Hi everyone. I arrived at JFK on Wednesday with my brown envelope and IR-1 visa in passport. I had a 5 minute wait and the CBP officer was friendly. He opened the envelope, stamped my passport (page next to visa) with the usual Oval "Admitted" stamp, that said the date. He wrote IR-1 on it and my A-number. My question is: On the visa it says "upon endorsement serves as temporary I-551...." Has my visa been endorsed? Did I need another stamp??
He then directed me to walk all the way down the side of the baggage hall, (looked like a makeshift low barrier thing) to a desk right next to customs. There about 7-8 other immigrants were waiting. There were three friendly ladies who asked for the contents of my envelope and also my passport and asked me to wait. I saw my wife all the way on the other side of the baggage area but she didn't spot me. After 5 minutes I was called and I was asked to write my name on a form through a hole in a plastic stencil, and they took my right index print twice. I think I also signed something and that was it! I could go. Different from what I expected I guess.
Full Version: POE and I551 stamp?? Did I get one?
VisaJourney.com > Marriage Based Immigration (K1, K2, K3, etc) to the USA > IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa General Discussion
QUOTE(vwatts @ Oct 12 2007, 03:05 PM) 
Hi everyone. I arrived at JFK on Wednesday with my brown envelope and IR-1 visa in passport. I had a 5 minute wait and the CBP officer was friendly. He opened the envelope, stamped my passport (page next to visa) with the usual Oval "Admitted" stamp, that said the date. He wrote IR-1 on it and my A-number. My question is: On the visa it says "upon endorsement serves as temporary I-551...." Has my visa been endorsed? Did I need another stamp??
He then directed me to walk all the way down the side of the baggage hall, (looked like a makeshift low barrier thing) to a desk right next to customs. There about 7-8 other immigrants were waiting. There were three friendly ladies who asked for the contents of my envelope and also my passport and asked me to wait. I saw my wife all the way on the other side of the baggage area but she didn't spot me. After 5 minutes I was called and I was asked to write my name on a form through a hole in a plastic stencil, and they took my right index print twice. I think I also signed something and that was it! I could go. Different from what I expected I guess.
He then directed me to walk all the way down the side of the baggage hall, (looked like a makeshift low barrier thing) to a desk right next to customs. There about 7-8 other immigrants were waiting. There were three friendly ladies who asked for the contents of my envelope and also my passport and asked me to wait. I saw my wife all the way on the other side of the baggage area but she didn't spot me. After 5 minutes I was called and I was asked to write my name on a form through a hole in a plastic stencil, and they took my right index print twice. I think I also signed something and that was it! I could go. Different from what I expected I guess.
The stamp you got works as temporary green card. Means, you can start looking for a job and start working.
Of course you need a SSN first. But with the temporary I-551 this shouldn't be a problem.
Yes, that stamp means your visa has been endorsed and it will be good for 1 year, but hopefully you will get your green card in the mail within a few weeks. As stinger said above, that stamp is valid for work authorization but you can't get a job until you get a SS#. The good thing is, you can get that # with the stamp you got at the airport.
Diana
Diana
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