Final processing of greencard and aamc application

[futchedoc]

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Hi all, i am very close to getting a green card but the process hasnt moved by a lot...i am positive that i will receive it by the end of this year. how strict are MD/DO schools about greencard, do they specifically ask for it? i know not having greencard at the least would reduce your chances of getting into schools, so should i just mark myself as a greencard holder in the application since i am gonna get it anyways before i start going to medical school?

 

[milski]

The schools will want to see the actual document. There is an issue date on the card itself. I would not want to be in a situation where I have said that I am a permanent resident on a date before the actual date on which I was issued the proper document. It sucks but if you don't get it by the end of May, your safest bet will be to wait another year.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Don't claim to be a green card holder when you are not. It doesn't matter if you know you'll get it. You'll have to apply as international and then call every school the day you get your card to update your status.

 

[DrMidlife]

Unfortunately you have no control over the INS, and "being sure" your green card is coming on a comprehensible time table is not smart. In your shoes I would NOT APPLY until your greencard is in your hand. Don't screw up your future by being in a hurry.

 

[capit]

Don't mark yourself as a permanent resident until you have the card in your hand. I feel for you--I went through the greencard process too, and there were so many unexpected delays and complications. Near the end, my case was nearly derailed because there were so many delays that my fingerprint record expired. And, whatever you do, don't move out of state until they issue you that card. Your case goes back to the bottom of the pile in the new state.
Good luck!

 

[SN12357]

Hi all, i am very close to getting a green card but the process hasnt moved by a lot...i am positive that i will receive it by the end of this year. how strict are MD/DO schools about greencard, do they specifically ask for it? i know not having greencard at the least would reduce your chances of getting into schools, so should i just mark myself as a greencard holder in the application since i am gonna get it anyways before i start going to medical school?

The difference between being a domestic applicant compared to an international applicant is VAST. Do not apply until you actually have your green card. Definitely do not misrepresent yourself on the application.

 

[Amygdarya]

As someone who waited for her green card before applying to US medical schools (one of the best decisions I've ever made: I got into more than one great medical schools this year, but I seriously doubt that I would get in anywhere at all if I applied the year before without it), I agree 100% with this:

Unfortunately you have no control over the INS, and "being sure" your green card is coming on a comprehensible time table is not smart. In your shoes I would NOT APPLY until your greencard is in your hand. Don't screw up your future by being in a hurry.

and this:

The difference between being a domestic applicant compared to an international applicant is VAST. Do not apply until you actually have your green card. Definitely do not misrepresent yourself on the application.

 

[futchedoc]

Thank you so much for the feedback guys... definitely an issue to think about... guessing even having the money wouldn't help? one last thing, are DO schools as strict as MD regarding this or are the emotions about this are same across all medical schools?

 

[Scottish Chap]

Hi all, i am very close to getting a green card but the process hasnt moved by a lot...i am positive that i will receive it by the end of this year. how strict are MD/DO schools about greencard, do they specifically ask for it? i know not having greencard at the least would reduce your chances of getting into schools, so should i just mark myself as a greencard holder in the application since i am gonna get it anyways before i start going to medical school?

This is a tough situation. I applied to medical schools with an alien registration number, but no greencard. One school in particular sent me an e-mail immediately after I accepted an invitation to interview saying that I had to produce the physical document (GC) on the day of interview or the interview would not take place. The card came through 6 days before the interview....and it was the first thing that was asked of me after I checked in on interview day. I was lucky because my GC was approved, and BCIS gave me the number---I just did not have the document even though I checked PR on the secondary. I take it back....I was very lucky. Good luck!

 

[Amygdarya]

This is a tough situation. I applied to medical schools with an alien registration number, but no greencard. One school in particular sent me an e-mail immediately after I accepted an invitation to interview saying that I had to produce the physical document (GC) on the day of interview or the interview would not take place. The card came through 6 days before the interview....and it was the first thing that was asked of me after I checked in on interview day. I was lucky because my GC was approved, and BCIS gave me the number---I just did not have the document even though I checked PR on the secondary. I take it back....I was very lucky. Good luck!

Pitt? 🙂 It was the school that requested me to bring my green card to the interview; they took a copy of it when I checked in.

 

[Scottish Chap]

Pitt? 🙂 It was the school that requested me to bring my green card to the interview; they took a copy of it when I checked in.

'twas not Pitt, but you're within 300 miles of the school in question.

 

[PlasticBag]

Hi, I'm in a similar situation, except I "should" get the green card before the end of the summer. The process is much faster now than it was a few years ago (at least according to my lawyer). However, I don't have the GC interview date yet so I'm wondering what to do in case it's later than mid-August (I'll have to wait to submit my primary until I have the GC interview so I can truthfully say I'm a permanent resident). If my GC interview is in September though, it would be pretty much too late to submit a primary. So I looked at the AMCAS application and apart from "international student" and "permanent resident", there is a choice of "adjustment of status". What do you think about applying with that category? Technically, this is exactly my status now - not an international student anymore, not a permanent resident yet. Is it even worse than "international student" because schools will have no idea what it means? Does anyone have any experience with this?

And, as someone already asked above, are DO schools as strict as MD schools with immigration status requirements? Thanks!

