I-140 approved, I-485 ?
 

Hi,

Just got notice that my I-140 is approved, any ideas how long it might take for the I-485 to be approved - is that finally the last step towards the green card , and can I travel outside the US with the approved I-485?

Thanks -

. . . Tanja

Re: I-140 approved, I-485 ?
 

On 19 Mar 2002 14:03:33 -0600, tanji70 <[email protected]> wrote:

    >Hi,
    >
    >Just got notice that my I-140 is approved, any ideas how long it might take for the
    >I-485 to be approved

Impossible to tell in advance because it keeps changing. Also, it depends on the
service center. You can look up the *current* processing times on the Shusterman or
Visalaw sites (see my signature attachment for URL). Keep in mind that this is
backward-looking information; it just tells you how long it took people whose I-485
is approved today, not what your wait will be.

    > - is that finally the last step towards the green card , and can I travel outside
    > the US with the approved I-485?

It is indeed the last step (well, almost. Once it's approved, you simply take it to
the nearest INS office and have them put the Green Card stamp into your passport and
complete a few more paperwork steps. But that's just a formality and takes just a few
hours of patient waiting in line.)

You cannot travel with the approved I-485 alone, but you can travel with the Green
Card stamp that you can then get within days.

Also, you can travel before the I-485 is approved if you either still have an H-1B,
or you get Advance Parole.

Ingo

I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice. For reliable advice, please consult
with a professional immigration attorney.

For further information, check the following frequently-requested links.

For many questions, you may find answers at
http://travel.state.gov/visa_services.html (Department of State)

or http://ins.usdoj.gov (INS).

For consular policies and visa reciprocity fees, find your consulate in
http://travel.state.gov/links.html

For DOL Faxback status information: http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/

For information on affidavit of support for marriage to US citizens (I-864), go to
http://travel.state.gov/i864gen.html and http://travel.state.gov/checklist.html

For information on entering the US as a K-1: http://www.k1poelist.com/

For poverty levels, see http://aspe.os.dhhs.gov/poverty/00poverty.htm

For information on H/L/O/P visa extensions at Dept. of State in St. Louis, MO, see
http://travel.state.gov/revals.html

For non-official information, check:

(When using these sites, and any Web sites, please watch out for privacy, as I do not
know all site operators.)

http://www.visalaw.com http://www.shusterman.com http://www.immigration.com
http://members.aol.com/MDUdall http://www.murthy.com/ http://www.richw.org/dualcit/
(dual citizenship FAQ) http://www.ilw.com/pederson/visa.htm (dual citizenship info)
http://www.srs-usvisa.com http://www.getusavisa.com
http://greencard-lottery.virtualave.net/ http://www.jcvisa.com (H-1B)
http://www.h1bresources.com (marriage and fiancee) http://www.kamya.com/misc/
(marriage and fiancee) http://www2.apex.net/users/thehydes http://www.formshome.com
http://www.workpermit.com

This is not an endorsement of any of these Web sites. I am not affiliated with any of
the Web site owners and do not receive nor accept payment in return for listing them,
and typically don't even know them.

(if believe you have a good immigration-related Web site and want your Web site
listed here, please e-mail me).

Re: I-140 approved, I-485 ?
 

Yes, this is the last step towards the green card. The time taken for 485 approval
depends on which service center you apply to (same place you applied your I-140 at).
Vermont currently shows a wait period of 1 ~ 1.5 years for final approval of I-485.

Along with your I-485, you can also apply for EAD and Advance Parole, which lets you
travel outside the country for emergencies etc. before you 485 is approved. I have
heard that Vermont issues EAD and AP in around 6 weeks of sending in your
application. Next you get a call for fingerprinting, and after that, you are
essentially a call for an interview or "stamping" of your passport at the nearest INS
office. That is when you officially have a Legal Permanent Resident status (or Green
Card status).

The stamp on your passport is valid for a year, and you are free to travel in and out
of the country like any other GC holder. The physical card itself can take a very
long time to arrive by mail, but you can renew your stamp on the passport and use it
like a GreenCard for entry and exits.

- Rex.

This is just my opinion. This is not a legal advice. Please consult an immigration
attorney for accurate legal advice.

"tanji70" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi,
    >
    > Just got notice that my I-140 is approved, any ideas how long it might take for the
    > I-485 to be approved - is that finally the last step towards the green card , and
    > can I travel outside the US with the approved I-485?
    >
    > Thanks -
    >
    > . . Tanja
    >
    >
    >
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com