Question about parent’s Greencard application

Amiusa

Amiusa

New Member
My mom and dad are citizens of India and their Greencard just got approved as my US citizen brother had applied for them under family sponsorship application. They will visit USA before July 3,2025 to complete their landing process. I have questions as below based on this situation:

(1)How long will it take for them to get the physical copy of their Greencard in mail once they arrive in Texas?

(2)How soon can my dad apply for his and my mom’s re-entry permit (Form I-131) once they arrive in Texas and do we need a lawyer to file this permit on their behalf and do they need to appear for biometrics exam again in TX as part of their re-entry permit application? My dad has some family obligations to take care of in India and hence we need to apply for re-entry permit.

(3)How soon will they receive their re-entry permit once applied?

(4) Do they need to complete any biometric exam in USA again as part of their landing process or as part of re-entry permit application?

(5) Do they need to buy visitor health insurance applicable to Visitor Visa holders or insurance for Greencard holders from government?

(6) Can they visit me in Canada after only completing their landing process?
 
1. A few months, assuming they paid the $235 immigrant fee
2. Immediately. They do not need a lawyer. They do need to appear for the biometrics appointment.
3. Hard to say. Could be months or over a year
4. as part of Re-entry Permit application
5. Texas does not have a penalty for not having insurance. They can buy a health insurance plan from the ACA marketplace.
6. Yes, as far as the US is concerned. As for entering Canada, normally US permanent residents can visit Canada without a visa, but I'm not entirely sure whether Canada accepts the endorsed immigrant visa as proof of permanent residency.
 
On point #3 (How soon will they receive their re-entry permit once applied?) I agree with @newacct

Difficult to say.
In Mar 2023 I had filed I-130 and I-485 for my parent. Along with that we had also filed for re-entry permit. Our thought was, Green card might take a long time and if we have to travel outside US in the meantime, even a visit to Canada, it is better to have re-entry permit in hand.
I-485 was approved in 9 months in Dec 2023 and we soon good the physical Green card.

Never ever heard anything about re-entry permit till now.
 
BelRed said:
On point #3 (How soon will they receive their re-entry permit once applied?) I agree with @newacct

Difficult to say.
In Mar 2023 I had filed I-130 and I-485 for my parent. Along with that we had also filed for re-entry permit. Our thought was, Green card might take a long time and if we have to travel outside US in the meantime, even a visit to Canada, it is better to have re-entry permit in hand.
I-485 was approved in 9 months in Dec 2023 and we soon good the physical Green card.

Never ever heard anything about re-entry permit till now.
Click to expand...
Not a good example as you filed for the REP before being eligible to do so. Or do you maybe mean you filed for advance parole (makes more sense given your description of the circumstances?). It’s the same application form for both but they are processed differently.
 
BelRed said:
On point #3 (How soon will they receive their re-entry permit once applied?) I agree with @newacct

Difficult to say.
In Mar 2023 I had filed I-130 and I-485 for my parent. Along with that we had also filed for re-entry permit. Our thought was, Green card might take a long time and if we have to travel outside US in the meantime, even a visit to Canada, it is better to have re-entry permit in hand.
I-485 was approved in 9 months in Dec 2023 and we soon good the physical Green card.

Never ever heard anything about re-entry permit till now.
Click to expand...
Agreed with Susie. You were not eligible to file a re-entry permit with the I-130 and I-485, that should have been an AP which would have been approved before the GC was approved.
 
newacct said:
1. A few months, assuming they paid the $235 immigrant fee
2. Immediately. They do not need a lawyer. They do need to appear for the biometrics appointment.
3. Hard to say. Could be months or over a year
4. as part of Re-entry Permit application
5. Texas does not have a penalty for not having insurance. They can buy a health insurance plan from the ACA marketplace.
6. Yes, as far as the US is concerned. As for entering Canada, normally US permanent residents can visit Canada without a visa, but I'm not entirely sure whether Canada accepts the endorsed immigrant visa as proof of permanent residency.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response. So does this mean my mom and dad can’t leave USA until their re-entry permit is approved which can take up to 9 months to get approved? I am asking because they won’t be able to stay in USA for 9 months after arriving in USA to complete landing before July 6,2025 as my father curry has business in India which he needs to wind up before permanently moving to USA so re-entry permit being approved is crucial for him. So if he leaves USA within few weeks of filing for re-entry permit and completing the biometrics needed for re-entry permit then it would be ok. Also will they be eligible to get health insurance from the government’s ACA marketplace even though they don’t have any employment history in USA? I would appreciate your response on this questions, thanks!
 
