blooberry

My passport and my green card both expire the same month as well - next May.

You can file for a new Canadian passport 6 months prior to your old passport expiring, so I am currently in the works of preparing my passport application. You can print the form off of the website. What is a problem for me is that the guarantor requirements have changed - they are now much easier for those who live in Canada but much harder for those who don't: a Guarantor now needs to be a Canadian citizen who has known you for 2 years AND is a valid Canadian passport holder. For me, that means I need to send everything to my guarantor BACK IN CANADA, get him to sign the photographs, sign the application, send it all back to me in the mail, then I get to assemble the package and mail it all - this time with my unexpired passport included - back to Quebec. What a rigamarole! The other dilemna is that they require your guarantor to sign the photocopy of your identification if you are not including the original with the application - but I am sure as heck not sending my original identification (driver's license) off to either the passport office or my guarantor out of the country, so the guarantor is signing that something is an accurate copy even without seeing the original. They do state that an unexpired passport can count as identification, but it seems like the instructions are requiring both. Grrrr.

Anyway, from my understanding, it is currently taking between 8 to 15 weeks (different people getting different response times) to get the passport back - that is IF they don't reject the photographs. . . 47% of applications submitted with photographs taken in the US are rejected because of the photographs - Canadian standards are much more rigid than US standards (and yes, looking at my green card photo I definitely agree!). One suggestion I have heard is to submit two different set of photographs, signed by the guarantor, etc. so that if one set isn't good the other one might be acceptable. I think I will give it a try.

I am submitting my passport application shortly, requesting the current one back in addition to the new one, and praying I won't have an emergency requiring out of the country travel until I have it back in my possession. I am also hoping to get it back before I submit my application to remove conditions in late February/early March. I do not believe a copy of your passport is required for the I-751, but take a photocopy all the same - just in case. Mine does have a travel stamp in it that shows we travelled together so that becomes part of my evidence.

(And my military card and Driver's license ALSO expire next May! May is going to be a busy month!)

Thank you for your response! Are you originally from Canada? Because you can use a family member as your guarantor. (My mom agreed to act as mine.) I know the worries that come with sending official documents in the mail -- I'm glad I can trust my parents!

(Although, in the "References" section of the passport application, you have to choose people who are not your relatives.)

Hi all,

Of all the sheer coincidences! My five-year Canadian Passport and my temporary 2-year U.S. Green Card are set to expire in the same month! (April 2008)

Of course, this discovery has made an already-anxious personality (me) even more anxious. ;-)

(I wish I could tell myself to be more laid-back, but it is difficult -- especially when dealing with a serious subject like immigration status.)

Here are my -- hopefully easy to answer! -- questions:

Do I have to wait for my CDN passport to expire, before I can apply for a new one?

A fellow VJ-er posted this:

they won't renew a passport until its just a few weeks left on it, or has expired.

Silly me for not reading the paperwork carefully -- I visited the Canadian Consulate in San Francisco to renew my passport, only to be told that they don't do that, and I'd have to mail it in.

However, the lady behind the desk, told me to send it to Quebec early because "currently the Passport Office is five months behind." (!!!)

That being said, the Canadian Passport website states that processing "can take up to seven weeks."

So I don't know what to believe. And I certainly don't want to mail my passport in now (November 2007) if my passport is only going to be rejected for arriving while still valid.

Also:

When I apply for the "Lifting of Conditions", am I required to provide my CDN passport?

Since my temporary Green Card expires in April, I can effectively send in my "Lifting of Conditons" paperwork in January. (90 days, or less, before expiry.)

But depending on how long it takes for my CDN passport to be renewed, my passport may be in transit. Will I need to show my CDN passport as "proof" of anything?

Thank you SO much for any advice or kind words! :-)

Sincerely,

Lisa (and Brian)

Hi all --

It has been quite a while since last visiting you fine folk on VisaJourney! We always appreciate the knowledge and information shared on these forums. :-)

The time has come to soon work on the "Lifting of Conditions" for my Permanent Residence status! I currently have my Green Card, valid for 2 years before expiry.

(Well, less than that now, since I got my Green Card in 2006.)

I've been reading some of the posts just to familiarize myself -- I suspect it must get tiresome when people ask the same questions again and again!

I will try my best to not be a broken record player. ;-)

A sentence caught my eye, and I wanted to follow-up on it. This was written to a VJ member on March 21, 2007:

"Would be a good idea to have your husband's SS card updated to one without the DHS legend as soon as he gets his new GC."

When I married in the US, I received my Social Security card fairly quickly. It has "Valid to Work With DHS Authorization" on it.

I accepted this at face value -- I wasn't even aware that we can have this phrase removed later on???

How does one go about doing this? Now that I have my 2-year Green Card, can I do it? Or do I have to wait until I receive my 10-year Green Card?

Thanks for helping solve the mystery! I read the FAQ and the Guides, but couldn't find mention of an unrestricted SS card.

Sincerely,

Lisa and Brian :-)

Hi all,

I really appreciate this VisaJourney website. It helps to know others are having similar experiences and that we can share our stories.

