the approval notice etc.

M

Mirela

Registered Users (C)
Hi. According to online status, BCIS sent me the approval notice yesterday (remarkably, only six days after receiving my "additional evidence" documents which they had previously requested). Since I am going on a three-week vacation in two days, I doubt it will arrive before I leave. In case it doesn't, I need to know what this notice really says and/or comes with. I worry that there may be something I would have to do while I'm away. Please help.
FYI: I applied in June 1998; did fingerprints in March 2003.

Also, since we are on the subject of traveling back to our home countries, I am so confused about whether I am allowed to travel with my national passport or not. I actually thought I did but then I started reading all of your, usually fear-laden e-mails, and now I'm worried too. Can someone who knows please explain it to me once and for all. There is a lot of back and forth on this debate. All I know is that everyone I know who got their GCs a couple or so years ago has been traveling with their national passports and going home when they please. I mean, if that's not the case, what is the point? Are we really free then? Besides, we've all waited for years, some of us decades, to go home, and in many countries situation has changed for the better (certainly in mine).

So what is the problem? And why are so many of you so afraid to admit that you want (and probably will) go home at some point? I wish more of you would talk about it as if you weren't so afraid. Because, really, it's so ok. I refuse to accept anything else after spending a whole decade living like a prisoner. All this senseless waiting did was made me appreciate my roots more and realize that no matter who runs my country or how, it will always be my home. And no GC or American citizenship could change that.

Again, thanks to all of you who try to help whenever I post something. You trully seem like a caring bunch, and I wish you all the best, especially those still in waiting.

Mirela
 
Originally posted by Mirela
Hi. According to online status, BCIS sent me the approval notice yesterday (remarkably, only six days after receiving my "additional evidence" documents which they had previously requested). Since I am going on a three-week vacation in two days, I doubt it will arrive before I leave. In case it doesn't, I need to know what this notice really says and/or comes with. I worry that there may be something I would have to do while I'm away. Please help.
FYI: I applied in June 1998; did fingerprints in March 2003.

Also, since we are on the subject of traveling back to our home countries, I am so confused about whether I am allowed to travel with my national passport or not. I actually thought I did but then I started reading all of your, usually fear-laden e-mails, and now I'm worried too. Can someone who knows please explain it to me once and for all. There is a lot of back and forth on this debate. All I know is that everyone I know who got their GCs a couple or so years ago has been traveling with their national passports and going home when they please. I mean, if that's not the case, what is the point? Are we really free then? Besides, we've all waited for years, some of us decades, to go home, and in many countries situation has changed for the better (certainly in mine).

So what is the problem? And why are so many of you so afraid to admit that you want (and probably will) go home at some point? I wish more of you would talk about it as if you weren't so afraid. Because, really, it's so ok. I refuse to accept anything else after spending a whole decade living like a prisoner. All this senseless waiting did was made me appreciate my roots more and realize that no matter who runs my country or how, it will always be my home. And no GC or American citizenship could change that.

Again, thanks to all of you who try to help whenever I post something. You trully seem like a caring bunch, and I wish you all the best, especially those still in waiting.

Mirela
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I am scared too. I would love to go back but the information that I got from this forum makes me very confused. I would like to get an answer.
 
Originally posted by Mirela
Hi. According to online status, BCIS sent me the approval notice yesterday (remarkably, only six days after receiving my "additional evidence" documents which they had previously requested). Since I am going on a three-week vacation in two days, I doubt it will arrive before I leave. In case it doesn't, I need to know what this notice really says and/or comes with. I worry that there may be something I would have to do while I'm away. Please help.
FYI: I applied in June 1998; did fingerprints in March 2003.

Also, since we are on the subject of traveling back to our home countries, I am so confused about whether I am allowed to travel with my national passport or not. I actually thought I did but then I started reading all of your, usually fear-laden e-mails, and now I'm worried too. Can someone who knows please explain it to me once and for all. There is a lot of back and forth on this debate. All I know is that everyone I know who got their GCs a couple or so years ago has been traveling with their national passports and going home when they please. I mean, if that's not the case, what is the point? Are we really free then? Besides, we've all waited for years, some of us decades, to go home, and in many countries situation has changed for the better (certainly in mine).

So what is the problem? And why are so many of you so afraid to admit that you want (and probably will) go home at some point? I wish more of you would talk about it as if you weren't so afraid. Because, really, it's so ok. I refuse to accept anything else after spending a whole decade living like a prisoner. All this senseless waiting did was made me appreciate my roots more and realize that no matter who runs my country or how, it will always be my home. And no GC or American citizenship could change that.

Again, thanks to all of you who try to help whenever I post something. You trully seem like a caring bunch, and I wish you all the best, especially those still in waiting.

Mirela
Click to expand...
Congratulations mirela and hope your husband hears from them soon. You will receive a notice that informs you about possible times to go to your local office and get your temporay evidence for permanant residency; I-551. you will need to provide them with 2 pictures ( 3 pictures if you do not want your passport stamped). They will also take your fingerprints and will tell you that your plastic card will arrive within a year. Do not take a long vacation and do this as soon as you arrive. Also call the local office and make sure what days they open because the notice may tell you the wrong days. I hope that they do not take long time to issue approvals for those who were asked to provide additional evidence especially sessanga. I wish i can go back home mirela but things are still screwed back home and i can be instantly killed if i go back. I think that all the folks, who warned against going back after the I 485 is issued, have one thing on mind. Things have changed within immigration since 9/11. INS workers are getting more suspicious, and they will not let go of any chance to strip many immigrants of their new legal status. There is a mentality of blame and immigrants are held guilty until proven innocent. They can accuse you of fraud since you indicated that your life is in danger and that you need shelter in the USA. They may ask you about what happened to your personal statement in which you indicated that you fear for your life. i think the answer to your question is:" it depends." It depends on whether they notice that you are asylee as you come back and who notices that and what they will do. Remember that in the I551 that you will receive, there is a section called "commentary." In it they will write: "As6" which means asylum i guess. If you want to play it safe, do as some one suggested in this forum: go to canada then to your country and back to canada then to the states. you have to have a passport to enter canda from a third country and you can use your national passport. it is cheaper anyway to fly from canada provided that you live in a state that is not far from it. Good luck
 
