Getting the green card after landing with IR1 and coming back to china

[Linda_Sutton]

Hi I want to know how long it normally takes to receive the 10 year green card after landing in America? Is 3 weeks enough? What if it is Christmas holiday time?

 

My problem is that both my and husband's jobs end next summer. We are thinking of going back this Christmas time and receive my green card and come back to China and finish our work contracts and then officially move back to the States next summer. We have 3 week's off for Christmas, what if I still don't receive my green card by then? Changing the return flight would cost a lot of money. Is it safe to post a green card?

 

Sorry some of you might ask why we didn't plan it better? We just didnt think the visa process would be so fast. We thought it would take about a year but actually it only took a bit more than four months.

 

Thanks in advance for any info or advice.

 

Linda in Beijing

[tsap seui]

Hi I want to know how long it normally takes to receive the 10 year green card after landing in America? Is 3 weeks enough? What if it is Christmas holiday time?

 

My problem is that both my and husband's jobs end next summer. We are thinking of going back this Christmas time and receive my green card and come back to China and finish our work contracts and then officially move back to the States next summer. We have 3 week's off for Christmas, what if I still don't receive my green card by then? Changing the return flight would cost a lot of money. Is it safe to post a green card?

 

Sorry some of you might ask why we didn't plan it better? We just didnt think the visa process would be so fast. We thought it would take about a year but actually it only took a bit more than four months.

 

Thanks in advance for any info or advice.

 

Linda in Beijing

 

Hello Linda in Beijing, My wife and son were IR-1 and IR-2. We arrived from China in Washington, DC on August 15th 2011. Their green cards were sent out on August 30th 2011.

 

Every case is going to be different as there are human beings involved in the process, some of the paperwork doesn't get forwarded timely from the POE's, some USCIS workers are asleep at the wheel... lets hope yours comes early to you.

 

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

 

Happy trails to you.

 

tsap seui

[Linda_Sutton]

Hi I want to know how long it normally takes to receive the 10 year green card after landing in America? Is 3 weeks enough? What if it is Christmas

 

Hello Linda in Beijing, My wife and son were IR-1 and IR-2. We arrived from China in Washington, DC on August 15th 2011. Their green cards were sent out on August 30th 2011.

 

Every case is going to be different as there are human beings involved in the process, some of the paperwork doesn't get forwarded timely from the POE's, some USCIS workers are asleep at the wheel... lets hope yours comes early to you.

 

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

 

Happy trails to you.

 

tsap seui

Hi tsap, thanks for your reply. We will see if we can stay there for 4 weeks.

 

Did your wife ran away from you successfully with her 10 year green card and your valuables? Haha

[Kyle]

In theory, you could go back to china the next day. At POE, they will stamp your passport upon entry to America. This I551 stamp acts as a temporary "green card" valid for 1 year. The actual plastic green card will be produced after entry to the United States. Roughly one month after entry is when Jingjing received hers. However, if you're coming across the boarder with an IR1 packet (as we did) the stamp in your passport upon entry is your green card. Don't lose it!

[credzba]

In theory, you could go back to china the next day. At POE, they will stamp your passport upon entry to America. This I551 stamp acts as a temporary "green card" valid for 1 year. The actual plastic green card will be produced after entry to the United States. Roughly one month after entry is when Jingjing received hers. However, if you're coming across the boarder with an IR1 packet (as we did) the stamp in your passport upon entry is your green card. Don't lose it!

 

 

Also, you could have someone in America send your greencard to China after it arrives.

While the I-551 IS the same entry permit to America as a Permanent Resident card, there have been stories of the China officials not allowing it to be used as an exit (from China) permit. With enough documentation, they can be convinced, but mail is an option.

