Conditional green card, denied carry permit

[DrJones]

Hi everyone!

This is my first post here after lurking around for a while. 

 

I moved to America last year and I got my green card in Nov 2019. This is an I-551 permanent resident card with a 2 year expiration date since it is conditional. 

I took the class for handgun carry in December and homeland security sent me a certificate of completion.

Now the to the issue: 

I went to the dmv and tried to apply and they just laughed at me and stopped me at the counter and said "You are a TEMPORARY permanent resident you can not carry a firearm" also my drivers licence was a Temporary drivers Licence and they could not handle that.

I told them that makes no sense, I referred to their website that is says I am eligible for a permit. I was told the website has nothing to do with the law but they could not show me what the law actually says. 

I emailed homeland and they sent me screenshots of their website (I though the website didnt matter?) But all she looked up for me was "US CITIZENS" so that was of no help. Then she stopped replying. 

 

I couple months and a lot of reading on my part went by and I tried again at a different dmv. I got past the desk and got stopped in the machine somewhere when the date on my dl expired before the expiration on a carry permit would be set. 

Once again I was told "you are not a permanent resident" even though I clearly have a permit saying "permanent". I told them the conditions on my residency does not mean I am temporary, it means that I reside here under conditions and nothing else. 

I asked them to call homeland but they could not get a hold of them since a tornado went through Nashville the same day. 

I showed them at the counter the website and that is clearly states I am eligible for a carry permit, and to my great surprise it was updated since the last dmv visit with "Temporary" I-551 for those who don't understand what a conditional card is. Even though all that evidence is clearly in front of their eyes I was denied. 

 

I have tried many times calling and emailing homeland security with no response. 

Is there anyone here who has been approved with a conditional card or knows how I could go about this?

 

I really appreciate your help.

 

[Chucktshoes]

@Handsome Rob got any insight?

[DaveTN]

I don’t know if she is still the director, or if anyone is working there due to Cornavirus, but is this the number you are calling?

Program Director, Lisa Knight

P.O. Box 23710

Nashville, TN 37202

(615) 251-8590

 

[Handsome Rob]

1 hour ago, Chucktshoes said:

@Handsome Rob got any insight?

I'm afraid not Chuck. I'm still on a non- immigrant Visa, so none of that applies to me. It'll be some time yet before I can get a chance of status. 

[Chucktshoes]

2 minutes ago, Handsome Rob said:

I'm afraid not Chuck. I'm still on a non- immigrant Visa, so none of that applies to me. It'll be some time yet before I can get a chance of status. 

Well, . 

[DrJones]

Lisa is not there anymore. Kyle Evan's is the new Lisa. 

I do not know how to get a hold of him. 

This is the number i have called. 

6152515330

I also spoke to a Sheryl Washington and she did not even understand what I was trying to do. She sent me a bunch of screen shots that didn't help me out at all. 

Edited March 24, 2020 by DrJones

[chances R]

Left hand doesn't know what the right is doing.  I had similar problems getting an active duty officer their HCP after successful completion of the course.  They became so frustrated with the process, they just dropped the whole process.  There is a disconnect somewhere upstream.

[DrJones]

34 minutes ago, chances R said:

Left hand doesn't know what the right is doing.  I had similar problems getting an active duty officer their HCP after successful completion of the course.  They became so frustrated with the process, they just dropped the whole process.  There is a disconnect somewhere upstream.

Wow that is crazy. Well, I really hope someone knows how to go about this. "Rules" do not mean anything when law is law. They told me at the dmv "we have rules that say" and I politely replied that I would like to see the law and not go by rules nobody can show me on paper. 

[DrJones]

2 hours ago, Handsome Rob said:

I'm afraid not Chuck. I'm still on a non- immigrant Visa, so none of that applies to me. It'll be some time yet before I can get a chance of status. 

Even with permanent resident status it doesn't seem to be any better.. 

[DrJones]

Has anyone sent a letter to the handgun unit and gotten response? 

 

 

[macville]

Talk to your state rep or senator. One of their jobs is supposed to be helping you navigate the stupidity in the system.

[DrJones]

3 hours ago, macville said:

Talk to your state rep or senator. One of their jobs is supposed to be helping you navigate the stupidity in the system.

