I need some advice

[cindaroo64 0]

I am just learning today that my daughter should have renewed her green card last year. When we got our green cards in 2004 (myself and my 3 children) she was 9 years old and all cards stated that they were valid until April 2014. I put them in a safe place and thought I would not have to deal with immigration issues for awhile and I went on with "life". I have been busy for the last 5 months getting my two oldest children citizenship before a planned trip to Canada in June. They are waiting for the oath ceremony appointment as I type this. In the meantime, I have booked flights and now I am panicking! I have learned today that she should have renewed her card last year when she turned 14! Why did they issue her a card for 10 years if this was the case? I blame myself for not realizing this sooner but at the same time I feel angry....not dealing with INS for the last 5 years has been NICE! (guess that was my first mistake)

Anyway, now what do we do? We are scheduled to fly over to Seattle on the 1st of June and cross the border on the 2nd...do I take her card and plead ignornance? Do I cancel this trip? We haven't been back home for 5 years and we have been counting the days until we can see family and friends again...I cannot not believe this....

[Bobby+Umit 161]

I would not plan on them accepting your "ignorant" of the process/rules.

Change the card, perhaps make an INFOPASS and they can do something faster (or perhaps stamp the passport?) for the trip.

[antda 13]

I am just learning today that my daughter should have renewed her green card last year. When we got our green cards in 2004 (myself and my 3 children) she was 9 years old and all cards stated that they were valid until April 2014. I put them in a safe place and thought I would not have to deal with immigration issues for awhile and I went on with "life". I have been busy for the last 5 months getting my two oldest children citizenship before a planned trip to Canada in June. They are waiting for the oath ceremony appointment as I type this. In the meantime, I have booked flights and now I am panicking! I have learned today that she should have renewed her card last year when she turned 14! Why did they issue her a card for 10 years if this was the case? I blame myself for not realizing this sooner but at the same time I feel angry....not dealing with INS for the last 5 years has been NICE! (guess that was my first mistake)

Anyway, now what do we do? We are scheduled to fly over to Seattle on the 1st of June and cross the border on the 2nd...do I take her card and plead ignornance? Do I cancel this trip? We haven't been back home for 5 years and we have been counting the days until we can see family and friends again...I cannot not believe this....

Cindaroo64-First of all, if her card says that it is valid until April 2014....Then why mess with that?.... It is still valid, right?

Frankly, I would play the "ignorance is bliss" attitude here.....

If they give your daugher a 10 year green card, then use it for 10 years (or go for US Citizenship..whatever first...).

As it is a lot more trouble and a lot more time to apply for a new green card, when you already have a valid one..

If her card says it is valid until April 2014, then that's the date they should go by, and they shouldn't read more into that....

In the meantime...Did you apply for your daughter's citizenship too? If you did, you should be getting an NOA receipt for that. Bring that along with you for you trip. And if you are asked, just say that you are applying for her citizenship, and they should understand there as to why you are not renewing your daughter's valid green card....

Besides, they are going to have to see her green card for the citizenship interview and then they take her green card away during citizenship....

So by the time you actually get a new green card, it will be time to give it back for US Citizenship....lol....

Or heck, knowing how slow they operate...You'll never get to see that new green card for your daughter...and instead will get US Citizenship first....lol...So that would be a waste of money there....

Save that money for applying for a US passport for your daugher instead of wasting it on a new green card....She's going to need that new passport for travel after citizenship instead....

Hope this helps. Enjoy your trip back to Canada. Good luck with your daughter and sons' cases....

Ant

Edited April 8, 2010 by Ant+D+BabyA

[v333k 59]

I know that when children turn 14, it is required they get fingerprinted. That's why they ask for it. I also read recently in a different thread that the fee is $375 if you pass the deadline to send in the I-90 when the child turns 14 - so it doesn't look like a serious problem, only more money to USCIS...

[cindaroo64 0]

Cindaroo64-First of all, if her card says that it is valid until April 2014....Then why mess with that?.... It is still valid, right?

Frankly, I would play the "ignorance is bliss" attitude here.....

If they give your daugher a 10 year green card, then use it for 10 years (or go for US Citizenship..whatever first...).

As it is a lot more trouble and a lot more time to apply for a new green card, when you already have a valid one..

If her card says it is valid until April 2014, then that's the date they should go by, and they shouldn't read more into that....

In the meantime...Did you apply for your daughter's citizenship too? If you did, you should be getting an NOA receipt for that. Bring that along with you for you trip. And if you are asked, just say that you are applying for her citizenship, and they should understand there as to why you are not renewing your daughter's valid green card....

Besides, they are going to have to see her green card for the citizenship interview and then they take her green card away during citizenship....

So by the time you actually get a new green card, it will be time to give it back for US Citizenship....lol....

Or heck, knowing how slow they operate...You'll never get to see that new green card for your daughter...and instead will get US Citizenship first....lol...So that would be a waste of money there....

Save that money for applying for a US passport for your daugher instead of wasting it on a new green card....She's going to need that new passport for travel after citizenship instead....

Hope this helps. Enjoy your trip back to Canada. Good luck with your daughter and sons' cases....

Ant

First off, let me just say Ant, thank you.....I feel alot better after reading your post. My thoughts exactly, it says valid til 2014....I have booked flights, my boys will have passports, I will have my greencard....and her card does say "valid Apr. 2014.

No, I have not applied for her/my citizenship yet....I just took care of the boys first because of their disability and to be honest with you at the time we applied for them I thought my daughter had to apply separately from me and paying for FOUR applications was not in the budget. My plan is to apply before she turns 18 so there is only one fee.

I feel like I have given my life savings to INS over the last 9 years!