[Linda_Sutton]

In theory, you could go back to china the next day. At POE, they will stamp your passport upon entry to America. This I551 stamp acts as a temporary "green card" valid for 1 year. The actual plastic green card will be produced after entry to the United States. Roughly one month after entry is when Jingjing received hers. However, if you're coming across the boarder with an IR1 packet (as we did) the stamp in your passport upon entry is your green card. Don't lose it!

Thanks very much for your kind reply, Kyle. Hope you and Jingjing are enjoying your new life together every day!

[Linda_Sutton]

In theory, you could go back to china the next day. At POE, they will stamp your passport upon entry to America. This I551 stamp acts as a temporary "green card" valid for 1 year. The actual plastic green card will be produced after entry to the United States. Roughly one month after entry is when Jingjing received hers. However, if you're coming across the boarder with an IR1 packet (as we did) the stamp in your passport upon entry is your green card. Don't lose it!

 

 

Also, you could have someone in America send your greencard to China after it arrives.

While the I-551 IS the same entry permit to America as a Permanent Resident card, there have been stories of the China officials not allowing it to be used as an exit (from China) permit. With enough documentation, they can be convinced, but mail is an option.

Thanks. If I don't get it before I leave, I would ask my in-laws to post it to me, then.

[dnoblett]

One more point,

 

Make sure you get SSN during your time here, and file a joint IRS return next spring.

 

They can and do sometimes consider permanent resident status to be abandoned with long absences from USA even absences as short as 6 months.

Edited October 2, 2011 by dnoblett (see edit history)

[Kyle]

Just a note about mailing your green card over to China.

 

I've found the Chinese mail system entirely unreliable. If it were me, I'd not have my parents send it to China. If you are going to return to the US prior to the temp I-551 expiration, I don't know why you wouldn't just wait.

 

If by chance it did get lost, damaged, etc during shipping - it's a 450.00 USD replacement cost. I'm just throwing that out there.

 

I have used services such as DHL, with success. That being said, 450.00 is a lot of money.

 

More info:

 

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=b3f7ab0a43b5d010VgnVCM10000048f3d6a1RCRD&vgnextchannel=db029c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

[dnoblett]

Just a note about mailing your green card over to China.

 

I've found the Chinese mail system entirely unreliable. If it were me, I'd not have my parents send it to China. If you are going to return to the US prior to the temp I-551 expiration, I don't know why you wouldn't just wait.

 

If by chance it did get lost, damaged, etc during shipping - it's a 450.00 USD replacement cost. I'm just throwing that out there.

 

I have used services such as DHL, with success. That being said, 450.00 is a lot of money.

 

More info:

 

http://www.uscis.gov...00045f3d6a1RCRD

 

I will agree with this, what causes problems leaving China is a green-card extension letter issued when removing conditions on a 2 year green-card, the recomendation is to get an I-551 stamp in passport.

 

Note the visa itself acts as an I-551 green-card.

 

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

 

Note what the visa says at the bottom edge.

[tsap seui]

Hi I want to know how long it normally takes to receive the 10 year green card after landing in America? Is 3 weeks enough? What if it is Christmas

 

Hello Linda in Beijing, My wife and son were IR-1 and IR-2. We arrived from China in Washington, DC on August 15th 2011. Their green cards were sent out on August 30th 2011.

 

Every case is going to be different as there are human beings involved in the process, some of the paperwork doesn't get forwarded timely from the POE's, some USCIS workers are asleep at the wheel... lets hope yours comes early to you.

 

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

 

Happy trails to you.

 

tsap seui

Hi tsap, thanks for your reply. We will see if we can stay there for 4 weeks.

 

Did your wife ran away from you successfully with her 10 year green card and your valuables? Haha

 

Sniff....sniff....Yes, I got the letter out of the mail, she saw it was her green card and POOF....she was gone. Fengqi and I haven't seen hide, hair, or even a rabbit foot of her since. Woe is me.

 

Luckily, my only valuable was a rusted out 1957 Chevy hardtop sittin' on cinder blocks in the front yard. She couldn't drag it off with her.

 

tsap seui