How long for letter of approval/biometrics/green card after sending 75

[MarcRosie]

Hello! Rosie and I got all the evidence for the I-751 sent off about a week ago. We were just wondering (of course) how long the process takes? When should we expect to get a letter from USCIS? Will it just be an initial approval letter or just for biometrics? USCIS says 6 months for processing at the CSC. Any experience at this time from anyone else on how long they've waited? Thanks for any info!! Have a great day!! Rosie and Marc

[dnoblett]

Biometrics typically a couple weeks to month or two after filing the I-751. in most cases there is no interview, however if one is needed, it may fall a month or two after biometrics.

 

I-751 can take up to a year to process, the receipt letter serves as a 1 year extension of the green-card status, and if the I-751 is not complete at a year, simply schedule an infopass appointment and get an I-551 stamp in passport to serve as further evidence of green-card status.

 

If planning a trip while I-751 is being processed, it is advised to get that I-551 stamp in passport, so as to avoid problems when leaving China with an expired green-card, sometimes the extension letter is questioned by exit control in China.

[MarcRosie]

So...we are planning to go to China around January 26, 2014 for their New Year and to be with family. I doubt we'll have the 10 year GC by then. You say we need the 551 stamp for her to be able to come back with no problem. How do we go about this? Has to be an Infopass? I saw one place it was saying the 551 fee was $1010??

 

Also, will we get a 797 saying they received our evidence for the 751? Or just a letter giving us the Biometrics date and the 1 year extension on her green card.

 

Also, I was looking at the USPS receipt for the 751 we sent to the CA USCIS. Says it was delivered, I had signed the waiver for no signature to be required, but it says that someone signed for it and it was delivered to INS EXPRESS WS. I'm calling USPS of course to see what the deal is, or is this some service USCIS uses to deliver all their mail??

 

Sorry for all the questions. I just don't trust anything or want to take any chances anymore it seems after our lawyer screwed everything up so badly.

 

Thanks!

[Randy W]

 

So...we are planning to go to China around January 26, 2014 for their New Year and to be with family. I doubt we'll have the 10 year GC by then. You say we need the 551 stamp for her to be able to come back with no problem. How do we go about this? Has to be an Infopass? I saw one place it was saying the 551 fee was $1010??

 

Also, will we get a 797 saying they received our evidence for the 751? Or just a letter giving us the Biometrics date and the 1 year extension on her green card.

 

Also, I was looking at the USPS receipt for the 751 we sent to the CA USCIS. Says it was delivered, I had signed the waiver for no signature to be required, but it says that someone signed for it and it was delivered to INS EXPRESS WS. I'm calling USPS of course to see what the deal is, or is this some service USCIS uses to deliver all their mail??

 

Sorry for all the questions. I just don't trust anything or want to take any chances anymore it seems after our lawyer screwed everything up so badly.

 

Thanks!

 

The I-551 is the green card. You have already paid the fees for the 2 year conditional green card, and for the 10 year unconditional green card. The I-551 stamp is simply a stamp in her passport to indicate that she is a valid green card holder. The stamp will usually come with a one year expiration. There is no fee for this service through an InfoPass appt.

 

The letter of extension is proof of validity also, but has on occasion not been recognized as such by the airline clerk in China. A call to a supervisor will usually straighten that out, but the I-551 stamp seems to be more widely recognized.

[MarcRosie]

Thanks Randy! Any idea on the rest of this stuff?

 

Also, will we get a 797 saying they received our evidence for the 751? Or just a letter giving us the Biometrics date and the 1 year extension on her green card.

 

Also, I was looking at the USPS receipt for the 751 we sent to the CA USCIS. Says it was delivered, I had signed the waiver for no signature to be required, but it says that someone signed for it and it was delivered to INS EXPRESS WS. I'm calling USPS of course to see what the deal is, or is this some service USCIS uses to deliver all their mail??

[Randy W]

Thanks Randy! Any idea on the rest of this stuff?

 

Also, will we get a 797 saying they received our evidence for the 751? Or just a letter giving us the Biometrics date and the 1 year extension on her green card.

 

Also, I was looking at the USPS receipt for the 751 we sent to the CA USCIS. Says it was delivered, I had signed the waiver for no signature to be required, but it says that someone signed for it and it was delivered to INS EXPRESS WS. I'm calling USPS of course to see what the deal is, or is this some service USCIS uses to deliver all their mail??

 

'INS EXPRESS WS' would be old-style notation for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (now caled UScIS) Western Service Center (now called CSC) - I'm sure it went to the right place.

 

The I-797 receipt is for your entire application. The biometrics appointment letter should come separately.

[MarcRosie]

So...we have not received a 797 for receipt of the 751, just the 797 for the biometrics. Is it one in the same? Or will it come at a difficernt time after the biometrics is processed? Wife's green card is now expired October 25th. Does the 797 for the biometrics work as the 1 year extension?

Edited October 31, 2013 by MarcRosie (see edit history)

[Randy W]

So...we have not received a 797 for receipt of the 751, just the 797 for the biometrics. Is it one in the same? Or will it come at a difficernt time after the biometrics is processed? Wife's green card is now expired October 25th. Does the 797 for the biometrics work as the 1 year extension?

 

 

Her green card is extended automatically upon receipt of the I-751 application. You simply don't have any proof. If you want the proof for any reason, just make an InfoPass appointment, and get the I-551 stamp in her passport.