Any May filers around?

Hello all,

I just wanted to know how things are in terms of GC for anyone with pending name check.
I got approved on 28th July 2007 and in about 2 weeks time received the I-130 approval notice.

I am still waiting for my GC. I had simulated my timeline based on a H1b member in the forum who applied and received a GC. So far my estimates have been close (+/- 2 days). So I am being optimistic about last week of Oct 2007.

I have a family occasion in my country and I have taken my tickets for Nov 2 2007. I hope I receive the GC before that otherwise I might have to cancel my tickets (I am on H1b however, the immigration officer recommended no traveling outside the U.S)

Let's see...anyone else who had a pending name check (MAY flier) and received GC ??
 
Let's make it 2203 posts by saying, I received my GC in the mail two days ago!

I got really excited about it when I noticed the metallic surface on the back of the card. What's this, I asked myself? A mirror built into the card so I can check to make sure I'm pretty all day long? Then I held it slightly sideways and noticed the etched-looking picture, name, and A# on the metallic surface, the phase grating stripes, and then the tiny images of the presidents at the top and the state flags at the bottom. Kewl!

Turns out it's called an optical memory card and has been embedded in GCs since 1998. The optical memory holds much more information than comparable magnetic stripe or chip cards, 2.8 MB in the case of the GC. The images and letters on it you're looking at are actually just artwork as a biproduct of the optical memory, the real information is embedded in 2.5 micron pits arrayed on 12 micron wide tracks that are written on the surface like on a CD. The technology allows for 12,000 dpi resolution images, therefore the small images on top and bottom. The underlying layer is a silver halide photographic film, and silver particles dispersed on top of it cluster when a laser writes the information onto the card, thereby changing the optical contrast, in addition to creating the physical pits in the card.

I'm sure all of you wanted to know this! ;)

You can get more information about the technology in this article from Laser Focus World. I'll try to examine it under a microscope this weekend to see more detail.

By the way, are all of you carrying it on your person at all times? Or do you keep it at home and carry a copy of it etc? I really don't want to get the silver halide surface too dirty or bent out of shape.
 
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austriacus said:
Let's make it 2203 posts by saying, I received my GC in the mail two days ago!

I got really excited about it when I noticed the metallic surface on the back of the card. What's this, I asked myself? A mirror built into the card so I can check to make sure I'm pretty all day long? Then I held it slightly sideways and noticed the etched-looking picture, name, and A# on the metallic surface, the phase grating stripes, and then the tiny images of the presidents at the top and the state flags at the bottom. Kewl!

Turns out it's called an optical memory card and has been embedded in GCs since 1998. The optical memory holds much more information than comparable magnetic stripe or chip cards, 2.8 MB in the case of the GC. The images and letters on it you're looking at are actually just artwork as a biproduct of the optical memory, the real information is embedded in 2.5 micron pits arrayed on 12 micron wide tracks that are written on the surface like on a CD. The technology allows for 12,000 dpi resolution images, therefore the small images on top and bottom. The underlying layer is a silver halide photographic film, and silver particles dispersed on top of it cluster when a laser writes the information onto the card, thereby changing the optical contrast, in addition to creating the physical pits in the card.

I'm sure all of you wanted to know this! ;)

You can get more information about the technology in this article from Laser Focus World. I'll try to examine it under a microscope this weekend to see more detail.

By the way, are all of you carrying it on your person at all times? Or do you keep it at home and carry a copy of it etc? I really don't want to get the silver halide surface too dirty or bent out of shape.
Click to expand...

Congratulations! :D I carry mine in my wallet with me (as per the LAW says it is REQUIRED)... and I keep it in the neat little envelope. What can you tell us about the envelope? ;)

I wonder what kind of information they put in it?
 
Praetorian, I carry mine for now too, but I'm planning to make a color scan of it and insert "COPY" across it, print that and carry it on me. I figure that would be the most legible and also legal way of presenting anything that's not the card itself. Apparently it can be quite difficult to replace if it gets lost or stolen.

I've just finished my microscopic examination of the card. I encourage everyone who's got access to a high power microscope to look at theirs too, it's pretty fascinating. I'm not sure I should say everything I saw because it might be classified. ;) But here's what I can tell you, all the presidents are there, including our current president (his picture looks weird!), and they have their names neatly written below them. All state flags are there in alphabetical order, and the flags also have their inscriptions etc. on them. The field with the picture and text with name etc. consists of some regularly spaced elongated pits, with pits missing where the letters and facial features are, I don't think there's any additional data encrypted into that. The shiny lines consist of some very fine irregularly spaced dots and I wouldn't be surprised if they contained some encrypted data. The outline of the US coast looks like it's written on a separate layer, while Alaska and Hawaii is made up of some fine funky squiggly lines. Everywhere in the metallic field where you see nothing, it's made up of horizontal stripes. So there you have it!

