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deepaandvish

Travel before Plastic Green Card Arrives?

By deepaandvish in Canada

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deepaandvish Newbie

deepaandvish   0

Posted
Filed: Timeline
Posted

Hi VJers,

I had my CR-1 interview last week and received my passport with stamp in it yesterday. I plan on traveling to the US this Friday, which would mean my green card would be activated.

My question is, after this and before I receive my plastic green card (which should take between 1 and 3 months?) can I travel internationally? I have booked a ticket to India in a couple of weeks (leaving from Toronto). My husband called the State dept. and Customs and Border Patrol who both said that the Immigrant Visa in my passport is single entry and I would lose my green card if I entered the US and then left before receiving the plastic card.

That being said, I've also read things on VisaJourney and other sites that say that the stamp in your passport is valid for a year and just as good as the actual green card, so I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to cancel my trip to India but I also don't want to jeopardize my Green Card. Has anyone had experience with this? Is it basically up to the Border Guard at the POE? Would making an appointment with a USCIS rep through Infopass help with this?

Thanks!

Bobby+Umit Mentor

Bobby+Umit   161

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: Turkey
 Timeline
Posted

I was under the impression that the CR-1 is a multiple entry visa (as long as it is valid). (been out of USCIS touch for a few months - things may of changed)

My Advice is usually based on "Worst Case Scenario" and what is written in the rules/laws/instructions. That is the way I roll... -Protect your Status - file before your I-94 expires.

WARNING: Phrases in this post may sound meaner than they were intended to be. Read the Adjudicator's Field Manual from USCIS

Marilyn. Grand Master

Marilyn.   340

Posted
Filed: Other Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

the stamp in your passport acts as your temporary Green card, it is usually good for a year .. you should have no problems going to India... the person your husband talked to didn't know what he was talking about

mvSuprise-hug.gif
Tater&Bugger Community Regular

Tater&Bugger   3

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Ya I see no problems either haha. Happy travels!

See profile for our K-1 Visa/AOS story from 2010-2011Apparently we love USCIS/NVC so much we left and are doing it again! This time giving IR-1 a whirl. Rock on immigrators.

07/09/2014 sent in IR-1 packet to Chicago Lockbox

07/16/2014 NOA1

07/17/2014 check cashed by USCIS

10/01/2014 found out we are expecting baby #2 June 2015!

12/15/2014 NOA2

12/30/2014 Case received by NVC

03/23/2015 Received Case and Inv # from NVC after many calls and bogus excuses.

03/24/2015 AOS payment accepted by NVC

04/09/2015 IV payment finally accepted by NVC after the set the wrong fee and took weeks to correct it.

*many more delays thanks to the agency processing my fingers prints to the RCMP and the post office losing our mail*

05/20/2015 Packet sent to NVC via UPS, eta May 28.

06/16/2015 Baby #2 due - homebirth in Scottsdale, AZ

OBX Mentor

OBX   51

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Ditto to what the above posted. I travelled a week after my POE and had no issues using the stamped visa in my passport. Safe travels.

USCIS

NOA1 08/19/08

NOA2 01/20/09

NVC

Received 01/26/09

Completed 02/13/09 (19 Days)

Interview Assigned 03/27/09 (6 weeks after NVC completion)

Medical

04/14/09 (Toronto)

Interview

Montreal 05/12/09 (88 days after NVC completion) **APPROVED**

POE

06/16/09 Buffalo

07/02/09 Welcome Letter Received

07/07/09 Applied for SSN

07/10/09 "Card production ordered" email received

07/13/09 SSN received

07/14/09 "Approval notice sent" email received

07/17/09 GREEN CARD received

Removal of Conditions

03/21/11 I-751 mailed to VSC

03/23/11 I-751 received at VSC

03/29/11 Cheque Cashed

03/30/11 NOA1 received (3/24/11)

04/11/11 Biometrics appointment notice received

05/05/11 Biometric appointment

12/13/11 **Approval date** (5 days short of 9 months!)

