Traveling on Extension Letter?

[Rocio0010 5,580]

Hi everyone! I will be traveling abroad to my home country (Argentina) in two weeks. I have my expired gc+ extension letter+ passport, and just in case I’ll take my marriage certificate (because my passport is under my maiden name, unlike my gc and extension letter). 
I have seen people posting here about other people being denied entry into the country by the POE, on the grounds that they don’t know what a gc is, let alone an extension letter. I wanted to ask in here what are your thoughts about this. 

[Mobius1 175]

8 hours ago, Rocio0010 said:

Hi everyone! I will be traveling abroad to my home country (Argentina) in two weeks. I have my expired gc+ extension letter+ passport, and just in case I’ll take my marriage certificate (because my passport is under my maiden name, unlike my gc and extension letter). 
I have seen people posting here about other people being denied entry into the country by the POE, on the grounds that they don’t know what a gc is, let alone an extension letter. I wanted to ask in here what are your thoughts about this. 

There is a chance that you will be put in secondary inspection to verify that extension paper. 

IDK about others but my POE was Turkey. They had a team specifically dedicated to check for entry documents. They knew everything about card/ extension paper.

 

People that have been denied entry back in the US have one thing in common. They were having some texts or other plans with someone that’s not their spouse. They can go through ur phone and use it as evidence to deny entry or cancel ur GC. So no funny business 

[Rocio0010 5,580]

4 minutes ago, Mobius1 said:

There is a chance that you will be put in secondary inspection to verify that extension paper. 

IDK about others but my POE was Turkey. They had a team specifically dedicated to check for entry documents. They knew everything about card/ extension paper.

 

People that have been denied entry back in the US have one thing in common. They were having some texts or other plans with someone that’s not their spouse. They can go through ur phone and use it as evidence to deny entry or cancel ur GC. So no funny business 

So you had to show your extension letter when arriving into Turkey? That’s what I don’t understand.

Hubby and I are traveling to Argentina soon. Our POE is Houston, I’m assuming they know about the extension letter. But I’m confused, will I have to show it in Argentina for boarding the plane to Houston, or in Houston?

[Mobius1 175]

5 minutes ago, Rocio0010 said:

So you had to show your extension letter when arriving into Turkey? That’s what I don’t understand.

Hubby and I are traveling to Argentina soon. Our POE is Houston, I’m assuming they know about the extension letter. But I’m confused, will I have to show it in Argentina for boarding the plane to Houston, or in Houston?

While heading out of the US, no one will care about your GC or extension. 

 

While coming back, pretty much every country in your path where you take off from, where you have a layover, and in the US will check your papers.

 

For example, I was checked by security in Pakistan, Turkey, and then US (Secondary Inspection).

[Rocio0010 5,580]

2 minutes ago, Mobius1 said:

While heading out of the US, no one will care about your GC or extension. 

 

While coming back, pretty much every country in your path where you take off from, where you have a layover, and in the US will check your papers.

 

For example, I was checked by security in Pakistan, Turkey, and then US (Secondary Inspection).

Oh ok, our only layover is Houston (unless an emergency happens)

[Rocio0010 5,580]

4 minutes ago, Mobius1 said:

While coming back, pretty much every country in your path where you take off from, where you have a layover, and in the US will check your papers.

Ok I misread your post. My anxiety stems from the fact that I doubt whether officers in Argentina know about this extension letter…

[Thomianguy 36]

I cannot believe I started this thread in FIVE years ago and it is STILL going!!!!!

[Mobius1 175]

1 hour ago, Rocio0010 said:

Oh ok, our only layover is Houston (unless an emergency happens)

Dont wry, I understand the anxiety. No one ever went through customs thinking this is the best thing ever.

 

I am 100% every airport having a connected flight to the US is aware of the paper.

[Rocio0010 5,580]

22 minutes ago, Thomianguy said:

I cannot believe I started this thread in FIVE years ago and it is STILL going!!!!!

Some things never change!

[cosmonauts 125]

13 hours ago, Rocio0010 said:

Ok I misread your post. My anxiety stems from the fact that I doubt whether officers in Argentina know about this extension letter…

Don't worry. Going in, Argentina won't ask for anything US related, just your passport. You will have to show your documents (GC + extension letter) at the counter in Argentina when you are going back to the US so it's the airline folks looking at your documents, not Argentinian officers. I did this in 2019 in Chile (flew LATAM) and no issues whatsoever. I did it as well in China and had no issues either.

[AffableAndy 107]

We drove in to Canada for a mini-vacation to celebrate our anniversary, and just wanted to report that getting in to Canada and back in to the US was a total breeze. Very smooth, no issues at either border. I know folks have reported issues with getting in to Mexico, but the Canadian border patrol seemed very familiar with the document. 

 

I filled out the ArriveCAN forms and took my covid vaccine records but they were not asked for at either border.

[Southern_Belle07 146]

On 5/2/2022 at 6:54 PM, SS_SS said:

Hi all providing a quick update after my trip

 

Sharing my experience just in case anyone is looking for this info.

I had zero problems. United Airlines checked me in without any problems, and when I landed in Mexico, they asked for my extension letter after realizing my GC had expired. 

Different Mexican consulate generals in different US cities had very conflicting information—including the one in NYC saying that the extension letter is not accepted. This is clearly incorrect. 

 

I followed the Mexican Embassy in Washington DC’s link, which redirects to the the actual Mexican governments regulation. It states that anyone with valid proof of permanent residency in the US needs no visa. Nothing more than that. Just to reiterate, Mexican immigration officials knew exactly what it was—didn’t even bat an eye— and I had zero problems getting inside MX (I went to Mexico City Airport)

Hi, could you please share that link? I just got off a meeting and was told that I'd be flying to Cozumel for business purposes. 

I'm a gc holder, pending I-751 with an extension letter. 

[Reed1812 127]

Travelled from London Heathrow to Houston TX yesterday. Was unable to check in online so had to see the attendant at Heathrow and got checked in no problem

 

Arrived at Houston and the officer scanned my greencard, took my picture and finger prints and let me through. He only asked how long I had been out of the US, he did not want to see the letter. There was no being moved to secondary screening either.

 

Absolutely no problems either side. Same with Dallas when I flew in Feb 22

[Alekezam 162]

Me and the wife just got back from a trip to Bali. Our POE was Houston, which is where we live, and my wife provided the officer with her green card and extension letter. The officer quickly glanced over both and waved us through. Took all but 5 minutes. We are both members of global entry so that made it even quicker. Oh, the global entry machines now recognize you by facial recognition. No need to even scan your passport now....it's pretty sweet. 

 

When checking in to our flight back to the US in Indonesia, the check in agent asked for my wife's green card, we gave him both the green card and the extension letter and all was good. No questions or confusion around any of it. 

 

I imagine if we ran into no issues in Indonesia of all places, then it's going to be highly unlikely anyone would run into issues with the extension letter anywhere.

Edited July 10, 2022 by Alekezam
Grammar

[GEOntificator 281]

Just came back from Munich, Germany. They knew the letter and had no issue with it. At the POE in the US the officer didn't even look at the letter and just stamped my passport literally the second he saw it. Probably the quickest I have ever cleared customs. 

Edited July 11, 2022 by kvito28