My case was approved last August at New York City Office and my passport was stamped with one year expiration. Now nearly one year passed and I still have NOT received the actual card. I went to USCIS NYC Office today and asked for another I-551 stamp. The officer refused to re-stamp because "the case has been transferred to Vermont and the file is no longer at NYC". She said she would only re-stamp if I show her some response from Vermont. During the past 6 mos I have filed three G731 inquiries (two through mail and one recently through the 1-800 number) with Vermont and I have NOT received any response from them. Seeing my information at their system and the stamp on my passport from their own office, that NYC officer said "you are already a legal permanent resident" But she just refused to re-stamp my passport. I just sent out my 4th inquiry to the Vermont office but god knows when they will reply. As the current stamp expiring in a week I am really worried that my employment will be at stake. What should I do except keep on sending the inquiries? Any suggestions will be highly appreciated!
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Please help! I-551 stamp renewal
- Thread starter bw376
- Start date
Your employment is fine.
If you wish to travel w/o a card, you will need an unexpired stamp.
Also:
"If you were granted permanent resident status or entered the U.S. with an immigrant visa more than 60 days ago and have not received your first permanent resident card, please call 1-800-375-5283"
https://egov.immigration.gov/cris/jsps/index.jsp
If you wish to travel w/o a card, you will need an unexpired stamp.
Also:
"If you were granted permanent resident status or entered the U.S. with an immigrant visa more than 60 days ago and have not received your first permanent resident card, please call 1-800-375-5283"
https://egov.immigration.gov/cris/jsps/index.jsp
Withdrawing restriction from SSN card
Withdrawing restriction from SSN card
It is always a good idea to remove the restriction from your SSN card after getting the I-551 stamping on your passport. You need to do that while your stamping it valid. When you are on H-1B your SSN says “Valid for work only with INS authorization”. You need to go to SSA local office and show them that you became a permanent resident then you will mail you a new card (same SSN number) without that restriction sentence within 10 days. According to the I-9 form your valid driver’s license and non-restricted SSN card is enough to prove your authorization to work for indefinitely.
Withdrawing restriction from SSN card
It is always a good idea to remove the restriction from your SSN card after getting the I-551 stamping on your passport. You need to do that while your stamping it valid. When you are on H-1B your SSN says “Valid for work only with INS authorization”. You need to go to SSA local office and show them that you became a permanent resident then you will mail you a new card (same SSN number) without that restriction sentence within 10 days. According to the I-9 form your valid driver’s license and non-restricted SSN card is enough to prove your authorization to work for indefinitely.
Is there a major problem with cases going through NYC? I got my passport stamped in April and they told me to just wait for the card. After 5 months, i had not applied for a SSN because I thought you needed the physical card to do so...but I found out only through the SSA website that I could use the passport stamp to get one. After I applied for one, they told me my status had not changed in the INS system and that perhaps I should go to the NYC office to inquire. I went to the NYC office with an Infopass appointment. After waiting for about 2 hours on the Infopass line, they told me, "You are already a permanent resident so why are you here?" and they redirected me to an office upstairs to wait some more. My number was about 40 people away and so I just waited. After waiting for about 2 1/2 hours there, the lady that helped me simply made a face and said, "Why are you here? You're approved already." I tried to explain to her that it didn't show as approved in the INS system and I was applying for SSN and I couldn't get one. Before I could finish, she told me that I had to go to the SS office upstairs. I tried to explain that I had already gone to the SS office near my home and they told me to go there. So upstairs I went and the SS office told me the same thing the one by my home told me. Big shock there! However, she said that she would send the information downstairs and they would verify it and that could take up to 12 weeks. Does this work? The whole experience was incredibly frustrating and no one would let me explain to them my situation, they just saw the stamp and huffed that that is not where I needed to be. Seems like quite a few people on this board have bad experiences with the NYC office. Is this just normal there? I have yet to receive any kind of letter of approval and my case status online still says "Your fingerprints were received...blah blah blah." My interview/stamping was in April!!!
Vegas88,
I am very sorry to hear your sad tale. However please be patient. Unfortunately, the experiences in SSA, USCIS and even in DMVs are always unique. It depends on our sheer luck. Let me tell my experience in SSA and USCIS.
I went to SSA in Fairfax VA in Aug 2004 to remove the restriction on my SSN. My passport was stamped in May 2004. The person told me that their systems were not showing that I am a permanent resident even 3 months after stamping. But he took my application and said he will send an enquiry to USCIS and let me know. I received the new SSN in 10 days.
I called USCIS in Aug 2004 about my card. She said I will get the card within 30 days. Nothing happened even after 30 days. I called again. I explained what had happened. She noted all my details. This time I asked her name and agent number. I got a mail that they have taken action to my request. I received the card in 20 days.
Some people in the same office of USCIS honor the E-mail approval notice of I-485 for stamping. some people sittting in another counter in the same office do not honor. These are the scenarios in various govt offices.
What I am trying to tell you is to keep on trying/fighting at different days and times. Some times ( in fact most of the times) it depends on the knowledge/mood of the person who receives our call. Wish you all the best.
I am very sorry to hear your sad tale. However please be patient. Unfortunately, the experiences in SSA, USCIS and even in DMVs are always unique. It depends on our sheer luck. Let me tell my experience in SSA and USCIS.
I went to SSA in Fairfax VA in Aug 2004 to remove the restriction on my SSN. My passport was stamped in May 2004. The person told me that their systems were not showing that I am a permanent resident even 3 months after stamping. But he took my application and said he will send an enquiry to USCIS and let me know. I received the new SSN in 10 days.
I called USCIS in Aug 2004 about my card. She said I will get the card within 30 days. Nothing happened even after 30 days. I called again. I explained what had happened. She noted all my details. This time I asked her name and agent number. I got a mail that they have taken action to my request. I received the card in 20 days.
Some people in the same office of USCIS honor the E-mail approval notice of I-485 for stamping. some people sittting in another counter in the same office do not honor. These are the scenarios in various govt offices.
What I am trying to tell you is to keep on trying/fighting at different days and times. Some times ( in fact most of the times) it depends on the knowledge/mood of the person who receives our call. Wish you all the best.
So you received your card after 20 days after calling the 800 number? See, the problem is that my file is still sitting in NYC. My parents and I applied under 485. My parents were not immediately approved and have to go back for 2nd interviews in November. Could this be holding my file up? I had my interview in April and was stamped that very day. At the SSA office (and they were very very nice at both locations) they were going to send the info to USCIS downstairs. Could this move it along ? Or is it better to call the 800 number and see what they can do? The message online was last updated March 04. Thanks for all your help. This board is more informative than any of the other sites I have tried!