Val Marty

Wow I haven't been on here in months. Quick update: we too are still waiting on any news/update from USCIS. Honestly I kind of forgot about the whole green card thing and it hit me today that I still haven't got mine. I think I will call them on Monday and see if they an tell me anything. The way this is going I will be applying for citizenship before I get GC!

Hey everyone,

I had a small issue last night and needs anyone’s suggestion/advice.

When I was trying to head to Seattle yesterday for a business trip I was stopped by TSA when they noticed my Driver’s License was expired. Then I showed my Green Card which is also expired. Luckly I had the extension letter with me which allowed me to go through.

I was not as successful when I tried to get my rental car. The driver’s license was expired and no other document helped me.

They won’t let me renew my DL if I don’t have my CG apparently… How can I drive from/to work and make it on my regular trips without any valid document????? Should I get an INFOPASS and see what they suggest me???

Looking forward for some responses. Thanks

I just went to renew my driver'e licence yesterday and they accepted the letter and extended it with a year. I think it really depends on how knowledgeable the people behind the counter are. Some know more than others, and they are able to help. I got 1 year extension. I am traveling next week and was worried that I will not be able to rent a car, but hopefully things will be fine now.

It is true some people dont see their cases online. I can see mine but it is of no help it's still under Initial review. I guess the only thing ewe can do is just wait and see. You can try to check again about a month after the bio and see if you can log in and see your case. Something weird happened to my account.. before the bio I was all signed up and tracking after the bio.. my case wasn't visible. I signed in today and had to re-register my EAC number to my account and it showed up again as initial review.

To check the case status online you need the number from the biometrics appointment letter. They took mine at the appointment and then I had to call uscis and they gave it to me. Still nothing has been updated.. not even biometrics are shown as completed. They did however told me on the phone that they have been completed. They also told me it takes up to 1 year to get your green card ;_;

I dont think that's something to be worried about. You should just take your mind of that, cos we have at least a 6 months wait. Whether you can see your case status online really affect anything.

I hope it is not as long as 6 months. I am tired of renewing my driver's licence and paying $15 each time...

Hi Val,

I had the same issue, after contacting USCIS they said that some cases aren't available online or haven't been entered in the system. so your not alone

I will try to contact them on Monday and see what they say... I would really like to be able to check it.

I got biometrics completed too. I tried checking my case status online today and found out that I can't. It tells me that this case cannot be found >.< I don't know what could I be doing wrong. I entered the receipt number just like I have done before but it says it doesn't exist. Has anyone experienced a similar thing?

California Service Center (8 applicants)

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

MENINA...............01/03/12........01/04/12.......--/--/12........--/--/12....

FATIMA AND JIM.......01/04/12........01/05/12.......--/--/12........--/--/12....

ABBIELOVESJEREMY.....01/05/12........--/--/12.......--/--/12........--/--/12....

F1_GURL..............01/07/12........--/--/12.......--/--/12........--/--/12....

DJOHN................01/10/12........--/--/12.......--/--/12........--/--/12....

MGEURTS..............01/10/12........--/--/12.......--/--/12........--/--/12....

CALYPSO..............01/11/12........--/--/12.......--/--/12........--/--/12....

B*J..................01/11/12........--/--/12.......--/--/12........--/--/12....

Vermont Service Center (6 applicants)

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

RICARDO_C............01/03/12........01/06/12.......--/--/12........--/--/12....

TOYOTA...............01/03/12........--/--/12.......--/--/12........--/--/12....

VAL MARTY............01/03/12........01/06/12.......02/01/12........--/--/12....

HAKUNA_MATATA2.......01/04/12........01/05/12.......--/--/12........--/--/12....

NOTWORKSTE...........01/10/12........--/--/12.......--/--/12........--/--/12....

TERI.D...............01/12/12........--/--/12.......--/--/12........--/--/12....

IMPORTANT!

* Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor.

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* Please check that you have not deleted anyone's NAME & DATA.

Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application

NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter

Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment

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Wow this is all going really fast. I already have my Biometrics appointment letter dated 1/12/2012, and the appointment date is 02/01/2012. Btw we did not send any affidavits either, I think we have enough evidence to not need them. I hope it doesn't turn out to be a problem, but honestly I am not worried about it.

Yes, it's normal. They extend your status for a year because sometimes ROC can take many months or even over a year for some... Your NOA is proof of your legal immigration status in the U.S. while USCIS is processing your I-751

When did you mail your I-751 and what's the receipt date on your notice? And which service center, CSC or VSC? (so I can add you to our list )

I mailed it on Jan 3rd and the date on the receipt is Jan 6th. At VSC.

I got my I-797 Notice of Action today and it says your conditional residence status has been extended for 1 year, that I will be receiving appointment notice for biometrics, and that if I haven't done so I need to submit the supporting documentation. Is this normal that they extend the status? I was worried that I will not be able to work if my new card doesn't arrive by the end of March.

We've decided to print our pictures at home and now we're running low on ink, LOL. XD

I think we'll be sending our packet via USPS Express Mail with Return Receipt - can you add Signature Confirmation to Express Mail?

I did the same thing lol!

Are you sending yours via Express Mail too? We're just wondering what would be the best way to mail it?

I couldn't send it today because the post office is closed - should have thought about it. I wasn't planning on adding a signature confirmation, but probably will send with express mail. I think the first time we mailed we used express mail, but it has been so long

I looked over the instructions and it only says to send birth certificate(s) of child(ren) born to the marriage - I've also read that people send in copies of sonograms in case they haven't given birth yet. Hope that helps!

