traveling with I-551 stamp, any had an experience?

[Littleturtle]

I filed my ten years green card 3/23, 2008. it is already3/20, 2009 and they still say that my case has not been processed yet. They told me to get a stamp on the passport and it will allow me to travel back to china without a problem. But i heard stories of people being held back in the china side because the Chinese did not recognize the stamp.

 

So,, is it safe to travel with the Stamp on my passport? Has anyone done it before? Is it also normal to take more than a year to process I-751?( Mine is at the Vermont center) The processing dates on the USCIS website says April 20th, 2008, but my case was submitted 3/23, 2008. How can they still say it has not been processed? Any inputs will be helpful!

[david_dawei]

I cannot speak from experience but only from what I've heard. The stamp should be all you need.

 

THe 10 yr G.C. can take that long.. depends on the center, etc. The website, regardless of petition, is often not the best source of information... Hopefullly other can chime in.

[Chad]

I filed for my wifes 10 yr GC in Feb of 08, we just recieved the letter stating she will get her 10 yr GC within the next 60 days(no interview!). We went last summer to get her passport stamped with an extension. Just make an infopass appointment and get the extension stamp.

 

I have no experience on traveling on the new stamp, we didnt get a chance too.

Edited March 21, 2009 by Chad (see edit history)

[mercator]

We were fully prepared to travel to China and back next month on her I-551, and had no worries. We got a surprise 10 year GC in the mail today, but laopo is planning to carry her I-551 as a backup anyway.

 

 

 

I filed for my wifes 10 yr GC in Feb of 08, we just recieved the letter stating she will get her 10 yr GC within the next 60 days(no interview!). We went last summer to get her passport stamped with an extension. Just make an infopass appointment and get the extension stamp.

 

I have no experience on traveling on the new stamp, we didnt get a chance too.

[Randy W]

We were fully prepared to travel to China and back next month on her I-551, and had no worries. We got a surprise 10 year GC in the mail today, but laopo is planning to carry her I-551 as a backup anyway.

 

 

 

I filed for my wifes 10 yr GC in Feb of 08, we just recieved the letter stating she will get her 10 yr GC within the next 60 days(no interview!). We went last summer to get her passport stamped with an extension. Just make an infopass appointment and get the extension stamp.

 

I have no experience on traveling on the new stamp, we didnt get a chance too.

 

The I-551 is actually the green card

A Permanent Resident Card, commonly known as a Green Card, is evidence of your status as a lawful permanent resident with a right to live and work permanently in the United States. It also is evidence of your registration in accordance with United States immigration laws. The Permanent Resident Card is also called USCIS Form I-551.

[Squonk]

My wife and step-son have to go back to China this summer to take care of some family business.

My wife was not planning to go back until 2010, but something has come up that has forced the trip 1 year early.

 

I was planning to go back for a few weeks during the original 2010 trip , but I can not make the 2009 trip.

 

This will be the first trip back to China for both of them since coming to the USA back in July 2008.

 

They plan to stay for 2 months.

 

My wife and her son have their 2 yr GC's.

 

Is clearing Chinese customs to go back to the USA with a US GC a non issue?

 

Does anyone know of any issues in past where the Frontier Officers would not allow the Chinese citizen (who had a valid GC and passport) to pass customs to go to the USA?

 

I am concerned that since I will not be with them, they might not be able to return.

 

Will this trip have any adverse impact on our 10yr GC application. As a married couple, spending 2 months apart is not a good thing to do, but she really needs to go back and spending a week for the money we paid for the tickets would be stupid.

 

Thank you,

[mercator]

I think you will find that 2-3 months' apart is pretty typical. If she has her Chinese passport and the 'green card' plus her I-551 extension letter, she should have no trouble coming back into the US from China.

 

The 2-3 month visit thing is very much a cultural thing. It has NO reflection on the state of your marriage, unless she tells you otherwise. If your wife is like mine and does not work, then in her mind it is a well-spent airline ticket to be over there so long.

 

My wife was over there for two months in March/April 2008, and her 'to do' list was so long she was still rushing. Lots of get togethers with family and friends, shopping for any number of knickknacks, clothes, and LOTS of Chinese remedies kept my wife quite busy. We're going back together in April, but she also plans on going back around the end of 09/ early 10, for the purpose of getting her driver's license renewed! I suspect she will be there about 45-60 days, shopping and seeing all her family. We were eligible to fill in the 120 year paperwork in Dec 2008, but finally collected everything in January 09. She got her green card this week (the actual card, not the 60 day notice), so it had NO effect on her application!

 

My wife and step-son have to go back to China this summer to take care of some family business.

My wife was not planning to go back until 2010, but something has come up that has forced the trip 1 year early.

 

I was planning to go back for a few weeks during the original 2010 trip , but I can not make the 2009 trip.

 

This will be the first trip back to China for both of them since coming to the USA back in July 2008.

 

They plan to stay for 2 months.

 

My wife and her son have their 2 yr GC's.

 

Is clearing Chinese customs to go back to the USA with a US GC a non issue?

 

Does anyone know of any issues in past where the Frontier Officers would not allow the Chinese citizen (who had a valid GC and passport) to pass customs to go to the USA?

 

I am concerned that since I will not be with them, they might not be able to return.

 

Will this trip have any adverse impact on our 10yr GC application. As a married couple, spending 2 months apart is not a good thing to do, but she really needs to go back and spending a week for the money we paid for the tickets would be stupid.

 

Thank you,