Filing I-131 re-entry permit oversea possible?

[blackspot 0]

Hi everyone!

I am a conditional green card holder who is living in Japan, and my GC will expire in mid Oct.

I also hold a re-entry permit which also expire in the same date as my conditional GC, and I would like to renew(or re-file)both of them.

Is that possible to file I-131 re-entry permit without traveling to the US? I have been doing my reserch for this, but most of the information I found it says needed to travel twice to the US; fist time is to file(which means flying to the US and going to post office over there to send the appication, and second time is for biometric), or stay in the US until the biometric is done(which means stay in the US for a few weeks to a month? I can not afford it!)

Is there anyone who come across the same situation/problem? Is there any other ways to file?

Thank you.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

No.

It is neither possible to file for Removal of Conditions, nor is it possible to apply for a new Reentry Permit from abroad.

[Jojo92122 1,924]

Just Bob is correct. It's impossible to remove conditions on your green card outside the US unless your or your spouse are currently working for the US government (either in a civilian or military capacity and assigned abroad). It's impossible to apply for a re-entry permit outside the US.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Topic has been moved from 'Bringing Family Members of US Citizens to America" forum as it concerns questions about Removal of Conditional status

[blackspot 0]

Thank you for the reply. As for I-751, I can send the application from Japan, and thats what it says in American embassy in Japan's website. For the reentry permit,I am wondering if I can send my applicaation to my relatives or friends in the US asking them to send it from post office to USCIS, instead of me traveling to the US to do so.... Traveling to the US just to go to the post office, that does not make sense to me...

Edited September 8, 2011 by blackspot

[Yurika & Jim 77]

Thank you for the reply. As for I-751, I can send the application from Japan, and thats what it says in American embassy in Japan's website. For the reentry permit,I am wondering if I can send my applicaation to my relatives or friends in the US asking them to send it from post office to USCIS, instead of me traveling to the US to do so.... Traveling to the US just to go to the post office, that does not make sense to me...

You can send I-751 package from Japan. But you need to do biometrics in the US... Or is your husband in military or something?

[blackspot 0]

You can send I-751 package from Japan. But you need to do biometrics in the US... Or is your husband in military or something?

Thank you for your post. No, my husband is not in military. I understand that they only do the biometrics inside the US. My pont is that I do not want to flight to the US a couple of times to do those things... I am wondering if there is any way that I can file I-131(reentry permit) form without me phisically traveling to the US.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

Thank you for your post. No, my husband is not in military. I understand that they only do the biometrics inside the US. My pont is that I do not want to flight to the US a couple of times to do those things... I am wondering if there is any way that I can file I-131(reentry permit) form without me phisically traveling to the US.

Sure,

you can mail your I-131 from Japan, and then only fly to the U.S. for the biometrics appointment and then wait until it has been issued.

[Jojo92122 1,924]

Thank you for the reply. As for I-751, I can send the application from Japan, and thats what it says in American embassy in Japan's website. For the reentry permit,I am wondering if I can send my applicaation to my relatives or friends in the US asking them to send it from post office to USCIS, instead of me traveling to the US to do so.... Traveling to the US just to go to the post office, that does not make sense to me...

Read the instructions for Form I-131. In particular, read the first sentence on page 2 of the instructions. It is very clear on what you must do.

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-131instr.pdf

You must be physically present in the United States when you file the Reentry Permit application.

Edited September 8, 2011 by Jojo92122

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

Also, you can't get a re-entry permit with validity date past the expiration of your Greencard. You need to have your status extended BEFORE you can get a new re-entry permit.

[blackspot 0]

Sure,

you can mail your I-131 from Japan, and then only fly to the U.S. for the biometrics appointment and then wait until it has been issued.

Just Bob,

Thank you for your comment. I want to make sure if I can do like you said.

[blackspot 0]

Read the instructions for Form I-131. In particular, read the first sentence on page 2 of the instructions. It is very clear on what you must do.

