Green card after entering on CR-1

[mnm14 0]

Hi,

I entered the US 5 weeks ago using my CR-1 and my POE was Chicago.

I was under the impression that I should receive my permanent resident card in the mail within 3-4 weeks of entry, and before that I should receive a welcome letter from USCIS. It's been 5 weeks now, and no sign of welcome letter or green card.

Also, although they were supposed to automatically issue me a SSN and send the card to my home address (I confirmed the address with the officer at the POE), I waited 3 weeks and did not receive anything and I went to my local social security office and they told me that no number had been assigned to me and they asked me to fill out an application and after I did that I got my social security card in the mail in less than a week.

I'm not sure if my paperwork is just sitting in a pile at the Chicago Airport or if there is some other delay, but it seems like they aren't processing my paperwork within the expected timeframe. It seems strange to me that it's been 5 weeks and I have not gotten any contact at all from USCIS. Should I just be more patient an wait longer for the green card, welcome letter etc. Or should I follow up on this personally? Would calling USCIS help? Is there any specific number I should call them on? Or do I have to make an infopass appointment?

Thanks a lot for your help!

[canadian_wife 1,823]

That SSN thing is spotty. Most don't actually automatically received an SSN - they do as you did, go to the SSA and request one

As for the green card, have you logged onto the USCIS website to check the status of your card production?

Good luck

[mnm14 0]

My case was DCF...all my processing was done at the US embassy in Lebanon so i don't have a USCIS receipt number, and it seems that there is no way to check the status online without that.

Any other suggestions?

[Darnell 8,478]

Can call USCIS hotline, get a Tier 2 human, an ISO, and ask about green card production.

Sometimes, is a problem with postal mail, even if you have the right address listed,

as yer postman isn't aware of your name at that address, sends it back ...

So, when you talk to an ISO, ask specifically -

1. was my greencard mailed yet?

2. verify the address with them, make sure what they have is where you are - they can't tell you exactly what they have, but they will tell you if what you give them matches what they have.

3. do you have any returned mail on me? If so, please resend it.

then, start stalking around for yer postal carrier, introduce yerself with a plate of brownies or cookies, tape your name to the postal drop where you receive mail, as well..

Good Luck !

[mnm14 0]

I will try the hotline tomorrow and see where I get. I really doubt it's a problem with the postal carrier as I have been receiving all my other mail (from the bank, insurance company, bills, etc) just fine. So most likely there is a delay in processing/production or they have the wrong address on file.

[Darnell 8,478]

what news?

[mnm14 0]

I called the USCIS hotline and they transferred me to the second tier customer service. I explained the situation to them and the officer asked for my alien registration number and after I gave it to get she said she could not find my info in the system! She then looked me up in another system and found me there but said it showed no record of my entry to the US. She even asked me what my POE was because she couldn't see it. She even asked me if I gave the brown envelope to the officer at the airport (which of course I did). So evidently someone at Chicago O'Hare screwed up and it seems they haven't forwarded my paperwork to USCIS yet. The officer told me she would make an inquiry with the Texas Service Center which is where my paperwork should have been sent and I should receive some sort of notification or confirmation in the mail within two weeks. She also gave me a referral number which I can use to follow up on my issue and told me to call back and give them that referral number if I do not receive anything in the mail within the next two weeks. She said that if this cannot be resolved over the phone I may have to make a trip to my local USCIS office. So it's just wait and see right now and hope it gets resolved smoothly.

[Darnell 8,478]

One thing you can try, as well -

get into a Customs and Border Patrol (see cbp.gov) secondary inspection / deferred inspection office - you can find one close to you -

and then

talk with the shift supervisor, face to face, request that he find your A-File, that sealed envelope. His trace will be faster than any trace started with USCIS.

Good Luck !

[Disha 0]

My husband and I are in the same situation. He entered through Chicago O'Hare on June 19th, and so far we have not received a welcome letter or green card. We called USCIS on July 20, and they transfered us to a 2nd level, and they told us they could not find our case in the system yet. They asked us to wait for one more month and call back on August 20th. Any other suggestions?

