POE experience and subsequent steps

S

srinimuth

Registered Users (C)
POE at Los Angeles on 3rd August. The officer on the counter was polite, asked for the sealed packets, verified them and asked us to do finger printing. We were made to wait for nearly one and a half hour as there were at least 10 similar cases along with us. After that we got our passports back with necessary stamping and the welcome letter.
The welcome letter says that they will mail the Green card in approximately Nine Months. Is it going to take that long?
What if I change my residence in the meantime?
The letter also says that with this stamp on the passport, you may obtain your Social Security number. Does it mean that I can go to local SSN administration office and apply for SSN for my family members? What are the documents required for applying for SSN apart from the passport?

Thanks for the help in advance.
 
I do not belive that the letter you got at the POE is what is reffred to the "Welcome Letter" in this forum.

After the POE, approximately 2-3 weeks later you will get a letter in mail from the service center welcoming you and describing your plastic card case no. (similar to H1/140 nos based on your service center).

Usually it takes couple of weeks after the welcome letter to get the plastic card. If you change your address in the meantime, it is required that you advice the BCIS of the change as the card will not be forwared. Mind you this is different then filing AR-11.

You can just take your passport with the stamp on it. Also, it would be advisable to get the INS resctriction removed from your social security card ... while you are at it.
 
Then where to send in chg. of address ???

Usually it takes couple of weeks after the welcome letter to get the plastic card. If you change your address in the meantime, it is required that you advice the BCIS of the change as the card will not be forwared. Mind you this is different then filing AR-11.
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:confused:
GCM
 
srinimuth:
When i came on Aug 1st through Detroit the immigration officer took the finger prints and told us that the I-551 in the passport is valid for an year and by chance if you did not get your plastic card within that time frame you may go to the nearest INS office and get you temperorary green card extended.But it looks that you can get your plastic card in within a month by looking into www.cptracker.com.....

The immigration officer did not give any welcome letters at the POE.

BJ77
srinimuth said:
POE at Los Angeles on 3rd August. The officer on the counter was polite, asked for the sealed packets, verified them and asked us to do finger printing. We were made to wait for nearly one and a half hour as there were at least 10 similar cases along with us. After that we got our passports back with necessary stamping and the welcome letter.
The welcome letter says that they will mail the Green card in approximately Nine Months. Is it going to take that long?
What if I change my residence in the meantime?
The letter also says that with this stamp on the passport, you may obtain your Social Security number. Does it mean that I can go to local SSN administration office and apply for SSN for my family members? What are the documents required for applying for SSN apart from the passport?

Thanks for the help in advance.
Click to expand...
 
BJ77 said:
The immigration officer did not give any welcome letters at the POE.
Click to expand...
BJ77,

I believe what the original poster is reffering to you is a pre-printed circular, which informs about the SSN, etc. I'm sure you would have gotten one of those.
 
Alren, you are right. I was referring to the pre-printed circular which was given to me. The heading of the circular is "Welcome to United States".
Thanks for your clarifications for my question.
 
alren,
Are you specifying about the poster what you get with the immigrant visa packet? bcos...the immigration officer at the POE did not give me anything like posters or circulars.

BJ77
alren said:
BJ77,

I believe what the original poster is reffering to you is a pre-printed circular, which informs about the SSN, etc. I'm sure you would have gotten one of those.
Click to expand...
 
BJ,
No that printed paper does not come with immigrant packet. IT is basically pre-printed paper from Department of Homeland (US Customs and Border Protection). It is basically describes about the Stamp I-551 and its validity and its travel rights and a very brief explanation of SSN, Employment authorization and a time frame for the Plastic card you will be receiving in your email. At los angeles it is printed in English and Mexican.

If you didn't get it don't panic its just instruction and nothing else.

Thanks
 
Guys:

I did not receive any kind of circular or per-printed doc in Dallas when I entered 2 weeks back. I guess no need to worry about as long as your passport is stamped. How much time it takes usually to get welcome letters ? looking at other people's exp it seems like within 2 weeks one should get it.

Also, has anyone been asked for x-rays at POE ? Because I was not asked and I did not even offer them to see it. I'm not sure whether we were supposed to give x-rays at POE or it is ours to keep.
 
vm1214 said:
If you didn't get it don't panic its just instruction and nothing else.
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Agree with vm. I do not even know where mine is. It just says about 551 and social security.
 
Victor3536 said:
Guys:

I did not receive any kind of circular or per-printed doc in Dallas when I entered 2 weeks back. I guess no need to worry about as long as your passport is stamped. How much time it takes usually to get welcome letters ? looking at other people's exp it seems like within 2 weeks one should get it.

Also, has anyone been asked for x-rays at POE ? Because I was not asked and I did not even offer them to see it. I'm not sure whether we were supposed to give x-rays at POE or it is ours to keep.
Click to expand...
victor,

Agree, no need to worry. It should be 2-3 wks. (still awaiting mine). No Xrays at POE. It's lying somwhere in the house and likewise, don't know what to do with it.
 
Victor3536 said:
Guys:

Also, has anyone been asked for x-rays at POE ? Because I was not asked and I did not even offer them to see it. I'm not sure whether we were supposed to give x-rays at POE or it is ours to keep.