12/19/11 Approval letter and green card received

Naturalization

05/16/2019 Filed online (estimated completion February 2020)

05/18/2019 Biometrics scheduled

05/21/2019 Receipt notice and biometrics notices posted to online account.05/23/2019 Hard copy of NOA1 received

05/24/2019 Hard copy of biometrics appointment received

06/07/2019 Biometrics appointment (estimated completion January 2020)

12/31/2019 Email received "Interview scheduled"

01/01/2020 Interview date notice posted to online account (02/19/2020)

01/05/2019 Hard copy of interview appointment received

02/19/2020 Interview (**Approved**) and same day Oath Ceremony. 

deepaandvish Newbie

deepaandvish   0

Posted
Filed: Timeline
  • Author
Posted

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your help! I was under the impression too that I could travel before receiving the plastic green card in hand, but got spooked by the people my husband talked to at the State dept. and Customs and Border who seemed to EMPHATICALLY say that it was not possible to travel outside the US without the plastic card. Do you think it's possible that this is a new rule? I haven't read about it anywhere but am still kind of freaked out about losing my ticket to India or my green card! Ideally, I'd like them both!

Danu Experienced

Danu   19

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

I think the more likely scenario, one we see often, is that the right hand has NO IDEA about the left hand.

~*~*~Steph and Wes~*~*~
Married: 2010-01-20

ROC: (for the complete timeline click on my timeline button, the signature was getting too long!)
I-751 Sent: 2015-05-22
NOA1 Notice Date: 2015-05-27
NOA1 Received: 2015-06-06
Biometrics Notice Date: 2015-06-27
Biometrics Date: 2015-07-17

Interview Notice Date: 2015-07-28

Interview Date: ​2015-09-01
Approval Date:
Approval Notice Date:


hdh1crofujrxk.png

Jill & Jeff Explorer

Jill & Jeff   3

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa (DCF) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

You can travel with your visa, and not the green card. I asked an immigration lawyer about traveling before receiving it. She said that they don't always recommend it, but you can legally do it.

In any case, you should have no problem.

J-

Our Story

03-05-2008: Met Online (World of Warcraft)

04-19-2008: Met in Person and Started Dating

04-19-2009: Engaged

08-07-2009: Married at Laconia, New Hampshire

USCIS

10-21-2009: Mailed I-130

10-26-2009: NOA1

05-17-2010: NOA2

Our I-130 was approved in 203 days from our NOA1 date

NVC

05-25-2010: Called NVC to receive case # and submit emails

06-01-2010: AOS Fee Paid

06-09-2010: Opt-in accepted

06-16-2010: E-mailed I-864 package

06-23-2010: IV Fee Paid

07-12-2010: E-mailed DS230 package

08-04-2010: Email from NVC - Case Completed

NVC process completed in 71 days

CONSULATE

12-07-2011: Received consulate interview date

12-13-2010: Medical Exam (Medisys)

01-07-2011: Interview - APPROVED!

POE & POST INTERVIEW

01-16-2011: POE Highgate Springs, VT

01-22-2011: SSN Card Received

01-24-2011: Receipt Letter Arrived

02-10-2011: Biometrics Appointment (uncommon for CR-1)

03-15-2011: Welcome Notice Received

03-19-2011: 2 Year Green Card Arrived

Marilyn. Grand Master

Marilyn.   340

Posted
Filed: Other Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

You can travel with your visa, and not the green card. I asked an immigration lawyer about traveling before receiving it. She said that they don't always recommend it, but you can legally do it.

In any case, you should have no problem.

J-

not to be nit-picky but you can't travel with the visa.. you travel with the stamp they put in your passport...

mvSuprise-hug.gif
Flames9_RN Grand Master

Flames9_RN   358

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

not to be nit-picky but you can't travel with the visa.. you travel with the stamp they put in your passport...

I see you have been hanging out with Krikit, marilyn!!! lol

Canadians Visiting the USA while undergoing the visa process, my free advice:

1) Always tell the TRUTH. never lie to the POE officer

2) Be confident in ur replies

3) keep ur response short and to the point, don't tell ur life story!!

4) look the POE officer in the eye when speaking to them. They are looking for people lieing and have been trained to find them!

5) Pack light! No job resumes with you

6) Bring ties to Canada (letter from employer when ur expected back at work, lease, etc etc)

7) Always be polite, being rude isn't going to get ya anywhere, and could make things worse!!

8) Have a plan in case u do get denied (be polite) It wont harm ur visa application if ur denied,that is if ur polite and didn't lie! Refer to #1

 
Didn't find the answer you were looking for? Ask our VJ Immigration Lawyers.

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