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DV 2022 OC Selectees

LisaMelb said:
Yes, I have read that. Been told countless times that the first 12 months they are most lenient if you’re outside the US for the maximum time. For subsequent years, it’s best to do under 6 months absence. If you have multiple trips back and forth to your home county, it can look like you’re using the green card as a travel visa rather than permanent residency. My concern is whether a 2nd trip into the US post activation to do biometrics would be regarded as the “settling” trip. And then when I enter a 3rd time later in the 12 month period, the border control officer may question me.
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I obviously wasn’t being clear. There is no such thing in the mind of USCIS or CBP as activation, a grace period, a settling trip, or anything else with those kind of meanings that people in this forum like to use. It is the absences that count. That’s it. If you have been out for a while (usually but not always defined as longer than 6 months), they will be likely to ask you about the reasons for that absence. So no, they wouldn’t regard that as a “settling trip” - or any other trip as such in fact, because that isn’t a thing to them, it’s just a thing to you. They may question you at any stage, and different CBP officers may decide whether different lengths of time warrant questions or not. The officer may well question you on something like a biometrics trip just because you’d probably only have it booked for a week or something.
 
Hi Everyone, following on from note notes above, I was chatting to a mate of mine who won the GC a 6 years ago. He went over to the US within the 6 month period, though he applied for a "leave of absence" at USCIS which is valid for a period of 2 years which allows. He did this 2 times. Has anyone done this / heard about it? Thanks :)
 
There’s no such thing as applying for a leave of absence from USCIS. Your friend is probably referring to a re-entry permit. Do a search for re-entry permit, you’ll see a couple of threads where it is being discussed in the forum.
 
AUDV2022 said:
Hi Everyone, following on from note notes above, I was chatting to a mate of mine who won the GC a 6 years ago. He went over to the US within the 6 month period, though he applied for a "leave of absence" at USCIS which is valid for a period of 2 years which allows. He did this 2 times. Has anyone done this / heard about it? Thanks :)
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You’ll want to read this carefully. Note you still need to be in the US when uscis issues a receipt notice for the package, and if you leave right after that then you’ll have to return for biometrics.

Remember you’re still liable for filing US tax returns annually as long as you have a green card regardless where you live or earn income.
 
Hi everyone,

I am new here to posting but have been following this on my journey. I am hoping someone might be able to help me. I received my green card approval in Fiji.

I moved over to the states a few months ago and a few weeks after I arrived I got a letter for a Biometrics appointment, I attended the appointment and asked if it was because my finger prints weren't taken on arrival and he said it might be that. I also paid the $220 USD fee before entering the United States to produce my green card.

Now, my case status is still saying its being reviewed and I can't even register a login to the system to check anything else.

Is anyone able to help me or had something similar happen? Just starting to get a bit worried and I wanted to go back to Aus for Christmas but am worried as I can't seem to figure out what is going on.

Just wondering if anyone has had a similar instance?

Thanks!
 
2022DVAUS said:
Hi everyone,

I am new here to posting but have been following this on my journey. I am hoping someone might be able to help me. I received my green card approval in Fiji.

I moved over to the states a few months ago and a few weeks after I arrived I got a letter for a Biometrics appointment, I attended the appointment and asked if it was because my finger prints weren't taken on arrival and he said it might be that. I also paid the $220 USD fee before entering the United States to produce my green card.

Now, my case status is still saying its being reviewed and I can't even register a login to the system to check anything else.

Is anyone able to help me or had something similar happen? Just starting to get a bit worried and I wanted to go back to Aus for Christmas but am worried as I can't seem to figure out what is going on.

Just wondering if anyone has had a similar instance?

Thanks!
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How long ago was your appointment? My wife had to do biometrics and her case said it was being reviewed for 6 weeks after the appointment, then the status changed to new card being produced and it arrived in the mail about a week after that.

I’m guessing you will be fine to head back to Aus temporarily since you’ve already attended the appointment.
 
Acey said:
How long ago was your appointment? My wife had to do biometrics and her case said it was being reviewed for 6 weeks after the appointment, then the status changed to new card being produced and it arrived in the mail about a week after that.

I’m guessing you will be fine to head back to Aus temporarily since you’ve already attended the appointment.
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Hey Acey,

I had my appointment a little over 2 weeks ago. Hopefully its all good for me to go back.

Thanks for responding, appreciate it!
 