So I am going to just go on my trip....we have the opportunity to be in BC for a month and I don't want to pass this opportunity by, I'm not going to worry about it....thanks again.

Cindy

Edited April 8, 2010 by cindaroo64

[NickD 202]

I am just learning today that my daughter should have renewed her green card last year. When we got our green cards in 2004 (myself and my 3 children) she was 9 years old and all cards stated that they were valid until April 2014. I put them in a safe place and thought I would not have to deal with immigration issues for awhile and I went on with "life". I have been busy for the last 5 months getting my two oldest children citizenship before a planned trip to Canada in June. They are waiting for the oath ceremony appointment as I type this. In the meantime, I have booked flights and now I am panicking! I have learned today that she should have renewed her card last year when she turned 14! Why did they issue her a card for 10 years if this was the case? I blame myself for not realizing this sooner but at the same time I feel angry....not dealing with INS for the last 5 years has been NICE! (guess that was my first mistake)

Anyway, now what do we do? We are scheduled to fly over to Seattle on the 1st of June and cross the border on the 2nd...do I take her card and plead ignornance? Do I cancel this trip? We haven't been back home for 5 years and we have been counting the days until we can see family and friends again...I cannot not believe this....

I just looked that up:

"When to Replace A Green Card

You will need to replace your green card if:

• Your card was issued to you before you were 14 and you have reached your 14th birthday (unless your card expires before your 16th birthday)"

From http://www.uscis.gov...000082ca60aRCRD

If she was nine years old in 2004, she is 15 now, give or take a few months, no birthday is listed, her card will not expire before her 16th birthday, more like her 19th birthday.

So what's the problem? The way I read that, not an attorney by the way, if her card does expire after the age of 14, but before she turns 16, that is when you have to renew it.

Can only wonder who dreamed up this law, has to be some logic for it, but that totally escapes me right now. Maybe I should start smoking crack.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

Cindaroo64-First of all, if her card says that it is valid until April 2014....Then why mess with that?.... It is still valid, right?

Frankly, I would play the "ignorance is bliss" attitude here.....

The problem with playing ignorant is that it could get her daughter refused entry.

Thant's not a chance I would take...

[cindaroo64 0]

The problem with playing ignorant is that it could get her daughter refused entry.

Thant's not a chance I would take...

If we were to apply to renew her card now how long would it take to get it?

[antda 13]

First off, let me just say Ant, thank you.....I feel alot better after reading your post. My thoughts exactly, it says valid til 2014....I have booked flights, my boys will have passports, I will have my greencard....and her card does say "valid Apr. 2014.

No, I have not applied for her/my citizenship yet....I just took care of the boys first because of their disability and to be honest with you at the time we applied for them I thought my daughter had to apply separately from me and paying for FOUR applications was not in the budget. My plan is to apply before she turns 18 so there is only one fee.

I feel like I have given my life savings to INS over the last 9 years!

So I am going to just go on my trip....we have the opportunity to be in BC for a month and I don't want to pass this opportunity by, I'm not going to worry about it....thanks again.

Cindy

If we were to apply to renew her card now how long would it take to get it?

Cindy-Glad I was to able help. I totally understand your logic there, about getting the boys' application first, and then worrying about yours and your daughter's later. $675 x 4 (or 3) is a lot of money, indeed!

Oh yeah, I feel the same way too, about giving my life savings to the USCIS...lol....It definitely costs a lot!

Actually...If you apply for citizenship for yourself before she turns 18...You get a 2 for 1 deal there...Minors/children under 18 can 'piggyback' off their parent's application....They automatically become US Citizens at the same time their parents are. Another alternative would be for your US Citizen husband to legally adopt your daughter, apply for CBRA, and through that she can be a citizen right away too, as an adopted child of a US Citizen.

All that is needed next is to show the parents' proof of US Citizenship, apply then apply for a US Passport...

I'm sure other VJers who have been through these situations can tell you more about this.....

In the meantime, enjoy your trip back to BC. No worries....

The problem with playing ignorant is that it could get her daughter refused entry.

Thant's not a chance I would take...

Cindy's daughter will not be denied entry into Canada...As she is a Canadian citizen, she can come and go as she pleases in Canada..No problems there...

As for coming back to the USA...Again, as long as her green card is valid....There shouldn't be any problems there...

Surely they cannot refuse entry for someone with a valid green card!!! And vaild until April 2014 is good enough..

Lol..Cindy...USCIS error in your favour....They gave your daughter a 10yr green card...

It's valid for 10 years...So be it....

Not your fault they didn't issue your daughter a 5 yr green card instead, and didn't tell you about the renewing rule....

As for applying for a new card....I think it could take up to 6 months or even longer....(though you should check for sure..this is from what I've read about other VJers who got replacement green cards because they lost it, needed it renewed, or whatever else). But again, why deal with the USCIS more than you have to? And really, do you want your daughter to go without a green card for so long (you have to send in the original too, if you want a replacement).

And after all this, I really do encourage you to apply for yours and/or your daughter's citizenship asap too..

You don't want her 'age out' before it is too late! Take the 2 for 1 discount while you still can....lol....

Hope this helps too. Good luck. Happy travels!

Ant

[NickD 202]

Seems like I read this statement backwards. USCIS does that to me.

""When to Replace A Green Card

You will need to replace your green card if:

• Your card was issued to you before you were 14 and you have reached your 14th birthday (unless your card expires before your 16th birthday)"

From http://www.uscis.gov...000082ca60aRCRD"

Her card will NOT expire before she is 16 so she must renew it. Thinking about the logic behind this law, the appearance of a kid changes drastically over those years, so perhaps they want an updated photo of her.

As far as crossing the border, some odd 3,500 miles of unprotected border, not really implying anything by this statement.