dirtyweebesom

Hello, Vermont filer here who just got approved for the 10-year green card today! I had signed up for text message notification, and got a text around 8:15 p.m. tonight telling me that my case had been "updated". I logged into the USCIS website, and card production has been ordered!

Looks like the rest of you won't have all that much longer to wait!

Good luck!

Thanks for updating the timeline for me! :-)

Hello, I just did a walk-in biometrics today at the Service Center here in Austin, Texas. My appointment was originally scheduled for March 26th, so I don't know if you need to update the timeline with the date my biometrics was actually carried out (today March 7th).

The walk-in was a breeze. I expected a long wait, but I was the only person there! I was in and out in ten minutes. The only drawback to arriving at the time I did - 3:15 p.m., so not long before their 4:00 p.m. closing time - was that one of their employees was doing the vacuuming right next to the woman who took my fingertips and the pictures. Despite being a native English speaker, I couldn't hear a word she was saying to me because the vacuum drowned everything out. She also had a "I can't wait to get out of here attitude", and seemed desperate to get back to the paperback novel she was reading before I arrived. USCIS probably pays them peanuts, so it's no wonder she was bored and apathetic, but I couldn't help but feel that some immigrants who're brand new to the country and who don't speak English very well would appreciate someone with a more pleasant manner.

But, hey, shouldn't complain really. Got everything taken care of in record time!

Dear "Screw You Hippie" or whatever your name is, I would respond to your comment, but with a slogan like that as your public persona on "Visa Journey", I don't see much point. I'm guessing that nuanced arguments are probably not your forté.

As for Libertarianism, um, no, I'm not socially liberal and fiscally conservative, as most Libertarians seem to be. I come from a country that has a long and proud history of Socialism, and I will be a Socialist until my dying day.

Hello, I received my biometrics appointment today. It's on March 26th, but I should be able to do a walk-in earlier than that, right?

Can someone update the timeline for me? As I said before, I always mess up the formatting when I change the table myself. Thanks!

I received my NOA in the mail today (dated February 15th). Can someone please add that info to the timeline? I'd do it myself but I always seem to mess the formatting up. Thanks!

I'm confused about part of the letter that talks about how conditional resident applicants won't receive an appointment for biometrics. It says "to complete biometrics processing, these applicants must submit the required items listed on the I-751 form instructions". What are they talking about here? I thought that I was a "conditional resident applicant", but I assume they're talking about some other category of immigrant.

Am I correct?

Well, I took the advice of people on here and sent my application by Express Mail, and I specifically asked the postal clerk to make sure that NO signature would be required on delivery. If my memory serves me correctly, I even checked a box waiving the need for a signature. Despite this, my package was delivered to the USCIS at 12:31 p.m. in Vermont on Valentine's Day AND was signed for by a Mr. Dan Renaud. :-(.

I'm just happy that it got there on time.

Thanks so much, Sciencenerd. Very helpful. It's weird to think that I will be able to apply for Naturalization even though I might not have received my green card by then.

Yeah, I just managed to find some timelines for ROC, and I was shocked at how slow the Vermont Service Center is. Wow! What on earth is the hold up? :-(

PS/ I haven't had much of a chance to look at the timelines of people who have already filed for and received their 10-year green card, so I was wondering how long does this whole process take? How long between filing and actually having that 10-year green card in your hand?

Also, as regards the biometrics appointment, is it possible to do a walk-in? I remember that it was when I was filing for AOS, and I would much prefer to do a walk-in than having to take time off work to go.

Finally, can someone advise me about naturalization?

I received my temporary green card on February 16th 2010. Am I right in assuming that I can apply for naturalization on or after November 19th?

Thanks for reading!

Hello, I just sent off my ROC application today. I'm cutting it a little neat since my green card expires on Thursday. Don't worry - I sent it by "Express Mail" so it should get there on time. Fingers crossed.