Okay thank you. I am new to the bureaucracy of this country and it a hard route to navigate through Haha. 

[Chucktshoes]

Well, I’m not sure what country you have emigrated from, but I would venture to guess that the best way to slice through bureaucracy is the same here as where you are from. Most places they like direct payments. Here they prefer you to cut a check to their re-election campaign. Either way it’s the same answer. The properly directed and generous application of cash tends to slice through a lot of red tape.

Edited March 25, 2020 by Chucktshoes

[Pain103]

I may just be confused but just doing some Googlefu a I-551 with an expiration is considered “conditional”. I would think you would have to get to the stage of I-551 without the expiration to be considered a permanent resident.  

[Obiwan]

All the laws I've seen talk about Citizens and Permanent Residents. A conditional status does not grant you permanent residence. (Otherwise you wouldn't need to go back for another interview to get the conditional status removed, and a get a new and proper Permanent Residency card). You're more like a temporary resident until the conditional status is removed if your condition is satisfactory (for example, still married to a US citizen).

Unfortunately, I don't have that temp card anymore, nor my first Green Card (which was pink I believe... the second was white, and the current is green). Still got the old I-688B though. Gawd, what a horrible picture. Not like the current one is any better though... 

Anyway, if you can't wait until the conditional status is removed, contact an attorney to find out for sure. But I'm reasonable sure that you'll have to wait.

[Obiwan]

29 minutes ago, Pain103 said:

I may just be confused but just doing some Googlefu a I-551 with an expiration is considered “conditional”. I would think you would have to get to the stage of I-551 without the expiration to be considered a permanent resident.  

Once the conditional status has been removed, and a proper I-551 is issued, it is only valid for 10 years. You gotta renew it like you renew your drivers license. (A pretty simple and painless procedure. Thankfully the immigration office in Nashville can handle those. I'm glad they opened that... no more trips to Memphis... yay!). In other words, there is no permanent Permanent Resident card.   The Permanent Resident cards have a 10 year expiration date.

The "conditional" status has nothing to do with the type of card or its expiration date. Yes, the temp card is only valid for two years. But the actual "status" is in your file (erm.... or "record"... welcome to the 21st century, Obiwan...)

[Obiwan]

7 hours ago, DrJones said:

Even with permanent resident status it doesn't seem to be any better.. 

No worries, it will get better once you're a permanent resident. They may even let you have special toys with permission from the ATF. (I've got two tax stamps.... which reminds me, I need to file for a couple more suppressors. Hopefully there's no Coronavirus shortage of those yet...)

Edited March 25, 2020 by Obiwan

[A.J. Holst]

Had no idea TGO had become the new immigration melting pot.

Pretty cool

[DrJones]

On 3/25/2020 at 6:47 AM, A.J. Holst said:

Had no idea TGO had become the new immigration melting pot.

Pretty cool

I wasn't aware of that. The people I've met so far at local ranges and stores have been very helpful (quite the opposite of what they are in other places) so I figured TGO was worth a try. I appreciate you reading through here. 

[Capbyrd]

Any update?   


I have a feeling that if you were wearing your fedora, carrying your whip and driven to the office by @Shorty, they'd get you squared away, no problem! 

[Shorty]

H-A H-A....what a comedian.  I'd have to be able to reach the pedals first.

[hornett22]

On 3/24/2020 at 5:53 PM, macville said:

Talk to your state rep or senator. One of their jobs is supposed to be helping you navigate the stupidity in the system.

Especially since they created said stupidity

[DrJones]

On 4/22/2020 at 2:06 PM, Capbyrd said:

Any update?   


I have a feeling that if you were wearing your fedora, carrying your whip and driven to the office by @Shorty, they'd get you squared away, no problem! 

Nothing. I put this on hold, covid got all government people even harder to reach than before. I'll get my stuff squared this year I hope. 

[Eddie Southgate]

I would have thought you would have to become a US citizen before you would be able to buy a gun of get any related permit . 

[Chucktshoes]

1 hour ago, Eddie Southgate said:

I would have thought you would have to become a US citizen before you would be able to buy a gun of get any related permit . 

Nope.