When is 10 year green card taken away during citizenship process

[Ksenia_O 696]

Problem from nothing, honestly... 

 

It's all about proper planning and decision /choices you make. Nobody kept your wife here as a hostage - she could have traveled as an LPR. Not a biggie, really.  But she didn't .

So, why can't you, guys, wait a few more weeks/months now, to be done with the process and THEN - travel?... 

 

I'm eligible to apply for citizenship since June of 2018. But I didn't  -  since I had an international trip planned, in Aug._Sept of 2018.

 

N-400 could've been submitted right after my arrival in Sept, but again - we learnt I'd have to travel internationally  in April 2019 .

We checked the N-400 processing time with our local USCIS office  (6-8 months, sometimes 3, but nothing is guaranteed with immigration) and made a decision to wait it out and apply after I come back in May, 2019, to avoid any missed appointments, or being without any Travel document once my green card gets turned in and so on... Easy. 

 

Besides, as others have already mentioned, a green card by itself is not a Travel document .  It works only along with a Travel document, which is a Passport. Green card + a Passport. No way around.

Try to get boarded with a green card but without Passport - it's not going to happen.

 

About Certificate....A new born US citizen  baby gets Certificate of Birth right away, usually. But it doesn't mean the baby can travel internationally. Got to get a Passport first.

 

 

 

Edited March 4, 2019 by Ksenia_O

[Leo7777 243]

Thanks to everyone for their comments and suggestions.

Leo

[Ontarkie 14,223]

On 3/3/2019 at 1:59 PM, Leo7777 said:

Sure . . . it's easy to see your thinking from the USCIS wording:

 

"You will no longer need your Permanent Resident Card because you will receive your Certificate of Naturalization after you take the Oath of Allegiance."

 

That is to say 'no longer needed' actually means 'you still need it.'

 

On 3/3/2019 at 3:31 PM, Leo7777 said:

I am sure that everyone knows that there is a simple change of rules/law that would completely eliminate this problem of not being able to travel between giving up 10 year green card and receiving US passport.

 

Quite simple:  Hand in 10 year Green Card when you are given USA passport.  In this manner, you always have something to travel on.

 

Yes, yes . . . I know the law has been quoted that says US citizens must depart and enter USA on USA passport.  And that you become USA citizen when you are handed the Certificate of Naturalization.

 

That's why my first sentence uses the word 'change.'

Ok going to try to answer both these posts in a way that maybe will help you. 

 

The Green card is proof you are allowed to live and work in the US. The Green Card is not a travel document, to enter another country you still need to board a plane have a passport and/or visa to that country. The Green card has nothing to do with this travel. To enter the US since that passport no longer has a visa allowing entry you need the Green card. 

 

Now Certificate of Naturalization comes in. You can't travel on it because it is not a passport just like you cannot travel with just your birth certificate. Both are just proof of USC nothing more. If you a USC wants to travel you need a passport. Why would a USC with a Certificate of Naturalization be allowed to travel without a passport? They're not just like your birth certificate it is only proof of citizenship. 

 

Now why can't you keep the 10yr GC after your oath but before passport arrival. It's simple, one is no longer CG holder but a USC and like all USC one must have a passport or card or enhanced DL. 

 

 

 

 

 

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