California Service Center (3 applicants)[/font]

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

JUSTFORU...........01/31/12..........02/03/12........--/--/12.......--/--/--....

SCIENCENERD........02/04/12..........--/--/12........--/--/12.......--/--/--....

MIRANDA&JOHN.......02/09/12..........--/--/12........--/--/12.......--/--/--....

Vermont Service Center (5 applicants)

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics...... Approved....

DONEWAITING........ 01/31/12..........02/02/12........--/--/12.......--/--/--....

MINAADI............ 02/01/12..........02/06/12........--/--/12.......--/--/--....

PLATANOKING........ 02/01/12..........--/--/12........--/--/12.......--/--/--....

JOSHUE............. 02/10/12..........--/--/12........--/--/12.......--/--/--....

BERN............... 02/13/12..........--/--/12........--/--/12.......--/--/--....

DIRTYWEEBESOM 02/13/12 --/--/12........--/--/12.......--/--/--....

Yeah, "Stephen + Elisha" are right about my green card expiring on Thursday February 16th. It's true that I would save $15 by sending my package by "priority mail" instead of "express mail" but if getting it there a day earlier saves me from being deported, losing my job, being separated from my husband and my pets, I think it's $15 well spent! :-)

As regards the holes, well, damn, I've already punched three holes in all my documents so that I could keep them organized in a binder. The US is one of the world's most advanced countries, so I can only hope that the USCIS's scanning machines can cope with my holes. Then again, I changed my address online twice when I moved, and the USCIS apparently has no record of that, so maybe those punched holes will send them over the edge?

OK, great, thanks. I've got it! I'll use "Express Mail" and waive the "Signature on Delivery" part.

As regards two-hole punching (OK, I know I"m getting really ####### here, so forgive me!), does it matter that I used a three-hole punch on my documents? I mean, the top two holes made by my three-hole punch will be the same distance apart as if they had been made by a two-hole punch, right? Or not? :-(

Thank you for the tips.

And can I just have confirmation of exactly what postal service to use? TBoneTX said not to ask for the green card that someone on USCIS's end has to sign for to confirm delivery. What service should I be asking for if I just want that little yellow and white delivery confirmation sticker?

No responses? C'mon! Help a girl out! :-)

This is a weird question, but I would be grateful if someone could let me know how to organize (i.e. can I staple?) all the documentation I will be sending to the USCIS for ROC. Maybe my memory is playing tricks on me somehow, but when I was adjusting my status initially, I thought that I remembered reading somewhere that USCIS did not want you to staple everything.

I am planning on sending everything in a big binder with labelled tabs so whoever deals with my case can easily see what I've submitted.

Does this sound good to you?

Also, I am sending off my application tomorrow. I can read ;-), so I know that the form says to send everything to the following address if you live in Texas, like I do, but can someone just confirm that this is the right address, just so I know once and for all that I'm doing everything correctly. Slightly paranoid here!

USCIS Vermont Service Center 75 Lower Welden St.

P.O. Box 200

St. Albans, VT 05479-0001

I'm also going to be using Overnight USPS Express Mail to send off my package (truly a necessity since my green card expires on February 16th!), but how does that work if you mail it off on a Saturday? Will someone even be there to sign for it on the Sunday? Or will it just arrive on Monday instead? Finally, what happens if somebody at USCIS doesn't get around to opening my application until after my green card has expired? I'm assuming that I would still be OK since I mailed it off before the expiration date?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

From my point of view, you are good to go - sent all this as soon as possible. The most important is that USCIS get your ROC application before your temporary green card expire. They will send you RFE if they want anything else, and you will have time to prepare if that happens.

Thanks. The earliest I can send it off, money-wise, is definitely Saturday February 11th. I know that's cutting it a little neat, since my green card expires on the 16th, but I do plan on sending it certified overnight, so it should get there on time.

