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I have moved since entering the country so they said I had to pay. I don't care about the money, I just want to get the card and move on from it.

Thanks for the posts. It seems like INFOPASS appointments are the way forward...slowly forward but foward!

Having been in the US for over a year now, I am still without my Permanent Resident Card.

I wont bore you with the details but needless to say dealing with USCIS has been a nightmare.

Very frustrated I finally made an INFOPASS appointment with my local office. I explained my problems to an officer who told me; "Honey, never talk to them people on the phone, they don't know nothing and they ain't trained worth a damn!"

Nice.

Anyway...I filed my I-90 today and handed over another $370 for a card they say I've lost but that I've never actually received.

Has anyone filed the I-90 online? How long does it take for a biometrics appointment and a replacement card?

Thanks again everyone.

I just arrived in California and thought I'd share my experiences in setting up a bank account.

I went to Citybank and Bank of America but as I didn't have my California license, Permanent Residents Card or a utility bill they couldn't help unless I wanted to do joint accounts with my wife.

Someone else on here recommended Wells Fargo so I paid them a visit. They were able to use my passport and UK credit card as ID and set me up with a checking account, a savings account and checks right there and then. They even set up my online banking for me while I was in the branch.

In addition they are providing me with a secured credit card so I can start building credit.

I was in and out in 30 mins and I got my ATM card 5 days later. Highly recommended although I don't think they operate in every state.

I'm paying about $500 for the first six months to insure my Audi A4 V6 which is pretty much what I pay at home as I'm still under 30. Seemed good to me.

I looked into using my wife's insurance but decided to try and build my own insurance record.

I just moved to California, sat my driving test and bought a car.

I'd been getting really high quotes from Geico and Progressive and some of the other big guys because I have no driving record here. When I went to buy my car at Audi I mentioned this to my salesman and he gave me a number for a broker he and some of his clients use.

The broker was able to take into account my 11 years of accident free driving in the UK. All I had to do was fax my license.

My brokers name is Lynette and her number is (858) 514 3812. She was great and made everything really easy. I think she is based in San Diego. If you call say Jamie Galloway gave you the number and explain your situation to her.

I'm not saying use her and this isn't an advert for her, I just know I struggled to get cheap insurance and she worked hard to hook me up.

I also discovered that State Farm also accept the UK license in some circumstances but you have to call them up. I'm sure other insurance companies will recognise your UK license but hopefully this will be a good start for and UK folk trying to insure their cars.

Good luck and I hope this is helpful to someone. This site has kept me sane the last few years!

Thanks to those that offered constructive advice.

I have one more question about getting a SSN. I've recently moved from NY to CA. Will they be able to issue me with a SSN in CA even if most of the paperwork they have for me is marked with a NY address.

Thanks.

Awesome! Thanks for that.

When my wife came to live in the UK she filed her immigration papers online and TEN DAYS later she had a visa and work permit for the UK. Start to finish, ten days.

Thanks again, I'd be lost without this forum.

I'm not sure if I need to apply for an SSN. Don't they just send that out with the Green Card? Or would that be too easy?

Thanks for the advice.

I entered the US as a Permanent Resident in May 2007. Shortly after this I received my Welcome Notice but no Permanent Resident card or SSN.

I contacted USCIS and they said the card had been mailed and returned by the Post Office. They stated that they would send a new card and I should wait 60 days. I waited, no card. Again they said it had been returned and they would resend to my now different mailing address.

January and still no card. I call again and this time they tell me that they have only EVER sent the card out ONCE and that I need to file a form G-731 to TSC to get my card. I'm also told that they may have destroyed the card and that it may take 7 months(!!!!) to get a new card issued. I have filed the form and am waiting for a response.

I REALLY need to start earning here. Can I work without the Green Card? How do I do this? Surely I don't have to wait another 7 months before I can work? I'm not sure my family can afford that.

Any advice would be gratefully received. Many thanks.

Who can I call?

Ok, i'll do that.

Shouldn't I get an actual a Green Card though? When does that come or do I have to apply for it?

Thanks.

What's actually in the Welcome Letter? I was concerned that I might need some of the information in it.

I guess I'll just have to brave the SS Office when I get back to the US. I'll try calling the helpline too.

I entered the US on May 23rd and I still haven't heard anything. No welcome letter or SSN.

I've had to come back to the UK on business and I'm worried that they won't let me in if I haven't been processed correctly at my POE.

Is there anyone I can call about the Welcome Letter or SSN? Surely there must be some way of checking that my paperwork is being processed without going to a Social Security office.

I'd appreciate some advice on this.

Thanks guys.

This sounds worrying. Has anyone else had this problem???

Is the I-551 stamp the blue stamp with the date and then IR-1 written in pen?

What do I need to take to the Social Security Office?

