Please please help USCIS has messed up again!!

[Barron 1]

Please please please help....

So I was approved for my green card February 2011... So it should expire February 2013 right?

Here is my problem...

I have come back home to England for the last few months over Christmas, and I was planning to leave February 27th. But alas my Father in law has died, so I brought my journey forward to leave the country to day to rush back to my hubby today. Well everything booked, went to the airport to check in and what did I find.. I was refused due to my green card saying it expired in January 25th 2012, well I never looked at the dates on it until now. Looking through my immigration papers I wasn't approved until February 25th 2011, yet my card says 25th of January 2010??? This is a mistake right. I keep my paperwork with me at all times and I spoke to USCIS and they said oh as long as you have your 'Welcome to america' letter with you with the right date you should be allowed to leave England to come back to the USA and I would then have to file a I90 when I get back to the USA.. Well they where wrong, I was refused by check in staff and left at Manchester Airport with my 11 month old in tears.. They have given me no solution I don't know what to do, I need to get back to my husband and help with funeral arrangements and I can't leave the country because of the stupid mistake USCIS have done. With it being Presidents Day tomorrow I can't get through to anyone at USCIS or The London Embassy... Please help please please please...

[Laure&Colin 558]

Please please please help....

So I was approved for my green card February 2011... So it should expire February 2013 right?

Here is my problem...

I have come back home to England for the last few months over Christmas, and I was planning to leave February 27th. But alas my Father in law has died, so I brought my journey forward to leave the country to day to rush back to my hubby today. Well everything booked, went to the airport to check in and what did I find.. I was refused due to my green card saying it expired in January 25th 2012, well I never looked at the dates on it until now. Looking through my immigration papers I wasn't approved until February 25th 2011, yet my card says 25th of January 2010??? This is a mistake right. I keep my paperwork with me at all times and I spoke to USCIS and they said oh as long as you have your 'Welcome to america' letter with you with the right date you should be allowed to leave England to come back to the USA and I would then have to file a I90 when I get back to the USA.. Well they where wrong, I was refused by check in staff and left at Manchester Airport with my 11 month old in tears.. They have given me no solution I don't know what to do, I need to get back to my husband and help with funeral arrangements and I can't leave the country because of the stupid mistake USCIS have done. With it being Presidents Day tomorrow I can't get through to anyone at USCIS or The London Embassy... Please help please please please...

I don't understand, with your UK passport, why wouldn't they let you board? You can enter via the VWP anyway, did you suggest that? All you'd need is get an ESTA number a few days prior to the flight... no? They don't even need to know you have an expired green card, they're just the airline staff, right? It might be a different story at POE, but leaving England shouldn't be a problem.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I don't understand, with your UK passport, why wouldn't they let you board? You can enter via the VWP anyway, did you suggest that? All you'd need is get an ESTA number a few days prior to the flight... no? They don't even need to know you have an expired green card, they're just the airline staff, right? It might be a different story at POE, but leaving England shouldn't be a problem.

No, Laure, this person is a Permanent Resident. She CANNOT use on the VWP anymore. That would be a disaster... She would be giving up her GC rights, etc. She must travel as a Permanent Resident.

OP - That is very sad indeed. You'll need to contact the embassy, and hopefully they can sort you out in a day. Might have to wait until Tuesday though, but after that it shouldn't be long. Best of luck.

Edited February 19, 2012 by Harpa Timsah

[Barron 1]

Yes that is right, as soon as I became a permanent resident I can not enter the USA as a visitor anymore. I am so stupid for not checking the date sooner, but I just expected it to be right

I called USCIS as soon as I realized this mistake, they just said I need to fill in a I90 as soon as I get back into the country.. But I don't think they realize how hard that will be, even though I have my 'Welcome to America' letter with the correct date.

Am I correct in thinking the start date on my card should be the same as the approval date?

Thank you for your help

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

Yes that is right, as soon as I became a permanent resident I can not enter the USA as a visitor anymore. I am so stupid for not checking the date sooner, but I just expected it to be right

I called USCIS as soon as I realized this mistake, they just said I need to fill in a I90 as soon as I get back into the country.. But I don't think they realize how hard that will be, even though I have my 'Welcome to America' letter with the correct date.

Am I correct in thinking the start date on my card should be the same as the approval date?

