Arrival at the Border

[TNJ17 1,329]

I would wait for the physical greencard in the mail before leaving the country and not stay longer than 6 months. You’re free to come and go but the truth is the only people who are guaranteed entry are US citizens so maybe plan several shorter trips instead of one long one.

Edited July 16, 2018 by TNJ17

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

7 minutes ago, TNJ17 said:

I would wait for the physical greencard in the mail before leaving the country and not stay longer than 6 months. You’re free to come and go but the truth is the only people who are guaranteed entry are US citizens so maybe plan several shorter trips instead of one long one.

I don’t normally disagree with you but this is unnecessarily cautious for a one-time >6 month absence . Speaking from experience, ours and others. 

[KiwiinMaine 51]

16 hours ago, ...Jay... said:

Good afternoon Everyone, 

 

I hope you are all well, i have a question i'm hoping somebody may be able to offer some guidance on. 

 

to give some background to the question.. 

 

i'm Jay (the beneficiary) and a british citizen from birth

 

my Wife is Christina and a US Citizen from birth. We filed our application on London as we currently live in the UK (Christina has a 30 Month Resident permit) 

 

We are currently going through our Visa process ( with my Visa Medical in 2 weeks time) July 2018, we are hoping that our Final Visa interview will follow this medical but be before the start of October 2018. 

 

We currently have a holiday planned for the end of October where we travel to America for a family wedding and then on to Jamaica for 10 Days before returning back to the UK. 

 

If my Visa is approved before we travel for our holiday it should be recognised at the border as we enter America (October 2018) and be converted to a Green card for my permanent residents status. we are trying to confirm if returning to England after our holiday will cause any issues with my Visa Status as we are hoping to return to sell our house/ cars and close our bank accounts etc etc as well as wait for our final 'one way' journey to America which should be around April 2019 (we are hoping to travel on a cruise ship rather than fly as we will be taking our Dog with us and felt this would be a less stressful method of travelling rather than putting him in a crate in the hold of an airplane. 

 

Ive read through the US Customs and Border protection website and this seems to suggest that a permanent lawful resident can leave and re-enter the united states as they wish as long as they are not outside of the united states for a period of more than one year. 

 

Can anybody force any issues that we may face with our current plan of action? 

 

Thanks in advance. 

 

Jay, Christina and Ollie Dog. 

In regards to your dog flying. It’s actually surprisingly not as scary as expected. Our dog and cat just flew from Auckland, NZ to NYC. A 28 hour journey, with a comfort stop in Honolulu and they did amazing! I was a complete stress pot and didn’t sleep until they had arrived at my in laws, but it all was worth it. Unless Ollie is a brachycephalic (snubbed nose) then flying is a great option. However, a cruise with your much loved pet would be fun! You’ll make the right decision for your family, I just wanted to share my very recent personal experience 😊

 

Good luck!

[Nitas_man 3,100]

10 hours ago, Teemo said:

Yes but OP is talking about an immigrant visa, no? I understand the issue being discussed. At issue is whether he could lose permanent residency. But the comment I replied to said "I did this with a green card - you should not do this with a visa." I was pointing out than an immigrant visa and a green card are effectively the same thing for the purposes of this discussion. 

My comment was related to the travel doc entered into the airline system and absent a green card it is the visa number.  Otherwise we are clearly aware of the 1-yr validity of the stamp on entry.

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

3 hours ago, Nitas_man said:

My comment was related to the travel doc entered into the airline system and absent a green card it is the visa number.  Otherwise we are clearly aware of the 1-yr validity of the stamp on entry.

Not sure if I’m misunderstanding what you’re saying, but you get your alien number/green card number on your immigrant visa. You don’t need the physical card to know the number. So when you return with a stamped immigrant visa that is now a temporary I551, you don’t enter your expired visa number as a visa on APIS, you enter your green card number as a traveler with a green card. I did this and it worked fine. (I think you may need to add a zero in front or something.)

Again this could be confusing for airline or cruise staff unfamiliar with it, so getting whoever receives the physical green card to courier it to them to use to return would be easier all round. 

Edited July 16, 2018 by SusieQQQ

[Nitas_man 3,100]

On ‎7‎/‎16‎/‎2018 at 10:32 AM, SusieQQQ said:

Not sure if I’m misunderstanding what you’re saying, but you get your alien number/green card number on your immigrant visa. You don’t need the physical card to know the number. So when you return with a stamped immigrant visa that is now a temporary I551, you don’t enter your expired visa number as a visa on APIS, you enter your green card number as a traveler with a green card. I did this and it worked fine. (I think you may need to add a zero in front or something.)

Again this could be confusing for airline or cruise staff unfamiliar with it, so getting whoever receives the physical green card to courier it to them to use to return would be easier all round. 

 

There are two numbers on the back of the green card - the card number and the USCIS number (A-Number).  Turn the card over and take a look.  It's tricky but it's there.

 

I could never find any relationship between the card number and the visa number.

Edited July 17, 2018 by Nitas_man

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

3 hours ago, Nitas_man said:

 

There are two numbers on the back of the green card - the card number and the USCIS number (A-Number).  Turn the card over and take a look.  It's tricky but it's there.

