Is the actual green card mailed to you?

[Amina_KSA 0]

Sorry for this stupid question, but DH and I will be moving to the states soon after a successful DCF. DH was approved for a perm. 10 year green card, thank God. So...once we go through POE, what happens next? Is the green card automatically mailed to us once we pass through POE? Or, do we have to go to an immigration office to apply for it? I am really confused about this. What role does the immigration office play in our lives, do we ever have to go there or do we just have to notify them if we move, etc?

Thanks so much!

[Penguin_ie 6,001]

Yes, it is automatically mailed to you, as is the SSN if you ticked the box on his paperwork. SSN usually arrived within a month, physical green card takes a bit longer (see my timeline in my signature) but that is ok as the visa in his passport counts as a temporary greencard for a year. You do need to notify USCIS if you move, but other than that you'll have no involvement with them until he applied for citizenship in 3 years.

[Amina_KSA 0]

Yes, it is automatically mailed to you, as is the SSN if you ticked the box on his paperwork. SSN usually arrived within a month, physical green card takes a bit longer (see my timeline in my signature) but that is ok as the visa in his passport counts as a temporary greencard for a year. You do need to notify USCIS if you move, but other than that you'll have no involvement with them until he applied for citizenship in 3 years.

Thank you so much Penguin - you're always my guardian angel with the answers!

So, if we move do we physically go to the USCIS office or do we mail them something?

Also, for the citizenship do we have to do anything during the three years or do we just live as normal and then go and apply for the citizenship once the three years is up?

[trinket 30]

Yes, it is automatically mailed to you, as is the SSN if you ticked the box on his paperwork. SSN usually arrived within a month, physical green card takes a bit longer (see my timeline in my signature) but that is ok as the visa in his passport counts as a temporary greencard for a year. You do need to notify USCIS if you move, but other than that you'll have no involvement with them until he applied for citizenship in 3 years.

Thank you so much Penguin - you're always my guardian angel with the answers!

So, if we move do we physically go to the USCIS office or do we mail them something?

Also, for the citizenship do we have to do anything during the three years or do we just live as normal and then go and apply for the citizenship once the three years is up?

If you move then the petitioner (that's you) will have to fill up form i-865 and your husband will have to fill up AR-11.

AR-11 can be filled online, but do remember to file it within 10 days of moving.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

It will be mailed to you.

[faryan 4]

Yes, it is automatically mailed to you, as is the SSN if you ticked the box on his paperwork. SSN usually arrived within a month, physical green card takes a bit longer (see my timeline in my signature) but that is ok as the visa in his passport counts as a temporary greencard for a year. You do need to notify USCIS if you move, but other than that you'll have no involvement with them until he applied for citizenship in 3 years.

We also ticked the box for the SSN (filed and got my CR1). I will arrive on Thursday, so that means i should just wait for the SSN to arrive at our address? (hubby needs my SSN to file for tax returns no?)

I thought I have to wait for the GC to arrive and then we go to SS office to register or something. So confusing..

[trinket 30]

Yes, it is automatically mailed to you, as is the SSN if you ticked the box on his paperwork. SSN usually arrived within a month, physical green card takes a bit longer (see my timeline in my signature) but that is ok as the visa in his passport counts as a temporary greencard for a year. You do need to notify USCIS if you move, but other than that you'll have no involvement with them until he applied for citizenship in 3 years.

We also ticked the box for the SSN (filed and got my CR1). I will arrive on Thursday, so that means i should just wait for the SSN to arrive at our address? (hubby needs my SSN to file for tax returns no?)

I thought I have to wait for the GC to arrive and then we go to SS office to register or something. So confusing..

You don't have to wait for GC to go to SS office. Wait for a week or so and go to SS office, sometimes they have your SSN ready for you or otherwise you will have to apply for it.

I didn't fill up the form but the lady at the SS office filled it out for me, so I don't really know what all she took, but basically go with your passport and it will be done, I applied for me SS before getting my Green card, got my SS on 2nd of January and my GC on 6th of January, came to US on 26th of November.

[Amina_KSA 0]

Yes, it is automatically mailed to you, as is the SSN if you ticked the box on his paperwork. SSN usually arrived within a month, physical green card takes a bit longer (see my timeline in my signature) but that is ok as the visa in his passport counts as a temporary greencard for a year. You do need to notify USCIS if you move, but other than that you'll have no involvement with them until he applied for citizenship in 3 years.

