Question about Green card

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

OK, so I never noticed last year, but Sergey's green card states his "country of birth" as "Unknown". Obviously they issued the card and he used it to re-enter the USA so it is not a problem, per se. I am at a loss to explain why they didn't know his country of birth, it is NOT unknown, listed on his visa application and his I-485.

Does anyone know...Do I bother to try and correct this or just wait for his I-751 next year?

Funny incident. Last year he never got the "Welcome Letter" and I was getting worried as he was going to have to return for school soon...then the Green Card arrived! OK, he got swindled out of a Welcome Letter, no big deal. Then THIS WEEK, nearly a year later, his "Welcome Letter" arrived, just before he came home for the summer!

Edited July 4, 2010 by Gary and Alla

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Gary,

as Nick will gladly confirm, there are some members of VJ who would kill for this. They are in a constant jamb as their US passport (after being naturalized) still identifies where they were born. In consequence, this requires them to maintain a foreign passport as their country of birth (i.e., Colombia) requires just that. He's been very vocal about this and he might chime in.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Gary,

as Nick will gladly confirm, there are some members of VJ who would kill for this. They are in a constant jamb as their US passport (after being naturalized) still identifies where they were born. In consequence, this requires them to maintain a foreign passport as their country of birth (i.e., Colombia) requires just that. He's been very vocal about this and he might chime in.

So you are saying, Bob, that Alla and Pasha...wait...WHAT!!!!!!!!! Alla was born in "Ukraine SSR" a country that no longer exists! How, exactly will she be "required" to maintain a USSR passport?????????? I mean WHICH consulate to we apply for that?

In another thread you told me over and over how Alla CANNOT maintain a passport in Ukraine after being a US citizen because it is as serious as murder, drug smuggling and international terrorism. Have you ever considered that you cannnot have it both ways?

I am not losing sleep over this. Obviously Sergey has entered the US with this card and will do so many times in the next few weeks when he comes back and forth from Montreal. I just wonder if it is a reason to contact USCIS before I file for his I-751 next year.

If anyone has any experience with this, please let me know. To further clarify, this is a conditional (two year) green card, NOT a citizenship document

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Gary,

as Nick will gladly confirm, there are some members of VJ who would kill for this. They are in a constant jamb as their US passport (after being naturalized) still identifies where they were born. In consequence, this requires them to maintain a foreign passport as their country of birth (i.e., Colombia) requires just that. He's been very vocal about this and he might chime in.

Hopefully, Nick, whoever that is, will be along to exlain how a foreign country is REQUIRING a US CITIZEN to maintain a passport in another country. Hopefully he will be better at it than your friend, Noel.

[eekee 182]

Hopefully, Nick, whoever that is, will be along to exlain how a foreign country is REQUIRING a US CITIZEN to maintain a passport in another country. Hopefully he will be better at it than your friend, Noel.

From the State Department:

All U.S. citizens who are not also Colombian citizens must present a valid U.S. passport to enter and depart Colombia, and to return to the United States. Dual U.S-Colombian citizens must present a Colombian passport to enter and exit Colombia, and a U.S. passport to return to the United States. Be aware that any person born in Colombia may be considered a Colombian citizen, even if never documented as such. U.S. citizens born in Colombia or who otherwise have Colombian citizenship will need both a Colombian passport and a U.S. passport for the trip.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

From the State Department:

Thank you. At least this makes some sense. It is the US government requiring this of US citizens in order to travel to Colombia and/or Colombia restricting its own citizens. It has no bearing on me or my question whatsoever and even Nick, or whoever this is simply needs to use a US passport only and be a US citizen only. Dual citizenship is a choice. If someone makes a choice to be a dual US/Colombian citizen then they should be aware of this when they make the choice and be happy about it.

[eekee 182]

Thank you. At least this makes some sense. It is the US government requiring this of US citizens in order to travel to Colombia and/or Colombia restricting its own citizens. It has no bearing on me or my question whatsoever and even Nick, or whoever this is simply needs to use a US passport only and be a US citizen only. Dual citizenship is a choice. If someone makes a choice to be a dual US/Colombian citizen then they should be aware of this when they make the choice and be happy about it.

It is Colombia requiring this.

The point of the person who posted about this is that it's not a choice--if you were born in Colombia, Colombia will ALWAYS regard you as a Colombian citizen, even if you want to give up your Colombian citizenship in favor of American. Your passport will always have the Place of Birth as "Colombia."

