bbahder12

Yesterday on the news it said all Passports and Visa will be shut down, in effect government shuts down

Bummer. So if I had sent the information and forms and they arrive tomorrow, and they shut down, will it just delay the processing of my request?

Hi all,

I just sent my wifes greencard to get her last name changed to mine. I didn't know if anyone knows if this shutdown will affect this aspect of immigration and what (if anything) I can do. Thanks.

Brian

Atlanta was nothing but accommodating and professional...don't know who told you otherwise.

Good to know, thanks for the insight. I saw some good deals there as well, I may have to reconsider, Atlanta would be much nicer (fiscally and ease of getting to our final destination). Thanks!

Cool!! Thanks, that takes a load off of my mind!

Hello all,

I was starting to look at flights back to the US from Costa Rica and I had previously been advised to avoid Atlanta, Miami, and LA if someone was entering the US as a permanent resident for the first time. I found a good deal to Denver, direct from CR, how is immigration in Denver? Any suggestions?

You don't do anything except check your mail. They tell you 6-8 weeks (standard government jargon) at POE. My preciosa received hers in 3 weeks. Hers actually came in a weird envelope and at first I just thought it was more junk mail...glad I did not throw that one out, lol, . Since your wife has a ssn she can work the moment her passport is stamped...the A number is written in.

Excellent!!! Thanks so much for the help! It means a lot

POE is simple. If you are with her go through with her in either visitor line or citizen/lpr line (whichever is shorter). The CBP will ask for her package that arrives with her passport/visa and this package is to remain sealed until CBP opens it. They will take her fingerprints and then you two will be escorted to a secondary room. Here they will look through the documents. In Atlanta the had both of us sign a statement verifying that we understood we had to apply for lifting of conditions within 3 months of the 2 year anniversary of POE. If anything is wrong in your paperwork have it corrected there. My wife's green card was set to be delivered in her maiden name so they did a name change there (free) and when the card arrived it was in her married name. Her passport will be stamped but, unlike the other poster stated, she is not allowed to work until she receives a SSN. My wife's GC arrived in 3 weeks and at 4 weeks still no SSN. She went to the office and they processed it and she will have the number in 3 days and the card in two weeks. Either with or without you she will manage the POE just fine. The agents in Atlanta at least seemed to understand that the applicant had already been through hell and were all so very nice and professional. Good luck to both of you.

Hi Guys, thanks for posting! That eases my mind a lot. She already has a SSN because she was here awhile back on a J-1 visa for school/work in Florida (how we met ) so that is not a big concern.

Once she is here, do we have to do anything to get the green card in the mail or we do not have to do anything and it will be sent automatically?

thanks again for the info, I really appreciate. And magical, I will be sure to give a step by step of what we go through. What stage are you at?

Hi everyone,

I married my wife Nov. 30 2009 and the end of the process of getting her here is close at hand. The NVC scheduled our interview and it will be March 7 2011 in San Jose, Costa Rica at the US Embassy. We got married in Costa Rica and I filed all of the paperwork (I-130, affadavit, application, etc) in the US. My wife is coming to the US on an immigrant visa as a CR-1 (conditional spouse of US citizen). I am prepared for everything up until our arrival in the US. This is where the questions begin.

- What is it like entering the US witha spouse who is entering for the first time as a permanent resident?

- Once in the US, will the green card be issued automatically, or de we need to submit a form to verify she is here, legal, and ready for the green

card?

Thanks so much for any help!!!