POE at Chicago

[xiaozhu]

I arrived in USA a week ago. The POE at Chicago was pretty straightforward, easy and quick. My husband came over to Beijing and picked up me and our son.

 

1) We filled up a custom form as a household on the flight.

2) Went through the custom through American citizen and permanent resident’s line.

3) I gave the big visa envelope to the POE officer with my passport. He stamped on my passport and put the visa envelope in a plink folder, passed them to me and told me that I need to go to an area for new immigrants to check in.

4) At new immigrants zone, I handled the plink folder to a lady officer. No question at all. She just asked me to sign my name and have my fingerprints on a form. Then we left.

5) Now I am waiting for my green card.

 

Thank you all of you, you make the visa journey joyful!! Best my wishes to all of you!!!

Edited July 18, 2011 by xiaozhu (see edit history)

[cjr818]

Congrats and welcome. That's how it should be.

[dnoblett]

Take a close look at the visa, it should have an I-551 notation at the bottom of it, the passport + Visa will serve as a green-card until actual card arrives.

 

You can take a job, and travel with the passport + I-551 notation.

 

If SSN card fails to arrive in 10 days or so, simply visit SSA office and apply for one.

 

http://www.visajourney.com/gallery/albums/userpics/99033/cr-1_a.jpg

[tsap seui]

Congrats to you and your family xiaozhu.

 

As usual you wrote a very nice and informative write up about your POE experience. I read it to my wife. It was very helpful to us both, as was Dan's post. We looked up the point Dan made on, on our visas, I read your post to Wenyan and she got a huge smile on her face.

 

Have a great life in American and please tell us about your thoughts and experiences.

 

tsap seui

 

We are about 3 weeks behind you with our arrival in Washington, DC POE

[Ryan H]

Welcome!

[HongKong2LA]

Welcome to America! Glad to hear POE was easy and painless. I hope your transition to life in the US is just as simple. All the best to you!

[Andy & Joanna]

So glad to hear that your POE went well! I am also from Chicago, so I can envision your experience perfectly...Sensory overload...

I am sure the excitement hasn't stopped yet! Every step from the Beijing airport, sitting on the plane, walking from the gate to Customs...and finally stepping foot outside!

 

I hope you weren't impacted with the storm last week and power remained ON for you!

Best wishes!

[Kyle]

Congrats on successfully making the long journey! Good luck getting over jet lag

[bullmastiff]

My wife had similar experience.

The only difference is I was glad to be there , otherwise , it would have taken her a long time to go through this process since there are not that many Chinese speaking officers . There probably was one but he was probably busy taking care of the tourists and visiting students . Well, finaly it justifies my spending $2000 to go to GZ .

Edited July 19, 2011 by bullmastiff (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

My wife had similar experience.

The only difference is I was glad to be there , otherwise , it would have taken her a long time to go through this process since there are not that many Chinese speaking officers . There probably was one but he was probably busy taking care of the tourists and visiting students . Well, finaly it justifies my spending $2000 to go to GZ .

 

Same here, I traveled to China for my wife's interview, and then we traveled back to the states through Chicago, been through there several times, twice from China, the POE was painless. I went through the immigrations line with my wife.

[xiaozhu]

Thank you very much for all the warm welcome!!! I really appreciate it!!

 

My visa have an I-551 notation at the bottom as dnoblett showed. Also I have SSN since I worked and studied in US before. I will continue to finish my doctoral program here, and hope to get a good job next year after graduation!! Wish US job market will be better and stronger!!

 

Cheers!!!

Edited July 19, 2011 by xiaozhu (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

Thank you very much for all of your warm welcome!!! I really appreciate it!!

 

My visa have an I-551 notation at the bottom as dnoblett showed. Also I have SSN since I worked and studied in US before. I will continue to finish my doctoral program here, and hope to get a good job next year after graduation!! Wish by then US job market will be good!!

 

Cheers!!!

If your SSN has a "Valid with DHS authorization" notation on it, I would visit the SSA office after 10 days or so, and get it upgraded from a NON-Immigrant to an Immigrant status SSN, SSA needs to be updated as to your immigrations status anytime it changes, for example if 3 years from now you apply for citizenship, you should again visit SSA and inform them of that status change too.

[xiaozhu]

If your SSN has a "Valid with DHS authorization" notation on it, I would visit the SSA office after 10 days or so, and get it upgraded from a NON-Immigrant to an Immigrant status SSN, SSA needs to be updated as to your immigrations status anytime it changes, for example if 3 years from now you apply for citizenship, you should again visit SSA and inform them of that status change too.

 

Thank you, Dnoblett. I will check my SSN card and work on it. It is good to know these stuff. Thanks again.