I-751 horrible experience while (attempting) to travel abroad

[Tinypumpkins 2]

I use this site often, and it's been very useful for tips and pointers as my marriage-based green card processes.

After carefully checking the entry requirements on the embassy website, I decided to take a trip to Costa Rica. I'm an Indian citizen, and according to the CR embassy website, as long as I am a permanent resident, I can enter without a visa. My GC expired in June, but I have a letter from May with my 1-year extension.

Well, apparently this letter is nothing to Costa Rica. The immigration officer looked me square in the eye when he said, "This might be valid in the U.S., but not here. You'll need to head back, now." He gets me back (apparently I needed a cop to escort me) back to the same flight I just got there from. There I was, tail between my legs, ordered to go home with my piece of paper that meant nothing. The trip back was another story, because I had to head back to Panama, which was my layover. At Panama, one agent said my docs looked great, while the other said that she didn't have te authorization to let me leave because my GC is expired and the letter was just that -- a letter and nothing else. 10 unnecessary hours spent wandering aimlessly in Panama Internatinal Airport, 2 plane changes and 1 lost baggage later, here I am.

This is real-time--I literally just got back to the U.S. I'm upset, frustrated, and fuming. I just want everyone here to know when traveling with this letter, you can never be too sure. In hindsight I wonder if the stamp would've helped, but the CR website clearly states that it doesn't accept permanent resident stamps, nothing about not accepting the letter, though. Upon re-entry, the U.S. Graciously accepted the letter and allowed me back in. Abroad, you never know. Always double and triple check, and if you can get a visa to avoid the hassle, do so.

[LoveMyTico 999]

Yep..Costa Rica doesn't play games. When my husband got his visa and was flying for the first time , he didn't have any issues in the US. The issue was in Costa Rica before he got on the plane. They pulled him in a room and verified EVERYTHING. it was 4am over there and they were making phone calls to the US to make sure his visa was valid. So much hoopla in Costa Rica and then it only took 10 minutes when he got to the US. I didn't even have to park..he was waiting on the curb when I got to the airport.

[NancyNguyen 1,657]

That letter is to return to the States, it means nothing to other countries.

[Boiler 45,538]

If they required a valid GC then I would have assumed that was what I would need to have.

[Tinypumpkins 2]

That letter is to return to the States, it means nothing to other countries.

There are many posts on here that state international travel is allowed with the combination of the card and the letter. Even the U.S. Immigration officer couldn't believe that they didn't accept it.

If they required a valid GC then I would have assumed that was what I would need to have.

But the card and letter make for a valid GC. I am still a permanent resident, although conditional, because of the letter.

[Boiler 45,538]

Costa Rica is not the US, if they want to see a GC then I would assume unless I had evidence otherwise I would need a GC, not an expired one with an extension letter. You were looking to bypass their visa requirements and I would not have assumed that they were familiar with extension letters.

But that is me.

[Charles C 0]

Sorry about your troubles... we just had a related bad experience involving the letter for dependent minors. See my related post. Hopefully full green cards will be here soon!

Charles

[TBoneTX 45,319]

Sorry for your troubles, but thanks for posting the story.

*** Thread moved from Removing Conditions forum to the Working & Traveling forum -- topic involves travel. ***

[KierenHby 899]

There are many posts on here that state international travel is allowed with the combination of the card and the letter. Even the U.S. Immigration officer couldn't believe that they didn't accept it.

But the card and letter make for a valid GC. I am still a permanent resident, although conditional, because of the letter.

And that's why you were able to return to the US.

(Piece of paper valid in the US for a particular purpose may not mean the same in another country; does not replace a passport and physical GC requirement at many airports)

[WORMIEVADER 6]

That's crazy! Especially with the 8 months processing time in Vermont Service Center to remove condition. Did you have to pay for your return ticket? So sorry to hear about that experience. Thanks for sharing, because Costa Rica was one of our chosen vacation destinations, and we are also currently in the process of removing condition.

[toribae1031 3]

No one who came from this website believed my experienced too I had that same exact happened. 1 year extension letter isn't green card. I had to get transportation letter from embassy so I could come back to u.s. and u.s. officer told me why did u need this letter? Your 1 year extension letter could let u get in to the u.s. and I said yeah... I believed that too but they never let me get into the airplane because my gc was expired. Even tho I hav 1 yr extension letTer.

Don't travel while your gc is pending case. No one cant guarantee your visa issue.

[Russ&Caro 1,549]

From personal experience, I know Costa Rica is difficult. As a US Citizen, it was easy for me to travel to CR but I was also hoping to have my wife join me while I worked there for 1 month last year. This was immediately after our marriage in Colombia and as we were applying for our US marriage visa (I-130). We planned in advance and applied for a visa for her to travel to Costa Rica, but we were denied. We talked to numerous agents and supervisors, appealed the decision, and were still denied. Luckily we made no travel arrangements so at least we dodged that expense and embarassment.

As you learned, it's important to not make any assumptions. Make sure you have all required documents, in hand, especially in a country like Costa Rica which goes strictly by the book and the wording of their immigration/visa laws.

[Tinypumpkins 2]

That's crazy! Especially with the 8 months processing time in Vermont Service Center to remove condition. Did you have to pay for your return ticket?

That was the only thing, I only lost about $200 total because of transportation and some hotel policies. The airline didn't charge me anything, as I had booked using my miles--which I plan to get back because they shouldn't have let me board in the first place. The amount of embarrassment, frustration and shame involved in the whole ordeal made me feel like a lost a lot more though!

[Tinypumpkins 2]

From personal experience, I know Costa Rica is difficult. As a US Citizen, it was easy for me to travel to CR but I was also hoping to have my wife join me while I worked there for 1 month last year. This was immediately after our marriage in Colombia and as we were applying for our US marriage visa (I-130). We planned in advance and applied for a visa for her to travel to Costa Rica, but we were denied. We talked to numerous agents and supervisors, appealed the decision, and were still denied. Luckily we made no travel arrangements so at least we dodged that expense and embarassment.

As you learned, it's important to not make any assumptions.

Thanks for sharing. I think the more we let the community know about the difficulty of traveling to certain countries, the more likely we can save someone else from the same experience.

[Tinypumpkins 2]

No one who came from this website believed my experienced too I had that same exact happened. 1 year extension letter isn't green card. I had to get transportation letter from embassy so I could come back to u.s. and u.s. officer told me why did u need this letter? Your 1 year extension letter could let u get in to the u.s. and I said yeah... I believed that too but they never let me get into the airplane because my gc was expired. Even tho I hav 1 yr extension letTer.

Don't travel while your gc is pending case. No one cant guarantee your visa issue.

I'm glad they turned you away and I hope you didn't lose too much from it! I wish the airline would've turned me away. It would've been a lot less lost in time and energy.