Going to Canada

[LoveRani 1]

My wife ıs here with me now which I am really happy about My cousin is getting married in Canada and we would like to go. The wedding is not until the first week of September. I dont know if she will be able to get her GC and SSN by that time or not. She has onlly been here for less than a week now. We havent received welcome letter yet. If we get the welcome letter, can she take that with her to cross the border?? I am not sure if we are able to do that or not. I know that it wont be a problem crossing into Canada because they dont give that much problem. Its always the US side that ask like a million questions and give problems. If someone had experience or can give us some info it would be wonderful. Thank You in advance

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Does she have the I-551 stamp in her passport? If so, that is basically the same as the hard copy green card and will work for both her admission to Canada and her re-admission to the US.

Without proof of her permanent residence status in the US, however, she would require a visa to enter Canada as a citizen of Turkey. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp . The Welcome to America letter is not acceptable documentation for border purposes. You may think it is 'easy' to enter Canada because you have had no difficulties, but that is because you are a US citizen. She is not and she would not be allowed to enter without either proof of her PR status in the US or the appropriate visa issued by Canadian immigration authorities. She doesn't need her SSN, just proof of status or the visa.

If she does not have the I-551 stamp in her passport and if, as you get closer to the wedding date, she still has not received her green card, make an Infopass appointment at your local USCIS office. (You might want to make the appointment now but schedule it for the week before the trip just to make sure you can get in but still allow enough time for the green card to arrive so they won't say 'wait longer' ). Bring with you the proof of your travel needs (wedding invitation, air flight itinerary if flying, etc.) and ask for a temporary I-551 stamp to be put into her passport so she can travel to Canada and return to the US. You can make an infopass appointment at the USCIS website at http://www.uscis.gov . It should be an option listed on the left hand side of the screen (unless they have changed it again recently).

Good luck.

[LoveRani 1]

What is I-551 stamp and how does it look?? Sorry I don't really know. So she will still need visa to travel to Canada. Thank you for detail information

[Kathryn41 3,205]

The I-551 stamp - if she has one - should be in her passport near one of the pages where her visa is. She would have received it when she crossed the border.

The one I have in my passport is an ink-pad stamped red rectangular box with a star in each corner, USDHS down the left side border and USCIS down the right side border. Printed at the top it reads: "Upon endorsement, serves as temporary I-551 evidencing permanent residency for one year". Below that is "Issue Date" with the handwritten date of issue; and "Officer" with my local office's initials and the Immigration officer's initials Underneath that is 'Employment Authorized" and "Valid Until" with a hand written date. Above the stamp is handwritten my A number and below the stamp is handwritten my case file number plus other information that was specific to my circumstances.

Edited August 10, 2010 by Kathryn41

[LoveRani 1]

Only stamps I see is in my wifes passport is the stamp that says admitted Chi and the date. Than in red letters it says: Alien has been notified of the provisions of section 216 and of the procedures for having the conditional basis of his/her status removed _________

Bottom it says: Upon endorsement serves as temporary I-551 evidencing permanent residence for 1 year. Last part was circled. Registration numbe - underneath has a number and initialed by the officer my guess. Which I am guessing is the Alien number.

The 2nd stamp says CR1 and underneath it says A and numbers so my guess is Alien number.

It says IV issue date: 06Jul2010 and IV Expires on: 04Dec2010

I hope that helps. Thank you helping again. I hope what she has in her passport is enough.

[Nikita2Charles 32]

That said, you have the I551 stamp already in the passport, that's almost the equivalent of the green card, you can go to Canada with it. Make sure you have all your documents set before going to Canada, it's easy to go there but a real headache at time trying to come back. There was a fellow VJ lady who's husband was hold in Canada because they didn't do AOS and have the right papework.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Yes, as Nikita2Charles said, you're good to go - that part of the stamp that says "I-551" is your temporary green card and proves that you are legally allowed to be in the US. You will need to show that page to both the Canadian and the US border authorities but you shouldn't have a problem. Enjoy the wedding! (Oh - you do have your own passport, right? Because as an American you too need to have a passport now to return to the US, even from Canada).