US immigration - vent

Johlise · January 2012

Well the USCIS is about to make me have a fit. I've been waiting for my new green card since the end of November. Since I went in for finger printing etc. I have yet to hear from them again.. I'm so frustrated!

NCV2 · January 2012

Immigration sucks. Although I've heard Germany is quite good.

I thought you were finished with immigration.

How are you feeling? How is everything going with baby related things?

Johlise · January 2012

NCV2:
Immigration sucks. Although I've heard Germany is quite good.
I thought you were finished with immigration.

How are you feeling? How is everything going with baby related things?

Technically I'm pretty much done with immigration. After living in the U.S. for 2 years (your first 2 years are a probation so to speak) you have to send in some more paper work and then you officially get a Green Card that lasts for 10 years and after 5 years you can become a citizen if you so choose. I know based on the one letter I got it's been extended for another year forsure so I can still go up to Canada and back. It's just frustrating because I changed my name this time when I sent my paper work in so I need to get my new card so I can get my new passport, drivers license, SS# etc. taken care of.. I wanted to get it all done before baby comes. The longer this all takes my passport is going to expire yet and we get closer and closer to my due date.

I'm feeling pretty good. Once I finally got past morning sickness at 17-18 weeks I actually started to enjoy pregnancy. After going to visit my family at Christmas time and spending 9-10 hours in the car (20 total) my back has really started to bother me Sad Finally spoke to DH's cousin yesterday who is a physical therapist and she gave me an exercise to do so hopefully that helps.

Baby stuff is slowly coming along.. just need to paint the room and crib, waiting for the dress to be delivered. We went out and bought fabric for the quilt on Saturday so I'm excited to get started on that. Right now it seems like the next 3 months aren't enough to get everything done!

frlcb · January 2012

Johlise:

Technically I'm pretty much done with immigration. After living in the U.S. for 2 years (your first 2 years are a probation so to speak) you have to send in some more paper work and then you officially get a Green Card that lasts for 10 years and after 5 years you can become a citizen if you so choose.

Unless it is completely different when you do DCF the 2 year thing is only if you have been married less than 2 years when you first get your green card, and if you are here through marriage you can get citizenship after 3 years, not 5, and that includes the first 2 years you are here.

Johlise · January 2012

frlcb:
Johlise:

Technically I'm pretty much done with immigration. After living in the U.S. for 2 years (your first 2 years are a probation so to speak) you have to send in some more paper work and then you officially get a Green Card that lasts for 10 years and after 5 years you can become a citizen if you so choose.
Unless it is completely different when you do DCF the 2 year thing is only if you have been married less than 2 years when you first get your green card, and if you are here through marriage you can get citizenship after 3 years, not 5, and that includes the first 2 years you are here.

This! We got married then I came down to the US and we filed for immigration.

stever · January 2012

frlcb:
Johlise:

Technically I'm pretty much done with immigration. After living in the U.S. for 2 years (your first 2 years are a probation so to speak) you have to send in some more paper work and then you officially get a Green Card that lasts for 10 years and after 5 years you can become a citizen if you so choose.
Unless it is completely different when you do DCF the 2 year thing is only if you have been married less than 2 years when you first get your green card, and if you are here through marriage you can get citizenship after 3 years, not 5, and that includes the first 2 years you are here.

This. And it states quite clearly that it could take up to a year to receive the new GC. DH is at the same point in the process.

Johlise · January 2012

stever:
This. And it states quite clearly that it could take up to a year to receive the new GC. DH is at the same point in the process.

Wow! That's crazy... I didn't see that anywhere in the application process but may have over looked it.

this is going to annoy me to no end because I really don't feel like paying $90 for my new passport and still have it in my maiden name and a year down the line have to do it again just to change my name. Sigh...

NLfoodie · January 2012

Good luck with waiting for the new green card. IS your old one still valid? IF so, try to avoid leaving the country while you wait for the new one to arrive though. My dad received his new one automatically after his first 10-year-GC had expired and it came in the mail while he was abroad. He had a HUGE problem at immigration as he was using a card that had been replaced, so this (despite the fact that pictures, passport with biometrics, fingerprints and such on the green card all matched) must be a stolen card.

After he'd been taken into a little room and missed his connecting flight and could prove that he'd been outside the country for 4 weeks and they called the authorities to see when it was sent out, they finally believed him and let him go. It was a huge nightmare (and had my stepmom crazy worried as he wasn't on the plane home and he wasn't reachable by phone.)

Not trying to scare you, but really, try to avoid traveling without the new one!

