Has anyone had the same situation - Interview approved, notice received, no Green Card document stil

M

mijenica

Registered Users (C)
Dear all,

I was just wondering if anyone had a similar experience:
My husband and I had an interview on November 3rd, 2009, and I was approved for the green card. The officer there took my APs and EAD and told me that the actual green card will arrive in the mail in a week or so and that there is no need to stamp my passport. In a week I get the I 797 Notice Welcoming me to the Status of Permanent Resident and that my green card will arrive within 3 weeks. It is three weeks today and no document in sight! I called the USCIS phone number and they told me to wait another 90 days!!! I do not have any document other than the notice saying that I am now a permanent resident. I cannot travel anywhere until I receive it and who know when that will happen :( Did anyone have the same experience?

Thank you :)
 
Once 30 days have passed since the welcome notice, make an Infopass appointment. Take the notice and your passport there and request I-551 stamping, which will serve as a temporary green card for 6-12 months (depending on how long they decide to make it expire). While at the appointment ask about the status of the card, whether they have printed it and if they sent it what happened to it (was it returned by the post office, lost, etc.).
 
Thank you so much!!

I was about to call the local immigration office here, but will take your advice and wait 10 more days to see what happens. What was strange is that they did not have any records at USCIS that the card was sent and the guy there kept telling me it takes time to make it?!?!?!? I think he was confused...
 
COnfusing information about the GC card

Please help!!!

It has been more than 2 months and no GC document in site. My I-485 was approved and the Welcome Notice came. The case status online has been the same for the last 60 days- post decision phase. I called the 1 800 number and they told me that is all they know, and they also did a service request to see what is going on. Also told me to wait for a response up to 45 days. This morning I took an Info Pass appointment in the local office here in Salt Lake City and there they told me that the document was produced and sent along with the Welcome Notice - and that I will have to file I-90 in order to get the new card and pay $370. how is this my fault? Why should I pay extra money for their mistake? How is it possible that online it does not say anything about the production of the document, while in the local office it says it was mailed with Welcome Notice and how is it possible that one came and the other one never did? What should I do? Seems like doing I-90 will prolongue the process to 3-4 months again and I will have to do the biometrics AGAIN!! Should I contact state officials? Any advice? Thank you!
 
Also I am not able to apply for another job because I do not have the actual document - even though I have the A# and all that other stuff, right?
 
Did they refuse to give you an I-551 stamp in your passport?

And as far as the job is concerned, you are not required to show the GC or other proof or work authorization until after they have given you a job offer. So if there is a job you are interested in, go ahead and apply for it now anyway.
 
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Jackolantern thank so much for responding!

But even if I get offered a job, I do not have any proof that I am legal resident, so they would probably reject me anyway...

The guy at the local office told me after I mail I-90 and come there with a receipt that maybe them they will give me a stamp... Basically they want money for their own mistake!! Why aren't documents like this sent certified? We pay a lot of money in fees they can spare $3 to send it certified. And besides what gives me guarantee that once I file I-90 that the cvard will arrive???

Oh, and the officer told me to get a PO BOX at the post office and have everything sent there- seriously how much is this "adventure" going to cost me?
 
It normally takes at least a few days or weeks before you get a job offer in writing, and you normally have at least a few days to respond to it. And then they normally don't ask you to provide the employment eligibility proof until you actually start working. So once you get an offer you should have enough time to hurry up and file I-90 and pay the $370 so you can get the I-551 stamp. Meanwhile, if you are pressured to show something before you get the chance to have that all done, show them the welcome notice and your driver's license/state ID, explain the situation that you were recently approved for a GC and are still waiting on the card, and hope they will give you a little extra time to sort it out.

But for now, you could try going to another USCIS office with the welcome notice to see if they will give you an I-551 stamp.

And it is indeed disgusting that they send important documents like this by regular mail without any tracking. If it's about costs, all they have to do is give you the option to pay a few dollars extra to have it sent with delivery confirmation.
 
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Files I-90 they have not taken out the money yet...

The packet I sent them was delivered on February 16th, 2010.. so far I have not seen any money withdrawal.... Did someone have a similar situation?
 
What is the approximate timeline for the processing the I-90 and getting the GC?

I am getting confusing information, some people said anywhere from a month to 3 months... Should I go to the local USCIS office to get the stamp once I receive the receipt notice (if I do, since there is no guarantee it will be delivered, just like my original green card)... thanks!
 
Yes, make an appointment for the I-551 stamping as soon as you get the receipt. The card itself will take a few months to arrive after the I-90 filing.
 
Hi Mijenica,

I do not know if you carefully read the application for I-90. When I read it last, I remember it said that if you have never received your GC (say it was lost in mail), then they WILL NOT charge you again ! I don't think you needed to send a check or money order with the application.

Look at page 3 of the instructions link below:

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-90instr.pdf





mijenica said:
The packet I sent them was delivered on February 16th, 2010.. so far I have not seen any money withdrawal.... Did someone have a similar situation?
Click to expand...
 
GeekinSanjose said:
I do not know if you carefully read the application for I-90. When I read it last, I remember it said that if you have never received your GC (say it was lost in mail), then they WILL NOT charge you again !
Click to expand...
The instructions also say that the I-90 will be rejected if there is no fee and the card was sent by USCIS and not returned in the mail. According to the Infopass appointment, they sent this card. So the I-90 is to be filed as "lost or destroyed" with the full fee.
 
Yes unfortunatelly they do not care that it was not my fault that the post office lost the document

And the officer at the info pass appointment told me to file the fee since the document was never returned to USCIS.... I just wonder how long will it take them to issue the new document... And why do I have to do biometrics again?
 
Finally got the I-90 receipt

Do you know if I have to wait for the biometrics in order to get infopass and ask for I-551 stamp or can I get the info pass appt with the I-90 receipt only?

THANK YOU!!!
 
You can get the passport stamped with only the I-90 receipt. However, that means you will have to go back again for biometrics.
 
Finally got the passport stamped...

but still no sign of biometrics (new) appointment.... and I need to travel on business, I bet ya it will be scheduled for when I am not here...
 
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