IndigoFlowers

Awesome news!

Woohoo! After waiting (for what felt like FOREVER... just 2.5 years) I just got my approval letter for my removal of conditions from Potomac today! Excited to be done with this part of the journey, can't wait to get my new card. 
 
No RFE, no interview! 

Woohoo! After waiting (for what felt like FOREVER... just 2.5 years) I just got my approval letter for my removal of conditions from Potomac today! Excited to be done with this part of the journey, can't wait to get my new card. 
 
No RFE, no interview! 

Two more travel experiences
 
Flew Virgin Airlines from Orlando to London Heathrow and then back to Orlando from London at the end of January. No problems whatsoever. Never even asked to see the extension letter upon return to the USA.
 
Flew from Orlando to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and then back to Orlando at the beginning of March. Again, no problems. This time I was asked for my extension letter upon arrival back to Orlando, but they took one look at it and we were good to go. 
 
In all, have been back and forth to Canada about 5 times, gone on a cruise to the Bahamas, a trip to London, and a trip to the Domician Republic on my extension letter and it has gone very smoothly each time. The biggest holdup was the cruise to the Bahamas because the Royal Caribbean employee needed a manager to sign off on it on their computer. 

I'm YSC, got my 48 month extension letter in the mail today. 

YSC too, received 48 month extension this weekend

Two more travel experiences
 
Flew Virgin Airlines from Orlando to London Heathrow and then back to Orlando from London at the end of January. No problems whatsoever. Never even asked to see the extension letter upon return to the USA.
 
Flew from Orlando to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and then back to Orlando at the beginning of March. Again, no problems. This time I was asked for my extension letter upon arrival back to Orlando, but they took one look at it and we were good to go. 
 
In all, have been back and forth to Canada about 5 times, gone on a cruise to the Bahamas, a trip to London, and a trip to the Domician Republic on my extension letter and it has gone very smoothly each time. The biggest holdup was the cruise to the Bahamas because the Royal Caribbean employee needed a manager to sign off on it on their computer. 

Two more travel experiences
 
Flew Virgin Airlines from Orlando to London Heathrow and then back to Orlando from London at the end of January. No problems whatsoever. Never even asked to see the extension letter upon return to the USA.
 
Flew from Orlando to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and then back to Orlando at the beginning of March. Again, no problems. This time I was asked for my extension letter upon arrival back to Orlando, but they took one look at it and we were good to go. 
 
In all, have been back and forth to Canada about 5 times, gone on a cruise to the Bahamas, a trip to London, and a trip to the Domician Republic on my extension letter and it has gone very smoothly each time. The biggest holdup was the cruise to the Bahamas because the Royal Caribbean employee needed a manager to sign off on it on their computer. 

Two more travel experiences
 
Flew Virgin Airlines from Orlando to London Heathrow and then back to Orlando from London at the end of January. No problems whatsoever. Never even asked to see the extension letter upon return to the USA.
 
Flew from Orlando to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and then back to Orlando at the beginning of March. Again, no problems. This time I was asked for my extension letter upon arrival back to Orlando, but they took one look at it and we were good to go. 
 
In all, have been back and forth to Canada about 5 times, gone on a cruise to the Bahamas, a trip to London, and a trip to the Domician Republic on my extension letter and it has gone very smoothly each time. The biggest holdup was the cruise to the Bahamas because the Royal Caribbean employee needed a manager to sign off on it on their computer. 

I'm YSC, got my 48 month extension letter in the mail today. 

This is gong to vary by port of entry and by officer.
 
My wife never had a secondary with her extension letter. At SFO we assumed the kiosks wouldn’t work and the officer in primary inspection processed her. That was a mistake on our part as since then we’ve learned that kiosks do work if facial recognition is being used versus insertion of a. Expired green card. 
 
Cards expire but faces are with you for life. Like LPR status. 

The trip was a success!
 
When flying back to the US from London Heathrow, Virgin Atlantic wouldn't let me complete online check-in (no bother though), so I went to the counter and they were happy with the documents. I took: UK Passport, Expired US Green Card, USCIS Extension Letter, and US Marriage Certificate. 
 
When I arrived back in the States, I went through Global Entry and the officer asked to see and check my USCIS Extension Letter. It was very quick and they were satisfied. 
 
Happy holidays and Happy New Year all!  🎉 

Posting my experience in case anyone is curious about travelling with your extension letter on a cruise!
 
