Activation trip, HowTo?

[Prismak]

Hi all,

I have received the temporary VISA on passport and the sealed envelope. I have to plan my first trip to USA for green card activation, more or less during this Christmas.

I am alone and I have no friends in US.

For many reasons (in particular a contract penalty) I don't want to quit my job immediately. I would like to do only an activation trip and then return immediately to my home country. I see that someone already did this, so how it could work for me?

If I don't quit my current job, I cannot stay in USA for more than one month for sure (maybe less) so probably I have to leave before receiving the actual card. Is this feasible?
I would like to rent a street address mailbox using services like rentusmailbox (which says it is a real street address and not a PO box)
I don't need that the card is forwarded to another address, I need only to be notified that the green card has been received and kept there until I return for the second time.

But, instead of mail delivery, is possible to simply pick up the card when is ready in whatever storage/post office/facility is stored?

What do you think?

 

[Jbuff]

Hi all,

I have received the temporary VISA on passport and the sealed envelope. I have to plan my first trip to USA for green card activation, more or less during this Christmas.

I am alone and I have no friends in US.

For many reasons (in particular a contract penalty) I don't want to quit my job immediately. I would like to do only an activation trip and then return immediately to my home country. I see that someone already did this, so how it could work for me?

If I don't quit my current job, I cannot stay in USA for more than one month for sure (maybe less) so probably I have to leave before receiving the actual card. Is this feasible?
I would like to rent a street address mailbox using services like rentusmailbox (which says it is a real street address and not a PO box)
I don't need that the card is forwarded to another address, I need only to be notified that the green card has been received and kept there until I return for the second time.

But, instead of mail delivery, is possible to simply pick up the card when is ready in whatever storage/post office/facility is stored?

What do you think?

Only problem would be that. There is a new system in place for the GC delivery. Where as you would have to show your ID before the post office releases the GC.

As far as traveling right after: You will get a I551 stamp thats valid up to 1 year which you can use to travel.

 

[SusieQQQ]

Only problem would be that. There is a new system in place for the GC delivery. Where as you would have to show your ID before the post office releases the GC.

As far as traveling right after: You will get a I551 stamp thats valid up to 1 year which you can use to travel.

Actually that new system works for him, he can get it held at a post office till he gets back. Not sure if there is a time limit on how long the post office will hold.

 

[Prismak]

I have understood that the new system will apply for now only to mails that have been sent back (first phase). The second phase should start later in 2019.

Anyway pick-up option has a flaw (found on an article):

3 – Arrange for pick up at the post office at a convenient time and date by going to the USPS website. For this option, you must wait for USPS to attempt delivery before visiting the USPS website. Upon delivery attempt, USPS will leave a notice in your mailbox containing an article number that you will need in order to set up a date and time with USPS to pick up your documents.

Is possible to read this article number from remote with mail rent? I don't know

I am not allowed to post the links of these info but you should find it easily with google.

I'm thinking if could be better to provide the address of some agent/attorney office which will receive the green card.

 

[Jbuff]

Actually that new system works for him, he can get it held at a post office till he gets back. Not sure if there is a time limit on how long the post office will hold.

New
Should be treated like regular return receipt mail that require a signature . They leave a notice giving you a chance to pick it up . holding it for about a week before returning it to sender.

 

[SusieQQQ]

Are you saying I am misreading the option that says “Applicants will also have the option to arrange for pickup at a post office at a convenient date and time by going to the USPS website and selecting “hold for pickup.” ? It doesn’t give any caveats about attempted delivery first.

https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-begin-using-more-secure-mail-delivery-service

Anyway there’s another option about designating an agent.

The bottom line is that the system is designed for people who are residing in the US, it is not really designed for the handful that are not around when their green cards are delivered.

