is expired green card taken away when getting i-551 stamp on passport?

[dg2010x 2]

For those who have done this, do they take away your expired greencard when you ask for the i-551 stamp.

I am currently in i751 process (filed August 2015)

[Ms Hogan 295]

They took our green cards when we got our passports stamped. Our cards had not yet expired but they did take them. The stamp became the replacement with a longer expiry date.

Edited November 22, 2015 by Ms Hogan

[jerni 24]

When I was getting biometrics last week a lady arrived who was renewing her greencard - I overheard the officer at the biometrics counter say that she would extend her greencard while she waited for the new one to arrive. A few minutes later she called the lady back up to the desk and explained she'd extended the greencard and had put a "sticker" on the card to indicate that.

I wonder if they only do this for the 10 year cards? This seemed much more sensible than taking the card away and replacing it with a passport stamp - especially since you are supposed to always carry your card with you by law.

Edited November 23, 2015 by jerni

[NickD 203]

Never took ours away, and we needed that card, copy of the letter of extension, and a copy of that I-555 stamp in the passport books to appy for US citizenship. Met some very strange people at our USCIS office, many couldn't even speak good English or even very poor English.

They sure wanted that ten year card back at the US citizenship oath ceremony, needed that to get your certificate. But then was told, you don't have to carry it with you like you did with that green card for years. Wife and daughter felt naked walking around without it. But they got use to it.

[Ms Hogan 295]

When I was getting biometrics last week a lady arrived who was renewing her greencard - I overheard the officer at the biometrics counter say that she would extend her greencard while she waited for the new one to arrive. A few minutes later she called the lady back up to the desk and explained she'd extended the greencard and had put a "sticker" on the card to indicate that.

I wonder if they only do this for the 10 year cards? This seemed much more sensible than taking the card away and replacing it with a passport stamp - especially since you are supposed to always carry your card with you by law.

Never took ours away, and we needed that card, copy of the letter of extension, and a copy of that I-555 stamp in the passport books to appy for US citizenship. Met some very strange people at our USCIS office, many couldn't even speak good English or even very poor English.

They sure wanted that ten year card back at the US citizenship oath ceremony, needed that to get your certificate. But then was told, you don't have to carry it with you like you did with that green card for years. Wife and daughter felt naked walking around without it. But they got use to it.

OP is asking about during ROC. Mine was taken away during ROC when I asked for an extension of the expiry date. My passport (and kids' too) was stamped and green cards were taken away. I'm sure it is different during 2 year GC vs 10 year.

[NickD 203]

Am talking about the ROC stage, where else do you get a letter of extension or require an I-551 stamp in your foreign current passport book. Can also bring in two passport photos and apply for an I-94.

At my wife's interview for citizenship wanted to see here expired green care, letter of extension, and her I-551 stamp in her current foreign passport. But in dealing with other government agencies where certification is required, always met with a board. With the USCIS, only dealing with one individual and no telling what they will want.

If you think dealing with the likes of the DMV is bad with an expired green card and that one year extension notice, try this with that I-551 stamp. That one year extension notice is worthless without that expired green card.

[NikLR 13,227]

I think Ms Hogan has been through the process more recently than NickD. Also it may depend on the local office.

[gfgc 1]

Am talking about the ROC stage, where else do you get a letter of extension or require an I-551 stamp in your foreign current passport book. Can also bring in two passport photos and apply for an I-94.

At my wife's interview for citizenship wanted to see here expired green care, letter of extension, and her I-551 stamp in her current foreign passport. But in dealing with other government agencies where certification is required, always met with a board. With the USCIS, only dealing with one individual and no telling what they will want.

If you think dealing with the likes of the DMV is bad with an expired green card and that one year extension notice, try this with that I-551 stamp. That one year extension notice is worthless without that expired green card.

My GC is now expired while waiting for the ROC to be approved. I am moving to CA from AZ and I went to my local USCIS office to ask whether I should have any problems with the expired card and the extension letter at the DMV and with my employer. The answer was that I shouldn't have any problem. I asked about the I-551 stamp and they told me that they only give the stamp to people that lost their extension letter. I even asked "what if they have a problem with my expired GC/extension letter, what I should do?" and the answer was "they won't have any problem."

I will test that soon, hopefully, they are right.

[NickD 203]

This hasn't changed.

"The termination of my status and removal from the

United States would result in an extreme hardship"

Nor has the other loopholes in the Waiver Request Filing in the event of a failed marriage. Nor has the extremely long processing delays.

Check the history of the ROC formation, immigrants were granted a lifetime permanent resident card, limitations were imposed starting in 1986, only way to bring a person here was via marriage and many fraud cases were reported. This all changed in 1988 if fraud was detected, first for the petitioner, a $250,000 fine and/or five years in prison, the AOS was made far more complicated and time consuming. If this wasn't enough, came up with this ROC stage, but with several key loopholes to get around it.

If you sent in your I-751 with tons of evidence just one day early, it would be returned from that 90 day limit. And the processing time was greatly extended. Latest adminstration made it far easier for undocumented people to come here. If managed to cross the border with coyotes, if any relative in the US could be found, even given a bus ticket, plus no restrictions on receiving public aid.

But this I-751 is still around and still not proven to prevent fraud. But certainly an extreme hardship on people trying to obey the law. In cases where the patitionee was the one that committed fraud, the petitioner was still liable for supporting that person under the I-864. So exactly who is being protected?

[jkeri1 0]

Sorry for the long post.If you plan on travelling internationally then you will get the expired green card back from uscis because us customs accepts and recognizes the extension letter without the greencard but other countries want to see the stamp in the passport with the matching A # on the card along with the letter. Some custom agents may give you flack over not having the letter and or stamp because then they'll have to try and identify you as the person in the passport. I've traveled to Jamaica and I've never been asked for my green card coming back. Only my passport and fingerprints. Only customs in Jamaica try to verify info because a gc holder doesn't need a visa to travel from Jamaica to USA.

[jkeri1 0]

FYI: I'm waiting for my conditional removal too and I went in to get my i551 stamped in my book and the officer said I don't need to take the letter with me when traveling because the 1 year stamp is a temporary "wet ink" greencard.BUT NOT ALL COUNTRIES WILL ACCEPT IT!! Jamaica accepts it but they have to verify your info.