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Thank you for the info. I guess all I am saying is this: having your national passport stamped and traveling with it is just as "bad" as going home. By having it, you are saying that the country you came from is offering you protection.

I appreciate the advice but I will not hide anything from anyone when I go home. As soon as I get the GC in the mail, I will travel freely and whereever I want. The government in my country has changed and is now supported by the U.S. (previously my country was in isolation); the situation changed dramatically after 2000. I completely understand that many of you come from places that are not nearly as stable. But things do change all over the world. This is something that the U.S. obviously can't or doesn't know how to accept because they like to "label," and label some more. You know, "once a cheat, always a cheat." Hence, the U.S. likes to "group" because it's ten times easier than to individualize guilt. And this is wrong. This is why the world perceives it as an arrogant, spoiled brat. It has made too many mistakes. And just because it's offered us protection, we should not be blind and feel somehow guilty. Asylees pay their dues. Do they ever.

So will embrace this new chapter as a free (and I mean "free") person. And, no, I'm not being irrational. I'm just standing up for myself like all of you should because at the end of the day, YOU teach people how to treat you. By being scared shitless, we have all (including myself for sure) shown INS that we can't stand up to them and that they can do whatever they want to us. And if they want to punish me somehow, so be it.

Cheers.
 
Congratulations, Mirela.
I don't think you should use your national passport, but I think that you can visit your home country with US green card. Do not share your feelings about US and my home country, but my mother and sister think disagree with me. I guess this is personal.
There is a US military base near my hometown, even though it has the same government as it did for last 40 years. It makes me feel bitter - 'realpolitik'. It considered a US ally these days, but country is in the list of countries not allowed to participate in lottery.
My BCIS status says that they received my response on July 21 and I am keeping my fingers crossed.
 
Originally posted by Mirela
Thank you for the info. I guess all I am saying is this: having your national passport stamped and traveling with it is just as "bad" as going home. By having it, you are saying that the country you came from is offering you protection.

I appreciate the advice but I will not hide anything from anyone when I go home. As soon as I get the GC in the mail, I will travel freely and whereever I want. The government in my country has changed and is now supported by the U.S. (previously my country was in isolation); the situation changed dramatically after 2000. I completely understand that many of you come from places that are not nearly as stable. But things do change all over the world. This is something that the U.S. obviously can't or doesn't know how to accept because they like to "label," and label some more. You know, "once a cheat, always a cheat." Hence, the U.S. likes to "group" because it's ten times easier than to individualize guilt. And this is wrong. This is why the world perceives it as an arrogant, spoiled brat. It has made too many mistakes. And just because it's offered us protection, we should not be blind and feel somehow guilty. Asylees pay their dues. Do they ever.

So will embrace this new chapter as a free (and I mean "free") person. And, no, I'm not being irrational. I'm just standing up for myself like all of you should because at the end of the day, YOU teach people how to treat you. By being scared shitless, we have all (including myself for sure) shown INS that we can't stand up to them and that they can do whatever they want to us. And if they want to punish me somehow, so be it.

Cheers.
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Mirela,

I'm really happy to read what you posted, when I started posting in this forum, probably more than one year ago, I expressed my feelings about the human need to go back to my country, to visit relatives and friends, to be in touch with my roots and my culture, unfortunatelly at that time I was attacked by a group of members who treated me as a "cheater", as a fake asylee.

I left my country with real fear, my life was threatened, I was going to be killed, but it doesn'y mean that I hate my country and my people, It doesn't mean that I don't want to go back.

Things have changed there, and I agree with you, as soon as I receive my GC I'll travel there.

You don't have to be a cheater to feel the need to go back, and is a matter of attitude.

Thanks
 
Originally posted by cookiemonster
Mirela,

I'm really happy to read what you posted, when I started posting in this forum, probably more than one year ago, I expressed my feelings about the human need to go back to my country, to visit relatives and friends, to be in touch with my roots and my culture, unfortunatelly at that time I was attacked by a group of members who treated me as a "cheater", as a fake asylee.

I left my country with real fear, my life was threatened, I was going to be killed, but it doesn'y mean that I hate my country and my people, It doesn't mean that I don't want to go back.

Things have changed there, and I agree with you, as soon as I receive my GC I'll travel there.

You don't have to be a cheater to feel the need to go back, and is a matter of attitude.

Thanks
Click to expand...

The only glich might be that they put the term "COA AS6" under program on for I151 (temporary Green Card) and from what I have heard, on the final Green card as well. Seems (to me) that AS6 denotes "asylee" status and hence reveals to everyone (who knows how to read this term) that your GC is based on asylum. Even though things have improved in some countries, I guess it will depend on the immigration officers in each country as how to interpret this and react to this. Some countries might not care while as others might have a problem with the fact that a citizen of that country took asylum (against that country) for whatever reasons.

Good Luck.
 
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