Differences between temporary I-551 and Green card?
May 8th 2009, 5:31 pm
#31
Septicity
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 23,762
Re: Differences between temporary I-551 and Green card?
Oh FFS somebody rid us of this person.
May 8th 2009, 5:34 pm
#32
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 182
Re: Differences between temporary I-551 and Green card?
....but it is even sadder not to have enemies
May 8th 2009, 5:37 pm
#33
Septicity
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 23,762
Re: Differences between temporary I-551 and Green card?
Well it's hard work when someone's rattling off "facts" with no knowledge on an immigration forum. The other posters have to keep reading it to make sure the misconceptions do not remain unchallenged so some poor sod doesn't come an unnecessary cropper.
May 8th 2009, 5:46 pm
#34
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 182
Re: Differences between temporary I-551 and Green card?
I agree with this. There are many 'commonly known things' floating around and the best way is to challange every single issue for the benefits of all participiant.
One of the 'commonly known things' is that temporary I-551 and plastic green cards are identical. I tried with lot of efforts to describe the differences, and I would enjoy to hear counter arguments.... But serious arguments.
One of the 'commonly known things' is that temporary I-551 and plastic green cards are identical. I tried with lot of efforts to describe the differences, and I would enjoy to hear counter arguments.... But serious arguments.
May 8th 2009, 5:52 pm
#35
American Expat
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 7,598
Re: Differences between temporary I-551 and Green card?
Here is the additional example of wrong knowledge which is combined with the high level of aggressivity:
"There is no temp I-551 without an alien number. Even for a child born after the issuance of an immigrant visa, or a child born to an LPR while aboard they would at least create a record at the POE, and assign an alien number prior to issuing the temp I-551.
The alien files have alien numbers on them. That's where they put all the paperwork. Do you think they just pass out temp I-551 stamps on the street with no paperwork?"
How can you claim that there is no temp I-551 without an alien number?
How can you claim that alien files have alien number on them?
Let assume that you are the LPR and that your child get born during the temporary stay abroad. You come back to the USA, your child is by definition also the LPR. What do you think, that A# will be assigned at a POE?
They see the child at the airport for the first time. Do you believe they have A# in a drawers, ready to assign it to the child right away upon arrival? The child may be only 10 days old... and nobody knows about him/her!
As the child is a LPR he/she will get temporary I-551 right away upon arrival at the airport. But, there will be no A#. So, you will have the temporary I-551 without A#.
There is some special procedure to get A# and it takes time. A# are not being assigned at the airports.
Usually, you will get the plastic Green card with the A# and everything will be OK. But, in the meantime, you will feel the DIFFERENCE between temporary I-551 and the plastic Green card.
"There is no temp I-551 without an alien number. Even for a child born after the issuance of an immigrant visa, or a child born to an LPR while aboard they would at least create a record at the POE, and assign an alien number prior to issuing the temp I-551.
The alien files have alien numbers on them. That's where they put all the paperwork. Do you think they just pass out temp I-551 stamps on the street with no paperwork?"
How can you claim that there is no temp I-551 without an alien number?
How can you claim that alien files have alien number on them?
Let assume that you are the LPR and that your child get born during the temporary stay abroad. You come back to the USA, your child is by definition also the LPR. What do you think, that A# will be assigned at a POE?
They see the child at the airport for the first time. Do you believe they have A# in a drawers, ready to assign it to the child right away upon arrival? The child may be only 10 days old... and nobody knows about him/her!
As the child is a LPR he/she will get temporary I-551 right away upon arrival at the airport. But, there will be no A#. So, you will have the temporary I-551 without A#.
There is some special procedure to get A# and it takes time. A# are not being assigned at the airports.
Usually, you will get the plastic Green card with the A# and everything will be OK. But, in the meantime, you will feel the DIFFERENCE between temporary I-551 and the plastic Green card.
Yes. I know for a fact that it will be assigned at the POE.
"Do you believe they have A# in a drawers, ready to assign it to the child right away upon arrival?"
Yes. I know for a fact that they have alien files at the POE.
"There is some special procedure to get A# and it takes time. A# are not being assigned at the airports."
WRONG. They assign alien numbers at the POE including airports to immigration violators including NTA, Expedited Removal, Visa Waiver Program Refusals, children born to immigrants, and even Native Americans born in Canada who often seek a green card.
So go run along. Amateur night is over.
May 8th 2009, 5:54 pm
#36
Septicity
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 23,762
Re: Differences between temporary I-551 and Green card?
IMO the main difference is in their perception by others not so well versed in the ways of US immigration matters. This could be the drone at your local DMV office or Joe the Landlord..
May 8th 2009, 6:01 pm
#37
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 35,082
Re: Differences between temporary I-551 and Green card?
kazic, I think the problem is that you are conflating your personal experience with overall policy, rules or law. Personal experiences vary widely, and it may be that you didn't know the questions to ask to get the result you were after at the time.
