Was approved at interview in Montreal

[OldUser 9,490]

11 minutes ago, Pat J said:

I was not told this at my interview at the consulate. I was simply told that the actual green card  would be aimed to my wife's  US adress

 

the visa in my passport issued nov 2024 - expired march 2025. it said on it  'upon endorcement serves as temporary I-551 evidencing permanent resident for 1 year"

Yep, endorsement is when it's stamped by CBP. If it's not endorsed, it doesn't serve as temporary I-551.

 

Consulate did the job and issued visa. It's not their job beyond this point, they're not responsible on how you enter the US or what you do with it.

After you enter on immigrant visa, it's then USCIS's responsibility to issue GC as long as you entered properly and paid fees.

Edited Sunday at 04:43 PM by OldUser

[OldUser 9,490]

1 minute ago, Pat J said:

taking care of an elderly parent with dementia here in canada  - will be going back and forth as long as parent  needs me - so no plan yet - 

Sorry to hear about parent, that's tough.

 

If you're not moving to the US yet, you don't need visa or GC.

You may need to reapply when your plans change and you're ready to move. 

[Pat J 4]

6 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

An immigrant visa must be endorsed by CBP at the border for you to become an LPR.

GROK says I did not need to get the temporary visa endorsed to get my green card mailed to me. And the officer who interviewed me in Montreal all also said no such thing. I hope I do to have to go through this process again- it was expensive and long. 

[Crazy Cat 44,152]

1 minute ago, Pat J said:

GROK says I did not need to get the temporary visa endorsed to get my green card mailed to me. And the officer who interviewed me in Montreal all also said no such thing. I hope I do to have to go through this process again- it was expensive and long. 

That is 100% inaccurate.  Don't trust AI to be right.

Edited Sunday at 04:47 PM by Crazy Cat

[Crazy Cat 44,152]

USCIS has no way of knowing you have entered the US unless CBP endorses and processes your visa.  A green card will not be processed until a new immigrant has entered the US.

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

"

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.

Edited Sunday at 04:54 PM by Crazy Cat

[OldUser 9,490]

1 minute ago, Pat J said:

GROK says I did not need to get the temporary visa endorsed to get my green card mailed to me. And the officer who interviewed me in Montreal all also said no such thing. I hope I do to have to go through this process again- it was expensive and long. 

You can ignore AI advice, especially when consulting about serious matters such as immigration.

You can ask GROK what hallucinations are when it comes to AI. It will explain it

TL;DR AI can "hallucinate" and make things up

[Crazy Cat 44,152]

29 minutes ago, Pat J said:

it said on it  'upon endorcement serves as temporary I-551 evidencing permanent resident for 1 year"

"Endorsement" means stamped by CBP at the border.

[milimelo 4,688]

I highly recommend your wife petitions you again when you're fully ready to move to the US. in the meantime, help your parent with what they need. 

 

Next time perhaps learn all the steps to becoming a legal permanent resident - including activating (aka endorsing) the visa and maybe pre-read the USCIS booklet now that you're a legal permanent resident to know all about your rights and responsibilities in the future. M-618 guide: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/guides/M-618.pdf

[appleblossom 4,195]

This doesn't really make any sense. Did you follow the guide for your visa application? https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-10-prepare-for-the-interview/step-12-after-the-interview.html Step 12 sets it out pretty clearly.

 

As said above, if you don't want to move then it's pointless pursuing this, as even if the visa is reissued it doesn't sound as though you are ready to become a permanent resident of the US and are likely to have that status taken away anyway. I do sympathise as I have a mother with Alzheimer's, but LPR status is only for those who are exactly that - resident in the US. If you don't live there permanently and don't have any ties to the US other than your wife, then at some point you'll be taken to secondary and potentially referred to an immigration judge. To avoid all that I'd just let this go, keep entering as a visitor, and then when the time is right reapply for another immigrant visa. 

 

Good luck. 

 

 

Edited Sunday at 09:17 PM by appleblossom

[Pat J 4]

On 6/22/2025 at 3:13 PM, appleblossom said:

This doesn't really make any sense. Did you follow the guide for your visa application? https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-10-prepare-for-the-interview/step-12-after-the-interview.html Step 12 sets it out pretty clearly.

 

As said above, if you don't want to move then it's pointless pursuing this, as even if the visa is reissued it doesn't sound as though you are ready to become a permanent resident of the US and are likely to have that status taken away anyway. I do sympathise as I have a mother with Alzheimer's, but LPR status is only for those who are exactly that - resident in the US. If you don't live there permanently and don't have any ties to the US other than your wife, then at some point you'll be taken to secondary and potentially referred to an immigration judge. To avoid all that I'd just let this go, keep entering as a visitor, and then when the time is right reapply for another immigrant visa. 

