Traveling with the extension letter! Sharing my experience

[MissYoko 4]

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to share my recent experience about traveling with the extension letter.

I went to visit my family in Europe in July, I was a bit stressed as I am still on the 1 year extension.

I was traveling with my daughter she is on the extension too.

We flew with Aer Lingus from Paris via Dublin to Chicago. I was first really surprised as the POE was actually in Dublin, really good to know as it is really less crowded than the Chicago POE. We went to the Citizens, GC desks.

When it was our turn, I gave the officer all the paperwork, Passports, GC, the 2 extension letters, wedding certificate (my passport is still on my maiden name). He started to look at everything but he was looking a bit lost. He asked me if my daughter is my daughter, he asked where was her dad (I was surprised by these questions but whatever), he typed a lot on his computer, took my photo, my fingerprints then took all the paperwork and asked us to follow him in the back... I was : Oh noooooooooooooo!!!

There, he gave everything to another officer and asked us to seat and wait. We was seating just in front of the desk, so I was able to see and hear everything. The new officer looked at the paperwork and was commenting at the same time to another officer. He said : "Oh, that's really simple, yes GC is expired, but she has extension letter, she's good.". They called me at the desk, they asked me nicely if they could make a copy of my GC and the extension letter for training purpose and we was able to go. They all were really nice and friendly even if the process was a little bit stressful for me. They even manage to say "Au revoir" (Good Bye in French) at the end.

So apparently, POE officers are sometimes not aware about the whole ROC thing. No stress, you'll go trough.

Best,

Miss Yoko

Edited August 2, 2011 by MissYoko

[Welshdan 1]

I recently travelled from London to ATL with an extension letter for 1 year although my GC was 1 month from expiring.

Everything was fine, officer took a good look at my extension letter + correspondance from USCIS and he had no problem letting me in the country!

[dash-tx 1]

I just had similar experience yesterday, coming back from Mexico. At the airport in the US, the officer looked confused at the letter and asked me what that was about. It seemed he didn't get my explanation and called another officer. The other said everything was fine and explained to him the reason for the letter. He still didn't seem to get it, but did the finger print, photo and let me go.

They were friendly, but I guess they are not very well trained.

When I was leaving the US at the airport and also when I got to Mexico, they made an issue and had to call the supervisor to let me in, because my GC was expired. If I knew it was going to be like that, I would have gone get a stamp on the passport.

But overall, it worked out. I'm back in the US.

[OBX 51]

I think it really depends on the CBP officer, as with any other immigration issue. I travelled back to Canda a month prior to the expiry of my card and on returning via the Peace Bridge the CBP officer asked if I had sent in my "renewal application.", I offered up my extension letter and biometrics notice but he didn't want to see them; just waved me on through. I travelled again a week after expiry of the card; on returning that time the CBP officer just swiped my card, no further questions, no problems. At the rate VSC is moving I suspect I'll be making a few more trips with my expired card.

[ChristophandEvan 0]

Golly!!That's my biggest fear right now coz i am planning to travel this coming Oct. to the Philippines and i am still waiting for my GC,well VSC right now is way too slow and my 2 yrs gc expired already last month.So do you think guys,i should make an infopass to our local uscis for my passport to be stamp?Or does anyone experience in here where their passport stamped as a form of re entry?Thanks much for any suggestion.

[Starburst 4]

Thanks for sharing this!

I'm flying to Europe in two weeks and was worried if I would have an issue!

thanks!!

- starburst

[sib 7]

We came back yesterday from Germany in Orlando and they took my husband for 2. inspection. It took about 45 minutes until they decided to look at his papers. Then he was good to go. Don't know what they checked.

Sib

[eric_and_teresa 10]

Thanks for sharing I am planning on traveling next month and it is good to know it should all go stress free!

Edited August 19, 2011 by eric_and_teresa

[CPBDDO 5]

Its important to remember that the front line officers are often confused by these kinds of things and not to panic when they don't act like they know what's going on. We've been through many of these occurances. It always gets escalated to someone who can handle your situation.

The scarier thing is when the airline employee in podunk airport in whatever country doesn't think you should be able to board the plane because their computer won't allow it based on the expiration date on your visa/green card.

[Hell0W0rld 10]

Golly!!That's my biggest fear right now coz i am planning to travel this coming Oct. to the Philippines and i am still waiting for my GC,well VSC right now is way too slow and my 2 yrs gc expired already last month.So do you think guys,i should make an infopass to our local uscis for my passport to be stamp?Or does anyone experience in here where their passport stamped as a form of re entry?Thanks much for any suggestion.

Make an info pass and get the stamp.. It might make tour life eaiser..

[LLbeans 2]

I made an Info Pass back then but the officer won't give me a stamp -- she told me it would be fine just travel with the expired card and the ext letter.

But when I went through the custom, they still somehow asked me to go to a separate place -- I don't know if it is because the officer didn't know about the ext letter or what... anyway, was not such a great experience. (the officer in the other place quickly let me out, he only asked me where was my husband.)