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean
Departed from Port Canaveral, FL
Destination: Bahamas
Dates April 8-11, 2022
 
For the initial online check-in, I used my Canadian passport as my ID. When I arrived at the port, a worker standing with an iPad checked my Canadian passport,  and asked if I lived in Canada or the USA. I replied that I live in the USA and they immediately asked for my green card and sent me to another desk to get assisted there. I noticed all green card holders were getting sent to the desks to get processed, regardless if they their cards were expired or not. At this desk they scanned my Canadian passport and my green card. Since my green card is expired, I handed them my extension letter. The employee just had to show his supervisor the letter and she told him to edit the expiration of my green card in their system to 24 months out according to the extension letter. Very easy and quick, they knew exactly what to do. 
 
Arrival back to the USA was a breeze as we just had to walk through a facial recognition system that verified who you were based on your previous biometrics/info/passport that they have in their system. No talking to any customs agents or having to show my extension letter. 

Recently got back from traveling to and from Canada with my extension letter (flying with Air Canada). On return to the US, everything went smoothly with US customs in Toronto Airport - I handed the customs agent my green card, passport and boarding pass. She typed some things into her computer, asked why I was in Canada, and then asked me for my extension letter. I handed the extension letter to her and she looked at both pages and told me goodbye. Very simple! 

Recently got back from traveling to and from Canada with my extension letter (flying with Air Canada). On return to the US, everything went smoothly with US customs in Toronto Airport - I handed the customs agent my green card, passport and boarding pass. She typed some things into her computer, asked why I was in Canada, and then asked me for my extension letter. I handed the extension letter to her and she looked at both pages and told me goodbye. Very simple! 

Recently got back from traveling to and from Canada with my extension letter (flying with Air Canada). On return to the US, everything went smoothly with US customs in Toronto Airport - I handed the customs agent my green card, passport and boarding pass. She typed some things into her computer, asked why I was in Canada, and then asked me for my extension letter. I handed the extension letter to her and she looked at both pages and told me goodbye. Very simple! 

Same here... I received my biometric waiver letter in the mail but my online status did not change either. I think this is fairly common for the online status to not always update. 

Posting my experience in case anyone is curious about travelling with your extension letter on a cruise!
 
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean
Departed from Port Canaveral, FL
Destination: Bahamas
Dates April 8-11, 2022
 
For the initial online check-in, I used my Canadian passport as my ID. When I arrived at the port, a worker standing with an iPad checked my Canadian passport,  and asked if I lived in Canada or the USA. I replied that I live in the USA and they immediately asked for my green card and sent me to another desk to get assisted there. I noticed all green card holders were getting sent to the desks to get processed, regardless if they their cards were expired or not. At this desk they scanned my Canadian passport and my green card. Since my green card is expired, I handed them my extension letter. The employee just had to show his supervisor the letter and she told him to edit the expiration of my green card in their system to 24 months out according to the extension letter. Very easy and quick, they knew exactly what to do. 
 
Arrival back to the USA was a breeze as we just had to walk through a facial recognition system that verified who you were based on your previous biometrics/info/passport that they have in their system. No talking to any customs agents or having to show my extension letter. 

Posting my experience in case anyone is curious about travelling with your extension letter on a cruise!
 
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean
Departed from Port Canaveral, FL
Destination: Bahamas
Dates April 8-11, 2022
 
For the initial online check-in, I used my Canadian passport as my ID. When I arrived at the port, a worker standing with an iPad checked my Canadian passport,  and asked if I lived in Canada or the USA. I replied that I live in the USA and they immediately asked for my green card and sent me to another desk to get assisted there. I noticed all green card holders were getting sent to the desks to get processed, regardless if they their cards were expired or not. At this desk they scanned my Canadian passport and my green card. Since my green card is expired, I handed them my extension letter. The employee just had to show his supervisor the letter and she told him to edit the expiration of my green card in their system to 24 months out according to the extension letter. Very easy and quick, they knew exactly what to do. 
 
Arrival back to the USA was a breeze as we just had to walk through a facial recognition system that verified who you were based on your previous biometrics/info/passport that they have in their system. No talking to any customs agents or having to show my extension letter. 

Posting my experience in case anyone is curious about travelling with your extension letter on a cruise!
 
