Bloody Hell! Green Card approved already!
Jul 27th 2006, 12:17 pm
#31
Arrogant ****
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Plano, TX
Posts: 4,323
Re: Bloody Hell! Green Card approved already!
Out of interest, how many of you who have replied in this thread went the Employment-based route to your GC? I was under the impression that a GC by marriage to a USC was quicker - hence my surprise that my transition from H1-B to GC went so quickly.
I re-entered the country on Advanced Parole yesterday, after my lawyer panicked and told me not to travel on my H1-B for the business trip I was leaving on that day. At Immigration I told the guy that this was my first entry on AP, and he laughed and told me I'd better get used to it. It was great to be able to reply that this would be my one and only AP entry, since my GC had been approved already! He was very friendly (for an Immigration officer) and told me I'd done the right thing, and that they wouldn't keep me more than a few minutes in secondary processing, since everything was pretty straightforward in my case.
Having been extremely nervous about using AP, they only kept me in the "back room" for about 5 minutes while they processed my paperwork. Asked me my job title, company, mother's name, father's name and my US address, and then let me go. What a relief!
Got home to find that two of our four Letters of Approval have actually arrived before our Welcome Letters. They say that our actual cards will arrive within 15 days.
I still can't quite believe it's all gone this fast. Just two weeks ago my lawyer told me to expect a 1 or even 2-year wait for my case to be complete!
I re-entered the country on Advanced Parole yesterday, after my lawyer panicked and told me not to travel on my H1-B for the business trip I was leaving on that day. At Immigration I told the guy that this was my first entry on AP, and he laughed and told me I'd better get used to it. It was great to be able to reply that this would be my one and only AP entry, since my GC had been approved already! He was very friendly (for an Immigration officer) and told me I'd done the right thing, and that they wouldn't keep me more than a few minutes in secondary processing, since everything was pretty straightforward in my case.
Having been extremely nervous about using AP, they only kept me in the "back room" for about 5 minutes while they processed my paperwork. Asked me my job title, company, mother's name, father's name and my US address, and then let me go. What a relief!
Got home to find that two of our four Letters of Approval have actually arrived before our Welcome Letters. They say that our actual cards will arrive within 15 days.
I still can't quite believe it's all gone this fast. Just two weeks ago my lawyer told me to expect a 1 or even 2-year wait for my case to be complete!
Jul 27th 2006, 12:28 pm
#32
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: eating celery
Posts: 461
Re: Bloody Hell! Green Card approved already!
Originally Posted by dbj1000
Out of interest, how many of you who have replied in this thread went the Employment-based route to your GC? I was under the impression that a GC by marriage to a USC was quicker - hence my surprise that my transition from H1-B to GC went so quickly.
I re-entered the country on Advanced Parole yesterday, after my lawyer panicked and told me not to travel on my H1-B for the business trip I was leaving on that day. At Immigration I told the guy that this was my first entry on AP, and he laughed and told me I'd better get used to it. It was great to be able to reply that this would be my one and only AP entry, since my GC had been approved already! He was very friendly (for an Immigration officer) and told me I'd done the right thing, and that they wouldn't keep me more than a few minutes in secondary processing, since everything was pretty straightforward in my case.
Having been extremely nervous about using AP, they only kept me in the "back room" for about 5 minutes while they processed my paperwork. Asked me my job title, company, mother's name, father's name and my US address, and then let me go. What a relief!
Got home to find that two of our four Letters of Approval have actually arrived before our Welcome Letters. They say that our actual cards will arrive within 15 days.
I still can't quite believe it's all gone this fast. Just two weeks ago my lawyer told me to expect a 1 or even 2-year wait for my case to be complete!
I re-entered the country on Advanced Parole yesterday, after my lawyer panicked and told me not to travel on my H1-B for the business trip I was leaving on that day. At Immigration I told the guy that this was my first entry on AP, and he laughed and told me I'd better get used to it. It was great to be able to reply that this would be my one and only AP entry, since my GC had been approved already! He was very friendly (for an Immigration officer) and told me I'd done the right thing, and that they wouldn't keep me more than a few minutes in secondary processing, since everything was pretty straightforward in my case.