Hey all, can anyone shed any light on this. Does everyone have to attend a biometrics appointment after arrival? I’ve seen a few here have had to, and a friend of mine also received a letter to attend an appointment. I have received my green card in the mail, but am now worried I’ve missed something…
 
jbsydney said:
Hey all, can anyone shed any light on this. Does everyone have to attend a biometrics appointment after arrival? I’ve seen a few here have had to, and a friend of mine also received a letter to attend an appointment. I have received my green card in the mail, but am now worried I’ve missed something…
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No, It’s only required if bio have been not been adequately captured earlier in the process. It’s very unusual to see the number of people who have reported here on the forum being asked to do so recently actually.
 
SusieQQQ said:
No, It’s only required if bio have been not been adequately captured earlier in the process. It’s very unusual to see the number of people who have reported here on the forum being asked to do so recently actually.
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Okay perfect. I’m assuming that I’m all good then especially considering we have had our green cards mailed to us and they’ve been received.
 
2022DVAUS said:
Hi everyone,

I am new here to posting but have been following this on my journey. I am hoping someone might be able to help me. I received my green card approval in Fiji.

I moved over to the states a few months ago and a few weeks after I arrived I got a letter for a Biometrics appointment, I attended the appointment and asked if it was because my finger prints weren't taken on arrival and he said it might be that. I also paid the $220 USD fee before entering the United States to produce my green card.

Now, my case status is still saying its being reviewed and I can't even register a login to the system to check anything else.

Is anyone able to help me or had something similar happen? Just starting to get a bit worried and I wanted to go back to Aus for Christmas but am worried as I can't seem to figure out what is going on.

Just wondering if anyone has had a similar instance?

Thanks!
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Since it’s generally uncommon, I wonder if it’s only happening to those who went to Fiji?

Also how was your photo, was it faint by any chance?

How much prior notice do they give you before you need to attend the biometrics appointment?
 
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jbsydney said:
Okay perfect. I’m assuming that I’m all good then especially considering we have had our green cards mailed to us and they’ve been received.
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Yes, the people affected are not getting their cards until bio is done.

LisaMelb said:
Since it’s generally uncommon, I wonder if it’s only happening to those who went to Fiji?

Also how was your photo, was it faint by any chance?

How much prior notice do they give you before you need to attend the biometrics appointment?
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not sure if you are looking at any other threads here outside the OC ones. At least one I can think of was done elsewhere. I’m not sure if the issue is at the embassy or the POE in these instances.

If bio is back to normal post+pandemic it’s usually 3-4 weeks notice.
 
LisaMelb said:
Since it’s generally uncommon, I wonder if it’s only happening to those who went to Fiji?

Also how was your photo, was it faint by any chance?

How much prior notice do they give you before you need to attend the biometrics appointment?
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We were a fiji interview and Hawaii POE with no request and green cards delivered. However, my friend was also Fiji interviewed and Hawaii POE and has been notified of an appointment.
 
Hi There

Can my spouse travel back to Sydney for a week and enter USA without me accompanying him?.
His Immigrant Visa on the passport says it’s valid only if Acc/ FTJ Spouse and my name.

We still waiting for our physical green card. Entered LA on 31st October.
 
RPSCHAND said:
Hi There

Can my spouse travel back to Sydney for a week and enter USA without me accompanying him?.
His Immigrant Visa on the passport says it’s valid only if Acc/ FTJ Spouse and my name.

We still waiting for our physical green card. Entered LA on 31st October.
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My partner did and it was fine. Same situation, they did however quiz him as to why he didn’t have his physical green card but he explained the situation and showed the passport slip.
 
RPSCHAND said:
Hi There

Can my spouse travel back to Sydney for a week and enter USA without me accompanying him?.
His Immigrant Visa on the passport says it’s valid only if Acc/ FTJ Spouse and my name.

We still waiting for our physical green card. Entered LA on 31st October.
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Yes they can travel back to Sydney on their own. The annotation is only applicable for when entering the US with the immigrant visa for the first time.
 
jbsydney said:
We were a fiji interview and Hawaii POE with no request and green cards delivered. However, my friend was also Fiji interviewed and Hawaii POE and has been notified of an appointment.
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Hey hey, I also did Fiji finterview + Hawaii POE. I didn't get prints done upon entry--I'm curious as to how long after entry your friend received the biometrics notice?
 
miiint said:
Hey hey, I also did Fiji finterview + Hawaii POE. I didn't get prints done upon entry--I'm curious as to how long after entry your friend received the biometrics notice?
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Hi,
We did interview in Fiji. POE LA, got our biometrics request yesterday after almost 4 weeks of entry.
Thank you
 
We are in the USA activated on arrival but we have just received a letter stating we need a biometrics appointment? I was expecting a green card in the mail not another bio submission app? Did anyone else need to do this. We can't attend app date on letter either as we are scheduled to leave back to aus. We will need to reschedule hopefully get an app before we leave. Any thought?
 
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