My POE was Newark on May 23rd. I still haven't received any paperwork and I was wondering how long I should wait?

Also, who do you contact when you haven't heard anything?

Thanks.

Thanks. I think I'll wait for another week or so to see if my SSN comes through, and if not, I'll go to my local office.

I entered the US on May 23rd and had IR-1 stamped in my passport. When I filed I asked for a SSN to be sent out to my US address. I haven't received my Green Card or SSN yet (I know it's too soon) but I've been offered a job and they want me to start as soon as possible. It's a great opportunity and I don't want to pass it up but I'm not sure if I can legally work yet.

Does anyone know what my options are?

Thanks in advance for your help!

I finally had my interview in London yesterday and thankfully my visa was approved. I was so happy I almost had a little cry on the way out of the Embassy!

My appointment was at 10.30am and I arrived at 10am to find a long queue of people waiting. I stood outside until 11am before they let me inside. On entering the Embassy building I was given a ticket and told to listen for my number.

After about 30 minutes I was called to a window. The lady behind the glass looked me up and down and said that I looked too young and too carefree to be married! She was really lovely and wouldn't shut up about her kids. She took all my original documents and then took my fingerprints too. All my paperwork was in order so she gave me back my x-ray and told me to take a seat and wait for my number to be called again.

I was only waiting for 5 minutes before I was called back to another window. The man behind the glass asked me to confirm my name and he scanned my fingerprints again. I was asked to raise my right hand and swear that I would tell the truth.

He then asked the following questions:

How did you meet your wife?

Where is she now?

What does she do?

Where will you live?

When were you last in the US?

Who is your co-sponsor?

He asked all of these in a really casual manner as he was flicking through all the papers. He was very light hearted and non-threatening.

He then said all my paperwork was in order and that I should receive the visa along with my passport in 3-5 days.

After that I paid for the courier service and left the Embassy by 1pm.

Thank you to everyone who has answered my questions and to everyone that posts on this site. It has been a great resource for me and a fantastic support system for what is undoubtedly a stressful and often frustrating process.

I finally had my interview in London yesterday and thankfully my visa was approved. I was so happy I almost had a little cry on the way out of the Embassy!

My appointment was at 10.30am and I arrived at 10am to find a long queue of people waiting. I stood outside until 11am before they let me inside. On entering the Embassy building I was given a ticket and told to listen for my number.

After about 30 minutes I was called to a window. The lady behind the glass looked me up and down and said that I looked too young and too carefree to be married! She was really lovely and wouldn't shut up about her kids. She took all my original documents and then took my fingerprints too. All my paperwork was in order so she gave me back my x-ray and told me to take a seat and wait for my number to be called again.

I was only waiting for 5 minutes before I was called back to another window. The man behind the glass asked me to confirm my name and he scanned my fingerprints again. I was asked to raise my right hand and swear that I would tell the truth.

He then asked the following questions:

How did you meet your wife?

Where is she now?

What does she do?

Where will you live?

When were you last in the US?

Who is your co-sponsor?

He asked all of these in a really casual manner as he was flicking through all the papers. He was very light hearted and non-threatening.

He then said all my paperwork was in order and that I should receive the visa along with my passport in 3-5 days.

After that I paid for the courier service and left the Embassy by 1pm.

Thank you to everyone who has answered my questions and to everyone that posts on this site. It has been a great resource for me and a fantastic support system for what is undoubtedly a stressful and often frustrating process.

Thanks. I think we'll be settling in New York as I'll be working in Manhattan. The California climate is VERY appealing though!

How did the interview go? Anything worth sharing?

Thanks for that, a drink or two may indeed be the answer!

It's just that it's almost two years since I first tried to file DCF so I'm nervous as hell!!!

Valium anyone?

I'm slightly (very!) worried about my interview next Wednesday. All my paperwork is in order and my medical results were fine but I don't have much supporting evidence.

My USC wife had been living with me in Scotland since we married two years ago while we applied for my US Visa. I own my home and all the utilities etc are in my name, nothing had Katie's name on it.

I have a few birthday cards etc and phone bills to the US for the last two months since Katie moved back but not much else. I have couple of letters from my bank addressed to Katie at our Scottish address and a letter from our Doctor (who is also a presonal friend) stating that he was at out wedding and that we have a valid marriage.

Are they likely to ask for anything else? Any tricky questions they might ask?

It would be great to hear from someone with recent experience of a London interview.

Thanks!!!

On the USCIS website it states that the IR-1/CR-1 is issued based on the time you enter the US and not the time of interview.

I think however that your spouse should have made clear her desire for the IR-1 at the time of interview or at the point of entry. Now that she has been issued with the CR-1 it may be tough to change.

It looks like you have been given the wrong visa so as the above post stated, your local USCIS office is probably the best place to start.