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean
Departed from Port Canaveral, FL
Destination: Bahamas
Dates April 8-11, 2022
 
For the initial online check-in, I used my Canadian passport as my ID. When I arrived at the port, a worker standing with an iPad checked my Canadian passport,  and asked if I lived in Canada or the USA. I replied that I live in the USA and they immediately asked for my green card and sent me to another desk to get assisted there. I noticed all green card holders were getting sent to the desks to get processed, regardless if they their cards were expired or not. At this desk they scanned my Canadian passport and my green card. Since my green card is expired, I handed them my extension letter. The employee just had to show his supervisor the letter and she told him to edit the expiration of my green card in their system to 24 months out according to the extension letter. Very easy and quick, they knew exactly what to do. 
 
Arrival back to the USA was a breeze as we just had to walk through a facial recognition system that verified who you were based on your previous biometrics/info/passport that they have in their system. No talking to any customs agents or having to show my extension letter. 

Posting my experience in case anyone is curious about travelling with your extension letter on a cruise!
 
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean
Departed from Port Canaveral, FL
Destination: Bahamas
Dates April 8-11, 2022
 
For the initial online check-in, I used my Canadian passport as my ID. When I arrived at the port, a worker standing with an iPad checked my Canadian passport,  and asked if I lived in Canada or the USA. I replied that I live in the USA and they immediately asked for my green card and sent me to another desk to get assisted there. I noticed all green card holders were getting sent to the desks to get processed, regardless if they their cards were expired or not. At this desk they scanned my Canadian passport and my green card. Since my green card is expired, I handed them my extension letter. The employee just had to show his supervisor the letter and she told him to edit the expiration of my green card in their system to 24 months out according to the extension letter. Very easy and quick, they knew exactly what to do. 
 
Arrival back to the USA was a breeze as we just had to walk through a facial recognition system that verified who you were based on your previous biometrics/info/passport that they have in their system. No talking to any customs agents or having to show my extension letter. 

Timeline:
August 2018 filed AOS with I-131, I-140, etc etc)
July 2019 interview for two year green card, approved next day.
13 April 2021 filed I-751.
27 August 2021 biometrics waived.
Case transferred to California Service Center.
Mid-January 2022 received RFE dated end of December 2021.
15 March 2022 mailed in our response to the RFE
18 March 2022 response to RFE received.
30 March 2022 approved! Card being produced.
 
Details: In January 2022 we received an RFE for my husband's I-751 that we filed last April. It was a form letter very similar to others I've read here, saying they needed more evidence for our marriage. At the top they listed the evidence they received from us. Over half of the items we sent were missing. We were pretty sure they simply lost it but it was still really stressful because of the language they used. For example, we provided our IRS tax transcripts (which they listed as received) but they said they were insufficient to show we filed taxes as a married couple (huh?) and they needed a version with all attachments (we did send W2s and 1099s in the original package but of course they lost those.... still not sure how they got separated from the transcripts?!). We put together another VERY FAT package including everything they had "lost" plus a bunch of other stuff and sent it off to the California Service Center, and today, less than two weeks later, he received a notification email that his 10 year green card is being produced! We are so relieved.
 
Anyway, I just wanted to post this in case anyone else has this issue and is searching the forum for answers, because frankly we were pretty panicked when we first got the RFE. I know this forum has helped us a great deal on our journey and I would like to give a little back. Thanks to everyone else who posted similar situations. It helped calm our nerves a little bit during the process of putting together our second package.
 
 

I just returned to the US from international travel. I already have my physical biometric waiver letter but didn't think to take it with me so I left it at home and I was fine without it. I showed my expired green card, the extension letter and my passport. 
 
I recommend you allow some extra time for them to review these as I couldn't check in for my flight online** and almost missed my flight out of New York. I had to wait in a long line to get my boarding pass - the airline rep was very confused by the paper extension letter so I had to wait for his manager to come and look at it - cue round three of a long wait. It seemed they hadn't seen this piece of paper/extension letter before (they were holding it up to the light etc.). Not a huge deal as I guess we're more concerned about being allowed back into the US! 
 
When I flew back to New York yesterday, it was a breeze (I have global entry so not sure how that effects things). Side note, the immigration officer at JFK looked at my extension letter and said "24 months?! It used to be 12 to process! What a joke, what are they doing over there?!" *preach*
 
**On my return journey, I decided to try check-in again online via the airline app and it dawned on me that in the green card expiration date part of the check-in form, I could technically put 2024 as the year of expiration and voila, it worked!

They don't use the fancy paper for some of the more routine notices. 

Correct.
 
Sorry I can’t answer that one. When I filed late it was a long time ago, on a paper form, and they didn’t ask. I don’t even know what their choices are on today’s FBAR. Maybe somebody else will help with that one.