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Messybrownhair

Traveling with a GC in US

By Messybrownhair in Working & Traveling During US Immigration

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Messybrownhair Experienced

Messybrownhair   251

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

Hi,

I will be traveling to Vegas next week and was wondering what I should bring for the flight, my passport, GC or license or all of them? As much as possible I would like to refrain from bringing them all.. Is the license enough? Thanks for the input :)

Happy Holidays to all <3

My Journey:

We met through a study-abroad program in Shanghai, China in August of 2009

We got engaged March of 2010

I received my K1 VISA in 6 months (June-December 2010)

We were married 04/02/2011
I received my conditional 2-year greencard (AOS) in 2.5 months with no interview (April-June 2011)

Our son was born 02/03/2013

I received my masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology 04/17/2013

I received my 10-year greencard (ROC) in 3 months with no interview (March-June 2013)

My husband returned from deployment 06/20/2013

My naturalization journey took 4 months (April-August 2014)

I became a US citizen on 08/01/2014

Received passport in 3 weeks (regular processing)

Thank you, VJ! smile.png

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LIFE'SJOURNEY Mentor

LIFE'SJOURNEY   970

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

Hi,

I will be traveling to Vegas next week and was wondering what I should bring for the flight, my passport, GC or license or all of them? As much as possible I would like to refrain from bringing them all.. Is the license enough? Thanks for the input :)

Happy Holidays to all <3

Your license is all you will need for air travel within the US.

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MochiKamo Community Regular

MochiKamo   93

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

Officially, you're supposed to carry the GC with you at all times. Practically however, the driver's license will suffice.

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Brother Hesekiel Mentor

Brother Hesekiel   2,236

Posted
Filed: Other Timeline
Posted

People who know me know that I am an outspoken advocate in leaving the Green Card in the safest place you have access to. But when going on a flight, I would take it with me. If you have some run in with the law in Vegas, perhaps because some dim-wit cop thinks you are trying to make money while walking the Strip with your skinny legs and arrests you, it's a bit inconvenient to get your Green Card to Vegas.

Take your driver's license and your Green Card with you. Put the Green Card in the hotel safe in Vegas. They have them in every room now.

There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all . . . . The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities, an intricate knot of German-Americans, Irish-Americans, English-Americans, French-Americans, Scandinavian-Americans or Italian-Americans, each preserving its separate nationality, each at heart feeling more sympathy with Europeans of that nationality, than with the other citizens of the American Republic . . . . There is no such thing as a hyphenated American who is a good American. The only man who is a good American is the man who is an American and nothing else.

President Teddy Roosevelt on Columbus Day 1915

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Janice&Ben Contributor

Janice&Ben   2

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Cameroon
 Timeline
Posted

I will have to agree with Yagisama and Br. Hesekiel. Post 911, authorities are quick to ask "are you a us citizen?" and if the answer is no, they want to see evidence of current legal status. Having your GC available will save you some time incase anything comes up. Happy Holidays!

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szemek Apprentice

szemek   12

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

I'm sorry, this has probably been answered before and everyone with a green card will know the answer (not yet there on our journey), but is it legal to make a copy of your green card? Like not a realistic copy, but black and white from a copy machine? Like how we often do for passports?

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ndu26 Proficient

ndu26   114

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Nigeria
 Timeline
Posted (edited)

your state ID is good to go (even though you are supposed to carry iur GC on you all the time) who does? hey you NEVER KNOW. In my 5years of being LPR, i travelled multiple times to CA, TX. GA, Boston etc. only once was i asked for the GC at the airport(on my second trip from texas). I was shocked as to why they would ask for that .Anyway i produced the card, they looked into their system for a while and then one of them asked me where I was going back to and "if i like it in NYC" ( bet he would not have changed his demeanour had I been illegal). my friend's husband said it is because they are close to the border....so TX, AZ, CA

so now what do I present since I have given up my card? carry my U.S passport all the time? No Jose!!! came back from CA few weeks back and went with only State ID.