SusieQQQ said:
Not a good example as you filed for the REP before being eligible to do so. Or do you maybe mean you filed for advance parole (makes more sense given your description of the circumstances?). It’s the same application form for both but they are processed differently.
Click to expand...
newacct said:
1. A few months, assuming they paid the $235 immigrant fee
2. Immediately. They do not need a lawyer. They do need to appear for the biometrics appointment.
3. Hard to say. Could be months or over a year
4. as part of Re-entry Permit application
5. Texas does not have a penalty for not having insurance. They can buy a health insurance plan from the ACA marketplace.
6. Yes, as far as the US is concerned. As for entering Canada, normally US permanent residents can visit Canada without a visa, but I'm not entirely sure whether Canada accepts the endorsed immigrant visa as proof of permanent residency.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response. So does this mean my mom and dad can’t leave USA until their re-entry permit is approved which can take up to 9 months to get approved? I am asking because they won’t be able to stay in USA for 9 months after arriving in USA to complete landing before July 6,2025 as my father curry has business in India which he needs to wind up before permanently moving to USA so re-entry permit being approved is crucial for him. So if he leaves USA within few weeks of filing for re-entry permit and completing the biometrics needed for re-entry permit then it would be ok. Also will they be eligible to get health insurance from the government’s ACA marketplace even though they don’t have any employment history in USA? I would appreciate your response on this questions, thanks!
 
Sm1smom said:
Agreed with Susie. You were not eligible to file a re-entry permit with the I-130 and I-485, that should have been an AP which would have been approved before the GC was approved.
Click to expand...
newacct said:
1. A few months, assuming they paid the $235 immigrant fee
2. Immediately. They do not need a lawyer. They do need to appear for the biometrics appointment.
3. Hard to say. Could be months or over a year
4. as part of Re-entry Permit application
5. Texas does not have a penalty for not having insurance. They can buy a health insurance plan from the ACA marketplace.
6. Yes, as far as the US is concerned. As for entering Canada, normally US permanent residents can visit Canada without a visa, but I'm not entirely sure whether Canada accepts the endorsed immigrant visa as proof of permanent residency.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response. So does this mean my mom and dad can’t leave USA until their re-entry permit is approved which can take up to 9 months to get approved? I am asking because they won’t be able to stay in USA for 9 months after arriving in USA to complete landing before July 6,2025 as my father curry has business in India which he needs to wind up before permanently moving to USA so re-entry permit being approved is crucial for him. So if he leaves USA within few weeks of filing for re-entry permit and completing the biometrics needed for re-entry permit then it would be ok. Also will they be eligible to get health insurance from the government’s ACA marketplace even though they don’t have any employment history in USA? I would appreciate your response on this questions, thanks!
 
Amiusa said:
Thank you for your response. So does this mean my mom and dad can’t leave USA until their re-entry permit is approved which can take up to 9 months to get approved? I am asking because they won’t be able to stay in USA for 9 months after arriving in USA to complete landing before July 6,2025 as my father curry has business in India which he needs to wind up before permanently moving to USA so re-entry permit being approved is crucial for him.
Click to expand...
This information is mostly on the USCIS website actually. They need to be in the US to apply for the REP and to stay until they do biometrics. (Usually a few weeks after application.) They can get the actual permit sent to the closest consulate to where they will be for collection, which could be months. They don’t need it unless they are planning on spending more than a year outside the US, which it doesn’t sound like they are anyway.
 
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