[KdRjN 2]

Hi,

I entered the US 5 weeks ago using my CR-1 and my POE was Chicago.

I was under the impression that I should receive my permanent resident card in the mail within 3-4 weeks of entry, and before that I should receive a welcome letter from USCIS. It's been 5 weeks now, and no sign of welcome letter or green card.

Also, although they were supposed to automatically issue me a SSN and send the card to my home address (I confirmed the address with the officer at the POE), I waited 3 weeks and did not receive anything and I went to my local social security office and they told me that no number had been assigned to me and they asked me to fill out an application and after I did that I got my social security card in the mail in less than a week.

I'm not sure if my paperwork is just sitting in a pile at the Chicago Airport or if there is some other delay, but it seems like they aren't processing my paperwork within the expected timeframe. It seems strange to me that it's been 5 weeks and I have not gotten any contact at all from USCIS. Should I just be more patient an wait longer for the green card, welcome letter etc. Or should I follow up on this personally? Would calling USCIS help? Is there any specific number I should call them on? Or do I have to make an infopass appointment?

Thanks a lot for your help!

Hi friend,

I also have the same problem i think this Chicago ohare workers sucks my POE time was June 9 i never received welcome letter GC or SSN finally it has been almost 2 months

anyways after 3 weeks later that i arrived usa we went to apply SSN card the officer told me he cant see me in their system contact the USCIS then come back 2 weeks later when we get home we called to uscis and talked to person i told them i did not received welcome letter GC SSN etc etc then she got my A# then also we updated my home adress which still the same...

It has been 2 weeks now from we called uscis i still did not get a thing i called them yesterday talked to a person she said my process still on and have not done pending yet i need to wait another 2 or 3 weeks bec so many applicant waiting for bla bla....

I would really say CHicago OHare sucks .....

Anybody get their welcome letter or GC yet ?

[Mononoke28 135]

My husband and I are in the same situation. He entered through Chicago O'Hare on June 19th, and so far we have not received a welcome letter or green card. We called USCIS on July 20, and they transfered us to a 2nd level, and they told us they could not find our case in the system yet. They asked us to wait for one more month and call back on August 20th. Any other suggestions?

Disha,

We had the same issue with my husband and I didn't wait a month for them to enter his info in the system. I kept calling every other day and after a few days his info was in the system. I'm not sure what the problem is exactly, if it's the people at POE who don't enter their stuff in the system, or if there is a backlog at the USCIS of all the cases that need to be entered in the system. Bottom line it blows, so just keep calling.

Diana

[Disha 0]

I would really say CHicago OHare sucks .....

Anybody get their welcome letter or GC yet ?

I really do think the delay is only with O'Hare so far. Nothing for us so far.

Disha,

We had the same issue with my husband and I didn't wait a month for them to enter his info in the system. I kept calling every other day and after a few days his info was in the system. I'm not sure what the problem is exactly, if it's the people at POE who don't enter their stuff in the system, or if there is a backlog at the USCIS of all the cases that need to be entered in the system. Bottom line it blows, so just keep calling.

Diana

Diana,

What was your POE? Was it Chicago as well?

Disha

[Mononoke28 135]

Diana,

What was your POE? Was it Chicago as well?

Disha

It was Miami International Airport. My husband entered the US with his CR1 visa back in 2007.

Diana

[Disha 0]

It was Miami International Airport. My husband entered the US with his CR1 visa back in 2007.

Diana

Ah oh!

When we called USCIS, they asked us to call back after another month. Maybe we will call before that, and continue to call until they have an answer. They said our file has not been processed, so it was not in the system yet.

[KdRjN 2]

i was keep calling to Uscis and it does not really help they cant do a thing all they can say is wait for another weeks...I have the same problem the officer told me they still working process on my GC and not done pending yet..

All we can do is wait another week and call again see if there is any news