Life post-green card

You know, the funny thing is... it doesn't feel that different! It's certainly nice to have all restrictions removed on my driver's license and such, but it doesn't matter so much in day-to-day life. I look forward to finally being able to use it when I return from abroad next year. Or... if I can convince my hubby that JUST BECAUSE I have a green card and can go to Canada without a visa, we should take a trip to Canada, then I'll get to use it earlier :)

Post-Green Card Update

Things accomplished:
1) Official name (and immigration status) changed at: 
- School: This involves going to the registrar, international office, and a few e-mail exchanges with the information technology folks to change my school e-mail.
- Social Security office: Went there the day after Fourth of July and it was crowded! Showed them my spanking new green card and marriage license that that was it. I received the new card (without conditions!) in a week.
- Department of Public Safety (DPS): This is for my driver's license. I was dreading this one since I've had bad experiences with them insisting that my name should be a certain way when it's not (see this post). Well, since my new name is on the green card, they had nothing to say this time but to let me have it the way it is. They also removed the 1-year temporary visitor status on the DL. However, I was told that my home country Taiwan is listed as "Taiwan, Province of China." That is so ridiculous. Taiwan is not a province of China and even the U.S. Department of State recognize Taiwan's official name as Taiwan or Republic of China (see here). Anyways, I've been e-mailing DPS, state senator/representative and what not to seek to correct this issue. Urgh! This is so frustrating. Last time they messed up my name and this time they messed up my country's name. Oh and I still don't have my new driver's license yet. Double urgh!
- Banks/Credit Cards: Together we have quite a few accounts so I had to call each of the credit card companies. None of them required me to send in anything since this is based on marriage and my hubby is the joint holder of the account/card in most cases. We also have two online saving account. With one of them, a phone call suffice (since they don't have physical banking locations) while the other asked me to go into the bank. For those that I do have to go into the bank, I just show them either my temporary driver's license or the marriage certificate and voila, it's done. I've received a few new cards with my new names on them! So right now it's a mess in my wallet with at least a few versions of my name. I look forward to the day when they all have my correct new name on them!


2) Figured out financial aid/federal loans:
My hubby and I are in school. He's on fellowship while I'm going to have to start paying (looong story for another post). The green card couldn't have come at a better time since I need permanent residence status to apply for federal loans. I've got that all figured out since I received the green card. Yay.

Happy Fourth of July!

So NOT according to plan (see my last post), my green card arrived on Saturday, 2 days after when I had predicted that it should arrive. However, it did come in time for me to celebrate Fourth of July with my green card in hand! Okay, fine, I didn't even bring my green card with me when we went to watch fireworks let along having it in my hand... just to be sure though, you're supposed to have your green card with you AT ALL TIMES, but since my hubby and I were just driving down the street to the roof of our school's parking garage, I figure it'd be okay. Besides, no one has ever pulled me over for ID, why would they suddenly do that on fourth of July?

Anyways, that aside, the new green card is cool-looking! First of all, it's actually green. Not a bright one, but kind of like the US bill/currency green. Then it's got this black shiny bar code looking thing in the back that has my picture and info engraved inside! (I'm sure I'm describing this with all the wrong technical term, but hey, I'm doing my best.) It's packed with security features that makes it look very important. However, all these cool features are blocked by a white paper/foil cover you're supposed to put it in to "prevent wireless communication with your card" (this is printed in English and Spanish on the cover, adding to the uncool factor of the cover). That's kind of creepy. Someone will want to talk to my green card? What if someone already talked to it when it was being shipped (since it wasn't shipped in the cover)?! Alright, that's just my paranoia... I'm really not that paranoid in person. Really.

I'm not going to put a picture of my green card up since I don't want USCIS to hunt me down for disclosing the new looks of the green card.

What do you mean I'm paranoid?

Happy Fourth of July folks!

According to plan...

So if my green card moves along EXACTLY like my EAD card (which is has so far), I should get the 3rd final e-mail (approval notice sent) tomorrow and my green card should be in our mailbox on Friday. We'll see...

List of things to do once I get my green card:

1. Change name/remove condition on social security card;
2. Go get new driver's license with correct name/remove condition;
3. Change name with banks, credit cards, school, etc.

I'm excited to get started! Can't wait to start using my new name!

Approved!

Everything went smoothly! The only glitch was that there are discrepancies in my name.