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

It is Colombia requiring this.

The point of the person who posted about this is that it's not a choice--if you were born in Colombia, Colombia will ALWAYS regard you as a Colombian citizen, even if you want to give up your Colombian citizenship in favor of American. Your passport will always have the Place of Birth as "Colombia."

Ok, then it was not in response to my question...I already knew this, and it IS a choice. No one is forced to be a US citizen and, therefore, a dual US/Colombian citizen.

Also, seems to me, I could be wrong, that when you become a citizen and apply for a passport, they ARE going to ask where you were born and are probably NOT going to accept "unknown" as an answer.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Gary,

I simply could ignore you, and perhaps I should, but here's my response.

First, in regard to Ukrainian citizenship, all I stated is what you can read in English on the Web (sorry, I don't speak Russian): Ukrainian citizens who voluntarily take on another country's citizenship, automatically lose their Ukrainian one.

You tried to twist this into questions on "how they will ever find out" and how to get away with it. I can't answer that, as getting away with and means of enforcement have nothing to do with the act itself. That's why I chose to withdraw from this nonsense.

Here you posted the question if the omission of Serge's place of birth is something you should correct. I answered that some people here on VJ would kill for that opportunity. It's not only former Colombian citizens who are required to keep a second passport alive just because it lists their place of birth, but even some Canadians are unhappy about the fact that their place of birth made it all the way to their US passports and that they can't opt out of having it listed. Will this omission make it all the way to his passport? I don't know. How should I? But it's possible, which is why I suggested to do nothing.

What you or Serge or Alla do is entirely up to you. I really don't have a duck in this hunt. From now on I will not respond to questions coming from you again. For me it's not worth my sanity.

[slim 1,525]

For me it's not worth my sanity.

Your sanity is based on responses posted here on VJ?

If so, you should probably not only skip over Gary's posts, but stay out of the RUB Forum entirely. If not, you'll be crazy within a day or two.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Your sanity is based on responses posted here on VJ?

If so, you should probably not only skip over Gary's posts, but stay out of the RUB Forum entirely. If not, you'll be crazy within a day or two.

I suggest you try the Canadian or UK forum where there are plenty of moderators to protect you.

[1HappyGuy 45]

It seems likely to me that the issue of country of birth on a green card is more likely an error of input by some USCIS employee. Probably this employee saw an abbreviation of Ukraine as UKR and automatically assumed if meant Unknown.

Let's not over think this.

Also, let's try to answer responsibly and respectfully, unless it is very apparent your response is total jest. That is a RUB speciality.

[slim 1,525]

What's that back to topic smiley doing on here? Did you accidentally click the wrong icon?

[1HappyGuy 45]

What's that back to topic smiley doing on here? Did you accidentally click the wrong icon?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Exactly what I was talking about!!!

[peejay 327]

OK, so I never noticed last year, but Sergey's green card states his "country of birth" as "Unknown". Obviously they issued the card and he used it to re-enter the USA so it is not a problem, per se. I am at a loss to explain why they didn't know his country of birth, it is NOT unknown, listed on his visa application and his I-485.

Does anyone know...Do I bother to try and correct this or just wait for his I-751 next year?

Funny incident. Last year he never got the "Welcome Letter" and I was getting worried as he was going to have to return for school soon...then the Green Card arrived! OK, he got swindled out of a Welcome Letter, no big deal. Then THIS WEEK, nearly a year later, his "Welcome Letter" arrived, just before he came home for the summer!

Personally I don't think it is a problem. He should have a Ukrainian passport that would answer any questions of nationality while traveling. Since he also has a valid Green Card it is also obvious that he is a legal US resident too.

My wife's old Green Cards state that her country of birth was the USSR even though it no longer existed when she we applied for residency after we got married. My stepdaughter's Green Card states that her country of birth is Belarus even though she too was born in the USSR in 1985 even before Belarus existed as a stand alone country. My wife and stepdaughter went through AoS and removal of conditions at the same time on the same form because we filed my stepdaughter as a dependent child. My wife's US passport now has her country of birth as Russia since she became a US citizen quite a while ago. She was actually born in Russia, but took Belarusian citizenship when the USSR dissolved because she was living there for several years when that happened. Why the change in her country of birth? It would take a bureaucrat to explain it all. So far none of this has caused us any problems.

Edited July 8, 2010 by peejay