pot121

Approval Decision emailed yesterday yay!! How long has it taken for you guys to receive the card on the mail?

Congratulations!!

You'll get it about 10 days after your first approval email.

You'll get another email that they mailed you approval notice and from there it will take 2-3days. They send it via pririoty mail!

Congratulations to u too!!

& thank u! yeah they mailed it via priority mail dated January 5, 2012 on the envelope...maybe u will get ur green card this week...

I hope!!! The last time they mailed me my EAD via priority it took only 2 days! i can't wait to get it.

Did you get txt/email confirmation when they mailed it on jan 5?

You should use the name on your passport. Just bring your marriage certificate and green card so you can enter the US. My passport and my green card are both in my maiden name I don't know why. I thought they would issue green card in my married name coz that was the name I put in my application.

Really? Your green card has your maiden name?

Did your EAD/AP came with your maiden name too?

My EAD/AP is in my married name

and does it have to be a roundtrip ticket?

Or it doesnt matter?

Im afraid thats gonna be a problem cos I am going to Norway then going to Asia then come back US.

We are not buying the tickets at the same time. We'll buy the next plane ticket going to Asia once landed Norway and buy ticket coming back to US once landed Asia.

update: January 9, 2011 my husband check our mail box and there u go...my green card is waiting inside ...This is one of the happiest moments of my life...we're so happy that at last we're done of USCIS for 2 years...see y'all on 2013! Great start of year 2012 for us..To those who are still waiting..guys don't loss hope.. God is sooo Good always. God Bless us all..

Nice!! Congratulations!!

May I ask, did they send it via priority mail? And what is the date on the stamp on the envelope?

Im awaiting for my greencard and would like to know how long it took to get to you.

I just got card production email so Im guessing by friday I should have it. I hope sooner!!

Thanks!

Do I have to buy plane ticket before applying?

Quite simple:

secured lodging (hotel reservation) or invitation from someone there to stay in their home (I'm not that familiar with Norway, I am with Sweden though and they are very similar; in case of an invitation, there is a special form whoever is inviting you needs to complete at the local municipality/town as they have some rules as to how many people can leave on a give house area)

proof that you have funds to support yourself while there

often they want to see that there will be health insurance (depends on what country you are from; and there are several companies that do this)

bank statements, to prove you have the funds

pictures

Assuming Norway is the entry country to the Schengen area? The rules are that you obtain visa from the first country you go in, unless in transit (in some cases, again depends on what country you are from). Little known fact: Switzerland is not in the Schengen and in many cases (again depends on what country you are from) a green card is sufficient to land there; from there, it is fairly easy to obtain visas to other EU countries.

There are fees (usually not that high), but not current on what are those now.

Valid passport, etc

Name in passport is what goes in application. Sorry I spaced that out.

Yes the main country I will be visiting is Norway.

My friend will sponsor everything including, plane ticket, lodging, food, everything.

My question is how should I apply? apply using my maiden name or married name?

Okay. Thanks for the info.

Do I have to buy the ticket first before applying?

Hi VJ friends!

My AOS got approved and My green card is on the way. I should get It in 2-3days.

My question is I am going to apply for a Schengen visa. I wanna know how should I apply.

My passport is in my maiden name but my greencard is in my married name(from what the IO said).

What name should I put on my visa Application? Im asking because I have to apply online to get an appointment.

One more thing, do I have to have plane ticket already?

I am going to the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Houston next week.

Your advice will be very much appreciated!!

Congratulations to all who are getting interview dates!!! Goodluck!

Update!!

WELCOME LETTER RECEIVED!!!

Hi, did you apply using your married name or maiden name? I am going to apply for a schengen visa to go Norway next week. But I dont know what last name should I use cos my green card is in my married name and my passport is in my maiden. Pls help

Hi I have a question about applying a schengen visa.

I am a green card holder and the name on my green card is on my married name. But my passport is still on my MAIDEN name. And valid til OCT 2012.

Is there gonna be a problem when applying?

One more thing. How should I apply for the schengen visa, with my maiden name or married name?

She does not have the 2 year HRR. Thanks for quick responses, it sounds like everything should work out fine. Just starting to stress over this whole process, started to worrying myself.