I wondered whether I had to send copies of every single bill since February 2010. I didn't think it was really necessary, but I'm a little OCD, so I couldn't resist photocopying everything. :-)

Hi, Steve

Thanks for your response!

So far I have the following documents in my application:

(1) Photocopies of both of our driving licences to prove that we lived at the same address in two separate locations since I received my temporary green card.

(2) A photocopy of my green card

(3) Photocopies of phone bills going back all the way back to February 2010, which show our "family plan".

(4) Photocopies of Christmas cards sent to both of us.

(5) Photocopies of the lease for the two new places we have lived since I became a temporary resident.

(6) Joint Medical Expenses. We opened a "Care Credit" account when I needed to get my wisdom teeth removed, and when our cat got sick.

(7) Photocopies of two joint tax return transcripts - 2009 and 2010

(8) Photocopies of our car insurance documents - both names on them.

(9) A photocopy of our life insurance policy.

(10) Photocopies of our joint back account statements going back to February 2010.

(11) Affidavits from friends.

(12) Photocopies of the two change of address forms I filled out online. Despite having done this, I received a letter from USCIS telling me that they were aware that I had changed address, and that I hadn't informed them?!

(13) Confirmation that my husband informed USCIS about our change of address.

There are a few other things I want to include but, honestly, the photocopying is taking me forever. Thank God I can do it at work, otherwise it would be costing me an arm and a leg! :-(

Hello,

My temporary Green Card expires on February 16th. I had planned on sending off form I-751 long ago, but my husband began to make less money right at the end of 2011, so this meant that we were not as financially well-off as I expected, and so the application fee was a bit out of our reach until now.

If I send off the application on February 11th will it be too late? This is when I anticipate having everything ready.

I'd appreciate any input.

Thanks!

Hello,

I haven't been on here for ages, so I've forgotten where to post, so I'm possibly in the wrong forum. If so, apologies in advance.

I currently have a conditional green card, and my husband and I changed address in August of this year. He filed a Sponsor change of address form by mail, and I filled out an online AR -11 form.

He received a NOA (I-797C, acknowledging receipt of his change of address. I, on the other hand, have received nothing.

I was wondering whether that's normal and whether I should fill out another change of address form, and mail it to the USCIS.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Once you get your green card, you no longer need the EAD (work permit). Your green card is all you need to show that you are allowed to work in the US. In fact, I had my green card interview yesterday, and the immigration officer kept my EAD.

God, let's hope so. I have already spent countless hours at the DPS because of all this bullshit!

Thanks for the link!

Yes, they took my AP away, too. I was sad that they took it and my EAD because it would have been nice to hang on to them both - just for sentimental reasons! I spent all that time filling out those bloody immigration forms, and waiting for them to arrive in the mail, so I wanted to keep them forever! Also, I only had the chance to show my EAD card once (I got a job as a substitute teacher last week) so I don't really feel that I got to use it as much as I could have done. :-)

The I-551 stamp is quite cool actually, too. The immigration officer stamps your passport with red ink first and then he stamps over the top of that with something that makes a pretty little indent saying "Department of Homeland Security".

Ha, yes, I should just move, Marie, but in this economy it would be better just to stay put and weather the storm. Also, thankfully, Austin is a little blip of liberalism in a massive ocean of red necks, so I don't have to be annoyed too much about how conservative this state is. Well, except for times when I'm given a driver licence screaming "This person is a dirty foreigner!!!!"

I still can't seem to find out for sure if permanent residents are given the "Temporary Visitor" licence but I will certainly find out soon and report back.

I had my interview yesterday, and got the I-551 stamp in my passport.

I was somewhat surprised, as I thought I had read somewhere that immigration officers no longer stamp passports with it.

Does anyone know why some people get the stamp and others don't? Personally, I think it's quite nice to get it because even if you come out of your interview knowing you're approved, it's still nice to have something showing you are. Also, the immigration officer took my EAD away, so what do people do if they need to prove employment eligibility but don't have the I-551 stamp?!