Traveling - Reentering the US with Green Card?

[bradley&Kathy 0]

Hi Guys,

I have a few quick questions about traveling.

I’m originally from Australia, but have been living here in the US, with my wife, for the past year and a half. I have my US Permanent Resident Green Card, and my wife is a US citizen.

We are planning on traveling together to Australia for a 4 week holiday in July. Am I able to travel with my original Australian Passport? And reenter the US using only my passport and Green Card? Or are there other documents I require to leave and reenter both countries?

Thank you for your help.

[David A. 0]

Hi Guys,

I have a few quick questions about traveling.

I’m originally from Australia, but have been living here in the US, with my wife, for the past year and a half. I have my US Permanent Resident Green Card, and my wife is a US citizen.

We are planning on traveling together to Australia for a 4 week holiday in July. Am I able to travel with my original Australian Passport? And reenter the US using only my passport and Green Card? Or are there other documents I require to leave and reenter both countries?

Thank you for your help.

I believe if your passport is still valid and your green card is still valid, then I don't see why you wouldn't be able to travel.

Check with the Aussies on the LandDownunder thread under Asia: East and Pacific forum. Land Down Under

[*JG* 2]

I believe the same thing.

[raymaga 25]

As long as your GC does not expire while you are out of the U.S., you will have no problems re-entering the U.S. with your GC.

Once you have the GC, you are free to travel whenever you want.

[eau_xplain 2]

Coming back from a vacation in the Philippines, we presented our GC and Philippine passport. The officer at the POE stamped our passport and indicated on it how many days we were out.

[JT4/25 38]

Same thing when we traveled back from Italy. My husband Presented GC and Italian passport and they stamped it and said outloud how many days we were out of the country. There was no problems or hassles. Good luck.

[meauxna 15]

If you think you will ever apply for US citizenship (naturalization), you can start keeping track now of all the dates you've been out of the US. That information will be requried at your N-400 application & it's easier to do it as you go instead of trying to recreate the dates 4 years later.

[MariaEric 0]

I have a technical question on this topic... What last name did the GC holder travel on? The name on the foreign passport or name on the GC? I'd just hate to see travel plans ruined because the name we put on reservations didnt match the passport they slide when checking in at the airport etc...

[Nina+Matt 0]

i was told by some other vj'ers to reserve and book planetickets on my maiden name as in my passport. but definately take the gc with me and a copy of the marriage certificate to proof the name change!

im not as far as you guys in the whole process but it sounds pretty logical to me and thats how im going to do it when travelling outside the us.

[Pat LM 0]

What if that I have GC, but my foreign passport is expired, will they check ONLY the GC at the POE, or they will also need the foreign passport to be valid?

[Cassie 8]

What if that I have GC, but my foreign passport is expired, will they check ONLY the GC at the POE, or they will also need the foreign passport to be valid?

you're not going to be able to leave the US with an expired passport, as far as I know.

Whenever I have travelled outside the US, I present my GC when I arrive at the POE, with my passport handy if asked for it.

Edited April 14, 2007 by Cassie

[Nina+Matt 0]

you definately need a passport to travel!! the GC is just the proof that you are legally allowed to stay in the usa! when travelling you need to show your identification so get your foreign passport renewed!

[Mags 112]

What if that I have GC, but my foreign passport is expired, will they check ONLY the GC at the POE, or they will also need the foreign passport to be valid?

You need a valid passport to leave and enter most countries even if you have a GC.

[meauxna 15]

I have a technical question on this topic... What last name did the GC holder travel on? The name on the foreign passport or name on the GC? I'd just hate to see travel plans ruined because the name we put on reservations didnt match the passport they slide when checking in at the airport etc...

Airline regs dictate that the ticket must match the passport.

For return to the US, a Green Card + marriage certificate to bridge the change is sufficient, just like Nina+Matt says!

i was told by some other vj'ers to reserve and book planetickets on my maiden name as in my passport. but definately take the gc with me and a copy of the marriage certificate to proof the name change!

im not as far as you guys in the whole process but it sounds pretty logical to me and thats how im going to do it when travelling outside the us.

What if that I have GC, but my foreign passport is expired, will they check ONLY the GC at the POE, or they will also need the foreign passport to be valid?

You may not re-enter the US with an expired passport.

[MariaEric 0]

Thanks!

(it was Eric posting because he did not trust me and we share the account)

Now I can tell him *wife mode* i am always right

~maria