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Got the DV based on spouse - Some questions

Z

zamaan

Registered Users (C)
Hello,

I-551 has been stamped on my passport as well as spouse's and kid's. On mine & my kid's it says 'Valid if accompanying primary or follow-to-join'.

First set of questions:
1. Does this condition hold only for the first travel or for all subsequent travels also?
2. Will this condition hold for the temporary GC stamp (for 1 year) also that we get in our passport when we enter USA ?
3. How does the temporary GC stamp look like - Is it like the I-551 or is it just a seal? Or does it just mean that the same I-551 is valid for 1 more year and all other conditions hold.

Second set of questions:
One issue is that we are not yet prepared to move - still wrapping up some things here in our home country. We need some more time but the I-551 expires on 2-Jan. So ...
4. Can we just enter USA before 2-Jan on Christmas holidays and return so that we can convert the I-551 to the next stage?
5. Will we get an additional stamp on the passport for 1 year and will this be valid even if I travel first (before my spouse)?
6. The address given for posting of GC in the initial DV forms is that of my friend in USA... - So will it be an issue if he posts this to us when we are outside USA?
7. Do we need the actual GC if we are returning after the I-551 expiry?
8. We dont get I-94's when we leave the country - so how do we submit to the USCIS details when we are leaving?

Thanks
Zamaan
 
zamaan said:
Hello,

I-551 has been stamped on my passport as well as spouse's and kid's. On mine & my kid's it says 'Valid if accompanying primary or follow-to-join'.

First set of questions:
1. Does this condition hold only for the first travel or for all subsequent travels also?
2. Will this condition hold for the temporary GC stamp (for 1 year) also that we get in our passport when we enter USA ?
3. How does the temporary GC stamp look like - Is it like the I-551 or is it just a seal? Or does it just mean that the same I-551 is valid for 1 more year and all other conditions hold.

Second set of questions:
One issue is that we are not yet prepared to move - still wrapping up some things here in our home country. We need some more time but the I-551 expires on 2-Jan. So ...
4. Can we just enter USA before 2-Jan on Christmas holidays and return so that we can convert the I-551 to the next stage?
5. Will we get an additional stamp on the passport for 1 year and will this be valid even if I travel first (before my spouse)?
6. The address given for posting of GC in the initial DV forms is that of my friend in USA... - So will it be an issue if he posts this to us when we are outside USA?
7. Do we need the actual GC if we are returning after the I-551 expiry?
8. We dont get I-94's when we leave the country - so how do we submit to the USCIS details when we are leaving?

Thanks
Zamaan
Click to expand...


Very good questions. I hope there is a guru in this forum to give answers. I would need them too
 
zamaan said:
Hello,

I-551 has been stamped on my passport as well as spouse's and kid's. On mine & my kid's it says 'Valid if accompanying primary or follow-to-join'.

First set of questions:
1. Does this condition hold only for the first travel or for all subsequent travels also?
--------Only for the first time.
2. Will this condition hold for the temporary GC stamp (for 1 year) also that we get in our passport when we enter USA ?
--------No.
3. How does the temporary GC stamp look like - Is it like the I-551 or is it just a seal? Or does it just mean that the same I-551 is valid for 1 more year and all other conditions hold.
--------It's just a normal stamp as your visit US as a visitor. The only difference is they will write "DV" and your "Alien Registration Number" on your stamp and Date it for one year from the date you arrived US.

Second set of questions:
One issue is that we are not yet prepared to move - still wrapping up some things here in our home country. We need some more time but the I-551 expires on 2-Jan. So ...
4. Can we just enter USA before 2-Jan on Christmas holidays and return so that we can convert the I-551 to the next stage?
--------We were told this "Stamp" is for temporary use in case we need to travel during waiting for the real GC. Regarding to your question, it depends on how long you are planning to stay outside of US. If it's more than 6 months or so (I am not sure about the length), you need to apply re-entry permit.
5. Will we get an additional stamp on the passport for 1 year and will this be valid even if I travel first (before my spouse)?
--------I am not sue what do you mean by "additional stamp"? According to what you said, it sounds like your spouse is the primary winner of the DV. Primary winner has to arrive either first or at the same time as spouse and kids.
6. The address given for posting of GC in the initial DV forms is that of my friend in USA... - So will it be an issue if he posts this to us when we are outside USA?
---------Yes, he can, but the problem is "IF THE CARD IS LOST DURING MAILING" and your "Stamp" expired, you cannot apply a new card outside of US.
7. Do we need the actual GC if we are returning after the I-551 expiry?
---------Yes.
8. We dont get I-94's when we leave the country - so how do we submit to the USCIS details when we are leaving?
---------I don't have I-94 on my passport when I arrived (I am in US already and not planning to travel anywhere soon), so I don't have answer for this question.
Thanks
Zamaan
Click to expand...

