GC stamp to be phased out !!

S

sertra2002

Registered Users (C)
Newsflash on Murthy website :

http://murthy.com/nflash/nf_101504.html

NewsFlash! Travel Possibly Limited for I-551 Stamp Holders
Posted Oct 15, 2004

Our attorneys attending the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) National Conference in Chicago have just called us on October 15, 2004, to report that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intends to phase out the temporary I-551 stamps as early as October 26, 2004. The I-551 stamps are temporary evidence of lawful permanent resident status. They are issued for use as proof of this status before the actual plastic green card arrives after the application for permanent residence has been approved. The stamps are valid for work and travel and function as a green card until the physical card can be produced and mailed to the recipient.

Few details on this matter have been released. At this time it is not clear whether a person who tries to reenter on an I-551 stamp after the stamps are phased out will encounter difficulties in returning. There are many people who regularly travel in and out of the country using the I-551 stamps. It is also unclear what mechanism will document permanent resident status prior to receipt of the actual, physical green card. We at The Law Office of Sheela Murthy, P.C. will continue to provide more information on this important topic for our MurthyDotCom visitors as and when it becomes available.
 
This means that they will have to implement another way of allowing PR to travel - AP maybe? They can't just confine people here until the GC arrives - that's impossible.
 
npnjan02 said:
This means that they will have to implement another way of allowing PR to travel - AP maybe? They can't just confine people here until the GC arrives - that's impossible.
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What about who already have planned and bought the tickets like me, what should I do, If something changes while I am in India, what would I be doing ??
 
Ridiculous

This is simply ridiculous. I was reading in another post recently that one guy was asked by IIO not to travel with I-551 stamp when he was having his I-551 stamp based on his approved I-485. I didn't believe this. Now it is making all sense.

Even getting I-485 approval is not enough. What else they need to do to let us free????????
 
This goes together with their efforts to ensure delivery of the physical cards within 60 days after approval.

If they manage to ensure prompt delivery of the cards, it is actually a good idea. Anything that will reduce the workload of the local offices with stupid and redundant work should be welcome. If the officer stuck with doing PP stampings now is available to do interviews, adjudications and other real work, maybe the backlog for transferred cases will finally decrease.

A couple of people here posted that they received physical cards only weeks after the approval notice without even going for PP stamping. Maybe that was some sort of pilot program involving printing the cars with the approvals ??

I assume they will issue some sort of guidance along the lines that the original approval notice together with the passport will be accepted in lieu of I551 stamp.
 
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Sahin said:
This is simply ridiculous. I was reading in another post recently that one guy was asked by IIO not to travel with I-551 stamp when he was having his I-551 stamp based on his approved I-485. I didn't believe this. Now it is making all sense.

Even getting I-485 approval is not enough. What else they need to do to let us free????????
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it was i who had posted that message... a family friend of ours was told that when she had got her i551 stamped after GC approval. i got flamed for that post, and admittedly, i had thought that statement from the IIO to be a little weak myself.

but these days, all logic and fairplay to the winds, immigrants are fair game...
 
Pork Chop said:
it was i who had posted that message... a family friend of ours was told that when she had got her i551 stamped after GC approval. i got flamed for that post, and admittedly, i had thought that statement from the IIO to be a little weak myself.

but these days, all logic and fairplay to the winds, immigrants are fair game...
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I saw an answer in the Murthy Chat on this topic from Sheela Murthy.....
"I551 is being phased out from 26-Oct, it is likely that people will still be allowed in but there may be additional waiting time in the secondary inspection etc, more so than before until it is no longer allowed as the only evidence of PR status."
She also said .....
"This is initial information that the program will SLOWLY BE PHASED IN OVER TIME starting from Oct-26"

Now it is time for Expert opinions .....
 
All,

yes, now it does make sense. Here is something they should really consider: why don't they, with the letter of approval, send the cards, just like with EAD cards. This way we are not prisoners of freedom for 60 days or whatever length of time.
 
gvaknin said:
... This way we are not prisoners of freedom for 60 days or whatever length of time.
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you should be so lucky if it is only 60 days. we got our i551 stamps on april 27 of this year, so our wait is now 175 days, but who's counting....?!
 
