Can I get a 551 stamp with no valid passport?

[mPasCa 0]

Background info:

Approved AOS based on marriage to US citizen 3 years ago

Sent in I751 a year ago (4/03/07 @ TSC), received 1yr extension of green card.

Biometrics completed 5/03/07 in San Antonio, TX office.

I751 application transferred (for some unholy reason) to VSC this January; meanwhile, we moved to California (and changed our address with USCIS).

Current status online:

Application Type: CRI89, PETITION TO REMOVE CONDITIONS OF PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS RECEIVED

Current Status: This case is now pending at the office to which it was transferred.

The problem:

Driver's license/work authorization expires soon; I have an Infopass appointment, but no valid passport. I don't plan on leaving the country, but I do need to renew my DL. The USCIS customer service hotline said I should bring two passport-style photos to the infopass appointment in lieu of a valid passport.

My questions:

1) What document will I receive? Does it cost anything?

2) What else do I need to bring to the infopass appointment, and will xerox copies work or should I bring originals?

3) Any other advice or relevant info I should know?

Thanks for any help.

p.s. I've looked at this thread, and its the closest thing I've found to my problem, but doesn't answer the issue about an expired passport satisfactorily (IMHO).

[kc456 0]

the post that you referenced contained a link to uscis memorandum which states:

If a conditional resident whose I-551 has expired and whose I-797 has “expired” or is about to “expire” requests documentation of his or her status for travel or employment purposes, the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) officer who is processing this request should first check MFAS. If the Form I-751 is still pending, the BCIS officer should collect the expired Form I-551 and issue either:

• A temporary I-551 stamp with a 12-month expiration date in the conditional resident’s unexpired, foreign passport (if the expiration date of the passport is one year or more); or

If the conditional resident is not in possession of an unexpired foreign passport, a Form I-94 (arrival portion) containing a temporary I-551 stamp with a 12-month expiration date and a photograph of the conditional resident.

the memo is from 2003 so i'm not sure if things changed but sounds like you should be ok

[mPasCa 0]

the post that you referenced contained a link to uscis memorandum which states:

If a conditional resident whose I-551 has expired and whose I-797 has “expired” or is about to “expire” requests documentation of his or her status for travel or employment purposes, the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) officer who is processing this request should first check MFAS. If the Form I-751 is still pending, the BCIS officer should collect the expired Form I-551 and issue either:

• A temporary I-551 stamp with a 12-month expiration date in the conditional resident’s unexpired, foreign passport (if the expiration date of the passport is one year or more); or

If the conditional resident is not in possession of an unexpired foreign passport, a Form I-94 (arrival portion) containing a temporary I-551 stamp with a 12-month expiration date and a photograph of the conditional resident.

the memo is from 2003 so i'm not sure if things changed but sounds like you should be ok

Thanks a lot. Apparently you aren't able to download the memo without logging in---I thought the link was broken. So just on to my other questions: is there any fee associated with this? what documentation do I need to bring?

[Xsoldier2000 0]

the post that you referenced contained a link to uscis memorandum which states:

If a conditional resident whose I-551 has expired and whose I-797 has "expired" or is about to "expire" requests documentation of his or her status for travel or employment purposes, the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) officer who is processing this request should first check MFAS. If the Form I-751 is still pending, the BCIS officer should collect the expired Form I-551 and issue either:

• A temporary I-551 stamp with a 12-month expiration date in the conditional resident's unexpired, foreign passport (if the expiration date of the passport is one year or more); or

If the conditional resident is not in possession of an unexpired foreign passport, a Form I-94 (arrival portion) containing a temporary I-551 stamp with a 12-month expiration date and a photograph of the conditional resident.

the memo is from 2003 so i'm not sure if things changed but sounds like you should be ok

Thanks a lot. Apparently you aren't able to download the memo without logging in---I thought the link was broken. So just on to my other questions: is there any fee associated with this? what documentation do I need to bring?

The stamp costs nothing, only maybe 10 minutes of your time. BUT....you must have a valid passport. That is the only place they will put the stamp.

My wife and I had to get the stamp and they were able to stamp it, until the expiration date of her passport. Once we renew the passport we need to go back and get the I-551 stamp.

Hope this helps.