My wife entered the US with her CR-1, Is there anything else we need to do??

[NikLR 13,232]

She can travel right away. The endorsement on her visa allows her to travel. It's acts as a green card for a year.

[del-2-5-2014 1,339]

This is interesting. I thought you couldn't board until you paid the GC fee.

Good to know.

[Rushton50 10]

Hi,

My wife entered the country on her CR-1 visa on May 28th (I accompanied her) in New York. At the airport they took her fingerprints and had her sign a form, and that was it.

Is there anything else we need to do before we receive her green card in the mail? or is it just a waiting game? And we apply for her SSN after we receive the green card right?

Also, what's the average time it takes to receive the green card in the mail?

You can actually apply for the SS card, but I would wait a couple of weeks when her details should be in the system.

Due to a foul up I had to wait 5 months, but could get my ssn and card sooner.

The next time you will have anything to do with USCIS will be 90 days prior to her 2nd year as a legal resident where you will apply to remove the conditions.

Start keeping and collecting proof of you both commingling finances, loan agreements, joint accounts and such I found that it was easy to do this as we went along as opposed to doing it later!

[raheelc 0]

Ok that's great news! Just another quick question, is there supposed to be some sort of stamp or signature or something on the visa that states the visa serves as a temporary green card for a year? All there is is the statement on the bottom of the visa that says "Upon endorsement, serves as a temporary....." and then on the next page is the US immigration entry stamp dated May 28th 2013, and on that the immigration officer has written CR1 on it.

Is this sufficient to travel or does she need some sort of other stamp/signature etc on her visa in order to use the visa as her temporary green card?

[elle13 15]

I POE'd with a CR1 at LAX on may 7 and got my SSN in the mail 8 days later without initiating any application. The green card then arrived shortly after (think it was a couple of weeks after POE). We paid the $165 fee the day before I left for the US though.

[Cathi 5,828]

Just be careful that she doesn't spend more time back in Pakistan than in the US. I understand she wants to be with your child, but if they suspect she isn't residing in the US, there will be consequences. Congrats to you and your wife, and best wishes.

[The Mean Lady 604]

Ok that's great news! Just another quick question, is there supposed to be some sort of stamp or signature or something on the visa that states the visa serves as a temporary green card for a year? All there is is the statement on the bottom of the visa that says "Upon endorsement, serves as a temporary....." and then on the next page is the US immigration entry stamp dated May 28th 2013, and on that the immigration officer has written CR1 on it.

Is this sufficient to travel or does she need some sort of other stamp/signature etc on her visa in order to use the visa as her temporary green card?

Yes, that is her temporary green card.

[lubnajavid 20]

Ok thanks. She actually wants the green card asap because our infant son is back in Pakistan with my parents (his grandparents) because I had to apply for a visa/green card for him too because didnt qualify for a CRBA (didn't have enough physical presence requirement). So she wants to head back as soon as she gets her green card so she can be with our son until his paperwork is complete.

How do we go about endorsing her visa?

Also, how long should it take from now to get her green card in the mail?

I was aware of the immigrant fee in May...it was instituted earlier this year.

Had our interview on June 6th - in Islamabad - and they gave my wife another piece of paper explaining this fee and where to pay it.

Word of warning / caution for your wife : Do not spend more time than needed in Pakistan now that she has green card... especially not more than 6 months - its a requirement that you have a presence in the US - she has permanent resident status - but if you dont reside the USCIS could very well consider her no longer a resident.

Also her cumulative time outside of the US will be counted when she applies for Naturalization.

A question for you or anyone else:)

Our POE will be Houston on July 15th - i will be with her - were you allowed to accompany her when she was fingerprinted/signed the form etc? I presume this was done after the initial screen that everyone goes through and was actually in a separate area?

Also - there was a place on the DS-230 that asked about the social security card number - did you place a check there saying you wanted one issued? or not?

If you do place a check there (we did) does that mean we wont have to go to the SS office?

[The Mean Lady 604]

If you checked it, you still may not get it.

I'd say if you don't see it w/in 3 weeks, fill out the paperwork from online, print it, and bring to SS office.

3 Weeks is usually a good time frame.

[raheelc 0]

I POE'd with a CR1 at LAX on may 7 and got my SSN in the mail 8 days later without initiating any application. The green card then arrived shortly after (think it was a couple of weeks after POE). We paid the $165 fee the day before I left for the US though.

