Traveling abroad with I-751 Interview set

[gertman 0]

Hi Everyone,

I have received Letter from USCIS this week with I-751 Appointment Interview scheduled for March 23, 2016. I do however need to leave country for about two weeks prior to this date (trip was planned in advance and I expect to be back in by March 13)

All I have now is I-551 Stamp in my passport + this letter. Do you think I might have any issues/problems on the way back to the USA as long as I get back before the interview?

would you please share your thoughts/experience

Thanks

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Moved from Fam.-based AOS to ROC Forum~

~Inquiry about travel during ROC process~

[nastyamyr 0]

Hi Everyone,

I have received Letter from USCIS this week with I-751 Appointment Interview scheduled for March 23, 2016. I do however need to leave country for about two weeks prior to this date (trip was planned in advance and I expect to be back in by March 13)

All I have now is I-551 Stamp in my passport + this letter. Do you think I might have any issues/problems on the way back to the USA as long as I get back before the interview?

would you please share your thoughts/experience

Thanks

You not going to have any problems.

You need to have your passport with a stamp plus your green card (which is expired).

You will show your stamp with a green card at the passport control and they will send you somewhere else to be checked and questioned again. Just because passport control don't have a time and they system cant recognize the stamp.

That's it.

[Cheesecake12 1]

Hi Everyone,

I have received Letter from USCIS this week with I-751 Appointment Interview scheduled for March 23, 2016. I do however need to leave country for about two weeks prior to this date (trip was planned in advance and I expect to be back in by March 13)

All I have now is I-551 Stamp in my passport + this letter. Do you think I might have any issues/problems on the way back to the USA as long as I get back before the interview?

would you please share your thoughts/experience

Thanks

Hey Gertman,

When did you file with VSC?

[gertman 0]

Hi Everyone, thanks for your responses

As the matter of fact I do not have expired Green Card on my hands. Immigration Officer took it away together with 1 year Extension Letter when I went to put I-551 Stamp in my passport.

So basically, all I have is just stamp in my foreign passport. Nothing else

Hi Cheesecake12

I am not sure what VSC stands for in fact. My situation is that I filed for removal of conditions for my Green Card (I-751 form) almost 1.5 years ago. Upon filing, I received extension letter for 1 year which already expired. When it expired I went to the local USCIS office and they stamped my passport with I-551 stamp valid for one year since my case was still pending. They also took away my plastic Green Card and the expired Extension Letter. Now, I have received a notice for the interview from them scheduled this March, however I do need to make international trip beforehand. Just wondering if there could be any issues since I have only stamp in my passport and basically nothing else

Thanks

[Neil81 6]

Gertman- I am on same situation like yours. I've got I-751 interview setup for March 28 and I am also travelling to abroad for two weeks with only I-551 stamp on my passport. USCIS didn't take away my expired GC but cut it on the side corner so not sure if it still acceptable or not.

I have done enough research regarding travelling on I-551 stamp and based on people experienced I couldn't see any issue except some extra screening at POE when entering into the US.

[Cheesecake12 1]

I have entered in JFK with expired green card and stamp in my passport. Officer asked me couple regular questions: how long I was away and where and after he asked me to go to small room... It was couple people there.. Another officer checked my passport with stamp in computer system and let me in. No problem, just extra 5 mins

VSC stands for Vermont Service Center

[gertman 0]

Hi guys

Thanks for your responses. I wonder why my GC was taken in fact. I do hope this would not case issues

[Starkilla09 366]

Hi guys

Thanks for your responses. I wonder why my GC was taken in fact. I do hope this would not case issues

It won't cause any issues, the card was useless anyway with an expired extension letter. The normally take those so it doesn't fall in the wrong hands for counterfeiting since it's no longer valid. Same reason applies to surrendering the 10 year one before oath ceremony in naturalization. Your I-551 stamp is now your new evidence of lawful permanent residency until your I-751 is adjudicated. I've travelled also an I-551 stamp before I got my 2 year green card after my adjustment of status just got approved. On arrival they'll pull you aside and have to verify the authenticity of the stamp and your status, ask few regular questions and admit you in. Enjoy your trip.

[gertman 0]

• Hey Starkilla09

Thanks for your input. Feeling much better now:)

[winnie george 67]

Gertman- I am on same situation like yours. I've got I-751 interview setup for March 28 and I am also travelling to abroad for two weeks with only I-551 stamp on my passport. USCIS didn't take away my expired GC but cut it on the side corner so not sure if it still acceptable or not.

I have done enough research regarding travelling on I-551 stamp and based on people experienced I couldn't see any issue except some extra screening at POE when entering into the US.

Hi, Neil81

Just curious as to when you applied for removal of condition. My application is currently still pending. I applied for ROC on 09/10/2014 and i am yet to receive any information whatsoever. I am tired of putting in service request. No RFE and no interview. Please let me know when you applied for ROC.

Thanks.

[Neil81 6]

Winnie George - Nov 4th, 2014

You should make infopass at your local office to inquire about your case. I made several infopass apt. before I received interview letter last week. Good luck.

[gertman 0]

Hi Winnie

I applied for ROC in August 2014. Received RFE in April 2015, and now finally scheduled for March 2016 interview. According to my attorney, such delay (mine and yours) is possible but quite random.

I actually called USCIS a few times beginning from January 2016, but I made sure to go over to the senior advisors. There are multiple layers of tellers on the phone. If your case is pending for a long time, you should request to speak with seniors. Then out of magic, I finally got their letter.

Thanks

[Neil81 6]

Gertman - Hope your interview went well....Could you share your experience plz?

[gertman 0]

Hi Guys,

Sorry for not writing back so long. My interview passed few weeks ago, still waiting for result

So far, I decided to go with an attorney. Interview went through pretty quickly and smoothly. Officer asked my wife first and then myself. There were no any cross questions.

Questions were quite simple:

For me:

1. Where did your wife work before you married?

2. What is your wife's birthday?

3. What is her religion?

4. What does your wife do for leaving?

5. Where did you meet?

6. How many siblings does she have?

For my wife:

1. What year did you meet your husband?

2. When was the last time your spouse left the country? Where did he go?

3. What is your husband's mother's name?

4. What did you do for Christmas last year?

As you can see, all questions were very simple. Officer paid more attention to our reactions to the questions, rather than answers.

My understanding is, most of the couples are called in for the interview mostly for these reasons:

1. Not enough docs proving you are sharing liabilities together. This especially concerns shared Savings/Checking accounts

2. Big age difference

3. Ethnicity. If spouses are of different nationalities, and quite non-fitting cultures, this also raises red flag for them

Thanks