I have two names recorded on my passport - one is my legal name translated from Mandarin, and one "as known as" name which is the English name my parents gave me when I was born. I have used my aka name my entire life. When I applied for college in the States, I never even mentioned my translated legal name anywhere. Since that name also appears on my passport, I had no problem obtaining an I-20, visa, school ID, and even my social security number/card in that name. Thus my bank accounts, old driver's license, credit card, etc. are ALL in this name. My translated name only exists on my passport.

I first encountered a problem when I tried to get a new driver's license. They refused my aka name despite it being on my social security card and old driver's license AND passport. The DMV lady basically told me, "Look, if you want a driver's license, then THIS is your name." Well, fine then. It would've been really fine until she insisted that the 2nd syllable of my first name is, in her professional opinion, my middle name. I tried to explain how it's just a syllable of my first name and that I have no middle name. All she said is, "if you want a driver's license, then THIS is your name." I asked to talk to a supervisor but she said that the supervisor is on break and he's going to say the same thing anyways. Besides, "here in America, this is how we write names."

I was pretty upset by that point but decided that it's probably not worth making a scene about. I gave up, took my new driver's license that bears a name that's not ANYWHERE in any other records and left. I just needed to be able to drive before my old out-of-state one expires. For fear of getting stop by the cop and carrying a wallet full of credit card/debit card/atm card with my aka name on and a driver's license of another name, I photocopied my passport info page and stuck it in my wallet. Just in case.

Anyways, I'm totally sidetracked. That DMV lady is why I have a weird name in the database. Our immigration officer was very understanding, "Our database doesn't allow hyphens. They have to leave a blank." At the end of the interview, she said she'll change the names to what I submitted (my aka name plus my new last name) and send the letters through the mail.


I look forward to the day when I can walk into DMV to demand that they correct my name to what it should be.

Model US Citizen Husband

So our green card interview is on Monday and although I've gotten all the supporting documents organized and ready to go, I've been a bit worried that we'll get a scary mean officer. So yesterday my darling husband told me not to worry because on Monday, he's going to be the "model US citizen husband." Whatever that means.

I'll keep you posted!

When they say card production, they meant card production...

So while I was anxiously awaiting my EAD card, I actually received my AP instead. OK that's great but where's my EAD card?? As it turned out, I got an email from USCIS yesterday about a status change. I thought it's another card production notice (since they sent it twice last week), but alas, this is what I saw:

I hope this means that they've finished producing the card and have already put it in the mail! While I've been waiting for the EAD and AP, our interview is creeping up on us! It's in less than 2 weeks. Now since I did everything for the application, I think I need to help my hubby review his role in the application otherwise he'd be very confused about what or who he is "sponsoring"... (I did all the forms and all he did was sign where I told him to.)

Something in the mail...

We received another envelope from USCIS, and to our surprise, it's the advance parole (AP) papers! I got two copies of it. I'm not sure if that means I can use them to get back in the country twice. Anyways, I haven't read the papers carefully since my hubby has a test today so I went out to dinner last night with some girlfriends so he can concentrate on studying (since I'm like his big toy when I'm home).

Anyways, just want to share that news! Hopefully I won't even need it b/c I'll get my green card soooooon!

An e-mail from USCIS...

Yay! I can now go apply for my dream job at Costco :P

*** DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL ***

The last processing action taken on your case

Application Type: I765 , APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION

Current Status: Card production ordered.

On May 21, 2010, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed to you. If we need something from you we will contact you. If you move before you receive the card, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283.

If you have questions or concerns about your application or the case status results listed above, or if you have not received a decision from USCIS within the current processing time listed*, please contact USCIS Customer Service at (800) 375-5283.

*Current processing times can be found on the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov under Check My Case Status and Check Processing Times.
*** Please do not respond to this e-mail message.

Sincerely,
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

Biometrics... DONE!

Got my biometrics appointment done today! Getting there was actually the hardest part. I never knew there are so many people out and about in the streets at 2pm on a weekday. Anyways, there were about 7-8 people in line before me. I handed my documents (ASC appointment notice, passport, and marriage certificate since I'm changing my last name) to the receptionist, she gave me a form to fill out (eye color, hair color, height, weight, etc.) and then I just wait. I got there 5 minutes before my appointment time, and left 40 minutes later. All they did was take my fingerprints and a picture. No questions asked.

Anyways, since my appointment was in the late afternoon, nothing has happened to my case yet. You can bet that I'll be checking somewhat compulsively all through tomorrow! :P

Tomorrow! Tomorrow!

