British Expatriate Network

Hi all,

Come this December/January 06, the hubby and I will have to file our I-751 Petition to Remove Contitions.

My question is - what is the next step after THAT? I haven't ever heard what we do after that.......apart from the inevitable Citizenship stage once we reach that.

Where do we go after the I-751 stage???

KR

You either get inverviewed about your I-751 or you don't (if there is no need, they won't bother with an interview - depends on your submitted evidence).

If you get through that stage, they stamp your passport with a temporary stamp, take your provisional green card off you and send you a new one which is valid for 10 years a few weeks later.

I've had mine a couple of years now but am in no rush for citizenship just yet. I suppose I'll apply for that sometime next year if I feel like it.

I'd apply for citizenship as soon as you can. I filed an I-751, got a 6 month legal extension, then continued to visit the INS and getting extensions for 4 years while they faffed around. I was under the impression I had to wait for that before I could apply for citizenship until someone told me otherwise.

I was always under the impression that you can't apply for citizenship until you've been in the States as a PR for 5 years (or 3 years if you're married to a US citizen).

/still haven't applied for this
//probably cheaper than getting a new PR card

Citizenship cost a bit more but you only have to do it the once.

For the money I spent getting my PR card, I'm gonna drag it out and get my ****ing money's worth :wink:

This has really helped - thanks guys.

Yeah - I wasn't actually aware that I may be asked for an interview at the I-751 stage..... shock .......that's interesting. Of course - I hope I won't be - I hope they just accept my application to remove conditions in the mail and give me my PR card for 10 years!

I think when all is said and done I WILL go ahead and apply for Citizenship when I can. I was approved as a CPR on March 15th, 2003 - therefore making me eligible by March 15th, 2008 to apply for Citizenship. I think in the long run it would definitely be worth it to have some closure to the matter and feel like I've accomplished something - rather than hang in limbo as a PR forever.

Well - fingers crossed! I've began to assemble the odd thing here and there for our application next month......and we just got life insurance policies sorted out so that will stand well. Also got a lot of friends doing Affidavits.......employer letter........utility bill, joint banking, joint savings, health insurance, FCC Ham Radio license, wills, vehicle titles, joint tax returns........and a bunch of other misc. stuff like photos, joint travel evidence, and copies of some contracts that hubby and I entered into with his business.

KR

Yeah, but you probably have already been here for 2 years when you file an I-751, since the conditions exist for 2 years I think. They led me to believe that I couldn't apply for citizenship when an I-751 was pending and that is incorrect. Sure, you're right - you do need to make sure you've been here 3 or 5 years before you apply. Good point.

Oh God, I remember that - what a hassle. If its any consilation, your citizenship application is a doddle compared with all the messing around you do for that.

Hey folks!

I have a couple more questions....

1. How do you mail the application?? I mean - seeing as it's so important, should I mail it any special way, i.e. "Recorded" or otherwise??? What mail service did YOU use???

2. When supplying immigration with copies of any documents - did you have the copies notarized or not? Nowhere in the filing instructions does it state that document copies must be notarized.....

Hope to get some answers - time's drawing near for us to file.

KR

I had an attorney deal with all of this so it was all notarised and he mailed it off recorded or courier or something.

Very expensive and possibly overkill but I wasn't taking any chances at the time.

I sent all my paperwork via FedEx. Luckily I had a friend who was a notary and did all my paperwork for a couple of beers.

Like Pilgrim says, better to do this and not need it then not do this and need it.

Well - yeah - but surely there's a definitive answer out there as whether or not you *NEED* to have everythig notarized or not????

I'm not going to get everything notarized and waste time if it's not necessary!!!

KR

I don't have a copy of my application any more but IIRC, the "file" of my affadvit, supporting evidence etc. had a front sheet that was signed and notarised, indicating that everything contained was notarised We did not submit every single document and photo with a notary public stamp at the bottom of each page.

It was a particularly impressive submission, I thought - well presented, good index and it did the job marvellously but one would hope so for the money. There is no reason why someone could not turn that out themselves though for a fraction of the cost.

I loathe to actually *call* immigration about this - cause I'm not really into waiting on the phone for three days for someone to answer me.

I may do what Pilgrim did and include a note on the index for our submission from a notary (I work with a Notary so it shouldn't exactly be a problem!!!) attesting to the fact that everything contained therein is a true and correct copy.

Surely that'd do them.....

KR

Here's another question for those in the know.....

Does anybody know how long it takes from filing the I-751 Petition to approval and issuance of your 10-year Permanent Resident status???

Just curious........this is of course assuming a "normal" application and no hitches.

KR