outside US more than 6 month no SSN, no DL and no bank account.

M

mdelpiero

Registered Users (C)
Hello every one,
I searched through the older posts but couldn't find my answers. here's my story:

I got my immigrant visa through dvlottery in Jan 2011. At the time I was busy doing my MSc thesis and made a quick trip to activate my GC in June 2011. Since my trip was only 10 days, I didn't open a bank account, didn't apply for SSN, etc.
I finished my MSc in SEP 2011 and just received my certificate. As I was waiting for my certificate I have been outside US since 22 June 2011 (nearly 7 months) and I am planning to go to the US in one month time. My GC was posted after I had left the US. A friend of mine who travelled to the US after me, brought me my GC... Now I have 2 questions:

1) will I have any problems at POE, if so do I need to provide any documents? (btw I know for naturalization I have to wait for 4 years and 1 day but I'm not thinking about that for the moment)

2)Is it alrite if I show my GC as it is been taken out of the US by someone else than me? or just show the stamp in my passport and tell them that I wasn't in the US when it was posted?

I really appreciate your replies...
 
I have been outside US since 22 June 2011 (nearly 7 months) and I am planning to go to the US in one month time. My GC was posted after I had left the US. A friend of mine who travelled to the US after me, brought me my GC... Now I have 2 questions:

1) will I have any problems at POE, if so do I need to provide any documents? (btw I know for naturalization I have to wait for 4 years and 1 day but I'm not thinking about that for the moment)

2)Is it alrite if I show my GC as it is been taken out of the US by someone else than me? or just show the stamp in my passport and tell them that I wasn't in the US when it was posted?.
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1) you will have no problems at POE as long as you are not out of the country more than 1 year. 7 months is ok; it just breaks your continuous residence for citizenship purposes.

2) do not concern yourself with the GC taken out of the country by your friend. Show you GC at POE.
 
gunt said:
1) you will have no problems at POE as long as you are not out of the country more than 1 year.
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That is generally true for a one-time trip, especially for during the first year after GC approval when they know it is common for people to spend some months in their original country to finish up various business. The consequence of this trip will just be delayed citizenship eligibility since those 7 months outside the US won't count towards the 5 years of continuous residence or 2.5 years of physical presence as required for naturalization.

However, multiple consecutive trips of over 6 months but under a year could be a big problem at the POE without a reentry permit.
 
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mdelpiero said:
Since my trip was only 10 days, I didn't open a bank account, didn't apply for SSN, etc.
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Your SSN should have been automatically issued to you within a few weeks after your initial arrival in the US, unless you chose otherwise on the form DS-230 that was submitted to the US consulate. Do you remember what you selected on the DS-230 regarding the SSN, or do you have a copy of the DS-230 that you submitted?
 
gunt said:
1) you will have no problems at POE as long as you are not out of the country more than 1 year. 7 months is ok; it just breaks your continuous residence for citizenship purposes.

2) do not concern yourself with the GC taken out of the country by your friend. Show you GC at POE.
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Jackolantern said:
Your SSN should have been automatically issued to you within a few weeks after your initial arrival in the US, unless you chose otherwise on the form DS-230 that was submitted to the US consulate. Do you remember what you selected on the DS-230 regarding the SSN, or do you have a copy of the DS-230 that you submitted?
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Thank you both for your replies. Yes I think I selected "yes" on DS-230 but nothing has been posted regarding my SSN. I know you are right as it is mentioned in the "Welcome to the United States" booklet. However, another friend of mine had the same situation and he applied for SSN again, once he was in the US. Anyway, my question was: will I have any problems since I don't have a SSN, DL and bank account? or will I be questioned about them at all?
 
You probably won't have a problem entering the US. If they give you trouble, just explain that your green card was approved in the middle of your Masters degree studies and you went back to finish the degree (bring your degree certificate in case they ask for it). Your lack of bank account, DL etc. is common for people still in their first year as a GC holder who went back to their original country to finish up things. They tend to be lenient to towards students and people who are in their first year as a GC holder. Do not worry about it!

When you're back in the US, fill out form SS-5 and bring it and your green card to a Social Security office. If you're not sure what you selected on the DS-230 regarding the SSN, pick "don't know" for question 11. When you're called to the counter or desk, show your green card, explain that you expected the SS card to be automatically mailed to you months ago after initial arrival in the US as a permanent resident, but you still haven't received it and you want to know if a number has already been issued and what the number is. If they say the number has been issued, ask for the number. You can write that down and use the number to apply for a driver's license*, open a bank account etc. before you get the physical card.


*some states may require the physical SS card for a driver's license or state ID. Check your state's DMV web site for details.
 
Gfn3c3

mdelpiero said:
1) will I have any problems at POE, if so do I need to provide any documents? (btw I know for naturalization I have to wait for 4 years and 1 day but I'm not thinking about that for the moment)
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Don't count for 4+1 rule for naturalization - it's not your case. You did not established residence in the US before leaving the country. You will have to wait full 5 years after returning to US before applying for citizenship.
 
voldemarv said:
Don't count for 4+1 rule for naturalization - it's not your case. You did not established residence in the US before leaving the country. You will have to wait full 5 years after returning to US before applying for citizenship.
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More importantly, in this case 4 years and 1 day after returning to the US would still be less than 5 years minus 90 days as a green card holder. The 4 year + 1 day rule cannot be used to shortcut the normal 5 years minus 90 days rule.