 

[xffan624]

Hi, I'm in a similar situation, except I "should" get the green card before the end of the summer. The process is much faster now than it was a few years ago (at least according to my lawyer). However, I don't have the GC interview date yet so I'm wondering what to do in case it's later than mid-August (I'll have to wait to submit my primary until I have the GC interview so I can truthfully say I'm a permanent resident). If my GC interview is in September though, it would be pretty much too late to submit a primary. So I looked at the AMCAS application and apart from "international student" and "permanent resident", there is a choice of "adjustment of status". What do you think about applying with that category? Technically, this is exactly my status now - not an international student anymore, not a permanent resident yet. Is it even worse than "international student" because schools will have no idea what it means? Does anyone have any experience with this?

And, as someone already asked above, are DO schools as strict as MD schools with immigration status requirements? Thanks!

Is your MCAT going to expire? No? Then why the rush? Prepare your app, but if it is going to delay your app. Just wait until next year.

Maybe I'm not understanding this, but your GC interview is just to establish you as a permanent resident? How quick after that will you get your official status? I can't imagine it will be instantaneous, but maybe I'm wrong.

 

[DrMidlife]

Green-card-holder-to-be: "OMG just submitted AMCAS I'm so excited!!!"
Green-card-holder-to-be calls lawyer: "what's my status?"
Lawyer says "blargmargle pending glarmgargle few more weeks"
2 weeks later Green-card-holder-to-be calls lawyer: "what's my status?"
Lawyer says "blargmargle pending glarmgargle few more weeks"
2 weeks later Green-card-holder-to-be calls lawyer: "what's my status?"
Lawyer says "blargmargle pending glarmgargle few more weeks"
Med school: "come interview"
Green-card-holder-to-be:"OMG yes!"
Med school: "we love you, here's your acceptance"
Green-card-holder-to-be:"OMG you betcha!"
Green-card-holder-to-be calls lawyer: "what's my status?"
Lawyer says "blargmargle pending glarmgargle few more weeks"
Med school: "please submit large piles of documentation proving your residency and citizenship within 30 days"
Green-card-holder-to-be calls lawyer: "WHAT'S MY STATUS!?!?!?"
Lawyer says "blargmargle pending glarmgargle few more weeks"
Green-card-holder for the next 29 days: vicious twitch/cry cycle
Green-card-holder-to-be calls lawyer: "WHAT'S MY STATUS YOU PIECE OF CRAP!?!?!?"
Lawyer says "blargmargle pending glarmgargle few more weeks"
Green-card-holder calls Med School, in tears: "my green card isn't processed yet"
Med school: "ok we'll be nice, 30 more days"
REPEAT 30 day cycle
Green-card-holder calls Med School, in tears: "my green card isn't processed yet"
Med school: "ok we're rescinding your acceptance and we're really sorry about your situation, but this really just looks like fraud now"

Please think it through.

 

[PlasticBag]

Is your MCAT going to expire? No? Then why the rush? Prepare your app, but if it is going to delay your app. Just wait until next year.

Maybe I'm not understanding this, but your GC interview is just to establish you as a permanent resident? How quick after that will you get your official status? I can't imagine it will be instantaneous, but maybe I'm wrong.

The way it works now is that they can approve you as a permanent resident immediately after the GC interview. They put a special stamp in your passport the same day, and then you get the actual GC within two weeks by mail. So it's basically automatic, at least for the type of application I have (it might be different for GC based on employment, etc.).

I'm taking the MCAT this June so it will not expire but I'm really determined to apply this year (getting old/hating being a post-bac/etc.). Worst case scenario, I might apply as an international student or "adjustment of status" (if it comes to that, I'd need to call schools and ask what's better, or actually, what's worse) and see what happens.

 

[SN12357]

Hi, I'm in a similar situation, except I "should" get the green card before the end of the summer. The process is much faster now than it was a few years ago (at least according to my lawyer). However, I don't have the GC interview date yet so I'm wondering what to do in case it's later than mid-August (I'll have to wait to submit my primary until I have the GC interview so I can truthfully say I'm a permanent resident). If my GC interview is in September though, it would be pretty much too late to submit a primary. So I looked at the AMCAS application and apart from "international student" and "permanent resident", there is a choice of "adjustment of status". What do you think about applying with that category? Technically, this is exactly my status now - not an international student anymore, not a permanent resident yet. Is it even worse than "international student" because schools will have no idea what it means? Does anyone have any experience with this?

And, as someone already asked above, are DO schools as strict as MD schools with immigration status requirements? Thanks!

Seriously, just wait a year. Do not depend on the US government doing something it hasn't done yet.

 

[WaterCLurker]

I've worked for the government (as an engineer, not in immigration) and I've had several relatives and relatives of friends get green cards. It could take you a month or it could take you a year to get that green card, no matter what your lawyer says.

What if everyone in the office went on maternity/paternity leave? What if everyone left for a summer vacation? The World Cup is starting soon, what if everyone's a fan? What if the building isn't air conditioned and there's a heat wave? Do those situations sound irresponsible, implausible? One of the four situations I listed actually happened to me. The only ones left processing applications will be the guys on the bottom of the totem pole and let me tell you, we were disgruntled and not at all inspired to keep promises other people made.