Can I reenter with temporary i551 stamp if I forgot my green card at home?

[Snorlux 58]

Hey guys,

So I am traveling pretty frequently because of my job and this time I really did it, I forgot my green card at home and I just realized it now, 15 hours before my return trip to the US from Canada!

When returning to the US from Toronto the US customs and border protection is actually inside Toronto airport so you clear immigration and customs here and then your flight arrives in the US as a domestic. The problem with that is that I can't even ask my wife to come to the airport and bring the green card with her.

I still have a temporary i551 green card stamp in my passport which I have with me, will they allow me to re-enter the US with that or will they cause me any issues when I say that I do have an actual plastic green card but I forgot it at home and that's why I'm attempting to re-enter with the stamp?

Also my stamp expires in like 10 days ..

[Hypnos 6,578]

Provided your stamp is still valid on the day you attempt to enter then it won't be a problem.

[Snorlux 58]

Provided your stamp is still valid on the day you attempt to enter then it won't be a problem.

It absolutely is valid, expires February 26th 2016 and I will be attempting to reenter tomorrow.

My only concern is since this is a "temporary" stamp wether it is automatically cancelled or not taken into consideration once you receive your actual green card. Or wether the border officer starts asking me why am I using the temporary stamp since I already received my green card ..

Another thing I heard is that they can charge you with a misdemeanor and make you pay a fee since the law dictates that you need to carry your green card with you at all times :S

[Hypnos 6,578]

Technically you are carrying it, because that's what the stamp is evidence of. Now, once the stamp expires then you would be obligated to carry your green card on your person at all times.

Your stamp remains valid until it expires, regardless of whether your physical green card has or has not been issued, or whether or not you happen to be carrying it.

[Snorlux 58]

Technically you are carrying it, because that's what the stamp is evidence of. Now, once the stamp expires then you would be obligated to carry your green card on your person at all times.

Your stamp remains valid until it expires, regardless of whether your physical green card has or has not been issued, or whether or not you happen to be carrying it.

Oh thanks a lot for all the help! Hopefully everything will go fine tomorrow!

[KierenHby 899]

You'll be fine.

If you get asked where's the GC or whether you've received it yet, say you forgot it.. your valid i551 will get you in.

[Coleman21 6]

There's no good reason to deny your entry because your stamp is still valid. Some immigration officers at airports, though, don't know about the temporary stamp. So be confident, show the stamp and say, "see, this has not expired yet."

[Hypnos 6,578]

Or, better still, ask for their supervisor if they don't know how to do their job properly.

Edited February 19, 2016 by Hypnos

[Coleman21 6]

Darn right.

[Snorlux 58]

Ok guys, I'm back in the USA

So here's how it went, i went up to the immigration officer in Toronto International, I gave him my passport and I set my greencard is inside the passport and I showed him the stamp, he goes "your what?" .. and I said again, my greencard ..

He's looking at it and he says it expires in.. and I said yeah I know in about 10 days, and he miserably responds with "actually its more like 7 or 8.. I was like big ###### deal what's the difference? It's still valid

Then he asked me how come I haven't received my actual green card yet to which I responded with oh I did I just forgot it at home and I was planning to have my wife mail it to me but I spoke with USCIS and they told me that as long as the stamp is valid I shouldn't have any problems reentering (hinting to him that I know what I'm talking about ).

He, then, asked me how much I paid for the stamp and I was like "what?" ####### who pays for the stamp? Nobody! I told him that when I was approved for the green card the immigration officer asked us if we are planning to travel soon to which I said yes and so they gave me the stamp in the passport. And then he said well if it was me I would have charged you for it.. And he said that without the slightest note of humor in his voice he was dead serious not smiling or anything .. i was like what an ###.

He then stamped my passport and gave it back to me and I was on my way.

I'm now back to the US and I will make sure I never leave for the airport without making sure my green card is with me!

Thank you all for all the help

[NikLR 13,232]

Here's a valuable lesson when dealing with the CBP - play dumb. Don't let them know you know what you're talking about. You made him feel stupid thus the question without humour.

[TBoneTX 46,041]

Thanks for the detailed update, and congratulations on your success.

Completely your decision, but should you wish for this thread to be closed, hit the "report" button and so request.

[Snorlux 58]

Thanks for the detailed update, and congratulations on your success.

Completely your decision, but should you wish for this thread to be closed, hit the "report" button and so request.

Good call! Will do! Didn't know we had the option of closing a thread

Thanks!

[Ban Hammer 13,502]

thread closed per op request