Traveling to home country before expiration of 2 year green card

[drewkiger 0]

Hi, I plan to visit my home country (Slovakia) this summer. My two year green card expires in the beginning of November 2017. Could I still travel or should I stay in USA, file for removal of conditions and travel after i'all receive new green card? Thank you for the advice. 

[AK_2014 113]

When your filing window does open up and you send in the ROC paperwork, be prepared to wait a long time for the 10-year green card to be approved.

 

(I don't know if you've been following the forums, but it's not at all unusual to have to wait a year or more for the new card to come through, and officers have been telling some applicants that the expected approval time is now routinely 1-2 years. Don't worry—your status is not in jeopardy during this wait; as the poster above mentioned, you'll get an extension letter that allows you to travel with your expired green card. This is just an FYI that it might take quite a while for the new card to be in hand...)

 

Since you're talking about going in summer, I'd recommend traveling first, then applying when you get back. (Otherwise, if you apply at your first opportunity in early August, you have to wait for the extension letter, and you don't want to miss biometrics, so you're stuck in the US for at least a month or more before you can travel internationally). Better to travel first, then apply, since you have until early November. 

 

Smooth travels to you! Have fun back home!

[drewkiger 0]

Thank you for your advice! 

[vajaster 7]

On ‎6‎/‎20‎/‎2017 at 8:10 AM, AK_2014 said:

When your filing window does open up and you send in the ROC paperwork, be prepared to wait a long time for the 10-year green card to be approved.

 

(I don't know if you've been following the forums, but it's not at all unusual to have to wait a year or more for the new card to come through, and officers have been telling some applicants that the expected approval time is now routinely 1-2 years. Don't worry—your status is not in jeopardy during this wait; as the poster above mentioned, you'll get an extension letter that allows you to travel with your expired green card. This is just an FYI that it might take quite a while for the new card to be in hand...)

 

Since you're talking about going in summer, I'd recommend traveling first, then applying when you get back. (Otherwise, if you apply at your first opportunity in early August, you have to wait for the extension letter, and you don't want to miss biometrics, so you're stuck in the US for at least a month or more before you can travel internationally). Better to travel first, then apply, since you have until early November. 

 

Smooth travels to you! Have fun back home!

 

 

Hi, I'm in the same boat as drewkiger.

My wife's Green Card will expire 11/2017 but we wanted to travel internationally from 09/01/17 - 09/15/17.

We were planning on sending in the ROC Packet 08/29/17, right before we leave.

 

Do you think that will be alright? I mean it will take at least two weeks for the NOA/Extension Letter and Biometrics appointment to be mailed anyways right? We would be back by 09/15/17.

 

Any thoughts?

Edited July 17, 2017 by vajaster
Made a mistake on initial post.

[AK_2014 113]

9 hours ago, vajaster said:

 

 

Hi, I'm in the same boat as drewkiger.

My wife's Green Card will expire 11/2017 but we wanted to travel internationally from 09/01/17 - 09/15/17.

We were planning on sending in the ROC Packet 08/29/17, right before we leave.

 

Do you think that will be alright? I mean it will take at least two weeks for the NOA/Extension Letter and Biometrics appointment to be mailed anyways right? We would be back by 09/15/17.

 

Any thoughts?

It seems to me like that timing should work. Even if your packet should (heaven forbid) be returned to you while you're gone because of a small error, forgetting to sign, something wrong with the check, etc., you would still have plenty of time to fix it and resubmit before your November deadline. Have a good trip!