We are planning to mail our packet on Wednesday How are you sending yours? USPS?

USPS,yes. The fastest available!

Hi Guys,

I am getting ready to send my package too. My card expires on 03/29 and I will mail the package tomorrow. I hope everything goes well. I am sending the following supporting evidence:

1. copies of joint checking and savings accounts statements - for last month only.

2. Tax return for 2010.

3. Copy of house lease with receipts for the last few months payments.

4. Copies of health insurance cards, driver's licenses showing the same address.

5. Life insurance showing that we are each other beneficiaries.

6. Copies of car and personal loans bills - showing my husband as a co-signer.

7. Copy of Marriage license.

8. A couple of photos from our vacation last September.

9. Copy of my green card.

The instructions do not seem to mention this, but do I need to send copies of birth certificates?

I hear ya, having the same issues with the maiden name on my greencard, I guess I will just wait until ROC in two years! I do use my new name on a few things though ( i have to apply for a new passport soon, will get my name changed there, greencard, ssn and drivers license will follow with the ROC! Pain in the a** lol... Ill keep my fingers crossed you will get your card soon! and yes, i think so too, you can start using your new name, you can show your marriage certificate if you need proof of your new name!

Thanks for the replies guys. This is all so confusing. But can I get a SS card with my new name if my GC shows my maiden name? I still have the card I had before I got a GC with the warning on it.. And my DL is about to expire, but I want to get my new one issued in my new name which I can't because my GC shows the maiden name. Basicaly how am I supposed to use my married name when all my government issued IDs are in my maiden name? I haven't even ordered my business cards because I want them to show my married name....

Can I get my employer to update my name if all my ID's show maiden?

I also need to get ariplane ticket pretty soon to travel to my country and i don't know which name to have them issued in...If we assume that I do get my GC this month, and my passport has maiden name, should I get them in married or maiden? Also when I go to my coutnry I will have my passport changed to show married name so on the way back they will both show it, and if my ticket has maiden name will they let me use it? Sorry about all the questions, but I am freaking out already. So tired of this.

As I said I already paid (it was $370 I think) and did the biometrics. Just waiting on the card, and it is so frustrating as I don't know which name to use now...

Hi guys,

Hopefully this questions is in the correct cathegory, but couldn't find a better place to post it. I recently got my conditional green card - adjusted status from student visa, due to marriage. I had all the paperwork filled using my maiden name as I thought this was the way to do it. At the interview i asked the officer if they could issue my card in my married name on which she answered "sure, no problem", and asked me to inital everything with my new initials. After all, I received my card with my maiden name on it... this happened in April. We couldn't afford to pay the $370 fee for I-90 until recently. So I file a I-90 (by mail) and got biometrics done on Dec 12th. The status of my case hasn't changed online sicne the initial reciving of the application, no touches - nothing. The people on the phone won't tell em anything either. I am getting worried that I still haven't received new GC. I remember the first time it was very fast after biometrics (With Employment autorization card) - it got ordered immediately. I don't think my case is so complicated as all I want is my name to be changed.

If somebody has done this before can you share what your experience was, and how long it took.

Thanks

If you get approved immediately you may or may not get a stamp. I didn't get one. In most cases you will get your GC within 2 weeks. Of course it is a possibility that you may not, but we are talking about what happens most of the time. I had problems with address and stuff and still got mine in less than 1 month after the interview. If you don't get approved immediately don't panic. You might just get approved the day after. So just wait and see.

It seems that these affidavits are really important to immigration officers for some reason. A friend of mine, who has a kid with her USC husband and was pregnant with the second kid at the time of her interview, got an RFE for affidavits, even though she had sent everything else imaginable, including the birth certificate of their child and pictures of him, showing he looks like a mini-copy of his USC daddy.

I am curious if most people bring affidavits to the interview. Has anyone been approved without submitting any recently?

We sent one affidavit from a friend of ours, and her handwriting was so bad I don't even know how they read it lol. They didn't ask for anything else.

I went to the DMV and was able to get a new driver's licence by showing them a certified copy of my Marriage Licence.

When i went to the Social Security office, however, they would not update my records to show my new name since I had not recieved my EAD yet.

So even if you already have a SSN they won't update it? I have my EAD already, but I want a new card that doesn't have the stamp on it.

So it appears that my GC will be arriving with my maiden name. That is if it really arrives as expected, considering the problems I have had. I don't want to file a I-90 just to change the name since it is a conditional GC, so I was wondering if I can still get my SSN with married name, and a new Driver's licence, etc. by showing them the marriage certificate. I really would like to have the same name as my husband already. Besides I have been applying for jobs with my married name.

My husband got my birthday wrong, but we still got approved with no problems

I didn't mention any either, although I am part of a few honor societies, and professional societies. It didn't cause any problems so should be fine.

Those are amazing. Btw it is pretty cheap to fly to Europe right now. I heard on the radio this morning that a flight to Frankfurt it about $350.

I'm sure it is. Am glad they/you found out what happened.

Tip: It is always a good idea to have your First/Last name inside your mailbox (either inside the lid, or where the carrier can see it). This helps carriers keep up with new additions, recent move-ins, etc. I have no idea if this is why your PR/Green Card was sent back undeliverable or not, but it is still not a bad idea.

It was sent back because nobody lives at this address anymore, and they don't leave any mail. Online update says that it was sent to me yesterday, so hopefully it will make it this time. Of course as I expected they didn't change my last name to my married name (even though the interviewer said they will) Now I have to wait until ROC to do it.