Help! I'm an idiot! Forgot Green Card in the U.S.

[Eric and Nino 0]

Alright, so my wife and I married on 8/22/2010 and she arrived here via CR-1 on 3/25/2011.

She eventually received her Green Card in the mail.

I plan to go on vacation with my wife and my younger sister but I, unfortunately could not go.

She got all her visas - Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines.

She flies there but upon her departure she tells me she doesn't have her Green Card. I've been busy lately so I sent it last week via USPS Express Mail.

I sent it to a relative in the Philippines because she will be there until August 9. It could potentially be a huge mistake being held up/lost in customs.

Now here comes the question!

Assuming she doesn't get her Green Card in time, being that she came here not too long ago, will that CR-1 visa/stamp be sufficient to bring her back to the U.S.?

Thanks in advance for all your input!

Best regards,

Eric

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

Yes, as it's been less than a year, the stamp is still valid.

[Eric and Nino 0]

oh my goodness! do you think they will bust her chops about it at the airport when she boards?

is there anything i can do to make it as smooth as possible?

thank you so much Penguin from Ireland...i was having a heart attack over here!

Yes, as it's been less than a year, the stamp is still valid.

[Eric and Nino 0]

I was talking to my wife and upon further inspection, she doesn't have an I-551 Stamp!

On the visa affixed to her passport, it states underneath her photo, "UPON ENDORSEMENT SERVES AS TEMPORARY I-551 EVIDENCING PERMANENT RESIDENCE FOR 1 YEAR"

The only stamp she got when she came here was, the "Department of Homeland Security * US Customs and Boarder Protection; Admitted NYC; Mar 25 2011 CR-1 Until Mar 24, 2013; A619..."

Freaking out here...and you are sure that even though she was issued a green card already, the visa on the passport will still be valid and not superseded?

Thanks again for everything!

[pushbrk 12,892]

I was talking to my wife and upon further inspection, she doesn't have an I-551 Stamp!

On the visa affixed to her passport, it states underneath her photo, "UPON ENDORSEMENT SERVES AS TEMPORARY I-551 EVIDENCING PERMANENT RESIDENCE FOR 1 YEAR"

The only stamp she got when she came here was, the "Department of Homeland Security * US Customs and Boarder Protection; Admitted NYC; Mar 25 2011 CR-1 Until Mar 24, 2013; A619..."

Freaking out here...and you are sure that even though she was issued a green card already, the visa on the passport will still be valid and not superseded?

Thanks again for everything!

If the stamp is on the visa, that's the "endorsement".

[Eric and Nino 0]

If the stamp is on the visa, that's the "endorsement".

It technically, isn't on the visa, it's on another page. I'm a wreck...if she misses her flight, it will be $3k easy to get a ticket back!

[pushbrk 12,892]

It technically, isn't on the visa, it's on another page. I'm a wreck...if she misses her flight, it will be $3k easy to get a ticket back!

It will be sufficient for entry to the USA regardless. If there's a problem it will be with boarding a flight TO the USA. I don't have a copy of an endorsed immigrant visa handy to see whether it would be clear. What is her return date? Are you concerned the green card is lost in the mail?

[Virginian61 1]

It technically, isn't on the visa, it's on another page. I'm a wreck...if she misses her flight, it will be $3k easy to get a ticket back!

If the temporary I-551 is still within the year it should be good. If you are really concerned, your wife can go to the US Embassy and get a letter verifying her status and present that letter to the airline to facilitate boarding. She will likely be questioned at the US end about why she doesn't have her card with her. She'll just have to explain. I'm sure she is not the first to forget her green card.

[Eric and Nino 0]

It will be sufficient for entry to the USA regardless. If there's a problem it will be with boarding a flight TO the USA. I don't have a copy of an endorsed immigrant visa handy to see whether it would be clear. What is her return date? Are you concerned the green card is lost in the mail?

That's what I am worried about...that she will not be able to board back to the USA. Her return date is August 14 from Tokyo, Japan. Right now she is in the Philippines. She will fly to Osaka on August 9th, a train to Kyoto on the 11th, and a bullet train to Tokyo on the 12th.

I mailed out her green card via USPS Express Mail to the Philippines last week, figuring, it should be there before she leaves on the 9th. I'm concerned that it can get lost/stolen or held up in customs in the Philippines. Time is really tight and that's the reason I'm looking for contingency plans.

If the temporary I-551 is still within the year it should be good. If you are really concerned, your wife can go to the US Embassy and get a letter verifying her status and present that letter to the airline to facilitate boarding. She will likely be questioned at the US end about why she doesn't have her card with her. She'll just have to explain. I'm sure she is not the first to forget her green card.

It has only been a few months since her first entry here into the united states (3/25/2011). If they will go by that stamp/visa is my concern. I was worried that because she had already been issued a green card and received it, that the cr1 stamp/visa might no longer be valid.

You are right about the transportation letter from the Embassy. I'm trying not to go in that direction unless absolutely necessary as she has to go to the embassy in person. If she goes that route, she would have to, upon arriving in Osaka, go directly to Tokyo as soon as possible which would pretty much mess up her trip.

here is the stamp that she got.

Thanks again

[Virginian61 1]

Her visa stamp is for the full two years. It should be enough. People travel all the time before receiving their cards in the mail. But then it depends on the airline check-in agent. You might check with the airline. Wish I could offer more.

[Eric and Nino 0]

Her visa stamp is for the full two years. It should be enough. People travel all the time before receiving their cards in the mail. But then it depends on the airline check-in agent. You might check with the airline. Wish I could offer more.

Thanks! I hope everything turns out well. Maybe she'll even get her green card from the Philippine Post!

Btw, my wife, though she visited Phuket in the low season loved it! I will have to go with her one day!

[Eric and Nino 0]

Ahhhh so I just got a notification from USPS. Delivery Attempt Failed today @ 3PM. My Wife was already on board the flight. No worries I say, i'll just have it FedExed to Tokyo right? I hope it can be done before Thursday because look what CBP sent me when I asked them a question:

"Thank you for your inquiry.

Her CR-1 stamp is a single entry visa only and may not be used for traveling. If your wife left without her US Green Card; she will need to go to her closest US Embassy/Consulate and obtain a transportation letter allowing her return to the U.S.

The CBP INFO Center"

What a mess...

[Virginian61 1]

Ahhhh so I just got a notification from USPS. Delivery Attempt Failed today @ 3PM. My Wife was already on board the flight. No worries I say, i'll just have it FedExed to Tokyo right? I hope it can be done before Thursday because look what CBP sent me when I asked them a question:

"Thank you for your inquiry.

Her CR-1 stamp is a single entry visa only and may not be used for traveling. If your wife left without her US Green Card; she will need to go to her closest US Embassy/Consulate and obtain a transportation letter allowing her return to the U.S.

The CBP INFO Center"

What a mess...

You have to look carefully at the passport. It's true that the CR1 stamp is for a single entry. But if she got a temporary I551 stamp (temporary green card) that should be good for multiple entries.

[Eric and Nino 0]

Crisis averted haha! My cousin wound up going to the central post office in the morning and she then gave it to my wife by hand.

I don't know why there was a USPS Delivery Attempt though.