongyip, both you and your attorney will receive approval notice. You may go to USCIS without waiting for an actual approval (like you have an email approval printout), but some officers won't accept email approval printout and sometimes they accept it. My suggestion is to wait for an approval notice or courstey copy approval (either one is fine. copy of notice from your attorney is fine).

Thanks for your reply!
 
Photo requirement at stamping (I-89 form)

Hello Friends,

What is the photograph requirement at the time of greencard stamping (for I-89 from)? I am confused as my approval notice I-485 mentions about ADIT style photos like three-quarter frontal profile of right side of your face and right ear. In the extension of EAD (I-765) I used three-quarter face position to a standard, full frontal position as per recommended by USCIS website. Does any body have recent experience related to photo during greencard stamping?
Thanks a lot .
HETAL_S
 
Green Card photo is not the 3/4 front

The photo requirement has changed. I recently had my passport stamped, and took 2 3/4 frontal photo as specified in the notice. Actually the text in the notice is already out of date. You need to take the full frontal one. The new requirement can be found in the USCIS webpage.

HETAL_S said:
Hello Friends,

What is the photograph requirement at the time of greencard stamping (for I-89 from)? I am confused as my approval notice I-485 mentions about ADIT style photos like three-quarter frontal profile of right side of your face and right ear. In the extension of EAD (I-765) I used three-quarter face position to a standard, full frontal position as per recommended by USCIS website. Does any body have recent experience related to photo during greencard stamping?
Thanks a lot .
HETAL_S
 
To Flingtiger (Greencard photo front)

Hello Flingtiger,
From your reply I understand that you had 3/4 frontal photo (Side face pointing to right face and right ear) during stamping. Above specification is mentioned in the notice. (While web-site suggests passport style photo for few forms like I-485 and replacement card I-90 etc; which contradicts with the notice requirement.)

Do we need to take 3/4 frontal photo (Side face pointing to right face and right ear)? or
Do we need to take passport style photo as per new requirement of website?

Thanks a lot for your replies and sloving my concerns.

Thanks to USGC485 also.
HETAL_S
(The photo requirement has changed. I recently had my passport stamped, and took 2 3/4 frontal photo as specified in the notice. Actually the text in the notice is already out of date. You need to take the full frontal one. The new requirement can be found in the USCIS webpage. )
 
USGC485 said:
Congratulations!

When you recieve your approval notices, just go for stamping.. Bring your approval notices, your passports, your old EADs and current EADs, your old APs and your current AP, your photos, and your driver license(s) or id cards with you.

I think you need an appointment thru InfoPass, but you need to wait for approval notices. Notices will instruct you with full details such as name of building, room, time, etc. (but I think any office would be okay if you live closer to the USCIS office).

After stamping, they will tell you how long you will receive your plastic cards. Don't worry about that since stamping will be enough. it is sufficient for work and travel. Also, make sure to update your social security cards to remove the restriction). You don't need to know about your wife's AP pending application. Just ignore (you won't get a full refund. just think of it as a gift to USCIS). You and your wife are already approved. :)

Also bring a champagne with you home to celebrate your becoming an official U.S. Permanent Resident. :)

Thank USGC485 for answers.
I just got email approval ,not paper yet.

Two simple questions:
1. Where is San Jose Stamping office?
Is that just the one we did for finger-print?
2. "make sure to update your social security cards to remove the restriction"
what does this mean actually?
Should we go to SSA to fill some forms?

Thanks.
 
1) not a fingerprinting service. Look up on the USCIS internet or yellow pages.
2) there is a restriction "Employment on valid immigration authorization" or something (I can't remember) on your card. see your ssn card. so you go to the office to have them updated your ssn card (remove "Employment on only immigration authorization"). They will tell you how to fill out the form. Make sure to bring your passport with I-551 stamp or green card with you to ssn office.

Good luck.
 
My approval notices also said 3/4 photos, so I call Customer Service and was told that all visa photos are now full frontal, just like passport photos.
Getting my passport stamped in Las Vegas tomorrow.
 
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