 

I could never find any relationship between the card number and the visa number.

I’ve travelled many times on my green card, always entered my A number (which is on the front of the GC as you know) as my green card number on APIS, including once when using my ex-visa temporary green card, and never once had any kind of question or issue.

[Dee elle 1,368]

1 hour ago, SusieQQQ said:

I’ve travelled many times on my green card, always entered my A number (which is on the front of the GC as you know) as my green card number on APIS, including once when using my ex-visa temporary green card, and never once had any kind of question or issue.

I am finding significant confusion at check in and online entering for APIS with international travel.. when asked for the Green Card number I  have found that they may want the A number, with a 0 in front,  or the IOE number ... or the actual plastic card number ( back side upper left corner).. There seems to be no consistency at all.. I found this link which talks about the Green Card number being the string of 3 letters and 10 digits on the back of the card... for me its IOE  xxxxxxxxxxxxx, which is different ot our common thought of using the A number. 

 

 I am about to drop into my friendly CBP office at DFW and ask !!

Edited July 18, 2018 by Dee elle

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

35 minutes ago, Dee elle said:

I am finding significant confusion at check in and online entering for APIS with international travel.. when asked for the Green Card number I  have found that they may want the A number, with a 0 in front,  or the IOE number ... or the actual plastic card number ( back side upper left corner).. There seems to be no consistency at all.. I found this link which talks about the Green Card number being the string of 3 letters and 10 digits on the back of the card... for me its IOE  xxxxxxxxxxxxx, which is different ot our common thought of using the A number. 

 

 I am about to drop into my friendly CBP office at DFW and ask !!

Do give feedback... like I say I’ve only ever used my A number and never had an issue, with either airline personnel or CBP. I did see someone else at one stage post something about the number on the back technically being the green card number but as I had already by that stage used my A number a few times and never had an issue, and the number on the back just being more painful to type out  I kept using my A number. I always check in online so it’s always what I enter on APIS online. I’m about to go on another trip with the same entered in APIS so I’ll come back and let the thread know if it’s still ok or suddenly a problem! I’ve used a variety of both airlines and POEs btw (at least 4 of each).

[Dee elle 1,368]

Just now, SusieQQQ said:

Do give feedback... like I say I’ve only ever used my A number and never had an issue, with either airline personnel or CBP. I did see someone else at one stage post something about the number on the back technically being the green card number but as I had already by that stage used my A number a few times and never had an issue, and the number on the back just being more painful to type out  I kept using my A number. I always check in online so it’s always what I enter on APIS online. I’m about to go on another trip with the same entered in APIS so I’ll come back and let the thread know if it’s still ok or suddenly a problem! I’ve used a variety of both airlines and POEs btw (at least 4 of each).

Will do.. the most recent was AA to Europe.. American airlines has changed their pre flight passemger information registration page, and none of the possibilities  A number, card number etc fitted into the box.. end result of course was not being able to check in online ... which was a real nuisance. 

 

Coming back out of Zurich again with AA, the check in staff had the same confusion trying to get my details into the system..  

 

Watch this space. 

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

9 minutes ago, Dee elle said:

Will do.. the most recent was AA to Europe.. American airlines has changed their pre flight passemger information registration page, and none of the possibilities  A number, card number etc fitted into the box.. end result of course was not being able to check in online ... which was a real nuisance. 

 

Coming back out of Zurich again with AA, the check in staff had the same confusion trying to get my details into the system..  

 

Watch this space. 

I mostly fly BA internationally but have used it on other airlines too. Haven’t flown AA since I got my green card so no experience with them in this regard.

[Dee elle 1,368]

2 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

I mostly fly BA internationally but have used it on other airlines too. Haven’t flown AA since I got my green card so no experience with them in this regard.

Our main airline is Qantas. They don’t  have a space for GC details so it’s a moot point with them.. I just hand over the GC along with my passport on flights back to the US . BA has been fine 

[Dee elle 1,368]

Reporting back after my conversation with a pleasant informative CBP Officer at DFW

For APIS use the A number with as many zeros at the front as needed to give it 9 digits

He acknowledged the industry confusion with the Green Card number, so that made me feel i little better !! 

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

4 hours ago, Dee elle said:

Reporting back after my conversation with a pleasant informative CBP Officer at DFW

For APIS use the A number with as many zeros at the front as needed to give it 9 digits

He acknowledged the industry confusion with the Green Card number, so that made me feel i little better !! 

Thanks for that

also means OP should be good to go using A number with his temp I551. 

[Nitas_man 3,100]

On ‎7‎/‎17‎/‎2018 at 9:41 PM, Dee elle said:

I am finding significant confusion at check in and online entering for APIS with international travel.. when asked for the Green Card number I  have found that they may want the A number, with a 0 in front,  or the IOE number ... or the actual plastic card number ( back side upper left corner).. There seems to be no consistency at all.. I found this link which talks about the Green Card number being the string of 3 letters and 10 digits on the back of the card... for me its IOE  xxxxxxxxxxxxx, which is different ot our common thought of using the A number. 

 

 I am about to drop into my friendly CBP office at DFW and ask !!

That's the number I'm talking about.