Traveling outside the US on I-551 Stamp?

[mew5280 0]

Has anyone traveled outside the US on an I-551 stamp because their removal of conditions went beyond the 1 year GC extension and still hasn't been approved? My husband needs to visit his mother and it has now been 3-1/2 years since he left her and he wants to go next month. He thought for sure he would have his new GC but alas, he is being processed (so they say) at the NSC which apparently shreds their documents instead of processing them (joking of course).

I told him he would probably be OK as long as he took his expired GC and the 1 year extension letter on the I-741 and his passport with the I-551, all 3 of those SHOULD allow immigration to let him back into the US, anyone else have experience with this?

Thanks...

[YuAndDan 153]

The I-551 stamp makes the passport into a temporary green-card, the stamp will have an expiration date. The officers at US POE will recognize the stamp and allow re-entry.

This is a frequently asked question on VJ.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Nani just came back from Ethiopia with expired GC and valid I-551 stamp. No problems.

[Kez/JWolf 6]

I traveled with just the I-551 stamp just after I was approved for my greencard but it had got lost in the mail.... I never had any problems with using the I-551 stamp and nobody even asked for anything else....

Kez

[mew5280 0]

Thank you so much! That will make him feel so much better. I read another thread about people traveling without final paperwork and it sounded risky but the I-551 stamp sounds solid. I will let him know. He hasn't seen his mother in over 3 years and she's very sad.

Mary