My permanent resident card that is! As the date for us to get on that jet plane and leave for Kuala Lumpur fast approaches [3 more days!!!!], this comes just in time! Although I wasn't really thinking about it too much, this definitely reduces the hassle and hopefully makes travel a whole less cumbersome... I am not so sure how the process went for the rest of you but for me, it seemed that it took a long time... when I was first issued my green card in August 2005, it was for 2 years or 'conditional' and 3 months before the 2 years were up, you were supposed to file USCIS Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence.
Forseeing my impending trip back home in December 2007, I decided that sooner was better as I didn't want to take any chances so in January of this year, I gathered all my documents and filed my petition. I received a Notice of Receipt early February and immediately scheduled to get my biometrics done and this was completed at the end of February. Then the wait began, I received a letter in March saying that my petition has been filed and the letter extended my current greencard for a year from its current expiration date. I later read that some processing centers had backlogs up to 18 months! In any case, I was not looking forward to traveling with an expired greencard despite the letter of extension because who knows what sort of delays to expect.
It took 9 months since the date of filing to receive my new green card in the mail, thankfully the next time I need to renew it is in 2017! Overall though, it wasn't too bad, everyone in the processing center were so friendly and cheerful and my only advice is to read every single thing on the form, answer all questions [mark N/A if not applicable so that they know you've addressed the question], provide as many of the requested supporting documents and I like to be organized and list everything on a cover letter and attach all supporting as appendices. That has never failed me to date as I've not gotten any forms returned for insufficient support or incomplete forms. Lastly, be HONEST!!! Honesty goes a long way and will work towards you favor in the end. For those of you who are initiating this process or awaiting for approval, good luck and don't worry too much about it, it'll take time but will come through!
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3 comments:
I'm getting so excited for you to balik kampung... 3 more days... Just 3 more days... Sabar ya!
Congratulations! Have a good wedding.
I see that you're living in Nashville. I have a M'sian friend also living in Nashville and of course married to an ang moh.
If you have time, feel free to visit comeherelah.com. That's where M'sians with foreign spouse hang out and my friend is also there.
Cat - Both of us like little kiddies only, can't sleep, pack-repack-pack-repack, haven't been home in 3 years, kinda of berdebar-debar :)
Hooi Imm - Thanks for the well wishes! I will give your site a visit, I've been trying to meet not necessarily just Malaysians here in Nashville [can't be too picky since slim pickings!] but to no avail but who knows :)
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