summary, have it on you just in case

Edited by ndu26

GOD has been WONDERFUL!!!
CR-1 (for Husband):
09/15/2012: Got Married
09/26/2012: Mailed I-130 from Nigeria( delayed by customs)
USCIS stage ( 66 days)
10/12/2012: NOA 1
12/17/2012: NOA 2 (case was transferred to NYC office 11/27/12)
NVC stage ( 20 days)
01/08/2013: Case # and IIN assigned ( file arrived NVC mail room 12/20/12)
01/09/2013: AOS invoiced and paid, DS-3032 emailed and mailed.
01/16/2013: IV invoiced &paid. AOS & IV mailed in one package(arrived 01/18).
01/28/2013: Case complete!!!
04/19/2013: Interview; APPROVED!!!!!
05/13/2013: POE; JFK

N-400: (3 months and 12 days)
Filed N-400 : 2011-06-17
Interview: 2011-09-27
Oath Ceremony: 2011-09-30

IR-5 for Mom Entire process took 5 months exactly
USCIS (22days)
mailed I-130 : 2011-09-30
NOA 1: 2011-10-03 (text & email)
NOA 2: 2011-10-25 (text and email)
NVC: (19 days)
Case entered and # assigned: 2011-11-18
NVC Case COMPLETED: 2011-12-07 ( 43 days from NOA 2 and 65 days from NOA 1)
Interview Date(Lagos): 2012-01- 23 Mom was late for interview
New Interview date: 2012-02-29 : VISA APPROVED

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ndu26 Proficient

ndu26   114

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

I'm sorry, this has probably been answered before and everyone with a green card will know the answer (not yet there on our journey), but is it legal to make a copy of your green card? Like not a realistic copy, but black and white from a copy machine? Like how we often do for passports?

yes it is > I made multiple copies of mine for various reasons at various times some schools ask for it, DOS asks for it etc so if it was not legal they wnt ask.

GOD has been WONDERFUL!!!
CR-1 (for Husband):
09/15/2012: Got Married
09/26/2012: Mailed I-130 from Nigeria( delayed by customs)
USCIS stage ( 66 days)
10/12/2012: NOA 1
12/17/2012: NOA 2 (case was transferred to NYC office 11/27/12)
NVC stage ( 20 days)
01/08/2013: Case # and IIN assigned ( file arrived NVC mail room 12/20/12)
01/09/2013: AOS invoiced and paid, DS-3032 emailed and mailed.
01/16/2013: IV invoiced &paid. AOS & IV mailed in one package(arrived 01/18).
01/28/2013: Case complete!!!
04/19/2013: Interview; APPROVED!!!!!
05/13/2013: POE; JFK

N-400: (3 months and 12 days)
Filed N-400 : 2011-06-17
Interview: 2011-09-27
Oath Ceremony: 2011-09-30

IR-5 for Mom Entire process took 5 months exactly
USCIS (22days)
mailed I-130 : 2011-09-30
NOA 1: 2011-10-03 (text & email)
NOA 2: 2011-10-25 (text and email)
NVC: (19 days)
Case entered and # assigned: 2011-11-18
NVC Case COMPLETED: 2011-12-07 ( 43 days from NOA 2 and 65 days from NOA 1)
Interview Date(Lagos): 2012-01- 23 Mom was late for interview
New Interview date: 2012-02-29 : VISA APPROVED

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TBoneTX Grand Master

TBoneTX   45,288

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ecuador
 Timeline
Posted
yes it is > I made multiple copies of mine for various reasons at various times some schools ask for it, DOS asks for it etc so if it was not legal they wnt ask.
This is 100% incorrect. Photocopying the green card can lead to your being charged with falsifying or counterfeiting or duplicating an official document. The law clearly states to carry the green card with you at all times. If someone intends to break the law, he or she MIGHT escape trouble if the photocopy of the card is larger than 100% size of the original. However, consider how a regular police officer would react if he asked for your driver's license and you handed him a photocopy of it.

06-04-2007 = TSC stamps postal return-receipt for I-129f.

06-11-2007 = NOA1 date (unknown to me).