Having been extremely nervous about using AP, they only kept me in the "back room" for about 5 minutes while they processed my paperwork. Asked me my job title, company, mother's name, father's name and my US address, and then let me go. What a relief!
Got home to find that two of our four Letters of Approval have actually arrived before our Welcome Letters. They say that our actual cards will arrive within 15 days.
I still can't quite believe it's all gone this fast. Just two weeks ago my lawyer told me to expect a 1 or even 2-year wait for my case to be complete!
Jul 27th 2006, 2:37 pm
#33
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 18,950
Re: Bloody Hell! Green Card approved already!
Originally Posted by dbj1000
Out of interest, how many of you who have replied in this thread went the Employment-based route to your GC? I was under the impression that a GC by marriage to a USC was quicker - hence my surprise that my transition from H1-B to GC went so quickly.
Jul 27th 2006, 3:47 pm
#34
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 30,102
Re: Bloody Hell! Green Card approved already!
Originally Posted by dbj1000
Out of interest, how many of you who have replied in this thread went the Employment-based route to your GC? I was under the impression that a GC by marriage to a USC was quicker - hence my surprise that my transition from H1-B to GC went so quickly.
I re-entered the country on Advanced Parole yesterday, after my lawyer panicked and told me not to travel on my H1-B for the business trip I was leaving on that day. At Immigration I told the guy that this was my first entry on AP, and he laughed and told me I'd better get used to it. It was great to be able to reply that this would be my one and only AP entry, since my GC had been approved already! He was very friendly (for an Immigration officer) and told me I'd done the right thing, and that they wouldn't keep me more than a few minutes in secondary processing, since everything was pretty straightforward in my case.
Having been extremely nervous about using AP, they only kept me in the "back room" for about 5 minutes while they processed my paperwork. Asked me my job title, company, mother's name, father's name and my US address, and then let me go. What a relief!
Got home to find that two of our four Letters of Approval have actually arrived before our Welcome Letters. They say that our actual cards will arrive within 15 days.
I still can't quite believe it's all gone this fast. Just two weeks ago my lawyer told me to expect a 1 or even 2-year wait for my case to be complete!
I re-entered the country on Advanced Parole yesterday, after my lawyer panicked and told me not to travel on my H1-B for the business trip I was leaving on that day. At Immigration I told the guy that this was my first entry on AP, and he laughed and told me I'd better get used to it. It was great to be able to reply that this would be my one and only AP entry, since my GC had been approved already! He was very friendly (for an Immigration officer) and told me I'd done the right thing, and that they wouldn't keep me more than a few minutes in secondary processing, since everything was pretty straightforward in my case.
Having been extremely nervous about using AP, they only kept me in the "back room" for about 5 minutes while they processed my paperwork. Asked me my job title, company, mother's name, father's name and my US address, and then let me go. What a relief!
Got home to find that two of our four Letters of Approval have actually arrived before our Welcome Letters. They say that our actual cards will arrive within 15 days.
I still can't quite believe it's all gone this fast. Just two weeks ago my lawyer told me to expect a 1 or even 2-year wait for my case to be complete!
Last edited by gruffbrown; Jul 27th 2006 at 3:57 pm.
Jul 27th 2006, 9:22 pm
#35
who turned out the light?
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: WA
Posts: 7,997
Re: Bloody Hell! Green Card approved already!
Originally Posted by dbj1000
Out of interest, how many of you who have replied in this thread went the Employment-based route to your GC?
I re-entered the country on Advanced Parole yesterday, after my lawyer panicked and told me not to travel on my H1-B for the business trip I was leaving on that day.
I re-entered the country on Advanced Parole yesterday, after my lawyer panicked and told me not to travel on my H1-B for the business trip I was leaving on that day.
Jul 27th 2006, 9:33 pm
#36
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: Seattleish
Posts: 443
Re: Bloody Hell! Green Card approved already!
Originally Posted by irnbru4u
We went the employment based route, and told 4 months (though we have put of our medical for about 2 months!) Don't know why there are loads of concerns about people travelling before actually getting the green card. As hubby asked that specific question to our visa expert/lawyer who said there was no problem travelling and there hasn't been!
I'm in no hurry to do it again, so I want to wait for the GC before any more international travel.
Jul 27th 2006, 9:49 pm
#37
who turned out the light?