To be safe, the OP should apply on or after completing 5 years minus 90 days since returning to the US, which would be November 2016 if returning in Feb.
 
voldemarv said:
Don't count for 4+1 rule for naturalization - it's not your case. You did not established residence in the US before leaving the country. You will have to wait full 5 years after returning to US before applying for citizenship.
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Jackolantern said:
More importantly, in this case 4 years and 1 day after returning to the US would still be less than 5 years minus 90 days as a green card holder. The 4 year + 1 day rule cannot be used to shortcut the normal 5 years minus 90 days rule.

To be safe, the OP should apply on or after completing 5 years minus 90 days since returning to the US, which would be November 2016 if returning in Feb.
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thank you for your reply. Can you please guide me how to establish residence in the US?
By the way do you know how they would know for how long I have been outside the country? (As they don't stamp your passport when you are leaving the country only once you enter).
 
mdelpiero said:
Can you please guide me how to establish residence in the US?
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In order to have residence in the, you must actually live there. Have a lease or mortgage, have utility bills in your name, have bank accounts, have DL with your address on it, pay taxes, etc. There is no shortcut around actually living there.
mdelpiero said:
they would know for how long I have been outside the country? (As they don't stamp your passport when you are leaving the country only once you enter).
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The USCIS has all the aircraft flight manifest records of every flight that leaves the USA. That is, they have the passenger lists and passport #'s, of every who leave the USA. They know exactly the date, time, passport #, destination, flight #, airline, etc of every time you leave the USA. If you don't believe me, you can do a Freedom of Information Act request with Customs and Border Patrol and ask for all the records associated with your name. I did, and I was surprised at the thickness and detail of the entry/exit information they have in their systems. It used to be that you could exit the USA via a land crossing into Canada and there was no exit record, but now Canada Border officers are transmitting the Canadian entry information to the US Border officers so now they have the exit information if you leave via land crossings as well.
 
gunt said:
In order to have residence in the, you must actually live there. Have a lease or mortgage, have utility bills in your name, have bank accounts, have DL with your address on it, pay taxes, etc. There is no shortcut around actually living there.

The USCIS has all the aircraft flight manifest records of every flight that leaves the USA. That is, they have the passenger lists and passport #'s, of every who leave the USA. They know exactly the date, time, passport #, destination, flight #, airline, etc of every time you leave the USA. If you don't believe me, you can do a Freedom of Information Act request with Customs and Border Patrol and ask for all the records associated with your name. I did, and I was surprised at the thickness and detail of the entry/exit information they have in their systems. It used to be that you could exit the USA via a land crossing into Canada and there was no exit record, but now Canada Border officers are transmitting the Canadian entry information to the US Border officers so now they have the exit information if you leave via land crossings as well.
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Wow very comprehensive. Thank you very much.
 
gunt said:
The USCIS has all the aircraft flight manifest records of every flight that leaves the USA. That is, they have the passenger lists and passport #'s, of every who leave the USA. They know exactly the date, time, passport #, destination, flight #, airline, etc of every time you leave the USA. If you don't believe me, you can do a Freedom of Information Act request with Customs and Border Patrol and ask for all the records associated with your name. I did, and I was surprised at the thickness and detail of the entry/exit information they have in their systems. It used to be that you could exit the USA via a land crossing into Canada and there was no exit record, but now Canada Border officers are transmitting the Canadian entry information to the US Border officers so now they have the exit information if you leave via land crossings as well.
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A friend of mine has the same situation as me and he has worked in Europe since he's come back from the US. Will it cause to lose his GC? and how would they know that he has worked in another country?
 
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mdelpiero said:
I didn't know they ask at POE whether you have worked or not!? So will he lose his GC if he comes back before 1 year? (considering he has worked in another country)
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Yes, sometimes they ask if you worked abroad, sometimes they don't. What other ties to the US does he have ... lease/mortgage, bank account, spouse, children? How long has he worked abroad since obtaining the GC ... 3 months, 6 months, 10 months, 2 years?

Did he just get his GC issued within the past year and he's still working at the same job he had before the GC? If yes, he probably won't lose his GC for this although it will probably delay his eligibility for naturalization.
 
Jackolantern said:
Yes, sometimes they ask if you worked abroad, sometimes they don't. What other ties to the US does he have ... lease/mortgage, bank account, spouse, children? How long has he worked abroad since obtaining the GC ... 3 months, 6 months, 10 months, 2 years?

Did he just get his GC issued within the past year and he's still working at the same job he had before the GC? If yes, he probably won't lose his GC for this although it will probably delay his eligibility for naturalization.
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Yes he got his GC in July 2011 and when came back from the US found this job after few month. He's been working for 3 months and is planning to move back to the US permanently before his absent becomes 1 year.
 
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