By the way, the microscopic inspection of the front side is also pretty interesting. If you focus on the top surface, the letters and color show up only very faintly. Instead, you see dots that make up the features that shine so colorful at certain angles.
 
austriacus said:
Praetorian, I carry mine for now too, but I'm planning to make a color scan of it and insert "COPY" across it, print that and carry it on me. I figure that would be the most legible and also legal way of presenting anything that's not the card itself. Apparently it can be quite difficult to replace if it gets lost or stolen.

I've just finished my microscopic examination of the card. I encourage everyone who's got access to a high power microscope to look at theirs too, it's pretty fascinating. I'm not sure I should say everything I saw because it might be classified. ;) But here's what I can tell you, all the presidents are there, including our current president (his picture looks weird!), and they have their names neatly written below them. All state flags are there in alphabetical order, and the flags also have their inscriptions etc. on them. The field with the picture and text with name etc. consists of some regularly spaced elongated pits, with pits missing where the letters and facial features are, I don't think there's any additional data encrypted into that. The shiny lines consist of some very fine irregularly spaced dots and I wouldn't be surprised if they contained some encrypted data. The outline of the US coast looks like it's written on a separate layer, while Alaska and Hawaii is made up of some fine funky squiggly lines. Everywhere in the metallic field where you see nothing, it's made up of horizontal stripes. So there you have it!

By the way, the microscopic inspection of the front side is also pretty interesting. If you focus on the top surface, the letters and color show up only very faintly. Instead, you see dots that make up the features that shine so colorful at certain angles.
Click to expand...

Can I borrow your microscope?

I may make a copy like you said, but for now, it is on me. I can't wait to travel using it! ;)
 
WOW I didn't realize all that stuff was on the back. I notice the pictures of the president but that's about it. My husband thought those pictures looked like spirals you have on note books, he didn't even notice the presidents. I think i'll examine it some more lol.

Lol i remember the map in the back. I see the statue of liberty in the front. Intersting!!!!!!

Right below where it says "Resident since" there is a number there, I wonder what that means??
 
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I think anyone who's first/second language isn't spanish is been discriminated by USCIS. They have instructions in spanish on the envelop lol.
 
PraetorianXI said:
Can I borrow your microscope?

I may make a copy like you said, but for now, it is on me. I can't wait to travel using it! ;)
Click to expand...

I was wondering. It's been a couple of years since I traveled internationally.

A few questions:
1- When you come back to the US, at customs there are two lines. One for everybody else (Europeans, South americans, Canadians, Africans,Australians ...), then there is one for US citizens and diplomatic personnel. I do not remember are LPR in line 1 or line 2?

2- With your GC do you still need AP? You do not face any bar/ban for trips of up to 2-3 weeks?

Thanks.
 
1.- There's two lines at immigration: One, for US Citizens and US Residents :D... and Two, for everyone else :p!

2.- You no longer need AP, once you get the green card, do not worry if you ever overstayed or anything... worry only if you leave for longer than 6 months (to maintain continous residency) or longer than 1 year (then you need a re-entry permit).
 
PraetorianXI said:
1.- There's two lines at immigration: One, for US Citizens and US Residents :D... and Two, for everyone else :p!

2.- You no longer need AP, once you get the green card, do not worry if you ever overstayed or anything... worry only if you leave for longer than 6 months (to maintain continous residency) or longer than 1 year (then you need a re-entry permit).
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Thanks. Really good to know.

Coming back from Europe to ATL or NEWARK was the most painful thing having to wait for hours (maybe not that long) in line.

The funny thing is that when I went back to Europe the lines say: Everybody else over there and Europeans and Americans here (in the quick line).

No reciprocity here I guess. :D

Concerning no AP, I had overstayed a little due to my DEAN's mistakes back in the days, so I just wanted to make sure. My wife is the reason why I went thru all this. So my intent is to stay here. If we/I leave its just to go visit my family overseas, maybe once a year for a week or so max.

Thanks.
 
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Yeah, Immigration Lines at Atlanta and Miami for "visitors" are HORRENDOUS!

