Citizenship application pending and green card approaching expiration

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RiteshSanghvi

Registered Users (C)
Hey folks,

My wife has applied for citizenship (App received on May 17, FP done June 14, 08) and is waiting for the interview call. Her GC expires in November, 08. I read somewhere that if the application for citizenship is made 6 mths prior to GC expiration, she is not required to renew the GC. We are a little concerned regarding her status, in case her GC expires before she gets her citizenship process complete. Can anyone please advice us as to what should be done???
Thanks a lot in advance.
 
Yes there is a rule about GC expiring less than 6 months from filing date - see USCIS form M-476
24. If my Permanent Resident Card expires while I am applying for naturalization, do I still need to apply for a new card?
If you apply for naturalization 6 months or more before the expiration date on your Permanent Resident Card (formerly known as an Alien Registration Card or “Green Card”), you do not have to apply for a new card. However, you may apply for a renewal card if you wish by using an “Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card” (Form I-90) and paying the appropriate fee. Call the USCIS Forms Line or visit www.uscis.gov.
If you apply for naturalization less than 6 months before the expiration date on your Permanent Resident Card, or don’t apply for naturalization until your card has already expired, you must renew your card.
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You would need to worry if we were in 2008 (your message mentions that Fingerprints were taken on June 14, 2008) however we are still in 2007 and the expiration date is still more than 12 months away. :)
 
If I were in your wife's situation, I'd be looking at whether I still needed to capability to travel after the GC had expired. There is of course a very good chance that she will become a USC before then, but these days, you never can tell whether the natz processing will get stuck for some reason or other.
 
Thanks McMahon,

Thanks McMahon,

I made a mistake. Actually, her FP was done in May 2007 and her GC expires in Nov 2007. Are you aware of any rule dictating her status if she is still waiting for the interview and meantime her GC expires?

Thanks again



McMahon said:
Yes there is a rule about GC expiring less than 6 months from filing date - see USCIS form M-476

You would need to worry if we were in 2008 (your message mentions that Fingerprints were taken on June 14, 2008) however we are still in 2007 and the expiration date is still more than 12 months away. :)
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Since FP was in May, she must have filed before May i.e. more than 6 months before the expiration date. To be sure you can double-check the Priority Date as well as her GC's exact expiratino date.

If it is confirmed that it was more than 6 months, she does not have to renew the GC. She can volunteer to request to be renewed and pay the $290 fee but one can keep in mind that the USCIS is already working on a lot of applications so it may take a while for it to be processed. I just checked my Service Center (NSC) and they are processing I-90 from January 2006.
 
McMahon said:
Since FP was in May, she must have filed before May i.e. more than 6 months before the expiration date. To be sure you can double-check the Priority Date as well as her GC's exact expiratino date.

If it is confirmed that it was more than 6 months, she does not have to renew the GC. She can volunteer to request to be renewed and pay the $290 fee but one can keep in mind that the USCIS is already working on a lot of applications so it may take a while for it to be processed. I just checked my Service Center (NSC) and they are processing I-90 from January 2006.
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I agree with this. My greencard has expired too. Let her make an infopass and have her passport stamped. That is what happened with my case. I was able to travel back to my country for my wedding with that stamp too. No problems. :D
 
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