“Card Production”

“Card Production Ordered” and “Notice mailed welcoming the new permanent resident” might not mean much to some, but it means so much to me today.

Well, it’s been a long, long, trip, but today, the Burden family received their AOS (Adjustment of Status), I485 approval, commonly known as their green card. It’s all a bit overwhelming right now as we take it all in, but, as you can imagine, it now opens many doors of opportunity for us. It doesn’t mean we’re going to stay in the USA indefinitely, but it gives us a great deal of freedom and breathing space.

For those of you who aren’t aware, when you work in the USA, you’re granted a working visa. There are many types, but ultimately you’re normally tied to a sponsoring employer. There is little wiggle room. The green card ultimately gives you travel without restriction and opens doors.

The two and a half year journey has been long (but not as long as some of my friends who have been waiting upwards of eight to ten years). It certainly makes me thankful in relation to others, and it also makes me appreciate the privilege of being given this permission to reside in the US.

Just to give you a taste of what we’ve been going through, take a look:

June 2005, obtain working visa (L1-A) at the US Embassy in London
August 2005, arrive California, green card process begins
Immigrant Worker Petition (I-140) filed – the first step in the green card process
Worker Petition approved 22 November 2006
16 January 2007, medical performed
23 March 2007, Adjustment of Status (green card application) filed with USCIS
25 May 2007, Biometrics and fingerprints taken
15 June 2007, EAD (employment authorisation documents) received
22 June 2007, Advance Parole I-795 received
January 2008, saw some progress in my case
28 February 2008, green cards approved

Being immersed in this process has been a very interesting one and I think I’ve become a mini-immigration attorney in some respects! I think I now have a pretty good understanding of the whole process!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Permanent_Resident_Card