{I didn't even carry with me, it was with my wife who joined couple of days later and it is our property doesn't matter even though we don't understand anything from it }
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Question for Vm1214:


Vm1214,

since your wife came later (i.e. did not accompany you) can you please reply to my following posting?? I would really appreciate it. Did her packet say that she can accompany you or follow you later? Was it because you mentioned on her DS230 beforehand that she WILL come later??

Thanks.
S

Folks,

I am trying to see if I my wife can come seperately after we get our Immigrant visa. I guess one can but my question is do I have to indicate this NOW on the DS230 part I form which will be sent to NVC as part of packet3.

I see that there are two Qs on DS 230 part I:

21a. which asks who is going to accompany the applicant NOW?

21b. whic asks who is going to FOLLOW the applicant at a later date?

1). Can one change this info at the time of interview??

2). Is there any problem with wife coming back at a LATER Date with respect to POE formalities??

Please share experiences. It would be very helpful in making my decision.

Thanks
S
 
Sanjay,
When I submitted initally my DS-230 Part I to the US Consulate as mine was AC-140 case it was mentioned that we are going to travel back togeather.

But before going to interview I have filled another DS-230 part I which says we are going to travel seperately as I didn't have the copy of the one I sent before and thought of keeping it handy in case they ask me. and to my Suspicion they asked me the DS-230 part I and Part II even though I didn't mention anything to the officer about the travel plans.

As mentioned earlier in another post by Alren, Mumbai consulate issues individual packet per applicant so that Q has no weight or importance. But the base rule is same Primary should be before the Secondary or dependent.

Just a suggestion, as you already know that you are going to travel seperately better mention it.

Thanks
 
sanjay76 said:
Question for Vm1214:


Vm1214,

since your wife came later (i.e. did not accompany you) can you please reply to my following posting?? I would really appreciate it. Did her packet say that she can accompany you or follow you later? Was it because you mentioned on her DS230 beforehand that she WILL come later??

Thanks.
S

Folks,

I am trying to see if I my wife can come seperately after we get our Immigrant visa. I guess one can but my question is do I have to indicate this NOW on the DS230 part I form which will be sent to NVC as part of packet3.

{One straight forward answer to the whole question is, irrespective of what
you say in DS 230 forms, your dependents get the packet in such a way
that they can, if they want, travel seperately and after you have arrived
here in US.

However to be really straight forward in this area,

(a) If you are sure about your travel plans before hand, mention accordingly in the DS 230 forms.

(b) If for some reason you stated something in the forms and then later
changed your minds, THEN fill a new form and carry it to the interview.
Mention this change specifically to the consular officer and swap your
forms. }

I see that there are two Qs on DS 230 part I:

21a. which asks who is going to accompany the applicant NOW?

21b. whic asks who is going to FOLLOW the applicant at a later date?

1). Can one change this info at the time of interview??

2). Is there any problem with wife coming back at a LATER Date with respect to POE formalities??

Please share experiences. It would be very helpful in making my decision.

Thanks
S
Click to expand...

{my response}

During my interview I have asked this specific question to the consular officer and he clearly stated that the visa packets are given seperately and only
conditions about the travel are:

a) The dependents can either travel along with the applicant or come later.

b) The dependents cannot enter US before the main applicant.

My family travelled 2 months after I arrived and they did not have any problem. This is very common.

Raju
 
UK visa transit Q & CONFUSION:

Do Indian nationals have to get UK visas if they travel by British Airways To LONDON and need to change a flight that leaves after 3 hours to mumbai ???
:confused:
GCM
 
vm1214:

Thanks for your reply.But with the immigration visa packet i got a one paged letter from social security administration which is titled as SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS FOR U.S PERMANENT RESIDENTS and it says about what to do if you have requested for a SSN when you applied for the immigrant visa or if you do not request for a SSN in your application....etc....

I did not receive any instructions or guidelines regarding the I-551.But i have the I-551 in my passport which will do everything i guess.....Anyway just waiting for the welcome letter and the plastic card.....

BJ77
vm1214 said:
BJ,
No that printed paper does not come with immigrant packet. IT is basically pre-printed paper from Department of Homeland (US Customs and Border Protection). It is basically describes about the Stamp I-551 and its validity and its travel rights and a very brief explanation of SSN, Employment authorization and a time frame for the Plastic card you will be receiving in your email. At los angeles it is printed in English and Mexican.

If you didn't get it don't panic its just instruction and nothing else.

Thanks
Click to expand...
 
GCM:
My understanding is you need a transit visa for U.K if you do not have a valid visa sticker in your passport.But if you are coming with your immigrant visa ...i am not sure...bcos i didnt come via London .....I came via Amsterdam and no body bothered about it....I showed them the immigration visa packet and they are o.k with it...

BJ77
GC_Mangta said:
Do Indian nationals have to get UK visas if they travel by British Airways To LONDON and need to change a flight that leaves after 3 hours to mumbai ???
:confused:
GCM
Click to expand...
 
GC_Mangta said:
Do Indian nationals have to get UK visas if they travel by British Airways To LONDON and need to change a flight that leaves after 3 hours to mumbai ???
:confused:
GCM
Click to expand...
There's being conflicting school of thoughts on this one on this forum. Best is to check with British Airways in India, and the UK consulates in India and USA.
 
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