Thank you for your help

When did you get approved for the Gc, was it 2/2010? Your K1 was approved in 2009, when did you AOS, was it 2010 or 2011?

[Barron 1]

I filed For AOS October 22 2010.. Which was right after I got married because I couldn't apply for it until we had been married.

So even if they went from that date it still was not January 2010, I wasn't even in America January 2010..

I only got my K1 visa approved from the Embassy in June 29th 2010..

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

I filed For AOS October 22 2010.. Which was right after I got married because I couldn't apply for it until we had been married.

So even if they went from that date it still was not January 2010, I wasn't even in America January 2010..

I only got my K1 visa approved from the Embassy in June 29th 2010..

Your time lines says 6/29/2009 NOA2 was received. You indicated a 2010 date in your post above, and your profile has an approval date for AOS 2010, so that is why I am asking these questions.

Also you didn't purchase a roundtrip ticket orginally correct, because most airlines ask for GC information this would/should have been caught then. Oh well, you will now have to wait for the embassy to open on Tuesday.

Edited February 19, 2012 by LIFE'SJOURNEY

[Barron 1]

I think I am getting myself confused here..

My K1 was granted 29th of June 2010 which is when I got that big pink K1 thing in my passport, I got married July 14 2010 and then in October I asked for I485 Adjustment to permanent resident status.. Have I filled in my time line wrong? And could they be right dating my green card from January 2010 even though I didn't have my interview for it or approval until February 2011??

Edited February 19, 2012 by Barron

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Barron: You got your GC around the turn of the year in 2011. Many people, including USCIS workers, write the old year in January because it takes some time to get used to writing the new year. It's just human error.

Go to the embassy ASAP and they will sort you out. You're only losing a couple of days. My friend (the only other person I know who is an immigrant lol) left his GC in the US and he was not allowed to board a plane back. They don't check your documents to return on leaving. He had to go to the embassy and get some travel documents. You need to do the same. Then, in the US, file for I-90 with no fee based on USCIS error. It really sucks, but you're not stuck there forever. Get in touch with the embassy. Maybe they some workers there tomorrow, who knows. Good luck.

[Barron 1]

Barron: You got your GC around the turn of the year in 2011. Many people, including USCIS workers, write the old year in January because it takes some time to get used to writing the new year. It's just human error.

Go to the embassy ASAP and they will sort you out. You're only losing a couple of days. My friend (the only other person I know who is an immigrant lol) left his GC in the US and he was not allowed to board a plane back. They don't check your documents to return on leaving. He had to go to the embassy and get some travel documents. You need to do the same. Then, in the US, file for I-90 with no fee based on USCIS error. It really sucks, but you're not stuck there forever. Get in touch with the embassy. Maybe they some workers there tomorrow, who knows. Good luck.

Thank you ever so much, I'm just sat here in tears and I feel like a total idiot for not checking dates earlier..

I will call them Tuesday and thank you again

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Thank you ever so much, I'm just sat here in tears and I feel like a total idiot for not checking dates earlier..

I will call them Tuesday and thank you again

Ditto to Harpa. You should be fine. They might be able to give you a GC stamp but at the very least they'll give you something that says you're allowed to fly. You'll be okay

[Fishguy 1]

All good advice. As you will likely not be able to do anything about it until Tuesday, just sit back, relax, and enjoy some time in your birth country. Have faith that it will all get worked out on Tuesday.

[maiortum 6]

Condolences for your loved one. These types of issues (mistakes, errors, washing machine destroys papers, etc) are not uncommon. Most US embassies and Consulates do have emergency personnel to handle such issues.

The trick is to find a phone number. Many times your own elected person representing your location has back channel access and would be prudent to contact that person.

I feel for you but try harder and do not give up.

Good Luck and Many Blessings.

[dimples 9]

I hope it all works out for you, as hard as it is to wait until Tuesday, this is when you be able to get an answer. God Bless!

[Barron 1]

Thank you all for your kind words, I just hope it's not me that has messed it up.. But I wasn't even married in January 2010. And with me being turned away at Manchester airport on a Sunday there was no one to call at the Embassy or USCIS.. I guess in a way that is a good thing because I would of only shouted at someone.

My poor husband is devastated, and someone at USCIS owes us a massive apology over this.