Johlise · January 2012

NLfoodie:
Good luck with waiting for the new green card. IS your old one still valid? IF so, try to avoid leaving the country while you wait for the new one to arrive though. My dad received his new one automatically after his first 10-year-GC had expired and it came in the mail while he was abroad. He had a HUGE problem at immigration as he was using a card that had been replaced, so this (despite the fact that pictures, passport with biometrics, fingerprints and such on the green card all matched) must be a stolen card.
After he'd been taken into a little room and missed his connecting flight and could prove that he'd been outside the country for 4 weeks and they called the authorities to see when it was sent out, they finally believed him and let him go. It was a huge nightmare (and had my stepmom crazy worried as he wasn't on the plane home and he wasn't reachable by phone.)
Not trying to scare you, but really, try to avoid traveling without the new one!

Yes immigration/border officials can be a real pain when they want to be! I don't plan to go anywhere until after baby is born now though, so I should be fine.

stever · January 2012

Johlise:
stever:
This. And it states quite clearly that it could take up to a year to receive the new GC. DH is at the same point in the process.
Wow! That's crazy... I didn't see that anywhere in the application process but may have over looked it.
this is going to annoy me to no end because I really don't feel like paying $90 for my new passport and still have it in my maiden name and a year down the line have to do it again just to change my name. Sigh...

It is crazy. DH is in a different boat because he doesn't have the name change issue, but we're totally prepared for it to take till October or November for him to get his permanent GC. Blech.

Johlise · January 2012

stever:
Johlise:
stever:
This. And it states quite clearly that it could take up to a year to receive the new GC. DH is at the same point in the process.
Wow! That's crazy... I didn't see that anywhere in the application process but may have over looked it.
this is going to annoy me to no end because I really don't feel like paying $90 for my new passport and still have it in my maiden name and a year down the line have to do it again just to change my name. Sigh...

It is crazy. DH is in a different boat because he doesn't have the name change issue, but we're totally prepared for it to take till October or November for him to get his permanent GC. Blech.

I just checked for processing times and it's 6 months Sad If it was about 2 months less then I could still get my passport changed, now there is just no way because it'll be expired by the time I get my new GC..

frlcb · January 2012

stever:
frlcb:
Johlise:

Technically I'm pretty much done with immigration. After living in the U.S. for 2 years (your first 2 years are a probation so to speak) you have to send in some more paper work and then you officially get a Green Card that lasts for 10 years and after 5 years you can become a citizen if you so choose.
Unless it is completely different when you do DCF the 2 year thing is only if you have been married less than 2 years when you first get your green card, and if you are here through marriage you can get citizenship after 3 years, not 5, and that includes the first 2 years you are here.
This. And it states quite clearly that it could take up to a year to receive the new GC. DH is at the same point in the process.

Why? DH got his a year ago in September and was approved and received the new green card in less than a month. Do you know why it is so long now?

stever · January 2012

frlcb:
stever:
frlcb:
Johlise:

Technically I'm pretty much done with immigration. After living in the U.S. for 2 years (your first 2 years are a probation so to speak) you have to send in some more paper work and then you officially get a Green Card that lasts for 10 years and after 5 years you can become a citizen if you so choose.
Unless it is completely different when you do DCF the 2 year thing is only if you have been married less than 2 years when you first get your green card, and if you are here through marriage you can get citizenship after 3 years, not 5, and that includes the first 2 years you are here.
This. And it states quite clearly that it could take up to a year to receive the new GC. DH is at the same point in the process.
Why? DH got his a year ago in September and was approved and received the new green card in less than a month. Do you know why it is so long now?

DH got his first one for a year, his second one for a year and both arrived within a month or so. We sent in for the permanent on in October or November, can't remember, and it said, "this is not the same as the temp GC's and could take up to a year to process."

frlcb · January 2012

stever:
DH got his first one for a year, his second one for a year and both arrived within a month or so. We sent in for the permanent on in October or November, can't remember, and it said, "this is not the same as the temp GC's and could take up to a year to process."

Yeah, dh's went from temp to permanent and it came within a month. I don't even remember if it said that about the year or not though

Johlise · January 2012

frlcb:
stever:
DH got his first one for a year, his second one for a year and both arrived within a month or so. We sent in for the permanent on in October or November, can't remember, and it said, "this is not the same as the temp GC's and could take up to a year to process."
Yeah, dh's went from temp to permanent and it came within a month. I don't even remember if it said that about the year or not though

The way I understood it from the immigration lawyer (I emailed her and asked) is that it depends on the times that the offices are taking for processing. It could have been at a faster turn over time when he did his.

US immigration - vent

Re: US immigration - vent

Choose Another Board

Search Boards