Traveling close to expiration of extention letter

[Scazy 78]

Hi guys. I'm a December 2016 Roc filler and it seems like I won't hear back from USICS a few months down the road. I would like to travel for a medical check up to my home country but my extension letter anniversary on 12th December. I read here and at CBP manual as well that 1 year extension of the status is from the expiration date of an actual card, not letter. In my case the card got expired on 01/28/17.

But I also read that even CBP officers are often unsure what to consider the expiration date - the letter or the card and I still have the old version of the extension letter where it's not specified when one year of extension is started. 

Honestly, I was thinking to avoid whole info pass and passport stamping process and just wait until my new card come after coming back from this possible trip, so traveling now when I still have a valid extension letter seems more reasonable. However, I'm a little worry that my travel is so close to the expiration date of the actual letter.. Do you guys think I would be fine traveling under these circumstances or it's better to wait it out and go through hussle of stamping later? 

In short;  

Possible travel dates : 18 November to 1st December 

Extention letter 1 year anniversary:  12 December 

Green card expiration date: 01/27/17

 

 

 

On the side note, if anyone interested, I traveled twice using this letter. First time admission took about 10 minutes, second time I was sent to secondary and spent there about 20 minutes and asked 2-3 simple questions.

 

really  appreciate your time. 

[Leo7777 243]

I am fairly certain Border people know the extension is for one year from date on card.

This info has probably been sent out within last year to all officials concerned since it was an issue that was raised and led to the new wording on the letter.

 

But I also think it is not wise to travel on the extension letter this close to its expiration.

 

Think of unforseen delays in your  return, etc.

[mindthegap 2,590]

Just go get a stamp now and eliminate the problem

[Romerican423 1]

My wife and I were overseas tending to an ill family member for a few months. Her extension letter expired on Nov 2nd this year. We returned Oct 24th and had no issues whatsoever

[Lannna 0]

2 hours ago, Romerican423 said:

My wife and I were overseas tending to an ill family member for a few months. Her extension letter expired on Nov 2nd this year. We returned Oct 24th and had no issues whatsoever

Hi..the expired date Nov 2nd is for the date on green card or extension letter ?

[AnnaMaria 68]

The green card. The one year extension letter expired the day that your green card expires

[Scazy 78]

19 hours ago, Leo7777 said:

I am fairly certain Border people know the extension is for one year from date on card.

This info has probably been sent out within last year to all officials concerned since it was an issue that was raised and led to the new wording on the letter.

 

But I also think it is not wise to travel on the extension letter this close to its expiration.

 

Think of unforseen delays in your  return, etc.

Thank you! You're right. Going to get a stamp just in case 

[Scazy 78]

9 hours ago, mindthegap said:

Just go get a stamp now and eliminate the problem

Thank you, do you think I can get a stamp by just walking in local office with a trip details printed? I don't see any available slot in the next 2 weeks

[Scazy 78]

9 hours ago, Romerican423 said:

My wife and I were overseas tending to an ill family member for a few months. Her extension letter expired on Nov 2nd this year. We returned Oct 24th and had no issues whatsoever

Thank you for sharing this information! 

[nightingalejules 678]

4 hours ago, Scazy said:

Thank you, do you think I can get a stamp by just walking in local office with a trip details printed? I don't see any available slot in the next 2 weeks

No. You have to make an InfoPass appointment at your local office - they won't accept a walk in. Go to this page: https://my.uscis.gov/appointment and if you have a busy office (which you'll know because there won't seem to ever be any appointments available) you need to check the page at 12:01am (which seems to be when they "open up" new appointments 2 weeks from the current date.

[Scazy 78]

21 minutes ago, nightingalejules said:

No. You have to make an InfoPass appointment at your local office - they won't accept a walk in. Go to this page: https://my.uscis.gov/appointment and if you have a busy office (which you'll know because there won't seem to ever be any appointments available) you need to check the page at 12:01am (which seems to be when they "open up" new appointments 2 weeks from the current date.

So even in case of urgent travel and plane tickets there is no option to get a stamp that way? I was under impression I can based on someone else's story. 

Also, my letter dated 11 December, but my green card expiration is on 27 January, so technically I'm in extended status until 27 January - which is over 2 months away. Isn't it too early for a stamp then? Or they go by the date on extention letter in order to determine if it's time to get a stamp or not? Confused by this 

[nightingalejules 678]

It may have happened, but I've never heard of anyone successfully getting in without an appointment.

[shell20 746]

11 minutes ago, Scazy said:

So even in case of urgent travel and plane tickets there is no option to get a stamp that way? I was under impression I can based on someone else's story. 

Also, my letter dated 11 December, but my green card expiration is on 27 January, so technically I'm in extended status until 27 January - which is over 2 months away. Isn't it too early for a stamp then? Or they go by the date on extention letter in order to determine if it's time to get a stamp or not? Confused by this 

Actually I have heard of an emergency walk in.  It depends why you want the stamp  So if you lose your GC and are travelling shortly, you can do an emergency walk in. There are links here from people who have.

[nightingalejules 678]

Ok, I stand corrected. However, you don't really have an emergency. Your extension is valid until January, so getting the stamp is just for convenience. I guess it's worth a try, but you don't really need it, so they may send you away. 

Best of luck though... And if you do go, let us know how it goes!

[Scazy 78]

45 minutes ago, nightingalejules said:

Ok, I stand corrected. However, you don't really have an emergency. Your extension is valid until January, so getting the stamp is just for convenience. I guess it's worth a try, but you don't really need it, so they may send you away. 

Best of luck though... And if you do go, let us know how it goes!

So you think I'm good for traveling and returning back to US on 1 December ( 12 days prior the anniversary date on extention letter and a little over a month prior expiration date on my green card?) 

will definitely update the thread when sort this things out!