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: WA
Posts: 7,997
Re: Bloody Hell! Green Card approved already!
Originally Posted by cinnabar
I'm currently on AP and it's a right royal pain. We went up to Vancouver for a weekend, and the Canadians didn't do anything with my paperwork (well, why should they, they saw my UK passport and just let me in). When we came back, the US immigration officials had a blue fit and said I should have had stuff stamped when I left. They made me feel like a criminal while they made secret phone calls and pretended to photocopy things. Big show of control freakery.
I'm in no hurry to do it again, so I want to wait for the GC before any more international travel.
I'm in no hurry to do it again, so I want to wait for the GC before any more international travel.
Jul 27th 2006, 11:50 pm
#38
Arrogant ****
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Plano, TX
Posts: 4,323
Re: Bloody Hell! Green Card approved already!
Originally Posted by irnbru4u
We went the employment based route, and told 4 months (though we have put of our medical for about 2 months!) Don't know why there are loads of concerns about people travelling before actually getting the green card. As hubby asked that specific question to our visa expert/lawyer who said there was no problem travelling and there hasn't been!
I received an email on Friday morning saying my Adjustment of Status had been approved. I was flying to the UK later that day.
Since my AOS case was now officially complete, my lawyer warned me not to use my H1-B visa to travel on. His reasoning, which was confirmed by Immigration on my return, was that travelling on a NON-IMMIGRANT visa after approval of Immigrant status could be seen by the system as being an abandonment of my immigrant application.
So, I used my Advanced Parole document for the first and last time. Nothing was stamped when I left the US, nor when I left the UK. When I left the US I was asked to use the US Visit system (seems to be on a trial-only basis right now) and they insisted on recording my H1-B visa number. When I left the UK they also insisted on taking my visa number, even though I was travelling on AP. The lady at the BA checkin counter claimed never to have seen an AP document, and wouldn't accept it as proof that I was fit to travel. I arrived at DFW with my unused, unmarked AP document, and they took it and stamped it. That was all.
Jul 27th 2006, 11:54 pm
#39
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 30,102
Re: Bloody Hell! Green Card approved already!
Originally Posted by dbj1000
So, I used my Advanced Parole document for the first and last time. Nothing was stamped when I left the US, nor when I left the UK. When I left the US I was asked to use the US Visit system (seems to be on a trial-only basis right now) and they insisted on recording my H1-B visa number. When I left the UK they also insisted on taking my visa number, even though I was travelling on AP. The lady at the BA checkin counter claimed never to have seen an AP document, and wouldn't accept it as proof that I was fit to travel. I arrived at DFW with my unused, unmarked AP document, and they took it and stamped it. That was all.
Jul 28th 2006, 12:28 am
#40
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,023
Re: Bloody Hell! Green Card approved already!
Originally Posted by dbj1000
Out of interest, how many of you who have replied in this thread went the Employment-based route to your GC? I was under the impression that a GC by marriage to a USC was quicker - hence my surprise that my transition from H1-B to GC went so quickly.
I re-entered the country on Advanced Parole yesterday, after my lawyer panicked and told me not to travel on my H1-B for the business trip I was leaving on that day. At Immigration I told the guy that this was my first entry on AP, and he laughed and told me I'd better get used to it. It was great to be able to reply that this would be my one and only AP entry, since my GC had been approved already! He was very friendly (for an Immigration officer) and told me I'd done the right thing, and that they wouldn't keep me more than a few minutes in secondary processing, since everything was pretty straightforward in my case.
Having been extremely nervous about using AP, they only kept me in the "back room" for about 5 minutes while they processed my paperwork. Asked me my job title, company, mother's name, father's name and my US address, and then let me go. What a relief!
Got home to find that two of our four Letters of Approval have actually arrived before our Welcome Letters. They say that our actual cards will arrive within 15 days.
I still can't quite believe it's all gone this fast. Just two weeks ago my lawyer told me to expect a 1 or even 2-year wait for my case to be complete!