07-20-2007 = Phoned Immigration Officer; got WAC#; where's NOA1?

09-25-2007 = Touch (first-ever).

09-28-2007 = NOA1, 23 days after their 45-day promise to send it (grrrr).

10-20 & 11-14-2007 = Phoned ImmOffs; "still pending."

12-11-2007 = 180 days; file is "between workstations, may be early Jan."; touches 12/11 & 12/12.

12-18-2007 = Call; file is with Division 9 ofcr. (bckgrnd check); e-prompt to shake it; touch.

12-19-2007 = NOA2 by e-mail & web, dated 12-18-07 (187 days; 201 per VJ); in mail 12/24/07.

01-09-2008 = File from USCIS to NVC, 1-4-08; NVC creates file, 1/15/08; to consulate 1/16/08.

01-23-2008 = Consulate gets file; outdated Packet 4 mailed to fiancee 1/27/08; rec'd 3/3/08.

04-29-2008 = Fiancee's 4-min. consular interview, 8:30 a.m.; much evidence brought but not allowed to be presented (consul: "More proof! Second interview! Bring your fiance!").

05-05-2008 = Infuriating $12 call to non-English-speaking consulate appointment-setter.

05-06-2008 = Better $12 call to English-speaker; "joint" interview date 6/30/08 (my selection).

06-30-2008 = Stokes Interrogations w/Ecuadorian (not USC); "wait 2 weeks; we'll mail her."

07-2008 = Daily calls to DOS: "currently processing"; 8/05 = Phoned consulate, got Section Chief; wrote him.

08-07-08 = E-mail from consulate, promising to issue visa "as soon as we get her passport" (on 8/12, per DHL).

08-27-08 = Phoned consulate (they "couldn't find" our file); visa DHL'd 8/28; in hand 9/1; through POE on 10/9 with NO hassles(!).

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Bobby+Umit Mentor

Bobby+Umit   161

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

People who know me know that I am an outspoken advocate in leaving the Green Card in the safest place you have access to. But when going on a flight, I would take it with me. If you have some run in with the law in Vegas, perhaps because some dim-wit cop thinks you are trying to make money while walking the Strip with your skinny legs and arrests you, it's a bit inconvenient to get your Green Card to Vegas.

Take your driver's license and your Green Card with you. Put the Green Card in the hotel safe in Vegas. They have them in every room now.

Yeah - I would not use the safe in the hotel room.

most do not change the installed coded 00000 - and you can open most with this. (sometimes you have to vary the number of zeros)

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

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Tahoma Veteran

Tahoma   2,292

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

When we're traveling, Chinook always has her green card and her driver license.

Enjoy Vegas! We were there in June...stayed at Caesar's Palace...and enjoyed the Celine Dion show...good times! :D

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Messybrownhair Experienced

Messybrownhair   251

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Philippines
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted

Thanks everyone! I will bring my license and GC just in case!

When we're traveling, Chinook always has her green card and her driver license.

Enjoy Vegas! We were there in June...stayed at Caesar's Palace...and enjoyed the Celine Dion show...good times! :D

Thanks! Were staying at the Trump.. i wish i could convince Tim to see that show! Lol

My Journey:

We met through a study-abroad program in Shanghai, China in August of 2009

We got engaged March of 2010

I received my K1 VISA in 6 months (June-December 2010)

We were married 04/02/2011
I received my conditional 2-year greencard (AOS) in 2.5 months with no interview (April-June 2011)

Our son was born 02/03/2013

I received my masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology 04/17/2013

I received my 10-year greencard (ROC) in 3 months with no interview (March-June 2013)

My husband returned from deployment 06/20/2013

My naturalization journey took 4 months (April-August 2014)

I became a US citizen on 08/01/2014

Received passport in 3 weeks (regular processing)

Thank you, VJ! smile.png

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Tahoma Veteran

Tahoma   2,292

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

Thanks! Were staying at the Trump.. i wish i could convince Tim to see that show! Lol

I'm not a big Celine fan like Chinook is, but I'll admit that Celine puts on a great show. I enjoyed it.

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