Moving 1 day after the GC interview - advice

[rebnoe 31]

Hello!

My husband received his letter stating his interview will be August 22.  Yay!  We're having a small issue we're hoping to solve.

We will be moving out of state  the day after so I'm worried about the delivery of the green card (assuming/hoping we get approved).  I'm trying to figure out what we should do.

We are driving from Massachusetts to Minnesota the day after, so we will not be around to check the mail at our old apartment.  Potentially, if the card arrives August 30 or before, my sister can pick up our mail and take it with her when she visits us in our new state. But if it doesn't arrive, we're kind of out of luck with that option.

Another issue is that we don't have our new apartment in Minnesota until Sept 2, meaning that we'll be "homeless" for about a week while we make the drive and get temporary accommodations until we can move in.  So I cant change the mailing address to the Minnesota apartment until then...

 

I'm not sure what to do.

What I'm thinking right now is to look into getting a post office box, but I'm not sure if that kind of mail can be delivered to a PO Box?

 

Does anyone have any advice on this?  I'd appreciate your input

[little immigrant 800]

I always like to suggest the PO box especially when you have to move a lot. 

 

In this case however I'm not 100% sure. However I did put in a forwarding request on usps.com and redirected it to a friend's house and she received my green card safely. Not sure if this is helpful.

 

Maybe ask at the post office if they can put in a forwarding and holding request so when the green card arrives you can go and pick it up at the post office you'll reside then.

 

If someone else has experience with this scenario or a better idea please correct me. 

[KJ2 230]

22 minutes ago, rebnoe said:

Hello!

My husband received his letter stating his interview will be August 22.  Yay!  We're having a small issue we're hoping to solve.

We will be moving out of state  the day after so I'm worried about the delivery of the green card (assuming/hoping we get approved).  I'm trying to figure out what we should do.

We are driving from Massachusetts to Minnesota the day after, so we will not be around to check the mail at our old apartment.  Potentially, if the card arrives August 30 or before, my sister can pick up our mail and take it with her when she visits us in our new state. But if it doesn't arrive, we're kind of out of luck with that option.

Another issue is that we don't have our new apartment in Minnesota until Sept 2, meaning that we'll be "homeless" for about a week while we make the drive and get temporary accommodations until we can move in.  So I cant change the mailing address to the Minnesota apartment until then...

 

I'm not sure what to do.

What I'm thinking right now is to look into getting a post office box, but I'm not sure if that kind of mail can be delivered to a PO Box?

 

Does anyone have any advice on this?  I'd appreciate your input

Get a PO Box and notify them ASAP of address change (I assume you can put a PO Box?) our GC took 5 full weeks to come so you will have some time.  I called USCIS on Friday 7/19 and the GC was made 7/18.  Our US entry was 6/15 so it took over a month to create basically.  It should be totally fine. Good luck. 

[Lil bear 3,831]

Chances of it arriving  before Aug 30 are very very slim 

[rebnoe 31]

17 minutes ago, little immigrant said:

I always like to suggest the PO box especially when you have to move a lot. 

 

In this case however I'm not 100% sure. However I did put in a forwarding request on usps.com and redirected it to a friend's house and she received my green card safely. Not sure if this is helpful.

 

Maybe ask at the post office if they can put in a forwarding and holding request so when the green card arrives you can go and pick it up at the post office you'll reside then.

 

If someone else has experience with this scenario or a better idea please correct me. 

Thanks for the input!  I think PO box may be the best bet actually.  Now I guess I have to decide if I get it in MA or MN! LOL

5 minutes ago, KJ2 said:

Get a PO Box and notify them ASAP of address change (I assume you can put a PO Box?) our GC took 5 full weeks to come so you will have some time.  I called USCIS on Friday 7/19 and the GC was made 7/18.  Our US entry was 6/15 so it took over a month to create basically.  It should be totally fine. Good luck. 

Oh wow, I'm not sure why I was under the impression that it took way less time!  

[rebnoe 31]

4 minutes ago, Lil bear said:

Chances of it arriving  before Aug 30 are very very slim 

Oh, for some reason I was under the impression that it would come way faster... Opps!  I think I was basing it off the work permit.  We got the notice it was approved and then less than a week later we received the card

[Bajinga 136]

I would advise to setup mail forwarding and also signup for USPS informed delivery. if possible also have a back up plan to pick up from the mailbox at your current address. from the personal experience, USCIS is very slow in updating the addresses and even after the confirmation of change of address in my case the mail kept going to my old address mailbox. my green card arrived a week after the interview and 3 days after the approval online to my old address even though i updated it 2 weeks before the interview and also requested the officer at the interview to update my address.

