Loomis is amazing....and green card...

[Sylea 30]

So, approved Wednesday morning in Montreal, just picked up my passport and sealed envelope from Loomis here in the interior of BC!!

Could NOT believe it when they called this morning to say it was here! It literally took 24 hours to get to me.

Too funny after all the interminable waiting to get through the immigration system and do the interview.....

Now, I've just logged onto USCIS ELIS and paid my IV fee of $165.

My questions -

Will they mail the card to my US address?? I was not asked for that information anywhere on the form, so must assume they get it from my AR number and/or case number??

My temp IV in my CAD passport is valid till March of 2015 - I am making my POE on Dec 25th.

How long should it take to get the conditional green card??

I'm trying to figure out all the timing with applying for EI from Canada... (sorry for all the acronyms, but you expert VJ'rs will know what I'm talking about! LOL

It's all a bit surreal, really.

Peace all.

[Raven4dragon 12]

LOL good morning again i was reading the papers that are so lightly taped to the do not open package lol and they said the green card will be mailed to your us address you filled out in your immigration papers. Also something i found interesting was it saying that you have to tell them if you move from that address...... hmmm they just wont let us stop the paperwork it seems lol.

[NikLR 13,220]

Your green card production won't start until you POE. It's sent to your US address. It takes from 1-3 months from POE (since you already paid) to get the hard copy green card. Your visa is valid until March 2015, but your temporary green card (the endorsed visa) will be valid for 1 year from POE. Wait 2-3 weeks after POE and go get your SSN if it's not sent to you.

[Sylea 30]

Thanks NLR - so are you saying that at my POE, they mark something that shows my Visa is valid for a year?? I'm confused.

The foil visa in my CAD passport says expiry March 2015 - do they put something else in my passport to change that expiry date??

[Sylea 30]

LOL good morning again i was reading the papers that are so lightly taped to the do not open package lol and they said the green card will be mailed to your us address you filled out in your immigration papers. Also something i found interesting was it saying that you have to tell them if you move from that address...... hmmm they just wont let us stop the paperwork it seems lol.

Haha, ain't that the truth.

Yes, I re-read the papers again and it's clear to me now. And I expect it will be made even more clear once I make my POE.

Booked my ticket today, flying out of Vancouver Xmas day at 645 AM - I'm told Customs/Immigration will be very quiet at that time........let's hope so!

Peace.

[NikLR 13,220]

Thanks NLR - so are you saying that at my POE, they mark something that shows my Visa is valid for a year?? I'm confused.

The foil visa in my CAD passport says expiry March 2015 - do they put something else in my passport to change that expiry date??

Read the bottom line of your visa. It should say upon endorsement serves as temporary i-551 valid for 1 year (something to that effect.) When you POE, you announce that you are immigrating. You then go to secondary and they take your do not open package if they didn't originally. You sign a paper and put your fingerprint on it. They stamp your passport and with that endorsement your visa becomes a temporary green card (I-551) valid for 1 year.

Visa is CR1 or IR1. I-551 is a green card.

Don't expet the CBP to make your immigration clearer. They generally have no idea but it's best to just nod and say thank you (play dumb.) They told me it would take 6-8 months to get my hard copy green card. Lol. It took 4 weeks.

[Raven4dragon 12]

Haha, ain't that the truth.

Yes, I re-read the papers again and it's clear to me now. And I expect it will be made even more clear once I make my POE.

Booked my ticket today, flying out of Vancouver Xmas day at 645 AM - I'm told Customs/Immigration will be very quiet at that time........let's hope so!

Peace.

Grats hopefully your poe goes smoothly at that hour lol. Trailer booked here for Nov.7th weekend ek sooooo much to do. After all the waiting it seems like a rush for things now but i would rather that then the endless uncertainty of waiting

[Sylea 30]

Read the bottom line of your visa. It should say upon endorsement serves as temporary i-551 valid for 1 year (something to that effect.) When you POE, you announce that you are immigrating. You then go to secondary and they take your do not open package if they didn't originally. You sign a paper and put your fingerprint on it. They stamp your passport and with that endorsement your visa becomes a temporary green card (I-551) valid for 1 year.

Visa is CR1 or IR1. I-551 is a green card.

Don't expet the CBP to make your immigration clearer. They generally have no idea but it's best to just nod and say thank you (play dumb.) They told me it would take 6-8 months to get my hard copy green card. Lol. It took 4 weeks.

Thanks as always, NLR - I'm certainly hoping I don't get cranky CBP staff at 430AM Xmas morning!! LOL

Hopefully my green card will arrive promptly...

Now, back to packing!

Peace.

Grats hopefully your poe goes smoothly at that hour lol. Trailer booked here for Nov.7th weekend ek sooooo much to do. After all the waiting it seems like a rush for things now but i would rather that then the endless uncertainty of waiting

I know, right??? A year of anguish and now everything has ramped up!!

It's all good, I'm just trying to manage my stress levels......

Best of luck with your move!!