Doesn't the approval notice along with the stamp count as sufficient evidence to travel incase the plastic card is not available in time, for purposes of re-entry from a trip abroad...

I recently had a friend travel and return with just the stamp.
 
guess the post on murthy.com is now updated to

http://murthy.com/nflash/nf_101504.html

We initially reported that attorneys from The Law Office of Sheela Murthy, P.C., attending the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) National Conference in Chicago, called in on October 15, 2004, to inform us that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intends to begin phasing out the temporary I-551 stamps as early as October 26, 2004. The I-551 stamps are temporary evidence of lawful permanent resident status. They are issued to people after their applications for permanent residence have been approved as proof of this status and to be used until the actual plastic "green" card arrives. The stamp is valid for work and travel and has served as evidence of lawful permanent resident status while individuals waited for the plastic card to be produced and received by mail.

Few details have yet been released on this matter. There was some initial concern that those who already have I-551 stamps would not be able to continue to use them to travel. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which employs the Port of Entry officers, has now indicated that they will continue to honor the I-551 stamp as a valid travel document. It remains unclear what mechanism will document permanent resident status prior to receipt of the plastic card. We at The Law Office of Sheela Murthy and MurthyDotCom will continue to provide our readers with more information on this important topic as and when it becomes available.
 
after 485 approved

Friends,

My I-485 got approved last friday, Oct 15. (ND Sep 19, 2002, second FP Aug X,2004, RFE for employment Oct1). I have not received the approval notice.

Question for you:

When should I let my employer know that my status change? I used AC21. does the H1B become invalid automotically? Do I need fill any forms in order to get my paycheck?

Thanks.

Moon
 
sairam1 said:
guess the post on murthy.com is now updated to

http://murthy.com/nflash/nf_101504.html

We initially reported that attorneys from The Law Office of Sheela Murthy, P.C., attending the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) National Conference in Chicago, called in on October 15, 2004, to inform us that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intends to begin phasing out the temporary I-551 stamps as early as October 26, 2004. The I-551 stamps are temporary evidence of lawful permanent resident status. They are issued to people after their applications for permanent residence have been approved as proof of this status and to be used until the actual plastic "green" card arrives. The stamp is valid for work and travel and has served as evidence of lawful permanent resident status while individuals waited for the plastic card to be produced and received by mail.

Few details have yet been released on this matter. There was some initial concern that those who already have I-551 stamps would not be able to continue to use them to travel. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which employs the Port of Entry officers, has now indicated that they will continue to honor the I-551 stamp as a valid travel document. It remains unclear what mechanism will document permanent resident status prior to receipt of the plastic card. We at The Law Office of Sheela Murthy and MurthyDotCom will continue to provide our readers with more information on this important topic as and when it becomes available.
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Sheela Murthy wrote all that information on her web site in a hurry with half knowledge and now she is realising and try to fix her own comments it seems.
Huh!! it was so much painful.
 
Bindaas said:
Sheela Murthy wrote all that information on her web site in a hurry with half knowledge and now she is realising and try to fix her own comments it seems.
Huh!! it was so much painful.
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i agree. i think she did jump the gun a bit.
 
It makes sense._ :eek: :eek:

Check this:

485 issues in Vermont Service Center

http://boards.immigration.com/showthread.php?t=147312&page=2&pp=15


mr_optimist wrote:

USCIS is Not Phasing out I-551 Stamp for people Approved while in USA
Just Talked to the National Service Center about the Phasing Out of the I-551 Stamp because our case was approved yesterday and my wife is travelling on Nov 6th.

Here is what the Rep Told me.

The I-551 Stamp is being Phased out at the Port of Entry only for the People That have been Approved for GC Oversears. It used to be that these People Coming in with 485 Approvals from Overseas will get An I-551 Stamp when they Enterd the USA. That is being replaced by a Machine Readable document (similar to a Visa) that has the the I-551 Language in it.

For peopl who are in the USA, the I-551 stamp is still the way to go. They need to take the Approval Notice and all the required documents to the
Local INS Office and Get there Passports Stamped with and I551 Stamp.

This is what I got from the Horse's mouth. and It makes perfect sense.

good luck
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