llcowan

Hello all,
I've been in the US for the last year on a student visa. Now my green card interview has been scheduled on Nov 1st and I'm wondering how long it might take to receive the physical card thereafter? The internet suggests up to 60 days for receipt, but some report receiving it in the post within a week.

Has anyone gone through this recently who could advise? (My mum's tentatively planning a wedding reception in late November, or, failing that, I'd love to get home for Christmas - are these feasible?)

Thanks in advance!

Noorah101

Is your AOS based on marriage to a USC?

You can search this forum for others who have just completed the AOS process, to see if they noted how long the physical GC took to arrive. Offhand, I would say 2 to 6 weeks, maybe?

Rene

llcowan

It is, yeah. Thanks for your reply - much appreciated.

Pulaski

Possible, but don't bank on it. The times have always been rather variable; I would consider less than a month to be "unlikely", but the same, IMO, goes for "longer than 90 days".

Rete

Regardless of whether it takes one day or 100 days, you should have advance parole in your possession and are free to travel on and return to the US on that document. Just don't tell me that you didn't complete the I-131 for it at the time you filed for adjustment of status. After all, it was part of the fee you paid.

tom169

If the officer is approving AOS at the interview then tell him/her your travel intention. They may be willing to stamp your passport.

Noorah101

But if his AOS is approved, he's a PR and AP no longer applies.

Rene

Rete

Telling you that you are approved is not the same as being approved. We were approved but with a condition "I need the rest of your file from storage" as is the case with Tom. Or they need to run it pass the supervisor. And even if they tell you it is approved and say nothing else, your passport is not stamped and your green card is not handed to you at that moment. Until the wheels turn completely you are still in limbo. It is not like the naturalization ceremony where they take your green card from you. They leave you with your documents. There is nothing to prove that you are a PR so your document is still valid until the green card is in hand or at the very least that the card is in production.

llcowan

Thanks for all your thoughts and advice! I just wanted to round this off with what ended up happening so the next person wondering the same doesn't hit a dead end.

Green card was approved on the same day as my interview (Nov 1st). After a week, when there was no sign yet of the physical card in the mailbox, I booked an Infopass app for the next day and got the I-551 stamp so the reception is go! Better safe than sorry.

notaclue

We were told 6 weeks but had it in 4. Exact same circumstances, F1 to PR via marriage.

Make sure you take LOTS of info relating to your marriage and grab some letters from friends that are notarized confirming your marriage is legit. This delayed my card by a couple weeks. Had the card a week after we sent this info in to the field office after our interview.

Rete

Hmmm, did you read the postings? The OP already had the interview and already was approved. He was not requested to send more documentation as you were. He has gotten the I-551 stamp in his passport so he is good to go.