Unexpired Green Card Needed to Board a Flight?

[Fank-C 0]

Hi, I have researched on this a lot but still I am getting very conflicting information. hep you guys can help me out

I have been a LPR since 1996. I just realized that my GC expired in 09/2014. I will do the online renewal tonight.

Meanwhile, I have already booked a flight to Spain on 09/18. From what I've heard, as long as I have the Receipt for the pending I-90 application from USCIS together with the expired GC, I should be able to re-enter the US.

However, I've also heard that airlines may not let you board the plane if the GC is expired. Is it true? It seem strange to me because I have never encountered an airline that asks for my GC. I always just show my British passport and my State Driver's License. The last time I travelled outside of the US was 2011. Have things changed since then? I called United Airline (my flight carrier for this trip) and they said only passport is needed. Yet, I am worry. What is your recent experience? Thanks a lot.

[arken 4,197]

Receipt of pending i-90 is not an evidence of permanent residence for travelling. You have to make an infopass appointment to your local USCIS office and get an i551 stamp on your passport by showing the receipt of your i-90 application. You can travel back to US with no hassle with that stamp.

[Fank-C 0]

Receipt of pending i-90 is not an evidence of permanent residence for travelling. You have to make an infopass appointment to your local USCIS office and get an i551 stamp on your passport by showing the receipt of your i-90 application. You can travel back to US with no hassle with that stamp.

Thank you for the reply. I have the following questions:

1. I am planning to get the I-551 stamp. However, I have been checking infopass and I can't get an appointment. Do they accept walk-in?
2. More specifically to my question, do airlines check GC? Like I say, as far as I know, up to my last travel in 2011, no airline has ever required me to show my GC (which makes sense to me b/c an airline isn't immigration / border control, what should they care my immigration status). But have things changed since 2011? I ask b/c I have seen some people saying that they do.

Edited July 21, 2016 by Fank-C

[EM_Vandaveer 2,408]

The airlines coming back to the US do check immigration documents because they are fined thousands of dollars if they let someone board who does not have the right immigration documents to enter the US.

[Fank-C 0]

The airlines coming back to the US do check immigration documents because they are fined thousands of dollars if they let someone board who does not have the right immigration documents to enter the US.

Thank you for the reply. I have the these follow-up questions:

1. May you point to the specific law / regulation which requires the airlines to check my immigration doc. (in additional to my passport) so that I can read up and understand it fully?
2. I am planning to get the I-551 stamp but every time (which is multiple times daily) I check, the USCIS InfoPass site says there is no appointment for the coming 14-day period. I am worry that I can't get an appointment in time for my travel. Do you know whether or not I can just walk in a USCIS field office?
3. What if I can't get an appointment at all in time for my travel? Will it be enough to travel with my expired GC and the Receipt for my I-90 application to renewal application?

[arken 4,197]

Not sure which law book has that rule, but the following link should give you an idea

http://gsnmagazine.com/article/20199/airlines_pay_fines_bringing_foreigners_us_without_

British citizens were allowed to enter on VWP without a visa, so all you needed was your British Passport to board the plane. May be that was the reason nobody asked for you GC at that time while exiting your country and you then showed GC at POE to enter US. However at present, i think persons entering US on VWP are required to obtain ESTA before exiting the country. So the airlines may now ask for your travel document (GC or ESTA or visa) since they can't just travel on Passport only now and being a US resident, you can't obtain the ESTA. In my each international trip, i have been asked to show my GC while returning back to US while leaving my country.

Even if airlines do allow you to travel , you could be given a hard time at POE because you have no proof of residency. That's why all these law offices recommend getting I-551 stamp if one needs to travel. You can try walking in to the Local office.

[Fank-C 0]

Thank you again for the reply. Upon more research, I find out that the US Embassy in Madrid can stamp my passport also. So, this is what I will do if I can't get the stamp here before my trip.