Edited July 22, 2019 by Bajinga

[Marieke H 2,301]

It's definitely possible that the greencard will be delivered before the 30th. I see you did AOS after K1, just like me, and I received my greencard exactly 1 week after my interview. The people saying that it takes much longer went through a different process; AOS after a K1 filers usually get their card pretty quickly after the interview. 

 

I'd visit a post office and ask what your options are. I think they can hold mail for a short period of time, and there is also the forwarding service.

 

Good luck with your interview!

[K1visaHopeful 2,655]

Be wary.

Most USCIS mail says "do not forward". 

Most times USPS follows that.

[rebnoe 31]

8 hours ago, K1visaHopeful said:

Be wary.

Most USCIS mail says "do not forward". 

Most times USPS follows that.

Thats what I was thinking.  I am currently trying to set up a PO box in my new state.  I'm just not sure if there is any restrictions on USCIS delivering to PO boxes....

[rebnoe 31]

I called the post office in MN and I would be able to get one there, however I wouldn't be able to get the keys to the box until I had something that proves my MN address... This would be a couple weeks after moving and we wouldnt want the card sitting unable to get until that.

 

Now I'm thinking we should just change the address to my sister's house and she can receive it and then be in charge of delivering it to us... I'm not sure if this would cause issues at the interview, probably not, but I'm trying to think of everything here.

 

What do you guys think of this option? 

[little immigrant 800]

3 hours ago, rebnoe said:

I called the post office in MN and I would be able to get one there, however I wouldn't be able to get the keys to the box until I had something that proves my MN address... This would be a couple weeks after moving and we wouldnt want the card sitting unable to get until that.

 

Now I'm thinking we should just change the address to my sister's house and she can receive it and then be in charge of delivering it to us... I'm not sure if this would cause issues at the interview, probably not, but I'm trying to think of everything here.

 

What do you guys think of this option? 

I think you should try it. But have a back up plan in case it does go to your previous address. 

[Pitaya 2,576]

12 hours ago, K1visaHopeful said:

Be wary.

Most USCIS mail says "do not forward". 

Most times USPS follows that.

Exactly this! ^^^^^

 

Follow the advice of the enclosed USCIS link (see bolded statement in link) and be sure to file Change of Address (COA) with the USPS and USCIS. Many folks have trouble when they file a COA with one and not the other.

 

https://www.uscis.gov/addresschange

 

https://moversguide.usps.com/mgo/disclaimer?referral=SEM-exactD-B&kwd=USPSCoA&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_cmpid=274975381&utm_adgid=19995585781&utm_tgtid=kwd-495563127&utm_locintid=&utm_locphysid=9033254&utm_matchtypeid=e&utm_network=g&utm_device=c&utm_adid=332121312136&utm_adpos=1t3&utm_plid=&gclid=CjwKCAjw4NrpBRBsEiwAUcLcDJDr7u3mTc-hjE47AdkDkdHh1-aA2IB2ls-rPzW9rQG79H9aDtT7kBoCnhIQAvD_BwE

 

Good luck on your immigration journey

[rebnoe 31]

26 minutes ago, Pitaya (火龙果) said:

Exactly this! ^^^^^

 

Follow the advice of the enclosed USCIS link (see bolded statement in link) and be sure to file Change of Address (COA) with the USPS and USCIS. Many folks have trouble when they file a COA with one and not the other.

 

https://www.uscis.gov/addresschange

 

https://moversguide.usps.com/mgo/disclaimer?referral=SEM-exactD-B&kwd=USPSCoA&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_cmpid=274975381&utm_adgid=19995585781&utm_tgtid=kwd-495563127&utm_locintid=&utm_locphysid=9033254&utm_matchtypeid=e&utm_network=g&utm_device=c&utm_adid=332121312136&utm_adpos=1t3&utm_plid=&gclid=CjwKCAjw4NrpBRBsEiwAUcLcDJDr7u3mTc-hjE47AdkDkdHh1-aA2IB2ls-rPzW9rQG79H9aDtT7kBoCnhIQAvD_BwE

 

Good luck on your immigration journey

Thanks so much!  I have done both.  Stupid question, I file the change here: https://egov.uscis.gov/coa/displayCOAForm.do 

Correct? 

 

I also did the change on the USPS website.  Hoping for no problems along the way!

[Pitaya 2,576]

29 minutes ago, rebnoe said:

Thanks so much!  I have done both.  Stupid question, I file the change here: https://egov.uscis.gov/coa/displayCOAForm.do 

Correct? 

 

I also did the change on the USPS website.  Hoping for no problems along the way!

Looks good to go. Good luck on the move.