Okay, this song has nothing to do with my post except the word "tomorrow." I just like this song. That's all. So if you haven't heard of this cheerful classic, I hope this will brighten your day/afternoon/evening :)

Anyways, I'm gonna go get my biometrics done tomorrow! I thought the 2-week wait would be harder than it actually is. Turned out work was very busy and hopefully I'm making some real progress. I'm trying not to get overly excited about the progress because I'm afraid of a letdown in the end.

I am excited about what's gonna happen after I get my biometrics done though! Stay tuned!

Biometrics!!!

So after a fairly long wait (at least compared to what other people were sharing on visajourney forum), I finally got my biometrics appointment letter. The letter was dated 4/9/2010 and we received it on 4/14/2010. The appointment is for 4/29/2010. Since I've been waiting for it for so long, I was very tempted to run to the Application Support Centers (ASC) the very next morning to attempt an early walk-in. Well, I didn't try in the end. Sense (it's a 30-minute drive there), laziness (*yawn* I have to wake up early?), and reality (urm, miss, you've got work to do) got to me so I think I'll just wait until my appointment day. I think. Until another wave of panic hits me, that is. (Ahh! I should be "doing" something, shouldn't I?)

Anyways, waiting resumes. How anti-climactic.

Where is my biometrics letter?

We took a road trip to St. Louis this past weekend for a friend's wedding. It was a long long drive but my hubby's old roommate rode with us so we had some great conversations along the way. I've been hoping the letter for my biometrics appointment will arrive soon but alas, it's still not here. The online case status says that my I-485 was last updated on 3/25/10 while the other 3 were last updated 4/1/10. I wonder why they are not looking at all of them at the same time. I hope that doesn't indicate trouble. We'll see.

Oh and I traveled without my passport this weekend. I do have a driver's license though. While the DL itself is not expired, my "temporary visitor status" on it had. I'm holding off the renewal until I get my EAD or something from USCIS so I can maybe get rid of the temporary visitor status and change my name back to what it should be (long story for another day, but "arrgggh!!" pretty much sums up my feelings towards DMV). Probably wasn't a great idea to travel without my passport but we were no where near the border. I also always carry a photocopy of my passport's ID page in my wallet because the name of my DL does not match any other ID or credit card that I have. Anyways, I ought to be more careful next time.

Gonna go home soon. Hopefully the letter is waiting in the mailbox already.

[GUIDE] How to check your case status on USCIS website

Once you receive your notice of action (I-797C) in the mail, you can use your receipt number to check your case status online on USCIS website. The receipt number can be found on the top left-hand corner of the notice of action: "XXX-00-000-00000" (with X being letters and 0 being numbers).

Or alternatively, you can sign up for electronic notification by submitting form G-1145: E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance. They will e-mail you your receipt number (I think - I didn't know of this form when I submitted my applications!).


How to check your case status
 
1) Go to USCIS website: http://www.uscis.gov/

2) On the left column on the page, under "AFTER I FILE", click on "Check My Case Status (red arrow below)."

Day 10: Notice of Action Received in the Mail!

Wheee! We received four envelopes containing I-797C: notice of action (or lovingly abbreviated as "NOA") for all our applications today! The received date on the form says 3/12/2010, while the notice date is 3/19/2010. So it took about a week for the NOA to be generated and sent out. Pretty good so far!

One of the added benefit of receiving our NOA is that now I have the receipt numbers (top left hand corner of the NOA). I can go online and check the case status AS OFTEN AS I WANT!!! I'll write a separate post about how to check your case status and how to sign up for notification if you have not already done so (i.e. send in form G-1145: E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance with your package).

In other news, I gave my talk today. It went well - of course it could always be better, but I'm just happy and relieved that it's over with. I have another talk to give next Tuesday for the other program that I'm in. I'll be giving the same talk but just a bit shorter so the preparation should be much easier. As always, I wasn't hungry before the talk so I didn't eat (one of the symptoms of me being nervous). Halfway through though, I suddenly became very hungry and somewhat light-headed. I still have a stomachache now. Urgh.

Whoa... USCIS cashed our checks!

They cashed our checks! They cashed our checks! Yay! We had to transfer money to our checking to make sure we don't go into the red, but this is the first sign that they are doing something with the package I meticulously assembled! Yay.

P.S. The $1,010 is for form I-485 ($930 for the form + $80 biometrics fee) and $355 is for form I-130.

Safely in Chicago!

I sent my AOS (adjustment of status) package off to the Chicago lockbox last Wednesday (March 10th). Someone signed for it Friday morning!

Yay. Now the waiting begins.