Please read the answers above.
 
zamaan said:
8. We dont get I-94's when we leave the country - so how do we submit to the USCIS details when we are leaving?
Click to expand...

With regards to question 8, trust me, they know your exit/entry dates, especially if you are leaving the US on an airline. I personally witnessed a couple with green cards being grilled in secondary by a CBP inspector for staying out of the US for long periods. He knew exactly when they arrived and when they left during the last several years. They are a lot stricter about "abandonment of permanent residence" than they used to be.
 
Query on answer to 7

toughcase said:
Please read the answers above.
Click to expand...


You have mentioned that we need the Green Card in case the I-551 expires. Assuming that I-551 is valid upto 30-Nov-07 and we enter US on 15-Nov-07 - we get the DV stamp of temporary GC upto 15-Nov-08.

My question is do we need the GC when re-entering the country after 15-Nov-07 and any day before 15-Nov-08 OR is the temporary GC stamp in the passport enough? I understand that the officer may ask for the GC - can we say that we didnt receive it JUST IN CASE we actually didnt receive it OR it got lost in the mail...
 
You gave yourself the right explanation. When you arrive at the US the first time (activation of GC), the temp. GC in your passport is valid for 12 month and you can enter the US with it in that time frame.
 
zamaan said:
You have mentioned that we need the Green Card in case the I-551 expires. Assuming that I-551 is valid upto 30-Nov-07 and we enter US on 15-Nov-07 - we get the DV stamp of temporary GC upto 15-Nov-08.

My question is do we need the GC when re-entering the country after 15-Nov-07 and any day before 15-Nov-08 OR is the temporary GC stamp in the passport enough? I understand that the officer may ask for the GC - can we say that we didnt receive it JUST IN CASE we actually didnt receive it OR it got lost in the mail...
Click to expand...

The immigrant visa in your passport does not turn into an I-551 until you are admitted at the POE. From that point onwards, it morphs into an I-551 valid for 1 year from the date of admission, irrespective of the expiry date on the immigrant visa. While this temporary I-551 is valid, you don't need the plastic I-551.

The 30-Nov-07 date you mentioned is the expiry date of the immigrant visa. If you applied for admission at a POE *AND* were admitted on 15-Nov-07, the immigrant visa would become an I-551 valid until 14-Nov-08.
 
here is a stinker for you: AirFrance will not let your board their plane bound for the States unless you have a plastic GC in your hand.
 
zamaan said:
You have mentioned that we need the Green Card in case the I-551 expires. Assuming that I-551 is valid upto 30-Nov-07 and we enter US on 15-Nov-07 - we get the DV stamp of temporary GC upto 15-Nov-08.

My question is do we need the GC when re-entering the country after 15-Nov-07 and any day before 15-Nov-08 OR is the temporary GC stamp in the passport enough? I understand that the officer may ask for the GC - can we say that we didnt receive it JUST IN CASE we actually didnt receive it OR it got lost in the mail...
Click to expand...

Hi Zamaan,

bahadur is right. But, these dates are just a guide line for you, you don't want to cut the date to close to those expiration dates and risk your chance of getting your GC, don't you?

bahadur007 said:
The immigrant visa in your passport does not turn into an I-551 until you are admitted at the POE. From that point onwards, it morphs into an I-551 valid for 1 year from the date of admission, irrespective of the expiry date on the immigrant visa. While this temporary I-551 is valid, you don't need the plastic I-551.

The 30-Nov-07 date you mentioned is the expiry date of the immigrant visa. If you applied for admission at a POE *AND* were admitted on 15-Nov-07, the immigrant visa would become an I-551 valid until 14-Nov-08.
Click to expand...

bahadur,

Thanks for the clearification. :)
 
What is the minimum time for getting the greencard once I enter? I may stay for 3 weeks. Will I get it by then?
 
zamaan said:
What is the minimum time for getting the green card once I enter? I may stay for 3 weeks. Will I get it by then?
Click to expand...

