NY-Viking

Just received today - Yay!!! EDIT: Received the "email". Not the "letter" or the "card" yet .... But still happy! *** DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL *** The last processing action taken on your case Receipt Number: EAC---------- Application Type: CRI89 , PETITION TO REMOVE CONDITIONS OF PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS RECEIVED Current Status: Approval notice sent. On January 22, 2009, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this CRI89 PETITION TO REMOVE CONDITIONS OF PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS RECEIVED. Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service. If you have questions or concerns about your application or the case status results listed above, or if you have not received a decision from USCIS within the current processing time listed*, please contact USCIS Customer Service at (800) 375-5283. *Current processing times can be found on the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov under Case Status and Processing Dates. *** Please do not respond to this e-mail message. Sincerely, The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

This was our experience too. Still waiting on the 10 year card though ... rather frustrating. VT still only has the November 18 times posted (December 30, 2007), but I know people who filed around the same time we did have already received the 10 year card ...

Our timeline is below. Your order is basically correct. We're still waiting. Don't anticipate an interview, but you never know. You would think our daughter's birth certificate would be good enough evidence .... but we'll see when we have the permanent card on hand.

you need to apply for a Re-entry permit. We're in a similar situation and was given that instruction when we entered the US not that long ago. Continuous requests to renew Re-entry permits are generally frowned upon, but there is an exception for the residency requirement for citizenship (not for maintaining a green card) if the spouse of the greencard holder is a us citizen that is working overseas either for the us government or for a us business. So, if your wife is interested in US citizenship, you wouldn't have to worry about more the Re-Entry permits for long. This used to be a non-issue, but with heightened security and better technology, they seem to be checking up on it more lately.

Congrats .. my wife's was feb 2008 as well .. no news though yet. Was your status updated online before you got the congrats letter?

2 months??? Problems?? Nah--I sent mine to TX in April of 2007-they sent it to Vermont in December of 2007-I called yesterday and Vermont sent it to CA. I'm guessin' CA will send it to Nebraska and they will send it to ???????? It has now been a total of 16 months--did I mention that biometrics expire after 15 months??? Damn I love the USCIS!!!! They sent it to me last week, and I forwarded it to Guam for you. Seriously though, have you spoken to someone about the biometrics expiration issue?

I recently accepted a position with a US firm in Shanghai and we'll be moving soon. I was getting ready to do the change of address forms online (or send in the forms) and I came across some new questions. I've known for a while that when (if) my wife applies for citizenship, her being out of the country with me won't be an issue, since I'm working for a US firm furthering trade, and she plans to return to the US with me after my foreign posting ends. I now understand that my foreign employment for a US firm won't actually help her with residency requirements for the green card, but we plan to maintain a residence in the US, maintain bank accounts and other assets in the US, and visit the US 2-3 times a year while we're in China, and she'll probably be entering with me every time we arrive, so I don't anticipate this being a major issue for us, based on anecdotal experience from friends in similar situations. It may have been a good idea to apply for a re-entry permit, but it's a little too late to consider that now, and like I said, I don't anticipate being out of the US for more than 6 months at any time. OK, so now to my questions. 1. I know that if you move INSIDE the US, green card holders have to file (online or by paper) an AR-11. However, the form does not permit you to list a foreign address. So, is there nothing to file for my spouse's change of address for our change of address to overseas? I note that our permanent address in the US is remaining the same. 2. Second question, as you can see from our time line, we're still waiting on the 10-year permanent green card, and I don't expect it to arrive before we go (although, there's always hope I guess). Should I have the permanent card sent overseas, or just have it sent to our permanent address here in the US? My father will be around to receive it (or let us know if there is a letter requiring an interview, which, of course, we'd fly back for). It would be nice to have the card overseas but I know with the expired temporary card and the 1 year extension notice, she won't have any trouble traveling back into the US. So maybe it would make things less complicated if we just let the card come to our US address, and then we can get it when we come back here ... OR have my father fedex it to China? 3. Final question - I know that as my wife's "sponsor" I have to file a change of address form too, and that form allows you to list a foreign (non-US) address, so I'll go ahead and file that. But (see question 1) is there anything my wife needs to file?

Well, picked up the visas today - no problems. So a faxed invitation letter seems to work just fine.

I threw out the thing the Consulate gave me already, but it needs to include the things you'd figure - (1) name and full address of the inviter, (2) relationship to the invitee, (3) where the invitee will stay (full address) (4) approximate date the invitee will be arriving and how long the invitee will stay there, (5) some sort of itinerary if you're traveling to other places, and if so, where you'll be staying on your travels. Something like that. Also, it has to be mailed (and keep the envelope showing the return address), or faxed (best if there's a return fax number showing it came from China .. but ours didn't have that, and it seemed to be ok). Think about if someone was actually inviting you to stay at their house for a month (or whatever) and what they'd say. That's what they want to see. Of course, this is for personal invitations; if you're getting a business or student visa, there are different requirements for the invitation letter (like the legal information of the business/school rather than information on your friend/family member).

Yes. RFE is fairly commonly used on CFL. I'm surprised it's not listed.

Not that I'm planning on bringing anything that wouldn't be kosher ... but every hotel searched your luggage? For what? What kinds of hotels did you stay in? We'll be staying in a hotel for a few days ... just want to be prepared.

True ... it's the Olympics fault. But great games so far. Anyway, I've always just gone to the Consulate myself (or, actually once, had my father drop off my passport for me). The service recommended by my company was www.travisa.com. They have an office in NY; I called and they said to check their website for the requirements. I guess if I were still working and didn't have the time, I might go with them (or another agent), but it's easy enough to go to the Consulate myself right now. Anyway, if you check out travisa's requirements - they're stricter than the Consulates! Go figure. I guess they don't want you to be refused so have you give them EVERYTHING.

In December 2004 I traveled to China as a tourist. I filled out the form and paid my fee. That was it. No airline ticket. No invitation letter. No hotel reservations. Just the form and the fee.

Ah... that might explain the difference. I think different Consulates have different requirements, and actually the travel agent's website stated the NY Consulate was the only one that required bank statement information (which, was not required at all when we applied). So are you guys living in Texas now? Tell Rich I say hi.

Well, the athletes I'm sure will have special visas, but as for spectators, they'll need to show a hotel itinerary, or an invite letter from a friend living in China. It's all rather silly. We always included that info for the visitor visas my wife (then girlfriend) and her mother got, but that was more for "additional evidence" rather than a "basic requirement". I'm sure it will, and booking a hotel is probably a better way to go, provided you don't have any booking fees to deal with.