Traveling with expired green card while in the process of becoming citizen - is it possible?

[Vox 0]

If my permanent green card expires while I am in the process of getting USC, can I still travel back to Canada and/or overseas?

 

What are my options?

 

Thanks!

[TBoneTX 45,319]

Thread is moved from the US Citizenship main forum to the Working & Traveling forum -- topic is travel.

[Starkilla09 366]

The answer to your question is yes and no and the same time and it will depend on 2 situations I’m gonna give you. By U.S. immigration law an expired 10 year resident card doesn’t mean your residency status is expired it just means the evidence of your status (green card) is expired. Now take for instance if you took a vacation out of the U.S. your green card expires and you show up at the U.S. border by car you’ll be admitted to the U.S. This will only work so far if you drive to the U.S. border, as no airline industry will board you on a flight with an expired green card. So yes you can if you’re driving across and no you can’t if you try to get to the U.S. by air. For this reason it’s best to have a valid proof of residency, and one way to do it is to schedule an info pass appointment to your local USCIS field office to request an I-551 stamp on your passport. Getting one can be an issue though as some officers will want you to first apply for a renewal and bring proof of your filed I-90 to before they can issue you the stamp. Doesn’t hurt to try anyway and plead your case since if you already have a pending naturalization application. 

Edited March 12, 2018 by Starkilla09

[Going through 5,671]

7 hours ago, Starkilla09 said:

Now take for instance if you took a vacation out of the U.S. your green card expires and you show up at the U.S. border by car you’ll be admitted to the U.S. This will only work so far if you drive to the U.S. border, as no airline industry will board you on a flight with an expired green card. So yes you can if you’re driving across and no you can’t if you try to get to the U.S. by air.

Just wanted to add that this is solely at the discretion of the border officer, and by no means a guarantee of entry.  Most likely, yes, you will be admitted (and with probably a stern warning/lecture about the GC being expired without the passport stamp depending on the mood of the officer at the time).  However, CBP does have the legal right to deny you entry if they felt like it.

 

Strongly suggest you get an infopass appointment to get the stamp BEFORE your GC expires (this way you don't have to pay for the renewal fee---if the GC expires before the infopass, they are going to tell you to renew the GC and pay the fee).

[Vox 0]

Thank you all!
Just to clarify: are you saying that I should also be submitting I-90 form while I have n-400 being processed, to be able to travel? Is there any kind of temporary permit I can apply for?

[Going through 5,671]

If you get the stamp in your passport BEFORE your GC expires, an i-190 is not needed since the stamp allows you to travel and serves as proof of your status for up to a year.

There is no charge for the stamp, and you would not need to pay the fee to have your GC renewed.

 

If your GC expires, and you never bothered to get the stamp in your passport beforehand, you would need to file the i-190 (and pay the fee) should you wish to travel outside of the States.

 

This is why I am, again, stressing to get the stamp in your passport BEFORE your GC expires, unless you don't mind paying the additional several hundred dollars on top of what you've already paid for the N400 application, if you wish to travel outside of the country while your application is pending/your GC is set to expire.  

Edited March 12, 2018 by Going through

[Dashinka 24,514]

1 hour ago, Going through said:

If you get the stamp in your passport BEFORE your GC expires, an i-190 is not needed since the stamp allows you to travel and serves as proof of your status for up to a year.

There is no charge for the stamp, and you would not need to pay the fee to have your GC renewed.

 

If your GC expires, and you never bothered to get the stamp in your passport beforehand, you would need to file the i-190 (and pay the fee) should you wish to travel outside of the States.

 

This is why I am, again, stressing to get the stamp in your passport BEFORE your GC expires, unless you don't mind paying the additional several hundred dollars on top of what you've already paid for the N400 application, if you wish to travel outside of the country while your application is pending/your GC is set to expire.  

Will they give someone the stamp for a 10 yr GC without a renewal in process?  I know there is an N400 active, but will this suffice to get a temporary stamp.

[Going through 5,671]

4 hours ago, Bill & Katya said:

Will they give someone the stamp for a 10 yr GC without a renewal in process?  I know there is an N400 active, but will this suffice to get a temporary stamp.

Yes, if you have proof of travel where your GC would expire in the midst of it, or your GC is set to expire and you want proof of status while the N400 is pending (in case something comes up and you all of a sudden need to travel).

 

When I got my stamp, it was the second reason...I didn't want any further issues if all of a sudden I had to fly back to Canada for some reason...my GC expired a month before I filed my N400 application.

 

[Vox 0]

Great, thanks! A lots if useful info  

[Vox 0]

Hi All,

 

I am still awaiting for my N-400 application to complete. My GC expires on June 12 2019.

 

How early can I go and try to get the stamp in my password?

 

Should I bother submitting the I-90 application at this point?

 

Thanks!