 

Good luck. 

 

 

Thank you for your help. I finally reached a live breathing agent (a miracle) at 1-800-375-5283 after many attempts by responding "reschedule interview" (suggested by Grok)  to the automated prompts (all other responses were resulting in  my call being disconnected. The agent confirmed that nothing was missing or  incorrectly done on my end and he explained that green cards are occasionally not sent due to admin errors. He submitted a request to have the card sent immediately and assured me I’d be contacted within 30 days if any issues arise.  Fingers crossed.

All the comments on this question were helpful and greatly appreciated and led me to take action and this conversation. 

Edited 3 hours ago by Pat J

[appleblossom 4,195]

Just now, Pat J said:

Thank you for your help. I finally reached a live breathing agent (a miracle) at 1-800-375-5283 after many attempts by responding "reschedule interview" (suggested by Grok)  to the automated prompts (all other responses were resulting in  my call being disconnected. The agent confirmed that nothing was missing or  incorrectly done on my end and he explained that green cards are occasionally not sent due to admin errors. He submitted a request to have the card sent immediately and assured me I’d be contacted within 30 days if any issues arise.  Fingers crossed.

All the comments on this question were helpful and greatly appreciated and led me to take action and this conversation. 

 

Honestly, don't use Grok or any kind of AI! It's already given you duff info. If the agent wasn't a Tier 2 agent (i.e. your query wasn't escalated) then they are just call centre agents and have no info in front of them really, so I'd take that with a pinch of salt. 

 

But you can easily check, if the visa has been endorsed then it will have a stamp with your admission date and A number either on it or right next to it. If it has then you're all good, if not then the visa has expired and they won't send your GC as you're not yet a LPR of the US. 

 

Also, you can check using the receipt number from when you paid the fee, what does that status say on this page? https://egov.uscis.gov

Edited 2 hours ago by appleblossom

[Pat J 4]

33 minutes ago, appleblossom said:

 

Honestly, don't use Grok or any kind of AI! It's already given you duff info. If the agent wasn't a Tier 2 agent (i.e. your query wasn't escalated) then they are just call centre agents and have no info in front of them really, so I'd take that with a pinch of salt. 

 

But you can easily check, if the visa has been endorsed then it will have a stamp with your admission date and A number either on it or right next to it. If it has then you're all good, if not then the visa has expired and they won't send your GC as you're not yet a LPR of the US. 

 

Also, you can check using the receipt number from when you paid the fee, what does that status say on this page? https://egov.uscis.gov

it says 

Immigrant Visa Fee Payment Received

On February 11, 2025, we received your USCIS Immigrant fee payment for your Permanent Resident Card related to your immigrant visa. We will be processing the request for production of your Permanent Resident Card. You should receive your Permanent Resident Card within 90 days of your entry into the United States or within 90 days after your USCIS Immigrant Fee payment is received. If you do not receive your Permanent Resident Card, visit the USCIS Contact Center webpage at www.uscis.gov/contactcenter. If you move, go to www.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing address.

[apond 49]

Just now, Pat J said:

it says 
 

Immigrant Visa Fee Payment Received

On February 11, 2025, we received your USCIS Immigrant fee payment for your Permanent Resident Card related to your immigrant visa. We will be processing the request for production of your Permanent Resident Card. You should receive your Permanent Resident Card within 90 days of your entry into the United States or within 90 days after your USCIS Immigrant Fee payment is received. If you do not receive your Permanent Resident Card, visit the USCIS Contact Center webpage at www.uscis.gov/contactcenter. If you move, go to www.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing address.

 But what does the visa in your passport say? Was it endorsed?

[appleblossom 4,195]

Just now, Pat J said:

it says 
 

Immigrant Visa Fee Payment Received

On February 11, 2025, we received your USCIS Immigrant fee payment for your Permanent Resident Card related to your immigrant visa. We will be processing the request for production of your Permanent Resident Card. You should receive your Permanent Resident Card within 90 days of your entry into the United States or within 90 days after your USCIS Immigrant Fee payment is received. If you do not receive your Permanent Resident Card, visit the USCIS Contact Center webpage at www.uscis.gov/contactcenter. If you move, go to www.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing address.

 

Great. Now you just need to check the visa in your passport and make sure it's been endorsed prior to the expiry date on it. 

[Crazy Cat 44,152]

20 minutes ago, appleblossom said:

 

Great. Now you just need to check the visa in your passport and make sure it's been endorsed prior to the expiry date on it. 

According to the OP, CBP never saw his immigrant visa.  He thinks the Green Card will be mailed without having CPB processed his entry.  Personally, I don't trust the answer he got from the USCIS tier 1 rep. 

Edited 1 hour ago by Crazy Cat