 

[Prismak]

Why I am not allowed to add a link?

anyway if you google "3 – Arrange for pick up at the post office at a convenient time and date by going to the USPS website. For this option," you arrive at the link where i found it.

on another link I found that the second phase will begin later in 2019 so anyway for new GC probably should be used the old method

 

[SusieQQQ]

Well I’m not spending hours on google, the only thing I found that you had was on some lawyer website. Did you find it on an official uscis website anywhere?
You can’t post a link with no real history because spammers sign up and start posting links I guess. But you can certainly find a way to explain to people how to find the uscis dot gov url you mean without telling them to google a bunch of super common words...

 

[Jbuff]

Why I am not allowed to add a link?

anyway if you google "3 – Arrange for pick up at the post office at a convenient time and date by going to the USPS website. For this option," you arrive at the link where i found it.

on another link I found that the second phase will begin later in 2019 so anyway for new GC probably should be used the old method

Arranging for pickup simply means the post office will hold it for “15” days if delivery was un successful . as stated on the postal website.

My city”s post office sends mail back after about a week claiming that they get too many mail pieces to hold it for that long. Even though the website says 15 days

You would still need a valid US address
As @SusieQQQ stated its meant for people who actually reside in the US.


So ultimately you have bigger concerns than the New system in place as in you dont “have any friends or family in the US” and you dont plan on permanently making the move as of yet.

Even if you give them a PO Box address as a mailing address you still have to include your Physical address as in where you Reside. If not you will basicially be telling them. “ hey i dont live there yet”

The whole point of the system is to make sure the GC gets to the right person!!

Fyi when going to pick up mail pieces from the post office you have to show Proof of Address if the address on Your ID doesnt match the Mailing Address. And you need proof of address before you can get Acceptable Identification!! In the US

If not anyone can go get ID with the neighbours address on it!! Get it?

I can go on and on about how your situation isnt going to help you in getting the Physical GC in your hands if you dont plan on staying in the US for a few months at minimum.

Anyyways Good luck

 

[Jbuff]

Well I’m not spending hours on google, the only thing I found that you had was on some lawyer website. Did you find it on an official uscis website anywhere?
You can’t post a link with no real history because spammers sign up and start posting links I guess. But you can certainly find a way to explain to people how to find the uscis dot gov url you mean without telling them to google a bunch of super common words...

If OP lived in the US he would understand the. Term “ hold for pick up” when in regards to the post office

Its the same as if you”re going away and you put a hold on your mail so it doesnt get piled up in your mail box. If not picked up within the designated time frame “15 days” as the usps website. It gets returned to sender.

1:He would still have to have an actual address to put his delivery on hold that way they dont even attempt delivery and still have to go to the post office to pick it up. “15 days”

2 : At this point he would have to show ID regardless of the new system because thats how the post office works . You have to show ID with matching Address or proof of address. Eg lease ,mortgage or my favourite. “Old mail with your name and address on it” before they release it .

 

[SusieQQQ]

If OP lived in the US he would understand the. Term “ hold for pick up” when in regards to the post office

.

The way the uscis site phrased it, it makes it sound as though it is NOT a regular hold for pickup.
Anyway OP needs to sort something else out, maybe pay a lawyer to receive and hold it for him or something.

 

[Prismak]

Well I’m not spending hours on google, the only thing I found that you had was on some lawyer website. Did you find it on an official uscis website anywhere?
You can’t post a link with no real history because spammers sign up and start posting links I guess. But you can certainly find a way to explain to people how to find the uscis dot gov url you mean without telling them to google a bunch of super common words...

Yes, that lawyer website. Nothing else. If you don't trust the site, we can forget it.

Regarding the fact that the second phase will start on late 2019, again nothing official on USCIS but the sources are referring to a USCIS teleconference that indeed had been held on May 3:
https://www.uscis.gov/outreach/nati...ture-confirmation-restricted-delivery-service
We should have the registration of the conference to be sure.

So summing up: If new secure delivery system takes place, probably I need to be assisted from some agent/lawyer who could pick up for me.

