I-751: 2yr Green Card Expires Today (11/14)!!!

[Sleepybears 0]

Haha yes... that piece of paper worths $545! So I can't afford to lose it!

So yeah, you guys are right! Take my wallet but NOT my NOA!

I think I will not want to fold my precious 'original' NOA and bring it out too. I'll just bring a copy of it! I scanned it onto my computer and printed it out. But I don't have a color printer. Is that good enough?! Or I must have them in 'color' instead of B/W?

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

Wow! Thanks for the many replies that you all had regarding the post topic that I started. I'm glad you all had a few laughs and comments to add to that too! Listed below are my replies to your comments, which you all wrote before. Happy reading! :

Lawrencetoland-Sorry that your had to deal with being robbed in England. I'm glad that you and your spouse were ok after that incident. That must have been scary to be confronted and robbed like that. Lol...I guess that pink Disney sweatshirt must have worked to scare the punks off, as they didn't steal your wallet after that! Lesson learned: Wear Disney sweatshirts to avoid being mugged!

Hubby and I had a good laugh over the wallet thing.

Actually when we were in England, a group of 7 punk kids tried to jump my husband while we were coming out of the movie theater. They were about 12-14 yo. Well the reason they were mad was because I had gone to the manager to let them know they were throwing stuff, making noise, etc. So on the way out, they recognized him as being one of the people who was in the movie theater. Well, I went to the restroom, he said he would wait in the lobby at the end of the movie. They waited around the whole movie to jump him. So he comes out and he is 6'3 and 200 lbs. And three of them surrounded him and started harassing him. Well I saw them and walked outside saying "What the hell is going on?" and I guess I was intimdating enough because they all shoved their hands in their pockets and left mumbling. It wasn't until we got home that I realized I had on a neon pink sweatshirt that has a massive face of Marie from the Aristocats from Disney on it. We were laughing so hard because they must have thought I was mental.

Thaifamily-I wondered the same thing too, about the law requiring everyone to carry the original copy of those hard to replace documents. Technically, it doesn't say on the NOA that one should carry the original with them, so I guess one can get away with it that way on a daily basis. Besides, would a cop really pull someone over when driving, just because they had a copy of the documents and not the original (lol...then again, one could be pulled over for speeding or something, and the officer might ask to see some sort of identification). However, when one is travelling to cross international borders through land, sea, air, etc., then yes, the original copy of those documents would be needed. I do hope though, that officers and everyone else do understand that carrying copies is ok on a daily basis, as yes, it is expensive and hard to replace. For example, getting to a local office can be miles away, the documents costs a lot (heck, even the NOA is $545), and it takes a very long time to get them again if lost. Sorry that your LPR friend had trouble when crossing back over the border from Canada. In travel instances like that, yes, it is advisable to carry the original NOA and other USCIS documents with you, as one is dealing with border officials there, and they wouldn't be happy seeing photocopies of such. As for your son, and for others with children, it is best that the parents keep the original documents, and give a copy for their child. Depending on the age and maturity level of the child, in most cases, it is probably not best for children to carry such important documents, and fear that they would lose such and would have to replace such. If the officials wanted to ask for the original documents, they should just ask for it from the parents. After all, how many underaged children/minors travel on their own without their parents? Lesson learned: Carry original documents only when travelling. In all other instances, carry the photocopy. Let minors/children carry copies and let the parents keep the originals.

I've wondered about the laws that require one to carry those original, expensive and hard to replace documents around (even if they are just look like something out of a copy machine).

Is it okay to carry copies? Most law enforcement officers would be a bit empathetic (I hope) if they realized what expense and effort it takes to replace the originals.

I understand needing them to transact official business, but what about the rest of the time? I'm just trying to figure out how best to advise my DIL since she'll be here in less than a month. As some one pointed out, for many, getting to the 'local' office can require a 500 hundred or more mile trip. Hopefully she can can get a DL or permit right away since she already has a SSN.

I have a friend who is a long time LPR and never carries her green card. She spaced it out once and went to Canada for the weekend. She made it back into the US, but not until the BP had her seriously quaking in her boots. They really had to earn their pay to do that, as she is a rather unshakable type.

My son would have lost his passport several times while in Thailand if he had always carried it with him. He managed to lose credit and debit cards, but never his passport.

Thai Mom

Lawrencetoland-In a way, the documents can be replaced if they are lost. However, why go through all that trouble and worry of having to replace such, when it shouldn't have been lost in the first place? And why have to worry about dealing with the USCIS to repalce them, when they shoud have been in a safe place instead of carrying them around with you? That's a good diea, about having a police report filed, in case it is stolen. The USCIS would definitely give one an easier time in replacing these documents if such is included when applying for a replacement. Does the USCIS still charge a fee for replacement documents, even if it is stolen and no fault of the bearer's? Lesson learned: File a police report when losing a USCIS document. To avoid losing documents in the first place, keep the original at home and/or in a safe place instead.

The documents aren't that hard to replace. USCIS would be more than likely to replace it, especially with a police report. They might give you a harder time if you had lost it, rather than being mougged.

Cookiee-Likewise, I don't carry the original NOA in my wallet either (I have a colour copy instead), as I can't risk losing them. After all, why carry mroe than one needs to on a daily basis? On the rare situation whenever I travel over the border back to Canada and/or go anywhere else internationally, I do bring original documents with me, such as the NOA, as I don't want to be hassled by the border officals. During other times, I just keep photocopies in my wallet, and keep the originals safe somewhere else. Lesson learned: Keep the minimum in your wallet/purse, as you don't want to take the risk of losing such important documents.

i never carry my green and now expired green card or NOA in my purse.. can't risk loosing them

just carrying my driver licence, that's it

Thaifamily-I agree, Lesson learned: Keep an eye on your own wallets and not on anyone else's!

Thanks for the feedback. Keep an eye on those wallets! (Your own, not those of others).

Thai Mom

Sleepybears-Yes, that flimsy piece of NOA paper is worth $545 (heck, it even says so right on the paper). So in the financial sense, one can definitely not afford to lose it! Yup, "Take my wallet but not my NOA!" is the catch-phrase around here. I wouldn't want to fold the original NOA either (though I did have to fold it in quarters so it would fit in my passport, so that I will remember to bring such when travelling). So I just folded up the colour copy that I made into 20+ creases, so that the copy fit into my wallet. Lol...I figure if it is the copy, it doesn't matter if it got wrinkled or not, as nobody really looks at that on a daily basis anways. Besides, I still have the original, so I can make more copies from that, if need be. A copy, regardless of it is black/white or in colour, should be ok. So the black and white copy that you have should be sufficient for you to carry around with you.

Haha yes... that piece of paper worths $545! So I can't afford to lose it!

So yeah, you guys are right! Take my wallet but NOT my NOA!

I think I will not want to fold my precious 'original' NOA and bring it out too. I'll just bring a copy of it! I scanned it onto my computer and printed it out. But I don't have a color printer. Is that good enough?! Or I must have them in 'color' instead of B/W?

Thanks everyone, for your feedback and replies! Remember: "Don't lose those NOAs and/or other such documents from the USCIS!"

Good luck on the rest of your immigration journeys!

Ant (Still waiting at the VSC...)