Good reasons for expedited REP

R

ronzale

Registered Users (C)
Hi everyone,

I am traveling to the U.S. in mid July and will be there for one month in order to file my second REP.

My question is twofold:

1. Since I already had biometrics in the first REP application, do I need to go again in the second REP application?

2. If YES to the first question, what is the best reason to give for an expedited biometrics appointment. The real reason is that we don't live in the U.S. and we need to get back to our home country before school starts for the kids. Is that good enough?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!
Ron.
 
1. Yes, you need to give biometrics again.
2. "We don't live in the US" is not a good answer, unless you're abroad working for a US employer. As a green card holder your primary residence is supposed to be the US.

Whatever reason you give for expediting, they expect you to provide evidence of it. If you had to get back to your overseas-based job for a US employer, that would be a good reason and you could get the evidence from your employer. But your kids attending school abroad is not a good reason. With you being a green card holder (and presumably your kids are GC holders or citizens) you're expected to have your kids attending school in the US.

However, once you get the biometrics notice you can go for an early walk-in; you don't have to wait for the appointment date.
 
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Thanks for the reply.
Regardless of where I currently live, why wouldn't the start of the school year for children count as a good reason for an expedited biometric petition?
I understand that they should be attending a US school, but if I'm applying for a REP then it means we won't be in the US for the next year or so and school is an activity that they cannot miss.
I know you don't make the rules and I'm not trying to argue - just trying to understand the rationale behind expedited petitions.
Thanks again for your help.
Ron.
 
ronzale said:
Thanks for the reply.
Regardless of where I currently live, why wouldn't the start of the school year for children count as a good reason for an expedited biometric petition?
Click to expand...

If the children were living in the US, while you had to go abroad for some other purpose, the children couldn't be the reason for getting your permit expedited.

Anyway, you've said you'll be in the US for a month. Unless you're unlucky and they delay the mailing of the biometrics notice, that should be enough time to get the biometrics done. Send in the application the same day you arrive in the US.

Also note that you can leave the US in between the day USCIS receives the application and the day you go for biometrics (of course, it may be financially infeasible to do that if you're traveling to Asia or Europe, but not so bad if you're going to the Caribbean or Central America).
 
Thanks again. I will certainly have my application prepared before I travel so that I can drop it in the mail the day I arrive.
All the best,
Ron.
 
Make sure the signature date is not a date when you're outside the US. Don't give them a reason to think you were outside the US when filing it.
 
Jackolantern said:
Make sure the signature date is not a date when you're outside the US. Don't give them a reason to think you were outside the US when filing it.
Click to expand...

Hi Jackolanter,

I might have goofed up on this part.

- Signed the document on July 13th.
- Drove to US (Montana) from Canada to drop off the app at FEDEX on July 14th.
- Requested Expedite processing; got Checks cashed on July 20th.
- Received USCIS Acceptance Confirmation on July 20th (Stated that the application is been routed to Nebraska Service Centre)

So :(; Application has already been submitted with the incorrect date by the signature column. Any thoughts. I believe when we drive across the border from US/Canada we don't get any date stamps on the passports either.

Thanks!!!
 
They're supposed to look at the date they received it, not the date you signed it. Normally they shouldn't reject it as long as it's not a fake date (e.g. suppose you sent it on July 10th, but the signature date is the 12th ... they'll know you couldn't have signed it on the 12th), and the date isn't too far in the past (if your signature date is 2010 that would raise some eyebrows).

Your specific scenario is a problem only if you're unlucky and an inexperienced but overzealous clerk decides to make an issue of the signature date.

However, I presume you meant June 13th, 14th, and 20th in your post. If you actually wrote July 13th, that would be a problem.
 
Yup you are right. I meant to write June.

At this point, can I file a correction with someone.

If I do get unlucky, the question might come up about whether it was right for me to be in and out of US only to drop off the application.

The border services do keep track/record of people crossing the borders everyday right? Just wondering.... if questioned; I shouldn't lie on the date of physical presence in US, right??

Thanks!!!!
 
You didn't do anything wrong. You submitted it when you were in the US, and the signature date is a date when you still had possession of it.

Ensuring the signature date is a date when you're inside the US is just to protect yourself from overzealeous incompetent employees. It's too late for that now, but if you were inside the US on the date you submitted it and the date USCIS received it, you won't have a problem if they do their job right. Don't take any action about it unless they give you a problem. Trying to proactively correct it would draw unnecessary attention to it and risk delays.
 
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That is likely to be a problem. You're supposed to be in the US when they receive it. It might be rejected, or they might cancel it in the future if they realize it later.
 
That's sad. I was going by the instruction booklet which states:
"You must be physically present in United States when you file the Reentry Application".

Could I be questioned about this when I go for biometrics? Can I do anything to rectify this?
 
They might look at the postmark and say you were in the US and accept it without bothering to check CBP records. You might not even have a record since you drove across the border. You'll just have to sit tight for now. I doubt you'll be questioned during biometrics. They don't really talk to you.
 
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