I have successfully moved to the United States from Canada. Our one year wedding anniversary was two weeks ago. :-) I have my Green Card (conditional Permanent Resident) and am holding a part-time job.

I apologize if my question is simple. This is posted to Regional Discussion: Canada, and also Your New Life in America. I am sorry if I am posting to an incorrect forum. But I've done a few internet searches and am not sure where to turn. Here is the situation:

I am concerned about my Canadian passport. It expires in April 2008. This is my first passport, so I've never had to go through the process of renewing it before.

-How do I renew my Canadian passport since I am now living in California?

Is there an application I need to fill out?

-Should I be anxious about sending my passport through the mail? (When I was originally issued a passport, I chose to do everything in person.)

-I now use my married name, and my passport was issued in my maiden name. I would like to change it to my married name.

-When applying for my initial passport, I had to show proof of citizenship with my ORIGINAL birth certificate.

Is this required again? Does the passport office accept copies, or is it originals only? I am loathe to send my original long-form birth certificate, particularly because USCIS has asked for it on a number of occasions. I don't ever want to let that baby out of my sight! :-) I have a shorter birth certificate (in laminated card form). Would that work?

-Also, when applying for my initial passport, it required the signature of a "guarantor" -- someone in professional standing who has known me for a minimum of two years. (At the time, I used my doctor.) Is this again required? I haven't had opportunity to form professional contacts -- I haven't even BEEN here for two years yet! This worries me.

-Since my passport expires in April 2008, what timeframe is needed for processing? Should I renew it right away?

Thank you to all of those who read this. Suggestions and advice are welcome. I am grateful for any assistance.

Sincerely,

Lisa (and Brian) :-)

Hi all,

I really appreciate this VisaJourney website. It helps to know others are having similar experiences and that we can share our stories.

I have successfully moved to the United States from Canada. Our one year wedding anniversary was two weeks ago. :-) I have my Green Card (conditional Permanent Resident) and am holding a part-time job.

I apologize if my question is simple. This is posted to Regional Discussion: Canada, and also Your New Life in America. I am sorry if I am posting to an incorrect forum. But I've done a few internet searches and am not sure where to turn. Here is the situation:

I am concerned about my Canadian passport. It expires in April 2008. This is my first passport, so I've never had to go through the process of renewing it before.

-How do I renew my Canadian passport since I am now living in California?

Is there an application I need to fill out?

-Should I be anxious about sending my passport through the mail? (When I was originally issued a passport, I chose to do everything in person.)

-I now use my married name, and my passport was issued in my maiden name. I would like to change it to my married name.

-When applying for my initial passport, I had to show proof of citizenship with my ORIGINAL birth certificate.

Is this required again? Does the passport office accept copies, or is it originals only? I am loathe to send my original long-form birth certificate, particularly because USCIS has asked for it on a number of occasions. I don't ever want to let that baby out of my sight! :-) I have a shorter birth certificate (in laminated card form). Would that work?

-Also when applying for my initial passport, it required the signature of a "guarantor" -- someone in professional standing who has known me for a minimum of two years. (At the time, I used my doctor.) Is this again required? I haven't had opportunity to form professional contacts -- I haven't even BEEN here for two years yet! This worries me.

-Since my passport expires in April 2008, what timeframe is needed for processing? Should I renew it right away?

Thank you to all of those who read this. Suggestions and advice are welcome. I am grateful for any assistance.

Sincerely,

Lisa (and Brian) :-)

An addendum --

I just realized that another VJ couple (slaughterj) recently posed the EXACT SAME QUESTION. We must have been writing our posts at a similar time! Oooops. :-)

Please use that thread if it is more convenient. My apologies!

Sincerely,

Lisa (and Brian)

On the AOS Notice of Action, it says to bring "All documentation establishing your eligibility for Lawful Permanent Resident" status. What does this mean? Presumably it means materials beyond those covered by the other categories, such as the medical examination form, affidavit of support, immigration-related documentation, travel documents, birth certificate, relationship evidence, etc. etc. But what else is there?

HA HA HA HA HA! We must have been writing our posts at the same time! I just sent one titled "Befuddling AOS Terminology". :-)

Good luck!

Sincerely,

Lisa (and Brian)

Hi all,

I received notice of my AOS interview on January 17th. My biometrics appointment is on February 23.

My AOS interview is on March 20th. I am excited, but too nervous to get *really* excited yet!

I have reviewed the "list of items to bring" to my AOS interview, and I am puzzled. Among the many documents listed, the letter includes a bullet-point which says:

-Provide all documentation establishing your eligibility for Lawful Permanent Resident Status.

What does that mean?

Earlier in the letter it mentions Passports, Birth Certificates, EADs, APs, Marriage Certificate, and "supporting evidence of your relationship" -- all as individual bullet-points in the list of items to bring.

So, is "Eligibility for Lawful Permanent Resident Status" something separate entirely? What am I forgetting?

Thank you for the clarification! I am grateful that so many VJ'ers are helpful and supportive.

Sincerely,

Lisa (and Brian)