Working before arrival of the green card

[Laud 40]

Hi folks,

 

I'm about a month out from interview and starting to speak to some organisations about work. I've long understood that a stamped CR1 visa in my passport works as a temporary green card until the actual green card arrives.

 

There are quite a few resources on Google supporting that claim (including many posts on VJ!) But I couldn't find anything obvious on a US government website. Has anyone got a link to anywhere it officially states that the visa works as a temporary greencard?

[JeanneAdil 6,249]

https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/temporary-i-551-stamps-and-mrivs

 

A machine-readable immigrant visa (MRIV) usually has the following text on it: “UPON ENDORSEMENT SERVES AS TEMPORARY I-551 EVIDENCING PERMANENT RESIDENCE FOR 1 YEAR.” When a new immigrant first enters the U.S., U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will stamp the passport with an admission stamp that indicates the immigrant has permanent resident status and has the date the new immigrant entered the U.S. The employee’s foreign passport with the MRIV is evidence the employee has permanent residence status for 1 year from the date of admission. Even if the MRIV is issued without the statement “FOR 1 YEAR,” employers should treat the MRIV as an acceptable List A document valid for 1 year from the date of admission.

[Chancy 6,233]

2 minutes ago, Laud said:

Has anyone got a link to anywhere it officially states that the visa works as a temporary greencard?

 

This note will be printed on the visa itself -- “UPON ENDORSEMENT SERVES AS TEMPORARY I-551 EVIDENCING PERMANENT RESIDENCE FOR 1 YEAR.”  In case it's not clear, I-551 = green card.

 

Official explanation for employers -- https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/temporary-i-551-stamps-and-mrivs

 

[SteveInBostonI130 3,328]

7 minutes ago, Laud said:

Hi folks,

 

I'm about a month out from interview and starting to speak to some organisations about work. I've long understood that a stamped CR1 visa in my passport works as a temporary green card until the actual green card arrives.

 

There are quite a few resources on Google supporting that claim (including many posts on VJ!) But I couldn't find anything obvious on a US government website. Has anyone got a link to anywhere it officially states that the visa works as a temporary greencard?

 

The bottom of the visa will state something like "Upon endorsement will act as a temporary I-551 for one year"..

 

Google CR1/IR1 visa photos

[pushbrk 12,234]

It should also be noted that most employers who have an HR Department already know this.  If not, now you have the reference you need to inform them, but you could still have some trouble if they have some sort of established policy to not hire without the green card.  It's improper, but it happens.

[Laud 40]

Amazing. V useful replies. Thanks folks.