But if new secure delivery system is still not applied to me (as it should be), probably I can forward the green card to my home country with mail forwarding service. Isn't it?

 

[SusieQQQ]

You can try, but there are certain addresses USPS will not deliver uscis mail to, and mail forwarding services generally fall under those.

 

[Sm1smom]

Even if USPS mistakenly delivers to the mail forward servicing address, forwarding of USCIS mail is prohibited - USCIS writes this on the delivery envelope, so the mail forwarding center will be violating that restriction if they do that.

 

[Bob22]

I would have thought a reliable immigration lawyer would offer this service. (at a price of course)

 

[Jbuff]

I would have thought a reliable immigration lawyer would offer this service. (at a price of course)

https://www.uscis.gov/archive/archi...l-notices-directly-applicants-and-petitioners

Copied from the same link posted above


“In an effort to combat possible immigration services scams, USCIS generally discourages the practice of entering another person’s address for mailing purposes”

Good luck putting a lawyer”s office address claiming it to be your home address. Unless he”s one heck of an attorney willing to put his home address . Lol

 

[SusieQQQ]

https://www.uscis.gov/archive/archi...l-notices-directly-applicants-and-petitioners

Copied from the same link posted above


“In an effort to combat possible immigration services scams, USCIS generally discourages the practice of entering another person’s address for mailing purposes”

Good luck putting a lawyer”s office address claiming it to be your home address. Unless he”s one heck of an attorney willing to put his home address . Lol

“Discouraging” is not the same as saying they won’t deliver. And Bob22 mentioned a reputable lawyer, not one of the scam services being discouraged.

 

[Prismak]

https://www.uscis.gov/archive/archi...l-notices-directly-applicants-and-petitioners

Copied from the same link posted above


“In an effort to combat possible immigration services scams, USCIS generally discourages the practice of entering another person’s address for mailing purposes”

Good luck putting a lawyer”s office address claiming it to be your home address. Unless he”s one heck of an attorney willing to put his home address . Lol

The mail address is not the same of home address... Indeed, if you continue on the same paragraph:

"In an effort to combat possible immigration services scams, USCIS generally discourages the practice of entering another person’s address for mailing purposes. Nonetheless, Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, petitioners who would like an attorney or representative of record to resume receiving original I-797 notices may use an attorney’s address as the mailing address on the petition. "

But I am not sure of how to start to seek for a reliable attorney...

 

[TheFinn]

I am also thinking about doing an activation trip in 2019 and continue working in my home country for 1-2 years (with a valid re-entry permit), unless I happen to find a good research position next year. I found some housing options, but I don't know the exact unit that I will be living in, is it ok to put the general address without the unit# on the DS-260 (and add it later)? What else is there to do during the trip than to wait for the GC and SSN card to arrive? How quickly is it possible to eg. get a US driving licence (does a valid EU licence help)?

 

[SusieQQQ]

I am also thinking about doing an activation trip in 2019 and continue working in my home country for 1-2 years (with a valid re-entry permit), unless I happen to find a good research position next year. I found some housing options, but I don't know the exact unit that I will be living in, is it ok to put the general address without the unit# on the DS-260 (and add it later)? What else is there to do during the trip than to wait for the GC and SSN card to arrive? How quickly is it possible to eg. get a US driving licence (does a valid EU licence help)?

With one exception that I can’t remember off the top of my head, generally you need proof of residence in a particular state before you can get a driver license. One or two states as I recall have reciprocity with Germany for some reason (I don’t recall any other EU states, but you still need in-state residence proof for a DL) but, again in general, if you come from overseas you will need to do a written and behind the wheel test. Some require actual tuition too. For specifics you need to check the DMV website of the state you’re intending to live in.

As a general observation, it’s better to start working and gaining US experience as soon as you can as it assists in your general US career, not to mention the various hassles eg filing with the IRS from abroad each year, delaying the start of your naturalization clock, etc, associated with living overseas while having a green card.