May 8th 2009, 6:22 pm
#38
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 182
Re: Differences between temporary I-551 and Green card?
Well, if CRG14624 claims that A# can be created at the POE right upon arrival of the new born baby - it is a NEW fact to me. However, I did not manage to get it in spite of arriving on a major POE and spending several hours.
In any case, it was possible (let say it this way) to get the I-551 without A#. I believe that it would be impossible to get plastic Green Card without A#.
So, this illustrates the difference.
I did not hear the opinion about the 2nd difference - about the impossibility to get the second temporary I-551 stramped in the passport, once the first one has expired.
In any case, it was possible (let say it this way) to get the I-551 without A#. I believe that it would be impossible to get plastic Green Card without A#.
So, this illustrates the difference.
I did not hear the opinion about the 2nd difference - about the impossibility to get the second temporary I-551 stramped in the passport, once the first one has expired.
May 8th 2009, 6:34 pm
#39
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 35,082
Re: Differences between temporary I-551 and Green card?
Well, if CRG14624 claims that A# can be created at the POE right upon arrival of the new born baby - it is a NEW fact to me. However, I did not manage to get it in spite of arriving on a major POE and spending several hours.
In any case, it was possible (let say it this way) to get the I-551 without A#. I believe that it would be impossible to get plastic Green Card without A#.
So, this illustrates the difference.
I did not hear the opinion about the 2nd difference - about the impossibility to get the second temporary I-551 stramped in the passport, once the first one has expired.
In any case, it was possible (let say it this way) to get the I-551 without A#. I believe that it would be impossible to get plastic Green Card without A#.
So, this illustrates the difference.
I did not hear the opinion about the 2nd difference - about the impossibility to get the second temporary I-551 stramped in the passport, once the first one has expired.
Is this correct? An LPR parent was outside the US, birthed a baby and was making their first return trip to the US, and bringing the baby with? This confers LPR status on the baby without going through the Immigrant Visa process.
Some paperwork presumably happens at the POE. A record is created (an A file) and a number is assigned. BAby's passport is endorsed with an I-551 stamp valid for one year.
At that point, something needs to trigger production of the Green Card. You are right that no plastic green card can be produced without an A number, but there is nothing that the LPR parents can do to 'make' an A number, it's assigned internally. The card production order (I-89) will have the A# on it.
I have known of many people who have had repeated I-551 stamps in their passports. I know of atleast two people who never received their plastic green card ever through their immigration process; they went on to naturalize.
It sounds like you had an unusual situation where maybe a step went wrong. That doesn't mean that your sequence of events is normal or the way things should be.
Just enjoy reading the experiences and seeing the diversity, and should the situation ever be posted, you can share your story of returning with a new LPR infant and maybe save someone the problems you had. When you understand what the problems you had were.
May 8th 2009, 7:17 pm
#40
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 38,865
Re: Differences between temporary I-551 and Green card?
This isn't aggressive... you haven't yet seen us when we're being aggressive.
Doesn't your daughter have her own passport?
Wait for what?
Oh... so you could have complied, but you thought it was just too much trouble! I see now.
That is simply *NOT* true.
That is simply *NOT* true.
Again, you think it's just too much trouble.
Ian
The temporary I-551 expired for my daughter and I was NOT able to get another temporary I-551 stamped in my passport.
I had to wait until she got the plastic card.
The only possibility would be to get the special permit of the US embassy, called boarding letter or similar. And it may be done only after the special appointment, additional paperwork, travel to the embassy etc...
Without A# you CAN NOT get your SSN number. You can not get the ID card. You simply MUST wait your plastic card to arrive.
If you think this is a crap, you may check with ther Social Security. You just say you have I-551 as a stamp in a passport without A# and you want to get the SSN.
Without SSN you can not make your tax declaration properly.... Yes, you can sort it somehow but, it is not a clear solution as with the plastic green card.
Ian
May 8th 2009, 8:00 pm
#41
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 182
Re: Differences between temporary I-551 and Green card?
Well, it is getting quite interesting. Are we talking about thr same country? I read your text and I simply can not believe what I read. I am quite a persistant person and I had so many troubles just because I-551 was not (at least in my case) identical to plastic green card. I was very upset because once upon the time I was naive and believed that temporary I-551 stap is identical to plastic green card.
In order to help other new immigrants, I would repeat some of my experience. It will be their choice who to believe:
1. It is possible to get the temporary I-551 stamp without A#. It is not possible to get plastic green card without A#.
Without A#, I was not able to get SSN number. I tried it about 5 times at different Social Security offices and I did not manage to get it.
2. I was not able to get the renewed temporary I-551 stamp once it has expired. It was related to another child who used to have A#. I have been more than 5 times to the immigration office (one of the boggest cities in the USA) and was told by various immigration officers that I can not get renewed temporary I-551. Such story, is simply not possible with the plastic green card.