Thank you so much Penguin - you're always my guardian angel with the answers!

So, if we move do we physically go to the USCIS office or do we mail them something?

Also, for the citizenship do we have to do anything during the three years or do we just live as normal and then go and apply for the citizenship once the three years is up?

If you move then the petitioner (that's you) will have to fill up form i-865 and your husband will have to fill up AR-11.

AR-11 can be filled online, but do remember to file it within 10 days of moving.

Thanks for the response. So, I will have to fill out a new i-865 other than the ones we already submitted for the visa process?

[faryan 4]

Yes, it is automatically mailed to you, as is the SSN if you ticked the box on his paperwork. SSN usually arrived within a month, physical green card takes a bit longer (see my timeline in my signature) but that is ok as the visa in his passport counts as a temporary greencard for a year. You do need to notify USCIS if you move, but other than that you'll have no involvement with them until he applied for citizenship in 3 years.

We also ticked the box for the SSN (filed and got my CR1). I will arrive on Thursday, so that means i should just wait for the SSN to arrive at our address? (hubby needs my SSN to file for tax returns no?)

I thought I have to wait for the GC to arrive and then we go to SS office to register or something. So confusing..

You don't have to wait for GC to go to SS office. Wait for a week or so and go to SS office, sometimes they have your SSN ready for you or otherwise you will have to apply for it.

I didn't fill up the form but the lady at the SS office filled it out for me, so I don't really know what all she took, but basically go with your passport and it will be done, I applied for me SS before getting my Green card, got my SS on 2nd of January and my GC on 6th of January, came to US on 26th of November.

Thanks Trinket!!! We will wait a week and then go visit the local office

[trinket 30]

Yes, it is automatically mailed to you, as is the SSN if you ticked the box on his paperwork. SSN usually arrived within a month, physical green card takes a bit longer (see my timeline in my signature) but that is ok as the visa in his passport counts as a temporary greencard for a year. You do need to notify USCIS if you move, but other than that you'll have no involvement with them until he applied for citizenship in 3 years.

Thank you so much Penguin - you're always my guardian angel with the answers!

So, if we move do we physically go to the USCIS office or do we mail them something?

Also, for the citizenship do we have to do anything during the three years or do we just live as normal and then go and apply for the citizenship once the three years is up?

If you move then the petitioner (that's you) will have to fill up form i-865 and your husband will have to fill up AR-11.

AR-11 can be filled online, but do remember to file it within 10 days of moving.

Thanks for the response. So, I will have to fill out a new i-865 other than the ones we already submitted for the visa process?

What you submitted at Visa process is i-864 which is different than i-865. Here is the link for i-865

Edited February 9, 2009 by trinket

[Penguin_ie 6,001]

For the citizenship, you don't need to do anything, but if you buy a house together or something, make sure to keep records as you may be asked to proof that you have a bonafide marriage at the interview. Also there will be a test of US knowledge which you can study for, it's quite easy, you just need to learn the answers to 100 questions off by heart- no need to look into that until half a year before the three years are up.

[Amina_KSA 0]

For the citizenship, you don't need to do anything, but if you buy a house together or something, make sure to keep records as you may be asked to proof that you have a bonafide marriage at the interview. Also there will be a test of US knowledge which you can study for, it's quite easy, you just need to learn the answers to 100 questions off by heart- no need to look into that until half a year before the three years are up.

Thanks ladies.

Ok, just to beat a dead horse - soooo when the three years is up we just show up at USCIS and say we want to apply for citizenship? How long does it usually take from the time the three years are up and a person is granted citizenship?

About bonafide marriage..I'm hoping our son and the fact that we were married for several years before applying for the green card will make that pretty much a non-issue, but we'll bring other proof.

[Marilyn. 340]

For the citizenship, you don't need to do anything, but if you buy a house together or something, make sure to keep records as you may be asked to proof that you have a bonafide marriage at the interview. Also there will be a test of US knowledge which you can study for, it's quite easy, you just need to learn the answers to 100 questions off by heart- no need to look into that until half a year before the three years are up.

Thanks ladies.

Ok, just to beat a dead horse - soooo when the three years is up we just show up at USCIS and say we want to apply for citizenship? How long does it usually take from the time the three years are up and a person is granted citizenship?

About bonafide marriage..I'm hoping our son and the fact that we were married for several years before applying for the green card will make that pretty much a non-issue, but we'll bring other proof.

no you need to fill in and mail the N-400 form...along with a check for $675