The downside of approvals?

[wik]

With all these approvals going on, I wonder if there is a downside lurking at the USCIS. Will they be so overburdended trying to spit out the plastic cards, that those will take years to make too?

And, of course, the amateur looking I-551 stamp only lasts one year (why?), which might mean an annual seven hour wait at the USCIS office for a renewal stamp.

As always with the INS/CIS/USCIS I hope for the best. And prepare for the worst.

 

[desi-bartender]

You are right. But service centers does not handle card stamping.
Its the local offices. A month back whoever did stamping at San Jose
would get their Plastic card in couple of weeks. Now people are
waiting for 5 weeks for a plastic card. And I am sure the wait will
climb to 3 months in few months.

But look at the bright side.....The major part is over. You are in US.

 

[murthy_janaki]

If i am approved i am willing to wait for six months for the plastic card. That does not mean much to me after the ordeal that we going through with the rfe's issued and random proccessing.

 

[wik]

I agree that the worst part of the ordeal is over... but the plastic card undoubtedly confers more *visible* legal status than the 551 stamp. For example, if a mortage lender or other institution (DMV?) requests evidence of your LPR status, then the stamp doesn't even say USA on it! And smaller foreign airlines may be unfamiliar with the stamp (some are even unfamiliar with AP) so it's just another level of hassle. When I stamped on Monday, I was told the card would be mailed in two months.

Two other people stamped before me were told ten months and five months! So, just like 485 adjudications and every other dealing with USCIS, we don't know what's going on, they don't know what's going on, and the whole thing is a crap shoot. It would be funny if it weren't so tragic for people's lives.