US Travel Document for LPR

[bunkx 25]

Hey guys,

 

So, currently I hold a Turkish passport. Turkey requires every male citizen to serve in the military, and since I'm a Turkish citizen I have to do this as well. I'm not going to get into a lot of personal details here but, I'm Belgian and not Turkish, so I have no intention of serving in the military in any way. My military duty is postponed until 2019, however I won't be able to apply for US citizenship until 2020, and processing would probably take until 2021. After 2019, Turkey will cancel my passport and I won't be able to get any documents from the embassy either. That leaves me with 2 years without a passport. I know I'd be arrested if I went to Turkey, since I would technically be a "deserter" running away from military duty.... I have no intention of visiting Turkey, but I'd like to visit my parents and other family in Belgium. I know that under certain circumstances LPR's are issued passport-style travel documents, that are recognized by many countries including Belgium to be a valid form of travel document. I was wondering if "Turkey refusing to issue me a passport" is a good enough excuse to apply for a US travel document as an LPR... 

 

Thanks!

[Coco8 1,042]

Why can't you get a Belgium passport? 

 

I've never heard of a "passport like document". Embassies usually give out travel documents for people that have lost their passport and they can only get the passport in their home country. But you would not be able to get one from Turkey. I've never heard of the US giving out something like that for LPR. 

[bunkx 25]

1 minute ago, Coco8 said:

Why can't you get a Belgium passport? 

 

I've never heard of a "passport like document". Embassies usually give out travel documents for people that have lost their passport and they can only get the passport in their home country. But you would not be able to get one from Turkey. I've never heard of the US giving out something like that for LPR. 

 

Thanks to my parents' negligence unfortunately I'm not a Belgian citizen, and to take Belgian citizenship I'd have to move there, which I can't do. I have too many responsibilities here, I can't just leave.

 

This is the document I'm referring to. Is there a document that the US could issue to an LPR who is unable to get a passport from their country of citizenship?? I know that you don't need a passport for re-entry into the US and your green card is enough, but... I don't  know, I guess I was just hoping that there would be some sort of a document I could get to replace my Turkish passport... 

 

I might just have to wait until I get US citizenship...

 

[Coco8 1,042]

13 minutes ago, bunkx said:

 

Thanks to my parents' negligence unfortunately I'm not a Belgian citizen, and to take Belgian citizenship I'd have to move there, which I can't do. I have too many responsibilities here, I can't just leave.

 

This is the document I'm referring to. Is there a document that the US could issue to an LPR who is unable to get a passport from their country of citizenship?? I know that you don't need a passport for re-entry into the US and your green card is enough, but... I don't  know, I guess I was just hoping that there would be some sort of a document I could get to replace my Turkish passport... 

 

I might just have to wait until I get US citizenship...

 

 

That is a reentry permit for people who have been abroad for a long time and hold a green card. According to wikipedia it would be possible to get one if you cannot get a passport from your country too, and it says Belgium accepts it to get into the country.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Re-entry_Permit

 

I didn't know about this! I hope you can get one!!! 

 

Here are the USCIS instructions https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Resources/B5en.pdf

 

Edited July 3, 2017 by Coco8

[azblk 338]

8 hours ago, bunkx said:

 

Thanks to my parents' negligence unfortunately I'm not a Belgian citizen, and to take Belgian citizenship I'd have to move there, which I can't do. I have too many responsibilities here, I can't just leave.

 

This is the document I'm referring to. Is there a document that the US could issue to an LPR who is unable to get a passport from their country of citizenship?? I know that you don't need a passport for re-entry into the US and your green card is enough, but... I don't  know, I guess I was just hoping that there would be some sort of a document I could get to replace my Turkish passport... 

 

I might just have to wait until I get US citizenship...

 

what you are referring to is a refugee/asylee travel document. Am not sure you qualify but look it up. Form i-131

[tato2017 41]

why would Turkey cancel your passport? i don`t think not serving in the military has any affect on your passport application though i am not sure.   When is your current Turkish  passport expires? if you passport expires before or on 2019 you can apply for extension or get a new passport from Turkish embassy for another 5 or 10 years.  If you travel to Turkey i don`t think they would arrest you but they would give citation that you need to appear in the court in 15 days.

 

The other options that you can enroll college (maybe part time) and postpone your duty another two year until you get your US citizenship.

[Coco8 1,042]

5 hours ago, azblk said:

what you are referring to is a refugee/asylee travel document. Am not sure you qualify but look it up. Form i-131

If you read the wikipedia page I posted, you will notice the same document is used for several purposes.

 

1 hour ago, tato2017 said:

why would Turkey cancel your passport? i don`t think not serving in the military has any affect on your passport application though i am not sure.   When is your current Turkish  passport expires? if you passport expires before or on 2019 you can apply for extension or get a new passport from Turkish embassy for another 5 or 10 years.  If you travel to Turkey i don`t think they would arrest you but they would give citation that you need to appear in the court in 15 days.

 

The other options that you can enroll college (maybe part time) and postpone your duty another two year until you get your US citizenship.

Turkey is a semi-authoritarian regime or an authoritarian regime, depending on the measure you use. They can do whatever they want. 

 

Why would you advice someone to go to a country you don't know about? Deserters go to jail in every country with forced conscription. Besides, a quick google search corroborates what the OP mentioned. 

[tato2017 41]

well first off all I am Turkish origin and i know the regime in Turkey very well. I am not definitely suggesting the OP to go back to Turkey. I would not go if i were in the OP shoes. What i am saying is he is not in "deserter" status yet. He still have options either get an extension for his passport or completely renew his passport from the embassy in US so his validity period in the passport would allow him more time until he gets his US citizenship.

[bunkx 25]

I've had issues trying to leave Turkey before and had to carry proof of postponement before. Because I left Turkey during high school, so my status was "lise terk" for a long time, until I went to the embassy and registered with them. I just now graduated from college and I have until 2019 to do my military service. My passport is valid until 2026, but I don't know what's going to happen to it after 2019... I know that if I enter Turkey after 2019, I can't leave. But I don't know if I could use it to travel between Belgium and the US without any issues after 2019.

 

You said you're Turkish, how did you deal with this? I heard Turkish citizens living and working abroad can pospone it until 30-something? How exactly do you do that? Do I just go to the embassy and show them proof of employment and my permanent resident card? Also... I know the conditions for "pembe tezkere" are super harsh and it's just a really difficult and humiliating process to go through, but maybe I could show them my marriage certificate showing that I'm married to a man? 

[tato2017 41]

Here is the thing:

1 - Your passport would stay valid until 2026 regardless of your postponement. I dont think you would have any issues traveling Europe after 2019.

2- Since you are going to become a legal resident of U.S you can postpone your military duty until age of 38 as long as you you apply it on time and show your  your green card, and employment letter (maybe pay stubs etc)

Here is more info on that one: https://www.konsolosluk.gov.tr/Procedure/ShowProcedure/5

3- What happens after at age 38. You can pay 1000 Euro and they will waive your military duty requirement. A lot of people who lives overseas does that.

More info: (inTurkish) http://www.msb.gov.tr/Askeralma/icerik/dovizle-askerlik

4- Dont even bother with Pembe tezkere" it may not worth it go through that process. ( At the same time, some of the processes and applications much more streamlined in Turkish Embassies outside the Turkey than in Turkey so it may not be as bad as you think it is. If you don`t feel comfortable just don`t bother with it)

5- I did not have to deal with the same thing as i came to US in my mid 20s and already finished my military duty but i have several friends who keeps postponing their military service then they will pay 1000 Euro to waive it completely at age 38.

 

Hope this clear things up for you.