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DV 2019 All Selectees

Hi, so I got my visa approved and I got into the United States a few days ago! Now I only need to wait for my green card to be mailed so:

1. Can I work while I wait for it?
2. What documents do I have to show to employers as proof that I can work in the US if I don't have my green card yet?
3. I don't see any of this info in the travel.state.gov website, except that it can take up to 120 days to be mailed, anybody know what wait time I should expect?

Thanks
 
Spaniard-t said:
Hi, so I got my visa approved and I got into the United States a few days ago! Now I only need to wait for my green card to be mailed so:

1. Can I work while I wait for it?
2. What documents do I have to show to employers as proof that I can work in the US if I don't have my green card yet?
3. I don't see any of this info in the travel.state.gov website, except that it can take up to 120 days to be mailed, anybody know what wait time I should expect?

Thanks
Click to expand...

your stamped visa is a temporary green card, see the small print at the bottom about being a temporary i551 for a year. So yes you can work. In practice it may be hard to get a job until you get your SSN.
most people get their green cards in around a month at present, assuming you paid the immigrant fee before or very soon after you entered.
 
Hi everyone,

I will enter next month in the US in order to validate my stamped visa. I was wondering, is it ok to enter by car at the canadian border ? I'm not sure they are used to see people coming with a stamped DV lottery visa...

After, i will come back in Canada few months, so i don't need to register my car at the border, do I ? I mean, i know when you "import" a car from Canada to the US, you have some paperwork to do in order to get your car registred in a state. But i want to do that in few months, when i will settle myself in New York.

Thank you for your help,
 
Srab2Mtl said:
Hi everyone,

I will enter next month in the US in order to validate my stamped visa. I was wondering, is it ok to enter by car at the canadian border ? I'm not sure they are used to see people coming with a stamped DV lottery visa...

After, i will come back in Canada few months, so i don't need to register my car at the border, do I ? I mean, i know when you "import" a car from Canada to the US, you have some paperwork to do in order to get your car registred in a state. But i want to do that in few months, when i will settle myself in New York.

Thank you for your help,
Click to expand...

Yes you can enter the US via the Canadian border by land with your immigrant visa. You will be asked to park your vehicle and go into the building for processing.

And no, you don’t need to present any paperwork for your car on that trip.
 
Sm1smom said:
Yes you can enter the US via the Canadian border by land with your immigrant visa. You will be asked to park your vehicle and go into the building for processing.

And no, you don’t need to present any paperwork for your car on that trip.
Click to expand...


Thank you for your help, i will do that !

Have a great day !
 
SusieQQQ said:
What do you mean by this? Your visa has already been stamped for entry, or not? If yes, what “validation” do you mean?
Click to expand...

Yes my visa has already been stamped for entry. I meant by "validation" to activate the processus. Go to the boarder, pay the immigrant fees, etc... The first entry

Sorry for not being very clear

Have a great day
 
Srab2Mtl said:
Yes my visa has already been stamped for entry. I meant by "validation" to activate the processus. Go to the boarder, pay the immigrant fees, etc... The first entry

Sorry for not being very clear

Have a great day
Click to expand...

I guess you mean your visa had already been issued in your passport for entry and you’re planning on taking your first trip to the US to activate your LPR status. Not your “visa has been stamped for entry”. You create confusion for people trying to help if you say your visa has been stamped for entry in this case.

By the way, you don’t get to make the GC payment at the border or during the entry process. This is something you’ll be doing online on your own.
 
Srab2Mtl said:
Yes my visa has already been stamped for entry. I meant by "validation" to activate the processus. Go to the boarder, pay the immigrant fees, etc... The first entry

Sorry for not being very clear

Have a great day
Click to expand...

Usually when people talk about “stamped” for entry, they mean they have already entered and the visa has the CBP stamp that converts the visa into a temporary green card. So all you are actually saying is that you just have the visa in your passport?

By the way a DV is just an immigrant visa, the guys at the Canadian border will see lots of those.
 
Sm1smom said:
I guess you mean your visa had already been issued in your passport for entry and you’re planning on taking your first trip to the US to activate your LPR status. Not your “visa has been stamped for entry”. You create confusion for people trying to help if you say your visa has been stamped for entry in this case.

By the way, you don’t get to make the GC payment at the border or during the entry process. This is something you’ll be doing online on your own.
Click to expand...

Yes, that's what exactly i meant ! Sorry for the confusion

Thank you for the information, i thought i had to do it at the border...
 
SusieQQQ said:
Usually when people talk about “stamped” for entry, they mean they have already entered and the visa has the CBP stamp that converts the visa into a temporary green card. So all you are actually saying is that you just have the visa in your passport?