I re-entered the country on Advanced Parole yesterday, after my lawyer panicked and told me not to travel on my H1-B for the business trip I was leaving on that day. At Immigration I told the guy that this was my first entry on AP, and he laughed and told me I'd better get used to it. It was great to be able to reply that this would be my one and only AP entry, since my GC had been approved already! He was very friendly (for an Immigration officer) and told me I'd done the right thing, and that they wouldn't keep me more than a few minutes in secondary processing, since everything was pretty straightforward in my case.
Having been extremely nervous about using AP, they only kept me in the "back room" for about 5 minutes while they processed my paperwork. Asked me my job title, company, mother's name, father's name and my US address, and then let me go. What a relief!
Got home to find that two of our four Letters of Approval have actually arrived before our Welcome Letters. They say that our actual cards will arrive within 15 days.
I still can't quite believe it's all gone this fast. Just two weeks ago my lawyer told me to expect a 1 or even 2-year wait for my case to be complete!
Jul 28th 2006, 12:31 am
#41
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,023
Re: Bloody Hell! Green Card approved already!
Originally Posted by gruffbrown
I was a K1, I'll check those dates again, but I think they're right. Married in Feb 04, applied for AOS, dated April 04 got my GC in Aug 05. My original application went through the Nebraska Service Centre (We lived in Chicago) who seemingly are the slowest. And then we moved to NJ, which slowed it down even more.
They must have seen that photo of you wearing women's clothes and a blonde wig and thought you were a dodgy character.
Jul 28th 2006, 12:33 am
#42
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 30,102
Re: Bloody Hell! Green Card approved already!
Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
They must have seen that photo of you wearing women's clothes and a blonde wig and thought you were a dodgy character.
Nice storm here by the way.
Jul 28th 2006, 12:39 am
#43
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,023
Re: Bloody Hell! Green Card approved already!
Originally Posted by gruffbrown
Dodgy? Moi? yeah OK...
Nice storm here by the way.
Nice storm here by the way.
Jul 28th 2006, 1:17 am
#44
who turned out the light?
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: WA
Posts: 7,997
Re: Bloody Hell! Green Card approved already!
Originally Posted by dbj1000
Here are the specifics of the situation, and why my lawyer quite rightly was concerned.
I received an email on Friday morning saying my Adjustment of Status had been approved. I was flying to the UK later that day.
Since my AOS case was now officially complete, my lawyer warned me not to use my H1-B visa to travel on. His reasoning, which was confirmed by Immigration on my return, was that travelling on a NON-IMMIGRANT visa after approval of Immigrant status could be seen by the system as being an abandonment of my immigrant application.
So, I used my Advanced Parole document for the first and last time. Nothing was stamped when I left the US, nor when I left the UK. When I left the US I was asked to use the US Visit system (seems to be on a trial-only basis right now) and they insisted on recording my H1-B visa number. When I left the UK they also insisted on taking my visa number, even though I was travelling on AP. The lady at the BA checkin counter claimed never to have seen an AP document, and wouldn't accept it as proof that I was fit to travel. I arrived at DFW with my unused, unmarked AP document, and they took it and stamped it. That was all.
I received an email on Friday morning saying my Adjustment of Status had been approved. I was flying to the UK later that day.
Since my AOS case was now officially complete, my lawyer warned me not to use my H1-B visa to travel on. His reasoning, which was confirmed by Immigration on my return, was that travelling on a NON-IMMIGRANT visa after approval of Immigrant status could be seen by the system as being an abandonment of my immigrant application.
So, I used my Advanced Parole document for the first and last time. Nothing was stamped when I left the US, nor when I left the UK. When I left the US I was asked to use the US Visit system (seems to be on a trial-only basis right now) and they insisted on recording my H1-B visa number. When I left the UK they also insisted on taking my visa number, even though I was travelling on AP. The lady at the BA checkin counter claimed never to have seen an AP document, and wouldn't accept it as proof that I was fit to travel. I arrived at DFW with my unused, unmarked AP document, and they took it and stamped it. That was all.
Jul 28th 2006, 3:07 am
#45
Arrogant ****
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Plano, TX
Posts: 4,323
Re: Bloody Hell! Green Card approved already!
Originally Posted by gruffbrown
Bet you got a secondary inspection when you got back?
A decade ago, when I was a student and they got me for a "real" secondary inspection at Dallas, it took me 5 hours to get back out, all of which was spent in an interrogation room being shouted at!