After this various personal experiences, I simply did not believe anymore in the nice myth that temporary I-551 is identical to plastic green card. I was very interested in this issue and found some additional differences:
3. The temporary I-551 is placed on the foreign passport which is ownership of the foreign country. The foreign passport may be revoked or may not be prolonged... or whatever can happen what the owner (that means the foreign country decides). The plastic green card is independent ID and it is the ownership of the USA, so that there is no possibility of unpleasant surprises.
(can you immagine there is a war and the country where you temporary I-551 was placed does not exist anymore? can you imagine, you lose such passport while being abroad and can not get any other passport? If you get plastic green card you would simply forget such issues)
4. The foreign countries can decide about their different treatment between temporary I-551 and plastic green card. Here is the example of the UK where temporary I-551 is set up to be inferior to plastic green card:
----------------------
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoap...s/inf20transit
If you hold a valid travel document with a US ‘ADIT’ stamp saying – 'Processed for I-551. TEMPORARY EVIDENCE OF LAWFUL ADMISSION FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE VALID UNTIL [date]. EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZED', you are not exempt and need a DATV.
----------------------
In other words: It is nice to hear stories about equality of the temporary I-551 and the plastic green card.
My advice to new immigrants: Do not believe that stories. The temporary I-551 is OK, but you can relax only once you get the plastic green card. I believe that everybody is extremely happy after receiving its plastic green card - and this is another proof that I-551 stamp and plastic green card are not identical.
In order to help other new immigrants, I would repeat some of my experience. It will be their choice who to believe:
1. It is possible to get the temporary I-551 stamp without A#. It is not possible to get plastic green card without A#.
Without A#, I was not able to get SSN number. I tried it about 5 times at different Social Security offices and I did not manage to get it.
2. I was not able to get the renewed temporary I-551 stamp once it has expired. It was related to another child who used to have A#. I have been more than 5 times to the immigration office (one of the boggest cities in the USA) and was told by various immigration officers that I can not get renewed temporary I-551. Such story, is simply not possible with the plastic green card.
After this various personal experiences, I simply did not believe anymore in the nice myth that temporary I-551 is identical to plastic green card. I was very interested in this issue and found some additional differences:
3. The temporary I-551 is placed on the foreign passport which is ownership of the foreign country. The foreign passport may be revoked or may not be prolonged... or whatever can happen what the owner (that means the foreign country decides). The plastic green card is independent ID and it is the ownership of the USA, so that there is no possibility of unpleasant surprises.
(can you immagine there is a war and the country where you temporary I-551 was placed does not exist anymore? can you imagine, you lose such passport while being abroad and can not get any other passport? If you get plastic green card you would simply forget such issues)
4. The foreign countries can decide about their different treatment between temporary I-551 and plastic green card. Here is the example of the UK where temporary I-551 is set up to be inferior to plastic green card:
----------------------
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoap...s/inf20transit
If you hold a valid travel document with a US ‘ADIT’ stamp saying – 'Processed for I-551. TEMPORARY EVIDENCE OF LAWFUL ADMISSION FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE VALID UNTIL [date]. EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZED', you are not exempt and need a DATV.
----------------------
In other words: It is nice to hear stories about equality of the temporary I-551 and the plastic green card.
My advice to new immigrants: Do not believe that stories. The temporary I-551 is OK, but you can relax only once you get the plastic green card. I believe that everybody is extremely happy after receiving its plastic green card - and this is another proof that I-551 stamp and plastic green card are not identical.
Last edited by kazic; May 8th 2009 at 8:09 pm.
May 8th 2009, 8:11 pm
#42
American Expat
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 7,598
Re: Differences between temporary I-551 and Green card?
It is possible that someone screwed up the process at the POE and gave the stamp out without an alien number.
May 8th 2009, 8:22 pm
#43
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 182
Re: Differences between temporary I-551 and Green card?
Here are some other examples:
When talking about employment eligibility documents, temporary I-551 is clearly inferior to plastic green card. Look at this link:
http://www.i-9employmenteligibility....lity_docs.html
•Unexpired foreign passport that contains a temporary I-551 stamp
•Alien Registration Receipt Card or Permanent Resident Card (INS Form I-551)
Of cource, if your foreign passport has expired, you would be in a trouble to apply for this specific job. Of course, this must be an error, you could claim it, you could demonstrate that they are wrong.... But, it would require too much time.
Until you get right it will be too late. And you can just get the image of a trouble maker.
With the plastic Green Card you DO NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEM.
When talking about employment eligibility documents, temporary I-551 is clearly inferior to plastic green card. Look at this link:
http://www.i-9employmenteligibility....lity_docs.html
•Unexpired foreign passport that contains a temporary I-551 stamp
•Alien Registration Receipt Card or Permanent Resident Card (INS Form I-551)
Of cource, if your foreign passport has expired, you would be in a trouble to apply for this specific job. Of course, this must be an error, you could claim it, you could demonstrate that they are wrong.... But, it would require too much time.
Until you get right it will be too late. And you can just get the image of a trouble maker.
With the plastic Green Card you DO NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEM.
