I-751 Travel Question

[Caladan 19]

C. has been out of the country since 12/30/09, and he's due to get back here next Wednesday after a season of work. He left with his expired greencard & re-entry permit which is good until 11/10. In the meantime, conditions have been removed successfully; I received his permanent green card back in February. It's sitting here in the desk.

I haven't put his greencard in the mail because I didn't really want it to sit at his mother's house for six weeks where it's likely that my toddler nephews would gnaw on it. But now I'm wondering whether his re-entry permit is still good, or whether it expires with his approval.

Has anyone ever traveled post-filing to remove conditions and had the petition approved while overseas, and successfully returned? I can't see why it would be a problem but common sense doesn't often apply with immigration.

[milimelo 4,481]

C. has been out of the country since 12/30/09, and he's due to get back here next Wednesday after a season of work. He left with his expired greencard & re-entry permit which is good until 11/10. In the meantime, conditions have been removed successfully; I received his permanent green card back in February. It's sitting here in the desk.

I haven't put his greencard in the mail because I didn't really want it to sit at his mother's house for six weeks where it's likely that my toddler nephews would gnaw on it. But now I'm wondering whether his re-entry permit is still good, or whether it expires with his approval.

Has anyone ever traveled post-filing to remove conditions and had the petition approved while overseas, and successfully returned? I can't see why it would be a problem but common sense doesn't often apply with immigration.

All your husband has to show is his GC plus the NOA1 (extension letter). He will be let into the country without issues. Lots of people traveled like this and haven't had issues.

Best of luck.

[Caladan 19]

All your husband has to show is his GC plus the NOA1 (extension letter). He will be let into the country without issues. Lots of people traveled like this and haven't had issues.

Best of luck.

Thanks. As you can imagine this close to his return I'm a little nuts.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

He will be fine with the extension letter and his expired card. If there are any questions he can quite truthfully say that the 10 year green card arrived while he was out of the country and he has not had a chance yet to get it into his personal possession, that you are meeting him at the airport and you will be bringing it to him. Make sure you have a cellphone with you when you pick him up and he has the number. If he has any problems at all, he can ask the border officials to call you so you can bring them the 10 year green card - not, of course, that you will need this, but sometimes it helps knowing you have a contingency plan when you are worried about something - just in case .

[Caladan 19]

He'll clear customs/immigration in Edmonton, so unfortunately I won't be able to show it to them. I did send him a scan of the approval letter and the face of the new card, in case he needs it.

[Jenn! 918]

We were out of the country last year when Wadi's 10-yr card was approved and he had no trouble entering with the expired GC and NOA1.

[Caladan 19]

C. was taken aside into secondary inspection, where they pulled up his file and checked to see that he'd been approved. Having the expired card and the letter wasn't enough on its own. They were very polite about everything and he didn't miss his flight.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

You have to calm down. There you have it.

Everything is exactly as Uncle Sam intended to be. He'll show his expired GC and the NOA1, and most likely the CBP officer will tell him that his computer shows the new GC has already been mailed.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

C. was taken aside into secondary inspection, where they pulled up his file and checked to see that he'd been approved. Having the expired card and the letter wasn't enough on its own. They were very polite about everything and he didn't miss his flight.

Glad to know it worked out for him. I'm surprised, though, that they took him into secondary. Regardless, even if the card hadn't been approved yet they would have seen his status was valid and waiting for the card so he shouldn't have had any problems.

[Okalian 41]

I've been pulled into secondary as well when i entered with my expired GC and NOA1 about 3 weeks ago. Very normal, no worries. They were very polite about it, although the officer threw some questions such as "isn't it convenient to get a GC through marriage blablabla". I don't think he intended anything, just doing his job really.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I've been pulled into secondary as well when i entered with my expired GC and NOA1 about 3 weeks ago. Very normal, no worries. They were very polite about it, although the officer threw some questions such as "isn't it convenient to get a GC through marriage blablabla". I don't think he intended anything, just doing his job really.

Ooo, comments like that would really annoy me! The answer I would make is, 'Yes, of course it is convenient if my purpose was to get a green card. It wasn't though - my purpose was to be able to live with my husband and this whole process is incredibly inconvenient!'

[Caladan 19]

At the border the guy told C. that he should apply for a re-entry permit if he planned to spend more than six months per year abroad. "It'll be denied because you won't need it if you're living in the U.S., but that way it will show up that you've applied and were denied because you don't need it."

I'm not planning on filing for a re-entry permit for him but it's like a game of count the bad information.

In any case, he had no problems entering but if this is a trend that continues it might be worth knowing for people to plan extra time at the airport.