I will flash my GC at the visitors as I head to the Residents/Citizens (almost empty) line next time I travel ;)
 
Hey everybody,
Just wanted to drop and let everyone know that my case was approved. My approval was a little unusual. Since I pretty much everyone else has had their interview I won't go into too much detail. I had my interview on Tuesday morning. The IO asked very little. He asked to see ID, asked me my date and place of birth, asked who is my joint sponsor (my mother). He didn't ask how we met or anything about our relationship just whether we had a civil ceremony or wedding and asked for a copy of the marriage certificate. He barely skimmed through our pictures then typed on the computer for a few minutes. Then he told me that the doctor did not fill out the medical results form correctly and I would have to get him to look it over and resubmit it before he finalize eveything and that was the end of the interview. I went back to the doctor got the form looked over and turned it in Wednesday morning (luckily I work a few blocks away from the office). I got my approval emails this afternoon.
 
roshlimbo said:
Hey everybody,
Just wanted to drop and let everyone know that my case was approved. My approval was a little unusual. Since I pretty much everyone else has had their interview I won't go into too much detail. I had my interview on Tuesday morning. The IO asked very little. He asked to see ID, asked me my date and place of birth, asked who is my joint sponsor (my mother). He didn't ask how we met or anything about our relationship just whether we had a civil ceremony or wedding and asked for a copy of the marriage certificate. He barely skimmed through our pictures then typed on the computer for a few minutes. Then he told me that the doctor did not fill out the medical results form correctly and I would have to get him to look it over and resubmit it before he finalize eveything and that was the end of the interview. I went back to the doctor got the form looked over and turned it in Wednesday morning (luckily I work a few blocks away from the office). I got my approval emails this afternoon.
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Congratulations! You are one of the last ones! I am glad it worked out! welcome to the LPR life :)
 
roshlimbo, if I remember correctly you were the last one to have your interview on the May filer's list that Praetorian had put together. Congratulations to all May filers and those of you still waiting for approval post-interview, best of luck!
 
constructus said:
The funny thing is that when I went back to Europe the lines say: Everybody else over there and Europeans and Americans here (in the quick line).
Click to expand...

My experience at European airports was different, at least since Schengen took effect. EU citizens here, everyone else there, just the reverse of here. The difference is that in the "other" line in Europe, you're not nearly as heavily scrutinized and/or required to fill out forms as you are in the American "other" line. In fact often there's so many Europeans wandering about European airports, that the European line is longer than the "other" line, so I usually go through the "other" line with my wife.
 
PraetorianXI said:
[O]nce you get the green card, do not worry if you ever overstayed or anything... worry only if you leave for longer than 6 months (to maintain continous residency) or longer than 1 year (then you need a re-entry permit).
Click to expand...

Isn't that weird? First they are so particular that you can prove you belong here - then they never want you to leave! Beats me! :D

PraetorianXI said:
Can I borrow your microscope?

I may make a copy like you said, but for now, it is on me. I can't wait to travel using it! ;)
Click to expand...

I'd let you borrow it if it were mine, unfortunately it's my company's semiconductor inspection microscope in our cleanroom, I'm not sure if they'd want me to loan it out. ;) Highest magnification I looked at was 60x but at 20x I saw quite a bit of nice detail. I gave the card a good wipedown with isopropyl alcohol before taking it into the cleanroom, I hope that didn't hurt it... :confused:

I've made my GC wallet copy yesterday ... unfortunately the detail on the back didn't come out clearly (it just looks like a big black area).
 
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dee2006 said:
Right below where it says "Resident since" there is a number there, I wonder what that means??
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Do you mean the numbers in the three machine readable lines at the bottom? They are explained here !

dee2006 said:
I think anyone who's first/second language isn't spanish is been discriminated by USCIS. They have instructions in spanish on the envelop lol.
Click to expand...

I suppose it's because that's the language of a majority of LPRs, but it's weird that they make them fill in forms in English, follow laws written in English, and then just as they receive their card, they have a little Spanish sentence on there about keeping their card in an envelope. :confused:

When we went for our interview, several couples actually had their AOS interview in Spanish, I didn't know that was even an option.

Talk about "discrimination," at our local IRS (tax) office I think they have more Spanish than English speaking agents. One time I went there and was sitting in line for about two hours, while I saw Spanish speaking people come and go in a fraction of that time.
 
PraetorianXI said:
I think that is meant to happen do not copy it, like when you copy documents and you get a "void" watermark all over it.
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Sure, well I don't mean for it to be my primary form of immigration ID, but something I can show them at that time, and if they want to see the real thing, they'd have to wait or come to my place. I inserted "COPY" in bold across the front and back so they shouldn't be confused at what they are looking at.

So I've been thinking about this, sure the laws says you need to carry it, but does it impose penalties for not carrying it? I know the penalties for not carrying a driver's license or insurance cards while I drive, which compels me to keep them on my person, but so what if I'm caught not carrying a GC ... would it be grounds for deportation? Detention? How could they suspect I'm not still a non-immigrant or already naturalized? I also wouldn't be carrying my passport on me at all times, which is a similar type document.

About the metallic area not resolving well in the scan, I actually cared about it not so much because of the copy I'll have in my wallet, but because I wanted to email a picture of the GC to my wife, she hasn't seen it yet!
 
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