USCIS reports that lawful permanent resident (LPR) green card applicants might experience delays of up to 8 weeks in the delivery of their plastic permanent resident card green card. USCIS is upgrading their card production equipment.  US immigration field offices can issue temporary evidence of permanent residence (LPR) by stamping an applicant’s passport with the I-551 stamp if the applicant has been approved for permanent residence at the time of interview. Therefore, all green card applicants should bring a passport with them at the time of the interview.  Applicants whose adjustment of status cases are approved after the interview should schedule an Infopass appointment at the local USCIS office to get the I-551 stamp in their passport.

DHS recently announced that a green card applicant who is the husband or wife of a deceased US Citizen may be eligible to receive temporary protection from deportation if he or she is widowed before the two year anniversary of the marriage. The announcement comes in response to an Los Angeles immigration judge’s ruling that ordered USCIS to review cases where  immigrants whose spouse died before the green card process could be completed were denied green cards under the “widow penalty”.  This “deferred action” only prevents deportation – legislation will have to be passed in order to make the green card permanent.

See also, Green Card Denials Los Angeles

A federal district judge ordered USCIS to reopen the cases of 13 immigrants whose conditional green card applications in Los Angeles were denied because of the “widow penalty.”  According to DHS rules, the USCIS must deny an application for a conditional green card if the citizen spouse dies before the green card process is complete, and the marriage is less than two years old. Advocates hope that Janet Napolitano, new DHS head, will change the policy or that Congress will pass a law eliminating the “widow penalty.