asdf000

I was able to get I-551 at my interview this week since I had imminent travel plans (leaving on vacation same day as interview). I showed my travel itinerary and the officer was quite accommodating about it and did their best to help with my situation. I got the impression this is certainly not the default case: I heard another lawyer tell their client in the waiting room that he's almost never had success with getting same-day I-551 stamps in the past 2 years, and the whole process seemed to require extra effort on the IO's part (walked down with me to another floor to get the stamp done). My case was employment based, no dependents, very straightforward and well prepared for interview.

5 hours ago, kartonio said:

@asdf000 So our case was approved but didn't get the stamp because the fingerprints have expired, and they need to redo the background check. They expire after 15 months apparently. Oh well, back to waiting for EAD renewal. Hope you have better luck with your case!

Thanks for the update @kartonio! That's helpful to know and congrats on the approval. 

My case has been pending only 7 months, biometrics will be 6 months old so I hope I won't face the same issue with expired fingerprints. Did the officer make it sound like s/he would be willing to give the stamp if not for the fingerprint issue, or anything else in the way of that? My interview is in a few weeks at the Manhattan office, will update this thread when completed. 

Has anyone else had success recently in getting I-551 stamp at interview? (At NYC office or any other office - though I am in NYC)

I have my employment based interview in the morning, and am departing on a 1 week trip abroad in the evening on the same day. I have a valid H-1B visa and EAD, but no AP document. I plan to try to ask the officer for the stamp during interview due to my travel plans. If not possible, my lawyer says I can still come back on H-1B if my case is approved after I depart the country. However if I can't get the stamp and it is approved later the same day (after the interview) then I'm in a trickier situation and in the worst case I can just wait for the GC to be received and have someone FedEx it to me while I'm outside the country.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Any possibility to enter on LPR status without having the green card in hand yet (other than having the I-551 stamp)?