By the way a DV is just an immigrant visa, the guys at the Canadian border will see lots of those.
Click to expand...

Yes, exactly ! I just have the visa in my passeport and i was asking for my first entry.

Thank you for your help ! I will enter at the canadian border =)
 
Dear sm1smom and susieQQQ,

I need your help

I’m still a bit confused about the residency requirements and i’m looking to have your advice to clear that;
my family and I have activated our LPR status on the end of January 2020, we spent almost
2 weeks in the U.S and have returned back to where we came from,unfortunately the current pandemic{ Covid-19} is
preventing us from tying up loose ends, Noting that the plastic Green Cards are in our possession,
but NO information about the SSN cards, However I have Two scenarios which can be prioritized as follows.

1. I will continue to stay outside and visit the U.S before completing 1 year from the exit date of the last visit{ activation visit},
noting that we are expecting clearing some of the old ties would be time consuming, and that certainly
would require us to apply for the re-entry permits for my family and I, is this scenario safe and will it not create any issues at the POE when we enter the U.S?

2. To visit the U.S for 3 days prior completing 180 days and leave again to complete
the clearances of the remaining ties and enter the US again within 6 months from the exit date of the last visit and apply for the re-entry
permits for my family and I. is this scenario safe and will it not create any issues at the POE when we enter the U.S?

3.Which is the best scenario 1 or 2 , or are they both similar in terms of entering the USA without the fear of abandonment the residency status that we could be denied entry.

4.Do you suggest any other scenario?

5. As stated above,the SSN cards haven't been delivered despite that it was requested on the DS-26, how can we obtain the social security cards when we are outside of the U.S, OR , we have to visit the social office in person to Re-apply.

6.In case that the SSN cards are still getting delayed, are there any issues if we visit the social office considering scenario { i.e after 12 months from activating the LPR status} to inform them about that and obtain the SSN cards .

7. Considering scenario 1 and 2 , how that will affect the duration to apply for the naturalization.

Thank You Very Much.
 
1 and 2. Do you realize you’ll need to be in the US for around a month when you apply for a re-entry permit? Application & biometrics need to be completed in the US before you can leave.
3. Nothing is “without fear”. You cannot have your green cards taken away by cbp, though both these scenarios are likely to get you some serious questions on entry.
4. The obvious? Get your stuff wrapped up quicker and move to the US. Or at least don’t push your time limits out when all you plan to do is get a re-entry permit on your return.
5 & 6. You have to present in person in the US. You’ll have plenty of time to do that while waiting for biometrics appointment for the REP.
7. Well if you are applying for a re-entry permit that is presumably to stay outside the US at least another year, both 1&2 become irrelevant and what matters is the length of time you stay out on REP. REP preserves your green card but doesn’t protect you from breaking continuous residence. So assuming you do break it while using the REP, on current policy you will be eligible to apply for naturalization 4 years and 6 months after you eventually re-enter.
 
Thank you very much,
My understanding that I can stay outside for up to 12 months following the activation trip and return back to the USA without any issue , am I correct?
 
Consider that we will not apply for re-entry permit , and we want to move permenantely before completing 12 months following the activation trip. Can we say that the previous period {staying continously outside the USA by 12 months} will create delay in the said naturalization period.
 
shamsham said:
Consider that we will not apply for re-entry permit , and we want to move permenantely before completing 12 months following the activation trip. Can we say that the previous period {staying continously outside the USA by 12 months} will create delay in the said naturalization period.
Click to expand...
Yes, it will. Look up “continuous residence”.
 
Thank you very much,
My understanding that I can stay outside for up to 12 months following the activation trip and return back to the USA without any issue , am I correct?
My other concern is staying the 12 months outside the USA following the activation trip will affect obtaining the reentry PERMIT? , How many times and years we can apply
 
shamsham said:
Thank you very much,
My understanding that I can stay outside for up to 12 months following the activation trip and return back to the USA without any issue , am I correct?
My other concern is staying the 12 months outside the USA following the activation trip will affect obtaining the reentry PERMIT? , How many times and years we can apply
Click to expand...

You can apply for a re-entry permit 3 times but the 3rd time is only valid for a year, so a maximum of 5 years. Each reapplication needs to be made in the US. Don’t forget you still need to be filing a tax return with the IRS regardless where you actually live and earn income.
 
Thank you Susie very much for your swift response, the below concern is yet to be clarified please.
My understanding that I can stay outside for up to 12 months following the activation trip and return back to the USA without any issue , am I correct?
 
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