IR 1 visa question

roloenNJ says on Jul 13, 2009, 10:21:

Ir1 means that your petition for her and she only has to re-new her Green card within ten years or turned in when she becomes a US citizen. . Yes, you will get her green card delivered to the permanent address that’s on record.

I believe you have to go to your local office for the SS card.

It would be better to go directly to your final destination since Customs officers are not the best in Miami, and she could get drag into secondary.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Radz says on Jul 13, 2009, 10:28:

Once a Green Card is received you can apply for the SS Number and that does allow work authorization....I assume that asked you to apply and pay for a Green Card at the Embassy??? Or did they give a one-time entry visa on the passport?? If you did not start the Green Card Paperwork at the Embassy you will have to apply for everything very shortly after you arrive in the USA...this will be temporary status and all of that paperwork...As I remember you will get a 2 year Green Card and then must reapply, but you can do everything but the interview by mail...you are suppose to work with the immigaration office that your state is assigned to....you can go to the Homeland Secretary webpage to find out that location...as far as the SS Number....it is usually the same day....as long as all of the documents you need are in order...that can be done at your local SS Office.....no specific place to do that...if she has the stamp in her Colombian Passport to enter the USA (until she gets the Green Card) going thru immigration at the airport will not be that big a deal....Good luck!!!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Mononoke28 says on Jul 13, 2009, 11:39:

Since you received an IR-1 visa your wife will be getting her 10 year green card in the mail a few weeks after she enters the US. It all depends on how backed up the USCIS is and how fast they can enter her info in the system.

If you checked the box in the DS-230 for her to receive her SS card in the mail, she SHOULD also get it a few weeks after she enters the US. It all depends on the USCIS, because the SSA won't issue her a number unless her Immigration info is in the system. Now, it's not guaranteed that she will get her SS card in the mail so if you know for sure that the USCIS is done entering her info in the system and you still don't have a SS card, go to the office in person and re-apply there. That's what happened to us but it's no big deal.

We also went through Miami and it was easy, fast and painless but we arrived on a Tuesday morning and there were not a lot of people for them to process so the whole thing took 15 minutes max. If you fly in on a weekend, it's total chaos and there may be quite a few people trying to go through Immigration same as you, this can take up to 3-4 hours. So it all depends.

Diana

0 funny, 0 helpful.

mranderson says on Jul 13, 2009, 11:45:

Great, thanks for all the replies.

I did a quick search for flights and it seems to fly into houston from panama is much more expensive than flying into miami from colombia. Like 3 or 4 hundred more..and multiply that by 2 people.

There doesn´t seem to be any direct way to houston without either panama city or miami.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Mononoke28 says on Jul 13, 2009, 11:47:

Are you sure? I guess it depends on where you're flying from because my mom has flown from Denver-Houston through Continental and then Houston-Panama-Medellín through Copa, same thing flying back.

Diana

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ColombianoGringo (Moderator) (Trustee board) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jul 13, 2009, 11:50:

mranderson says on Jul 13, 2009, 11:50:

The visa is valid for 6 months. I´m not sure if it´s a one time entry or what but it says that once endorsed it serves as temporary I-551 permanent residence for 1 year.

Would she be able to use it as a multiple entry in case she had to return to colombia a couple weeks after she got to the us? Like for a death in the family or something like that (god forbid)?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Mononoke28 says on Jul 13, 2009, 11:52:

Yes. The Immigration officer will endorse her IR-1 visa and stamp her passport with the I-551 which is valid for 1 year or until she receives her green card in the mail. She can go back to Colombia right then and there if she wishes to do so and come back without any problems.

Diana

0 funny, 0 helpful.

mranderson says on Jul 13, 2009, 11:54:

colombianogringo...great, I had no idea that continental did that. Maybe because my search was from medellin. I guess I would have to have a seperate flight to bogota or bus it over. I´ll look into seeing if that will be a cheaper option.

Greg- Yes, I plan to call them but not until we both are in the states. At this point I´m just trying to get some info beforehand and from here it´s also an international call...

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ColombianoGringo (Moderator) (Trustee board) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jul 13, 2009, 11:56:

mranderson says on Jul 13, 2009, 12:05:

Thanks colombiano...yea, I don´t understand why houston is so expensive to fly into. Is it that much farther?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ColombianoGringo (Moderator) (Trustee board) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jul 13, 2009, 12:07:

paisa29 says on Jul 13, 2009, 12:12:

Felicitaciones, saludos a la señora Anderson.

"Fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality" Conrad Hilton

0 funny, 0 helpful.

scumbuster says on Jul 13, 2009, 12:12:

You do not need a green card to get your SS #. We got my wife's SS # before we were married with only her K1 entry visa. Go to your local SS office.

Tomas Jefferson “When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”

0 funny, 0 helpful.

mranderson says on Jul 13, 2009, 13:06:

Paisa thanks...are you coming to azunoman´s dinner? http://poorbuthappy.com/colombia/post/adopt-a-minefield-night-of-a-tho...

Scumbuster that´s also what I heard..thanks for confirming.

Greg- I don´t have any reason to call them right now. I´m sure they will tell me to call or go to an office when I arrive in the states. The purpose of this post is to hear from others who have done it and get a mental picture of what I will have to do. Obviously I will be asking the immigration officer all these questions and calling whatever office I need to once I arrive in the states.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

mranderson says on Jul 13, 2009, 14:43:

Greg- Thanks for 12 voip. I used it to make a couple free calls today...


Another question- How soon will my wife be able to get a driver´s license?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Gator says on Jul 13, 2009, 14:51:

1." It´s my understanding that she will recieve her green card in the mail about a month after we arrive. I´m assuming they will send it to our permanent address in the states

Correct, but I would make the wait one to two months.

2. "Does she also get her SS card at the same time?"

Did you make application for the SS Card at the time you applied for the Visa? Since they will be sent by a different agency it it doubtful they would both arrive at the same time. You will be mailed your Social Security number card to your U.S. mailing address. Call SSA toll-free at 1-800-772-1213, if you don't get your card within 3 weeks of being admitted to the U.S. If you did not request a SS Card when doing the DS 230., part two, She (and you if you want) must come to a Social Security office to apply for an SSN if you did not request an SSN card as part of your visa application.

3. "I believe she can start legally working the moment she gets her ss number."

Correct (" I also heard that she can get her ss number very quickly by going to the local ss office," Not so if you made application when you file for the visa-in any case the card would be mailed)

4. "Also how long will it take for her to get through immigration? We may have to fly through miami"

You should have no problems in Miami-in fact if you show your US Passport they may well left her come through the US citizen line. In these airports it's the luck of the draw and depends on how many international flights happened to land. As long as she has the visa issued as the the result of the IR application there should be no problem. Likely all you will hear after a brief conversation is, "Thank you. Congratulation and welcome to the United States."

"Bene, cum Latine nescias, nolo manus meas in te maculare" .

0 funny, 0 helpful.

mranderson says on Jul 13, 2009, 15:03:

Thanks gator, number 4 was something else I was wondering about. I know there are 2 seperate lines for immigration and I wasn´t sure if we would be slit up or allowed to go through together.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

guacharaca says on Jul 13, 2009, 22:03:

3. "I believe she can start legally working the moment she gets her ss number."

False!

She can legally start working the second that Immigration officer puts that I-55 stamp into her passport. She does not have to wait for the greencard or the SS number. Been there, done it! Ask the officer that is stamping her passport...he will know that particular law. She will get a temporary SS# card (piece of paper) when she puts in her application at the SS office and her employer must accept that piece of paper. The employer can sort out her deductions once she receives her SS number afterwards. Her I-55 in her passport is her proof of legal work status to any employer. I had to point this out to a few of my employers who had never employed a new immigrant before. They just blindly seek the DL and the SS# without actually reading the form that they hand you for proof of status.

Colombianos: Las armas os han dado independencia, las leyes os daran libertad. (Santander)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

mranderson says on Jul 14, 2009, 07:09:

Thanks guacharaca. I doubt she will get a job that fast but that´s good to know.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Mononoke28 says on Jul 14, 2009, 13:02:

mranderson says on Jul 13, 2009, 14:43: flag
Another question- How soon will my wife be able to get a driver´s license?
--------------------------------
As soon as she has her green card and at least her SS#, she can go to the DMV and get her driver's license.

Also, when we went through Miami my husband and I went through the US Citizens line and I told the officer he was entering the country with a CR1 visa. He checked me in and then called a guy who was on stand by and he told us to follow him to the Immigration room. Done and done.

Diana

0 funny, 0 helpful.

paisa29 says on Jul 18, 2009, 10:00:

Paisa thanks...are you coming to azunoman´s dinner? yes I´m going, see you both over there.

"Fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality" Conrad Hilton

0 funny, 0 helpful.

mranderson says on Jul 18, 2009, 10:02:

Great paisa..looking forward to it.

0 funny, 0 helpful.