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-131instr.pdf

You must be physically present in the United States when you file the Reentry Permit application.

Jojo92122,

Yes, I read that sentence, but the paragraph start with "If you are in the United States as a permanent resident, or conditional permanent resident..." How can I interpret this? I am not in the United States now, so...?

[blackspot 0]

Also, you can't get a re-entry permit with validity date past the expiration of your Greencard. You need to have your status extended BEFORE you can get a new re-entry permit.

Thanks, Bob 4 Anna,

I'll keep that in mind. I need to make a trip to the US before my current reentry permit expires, and also have to file my I-751 application before the deadline, . If I fail to do so, would it make me hard to get a new ewentry permit?

I guess I gotta file my I-751 first to extend my GC status, and file the reentry next?

Jojo92122,

Thank you for your post.

Yes, I read that sentence, but the paragraph start with "If you are in the United States as a permanent resident, or conditional permanent resident..." How can I interpret this? I am not in the United States now, so...?

[gnasa 3]

Hi blackspot,

See thread here: www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/326877-re-entry-permit-applied-after-departure/

Its about our ultimately successful re-entry permit issue after departing for abroad. It required travel to the US. It is my understanding that the USCIS must receive the re-entry permit application when the applicant is inside the US, although I'm not 100% sure about this. You must do Biometrics in the US which is scheduled anywhere from 2-8 weeks after application. You do NOT need to be in the US when the re-entry permit is issued, place a trustworthy US address on the app or a US embassy/consulate abroad, note that USPS will not forward mail from the USCIS.

Removing conditions from abroad is less clear for me, even after reading the relevant threads here in addition to some legal advice I received:

"Regarding the Petition to Remove Conditions, that needs to be filed within the 90-day period before she has been a conditional permanent resident for 2-years, that Petition can be filed while they are out of the United States. Depending on how the USCIS wants to handle it, they may adjudicate the petition while she is still out of the US, or they may put it on hold until they return to continue living in the US. I have seen them handle it either way and there does not seem to be any magical formula for getting it to happen one way or the other."

[blackspot 0]

Hi blackspot,

See thread here: www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/326877-re-entry-permit-applied-after-departure/

Its about our ultimately successful re-entry permit issue after departing for abroad. It required travel to the US. It is my understanding that the USCIS must receive the re-entry permit application when the applicant is inside the US, although I'm not 100% sure about this. You must do Biometrics in the US which is scheduled anywhere from 2-8 weeks after application. You do NOT need to be in the US when the re-entry permit is issued, place a trustworthy US address on the app or a US embassy/consulate abroad, note that USPS will not forward mail from the USCIS.

Removing conditions from abroad is less clear for me, even after reading the relevant threads here in addition to some legal advice I received:

"Regarding the Petition to Remove Conditions, that needs to be filed within the 90-day period before she has been a conditional permanent resident for 2-years, that Petition can be filed while they are out of the United States. Depending on how the USCIS wants to handle it, they may adjudicate the petition while she is still out of the US, or they may put it on hold until they return to continue living in the US. I have seen them handle it either way and there does not seem to be any magical formula for getting it to happen one way or the other."

Hi gnasa,

Thank you for your post and telling me about your experience. So, you and your wife filed I-131 when you were in the US. Sounds like I might need to do the same thing, flying to the US for filing the reentry permit application. Both of my reentry and GC will expire in mid Oct. what I am thinking to do is flying to the US sometime before the expiration date, and file both of them, then go back to Japan in a few days or so. USCIS will mail the both NOAs (receipt) to my husband's parents home, which is also our us address. NOA(receipt)of GC would say my GC is extended another year(I heard this from other people who renewed their GC). I will fly to the US for the biometrics with my passport and NOA(I need to ask my parents in law to mail it to Japan) that says my GC is extended. After my biometrics they will send 10 year GC to my US address. I am guessing thats what would happen if things go smoothly....but I am not sure my plan works...