No one can give you the exact time. We were told by the office at POE that it will take about 3 weeks to receive our SS Cards ( if you applied for one) and it will take at least 6 months to receive our Green Cards; however, we received our SS Cards on the 9th day after we came back (including weekend). We came back 10/14 and we received it on 10/22 and the card we issued on 10/17. We are still waiting for our GReen Cards.
 
toughcase said:
No one can give you the exact time. We were told by the office at POE that it will take about 3 weeks to receive our SS Cards ( if you applied for one) and it will take at least 6 months to receive our Green Cards; however, we received our SS Cards on the 9th day after we came back (including weekend). We came back 10/14 and we received it on 10/22 and the card we issued on 10/17. We are still waiting for our GReen Cards.
Click to expand...

Toughcase,

What was your POE? Did you receive your welcome letter? We were admitted in Boston on 10/11/2007. Still waiting for the welcome letters and green cards. We also received our SSN cards nine days later.
 
Zaman
don't forget to look your medical expiration date although I-551 expires on 2-Jan. When you will arrive at POE your medical results MUST be valid. In many cases people's medicals expires earlier than I-551!
 
m1rahim said:
Zaman
don't forget to look your medical expiration date although I-551 expires on 2-Jan. When you will arrive at POE your medical results MUST be valid. In many cases people's medicals expires earlier than I-551!
Click to expand...

The immigrant visa is valid either 6 months from issue or 12 months from your medical whichever is earlier. In my case, I had my medical done in December 2006, I had my interview in January 2007 and was issued the visa in September 2007. The expiry date on my visa is December 2007.

However, when you are admitted at the POE as a permanent resident (before the expiry date printed on the visa), the visa is endorsed to function as a temporary I-551 for 1 year and the expiry date printed on the visa is no longer relevant.
 
Medicals were done in June 2007, Visa stamped in Jul-07 and expires in Jan-08 - So assuming that I have to enter before Jan-08 - my medicals are valid - RIGHT ?
 
zamaan said:
Medicals were done in June 2007, Visa stamped in Jul-07 and expires in Jan-08 - So assuming that I have to enter before Jan-08 - my medicals are valid - RIGHT ?
Click to expand...

U actually don't have to have a current medical. it only needed to be current before the visa was issued. immigrations officcer at the POE do not usually ask for immunization records unless there's a reason for it.
 
Johnkent said:
U actually don't have to have a current medical. it only needed to be current before the visa was issued. immigrations officcer at the POE do not usually ask for immunization records unless there's a reason for it.
Click to expand...

Not true. The issue is not whether the CBP officer will ask for it (probably not), but how long your immigrant visa is valid for. My source is an employee in the Immigrant Visa section at the US Embassy. As I explained in an earlier post, the expiry date printed on the visa is EITHER six months from the date of visa issuance OR twelve months from the date of your medical whichever comes EARLIER. So, since you have to enter the US before the expiry date on the visa, by definition, your medical will be current.

For instance, in your case, let's say you had your medical exam on November 2, 2007. It will be valid until November 1, 2008. Let's assume your visa is issued on February 15, 2008. The visa will be valid until August 14, 2008 (six months). Now, let's assume that your visa is issued on July 15, 2008. You might think your visa is valid for six months until January 14, 2009. In fact, it will only be valid until November 1, 2008 (the expiry date of your medical).
 
Last edited by a moderator:
bahadur007 said:
Not true. The issue is not whether the CBP officer will ask for it (probably not), but how long your immigrant visa is valid for. My source is an employee in the Immigrant Visa section at the US Embassy. As I explained in an earlier post, the expiry date printed on the visa is EITHER six months from the date of visa issuance OR twelve months from the date of your medical whichever comes EARLIER. So, since you have to enter the US before the expiry date on the visa, by definition, your medical will be current.

For instance, in your case, let's say you had your medical exam on November 2, 2007. It will be valid until November 1, 2008. Let's assume your visa is issued on February 15, 2008. The visa will be valid until August 14, 2008 (six months). Now, let's assume that your visa is issued on July 15, 2008. You might think your visa is valid for six months until January 14, 2009. In fact, it will only be valid until November 1, 2008 (the expiry date of your medical).
Click to expand...
U need to read what i wrote. The officer at POE cares less about ur immunizations. it's only needed to be current before the visa was issued. Again, all they care about at POE is ur visa and immigrant intent.
 
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