Travelling with conditional green card at the time of removal of conditions

[annapcs 2]

MikeX,

not sure what you're talking about but this topic has been resolved, I got all the help I needed.

Why would I seriously do this? because my university requires me to, they scheduled me to go in january. I'm not going on vacation to try and screw up my immigration process. Just had some genuine questions on something I was confused and some people were nice enough to clarify them for me.

Thanks anyway

[fairandfoul 7]

Very easy... Istanbul, Turkey. It happened to one of my friends. You go there, you will see how many check points you will go through. I won't even remember how many times last time I used the term "the international airports" in general, of course airline personnel & airport security people will check your documents.

These check points were to verify the validity of your Green Card specifically, or related to the nationality of your passport, or simply part of the security process in Istanbul? Different airports have very different security screenings for different nationalities, and airports in the Middle East are known for their advanced screening protocols.

I hope I'm not being annoying, but because I have never had a problem and can mention all the airlines/countries I've travelled through with my extension letter, I always seek specificity when people cast aspersions on the Extension Letter and discourage travellers from making what, in all likelihood, would have been a hassle-free trip!

[fairandfoul 7]

I don't know about the letter but I travelled on my brand spanking new GC (received July 2010) to Australia. This was one of the new cards that they'd changed around June 2010. The woman that checked me in actually had to call a supervisor because they hadn't seen this "new" card before (actually seemed to imply it was fake!) and because they had made it USCIS# on the front instead of A# and they were confused. In fact they got a little pissy when I tried to point out where it was. It took some time but eventually they just let me through but if a new GC throws people I can only imagine what an expired card and a letter with small writing saying it's an extension (seriously, I've seen examples it's not super obvious) can do at some airports (let alone those with english as a second language).

Oh, wow, looks like I've been quite lucky then!

Can certainly imagine how frustrating that would have been, though I imagine since the card design has only been changed about 3 times in the last 10 years, such is a rather rare occurence.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Oh, wow, looks like I've been quite lucky then!

Can certainly imagine how frustrating that would have been, though I imagine since the card design has only been changed about 3 times in the last 10 years, such is a rather rare occurence.

I was with my family so it was a little embarrassing and then there's that moment of "holy sh*t what if she doesn't let me board?!". I'm sure it'll be fine now it's been a while since the update but I haven't travelled since My sister is pregnant though and due at the end of June (my card expires July) so I'm a little concerned about ROC taking too long and me having to travel with that extension letter.

Oh, and just to make sure everyone knows.. you MUST travel with the ORIGINAL letter. One poor woman and her baby weren't permitted to board and missed Christmas with her husband because she took a copy of the letter. The US embassy was closed over the holidays and mail was taking a while but it took about a week until she could get the original mailed to her and board again. Cost a LOT in flight fees.

[freetv 7]

Just to add to the extension letter discussion... you better arrive early because if you are like us, you will end up with a supervisor getting called at check in and another supervisor getting called at immigration (foreign exit side) and it can all add up to you missing your flight if you are unlucky. I wouldn't call traveling with the extension letter ever hassle free, but it rarely is cause for great concern if you have the original and all of your documents in order.

Edited March 23, 2012 by freetv