Thats great!! You guys should be fine!! Don't stress yourself too much. Everything will be fine

Make sure her J1 visa is not subject to the 2-year Home Residency Requirement. Being married to US Citizen does not preclude her the 2yr HRR if she is subject to it.

That is Correct! Make sure you check on that.

Not at all! You should be fine. I have the same situation! And we got approved!

Just send all completed applications form, fees and required documents to avoid RFE.

Good luck!

Just checked my case status and have an interview set on February 3, 2012. Finally, a little end to this immigration process.

That's great news for you!!! goodluck

update!!!

USCIS REGISTERED MY PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS today and mailed me a notice!!! I'm so happy!!!

If you overstayed your previous visa, you should not use your AP. Once you are approved, your status on USCIS website should change and if you are signed up for email notifications, you should also get an email about approval. You can make the infopass, but if the status on USCIS hasn't changed and you haven't gotten an email or the welcome letter, I would try calling them first to see if they can see the approval in their system. If you haven't been officially approved yet, the infopass will be a waste of time since they won't give you a stamp until you are really approved.

Your advice to call USCIS worked like a charm!!! I just talked to them and said they mailed me a notice TODAY that they had registered my permanent resident status! followed by a txt/email confirmation! I'm so happy!

I guess my green card is on its way too! yay!

Thanks alot! And thank you ZAIRA for starting this thread! It helped a lot!

update!!!

USCIS REGISTERED MY PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS today and mailed me a notice!!! I'm so happy!!!

If you overstayed your previous visa, you should not use your AP. Once you are approved, your status on USCIS website should change and if you are signed up for email notifications, you should also get an email about approval. You can make the infopass, but if the status on USCIS hasn't changed and you haven't gotten an email or the welcome letter, I would try calling them first to see if they can see the approval in their system. If you haven't been officially approved yet, the infopass will be a waste of time since they won't give you a stamp until you are really approved.

Yes. the status is still the same. no changes on the website. Okay, I will call USCIS to see if they can see the approval in their system. I hope the status change soon. :/

The IO said you are approved before leaving correct? You were told the typical line that the GC will arrive in 30 days right? Your GC is on its way. Our interview was on a Thursday and the GC arrived that Saturday--this was back in May so the only holiday we had was Memorial Day. The EAD/AP card has a warning about using it, however; since you are approved for a GC you can use the EAD/AP card for travel until the GC arrives. The website never updated for us until well after the GC arrived. I did receive a text message, but I cannot remember when that was.

Enjoy your trip.

Dave

Yes. She said that we are approved and will receive the card in 2-3 weeks. she did not give me approval letter before we left. did you get approval letter? Im scared to use my EAD/AP. :/

Congrats! It took us a week to receive my hubby's GC after our AOS interview approval

Thanks! Did you get txt/email confirmation on the day you got approved?

@zaira Yes. But it still on request for initial interview. So we are not approve yet?

You cannot travel with the EAD/AP combo card if you have overstayed your previous visa for more than 180 days. In your case, that card is also technically not valid anymore if you were really approved. If you were approved, you can make an infopass appointment and request the I-551 stamp, which is essentially as good as the physical GC and will allow you to travel while you're waiting for the physical card to arrive.

How do I know if I am really approved? I asked the lady before we left her office if we are approved and she said YES to me and my hubby. But she did not give us the approval letter. And no txt/email confirmation at the end of the day. Im confused. May I ask did you get an approval letter on the day you got approved? Your interview day.

Hi, I have the same question. About traveling with AP. I'm a bit confused though.

I overstayed my visa and got approved for AP. I know you can't use it if you over stay for more than 180 days cos you will trigger a 3 or 10 yr ban. But yesterday I had my AOS interview and got approved. No approval letter was given to me. And said will receive GC in 2-3weeks. Cos I asked when will I get the Gc in the mail because we are planning to travel out of the country in about two weeks. The IO asked if I have my EAD with me and would like to see it. I handed it to her and she said that my EAD will be my proof of status til I get my GC and can travel with it. I told her that I overstayed but she was pretty firmed that I can use it to travel. Im so confused!

Is there any truth about what the IO said?

Your advice will be very much appreciated. Thanks!