I'm actually on the phone with USCIS at the moment. The rep I was on the line with said that this fee was initiated on February 1st, 2013. And since my wife's visa was issued before then, we shouldn't have to pay the fee. That explains why we never received the notice with the immigrant package. I'm on hold at the moment so I can speak with a higher rep.

Just be careful that she doesn't spend more time back in Pakistan than in the US. I understand she wants to be with your child, but if they suspect she isn't residing in the US, there will be consequences. Congrats to you and your wife, and best wishes.

Yeah definitely, she will be spending more time here in the US with me. Does anyone know the processing times for an infant son? I've only received the first receipt notice so far.

Yes, that is her temporary green card.

Ok thanks!

I was aware of the immigrant fee in May...it was instituted earlier this year.

Had our interview on June 6th - in Islamabad - and they gave my wife another piece of paper explaining this fee and where to pay it.

Word of warning / caution for your wife : Do not spend more time than needed in Pakistan now that she has green card... especially not more than 6 months - its a requirement that you have a presence in the US - she has permanent resident status - but if you dont reside the USCIS could very well consider her no longer a resident.

Also her cumulative time outside of the US will be counted when she applies for Naturalization.

A question for you or anyone else:)

Our POE will be Houston on July 15th - i will be with her - were you allowed to accompany her when she was fingerprinted/signed the form etc? I presume this was done after the initial screen that everyone goes through and was actually in a separate area?

Also - there was a place on the DS-230 that asked about the social security card number - did you place a check there saying you wanted one issued? or not?

If you do place a check there (we did) does that mean we wont have to go to the SS office?

Ok thats good to hear. I was actually told by USCIS rep right now that the fee was instituted in February of this year, and since my wife's visa was issued before than, we shouldn't need to pay the fee. She also asked if we received a welcome letter in the mail, which we haven't.

I actually did accompany her. At the initial screening, the immigration officer fingerprinted both of my wife's hands. Then after that, we were both taken to a separate area, where she was asked to sign the form, and had another fingerprint taken (just one finger this time). Although, I was taken to the same room to be questioned (I always get questioned because my passport was renewed and issued by the US embassy in Islamabad)

As for form DS-230, we did not check the SS question, because the previous question asked if one was ever issued previously, which it was not, so we decided not to check that since it said "you must answer yes to the previous question"

Edited June 14, 2013 by raheelc

[lubnajavid 20]

@raheelc - thanks for the information about POE - much appreciated

Good luck here in the US - hope you get your son over here very soon.

[raheelc 0]

@raheelc - thanks for the information about POE - much appreciated

Good luck here in the US - hope you get your son over here very soon.

No problem

Just a little update. I spoke to a USCIS rep and she said we shouldn't have to pay the fee since my wife's visa was issued before the fee was initiated. The issue that is bothering me, is that she said

they still haven't received my wife's file (she checked with the Alien registration number on my wife's passport) and its been a little over 2 weeks . I'm guessing the file is the immigrant packet we handed to the immigration officer at POE right?

Is this normal? She said to wait another week, until next wednesday, and if we don't receive the welcome letter then to call them back and let them know.

[The Mean Lady 604]

No problem

Just a little update. I spoke to a USCIS rep and she said we shouldn't have to pay the fee since my wife's visa was issued before the fee was initiated. The issue that is bothering me, is that she said

they still haven't received my wife's file (she checked with the Alien registration number on my wife's passport) and its been a little over 2 weeks . I'm guessing the file is the immigrant packet we handed to the immigration officer at POE right?

Is this normal? She said to wait another week, until next wednesday, and if we don't receive the welcome letter then to call them back and let them know.

When did you receive your visa?

Not when did you POE, when did you actually get your visa packet?

It's helpful to fill in your timeline.

Most people receive their green cards w/in a few weeks to even up to 2 months.

[N-o-l-a 7,168]

You can see it in my signature, but our Greencard took over 7 weeks and it took a long time for the POE to send our file to TSC.

[raheelc 0]

When did you receive your visa?

Not when did you POE, when did you actually get your visa packet?

It's helpful to fill in your timeline.

Most people receive their green cards w/in a few weeks to even up to 2 months.

We received her visa along with immigrant packet on December 13, 2012. Expiry date on the visa was on June 12, 2013. Her interview was on August 28, 2012.

Yeah I've been meaning to fill in the timeline. I'll do it asap!

You can see it in my signature, but our Greencard took over 7 weeks and it took a long time for the POE to send our file to TSC.

Wow, I hope it doesnt take that long for us. How exactly did you find out when they sent your file? Also, what's TSC? (sorry for the noob question)