Traveling with expired green card and extension letter

[Crazy Cat 41,893]

You can think of it like a passport..........when a passport expires, you are still a citizen of the country.......but your evidence of citizenship has expired.

[Dashinka 24,514]

This may be helpful.  Reference page 10.  In your case, your extension letter is no longer valid, so you need the I551 stamp (ADIT stamp) to show your airline to get on the plane.

 

https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2017-Nov/carrier-information-guide-english.pdf

[payxibka 10,045]

Since USCIS offices are now appointment only and no longer accept walk ins,  you will have a difficult time getting the stamp 

[ana4321 0]

4 minutes ago, missileman said:

NO.......you need a stamp in your passport as evidence of your legal resident status.  

Since I don't have time for the stamp,is there anything I can get from a  U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Turkey when I return back?

[Dashinka 24,514]

5 minutes ago, ana4321 said:

Since I don't have time for the stamp,is there anything I can get from a  U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Turkey when I return back?

I would call here to see if it is possible to get an emergency I551 stamp prior to your departure.

 

If you need help with document services (such as passport stamps and advance parole) or have an emergency, call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283. 

 

 

 

You may be able to get a boarding foil at a consulate, but I do not know if they will issue you one with both an expired GC and expired extension letter.  Others may know better.

 

https://www.ustraveldocs.com/no/no-iv-boardingfoils.asp

Edited September 12, 2019 by Bill & Katya

[payxibka 10,045]

4 minutes ago, Bill & Katya said:

I would call here to see if it is possible to get an emergency I551 stamp prior to your departure.

 

If you need help with document services (such as passport stamps and advance parole) or have an emergency, call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283. 

 

 

 

You may be able to get a boarding foil at a consulate, but I do not know if they will issue you one with both an expired GC and expired extension letter.  Others may know better.

 

https://www.ustraveldocs.com/no/no-iv-boardingfoils.asp

If the extension wasn't expired then there would be no reason to get the boarding foil.

[Dashinka 24,514]

1 minute ago, payxibka said:

If the extension wasn't expired then there would be no reason to get the boarding foil.

True, and quite possibly a consulate would issue one to the OP, I just hadn't heard of it happening.  It may be another option for the OP.  If this was me, I would want peace of mind and try my best to get an I551 stamp tomorrow.  I am not sure what happens when you call the number I posted, but to me it is worth at least asking.

[Crazy Cat 41,893]

The boarding foil might work....but it might be risky...and might take weeks to get.......I would do everything in my power to get an I-551 stamp before the trip....

[payxibka 10,045]

2 minutes ago, Bill & Katya said:

True, and quite possibly a consulate would issue one to the OP, I just hadn't heard of it happening.  It may be another option for the OP.  If this was me, I would want peace of mind and try my best to get an I551 stamp tomorrow.  I am not sure what happens when you call the number I posted, but to me it is worth at least asking.

Absolutely exhaust all avenues before departure.   Also the time to get the foil issued takes longer than the OPs expected itinerary 

Edited September 12, 2019 by payxibka

[Loren Y 2,755]

As others have said, at least a week minimum to get the foil, and the cost is just over 500 dollars to get it. Just an FYI.

[Dashinka 24,514]

1 minute ago, Loren Y said:

As others have said, at least a week minimum to get the foil, and the cost is just over 500 dollars to get it. Just an FYI.

That is good to know, and I551 stamp costs $0, and since the OP is only going to be out of the US for three days, a BF may be tough.

[Loren Y 2,755]

2 hours ago, Bill & Katya said:

That is good to know, and I551 stamp costs $0, and since the OP is only going to be out of the US for three days, a BF may be tough.

I just checked because I wasn't sure. It's now 575.00.

USCIS I-131A Application for Travel Document Fee

 

 

Before you start the payment process

 

Eligibility

Anyone can pay the I-131A filing fee from anywhere in the world. Whoever pays the fee must use a credit or debit card or U.S. bank account.

 

Fee

The current filing fee is $575.00

You must submit your filing fee before going to a U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate to file your Form I-131A. You must bring evidence of payment with you when you appear in person at your nearest U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate to file Form I-131A.

Refund Policy

USCIS does not refund fees, regardless of any action we take on your application, petition, or request.

By continuing this transaction, you acknowledge that you must submit fees in the exact amount and that you are paying the fees for a government service. You further agree that the filing fee, biometric fee, and any other paid costs related to this financial transaction are final and not refundable.

Please refer to the instructions for the form(s) you are filing for additional information or you may call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283. For TTY (deaf or hard of hearing) 800-767-1833.

[WandY 430]

3 hours ago, ana4321 said:

Government agencies and employers often mistakenly believe that the expiration date on the I751 receipt notice denotes the date on which an immigrant’s legal status expires – it does not. Under federal regulations, an immigrant’s status as conditional resident is extended “until such time as the director [of USCIS] has adjudicated the petition.” 8 C.F.R. § 216.4(a). The individual remains a resident until either her petition is approved – in which case she becomes a non-conditional resident – or the petition is denied. 8 U.S.C. §§ 1186a(c)(3)(B), (c)(3)(C). So long as the I-751 remains pending, the immigrant remains in valid status.

You don't have to worry about anyone except U.S. immigration officers upon your re-entry into the U.S. Everyone knows that you don't become illegal, but it operates the same when you don't have the proper paperwork. The expired GC is bad optics for a lot of officials and the paperwork could be faked with minimal skills and some Adobe on a laptop or a trip to Kinko's. We had some trouble traveling on the expired GC and I-751, but nothing we couldn't get past. Getting a stamp at your local USCIS may be difficult, if not impossible. They told us they don't do the stamps, except in extreme cases. One of those extreme cases is expired GC and expired extension letter. We're about at the end of an I-751. If the new card doesn't arrive soon, we're going to ask for a stamp.

[agrabs 241]

Re-entry at immigration is not the problem - Without the stamp in your passport the airline can deny you boarding.  My husband was refused a boarding pass when we were coming home from vacation and he was traveling with a Valid AP/EAD combo card.  USCIS had recently started issuing the combo card at the time and the airline was not familiar with it and wanted to see a valid unexpired  green card.  If the airline thinks there is a chance you will be denied entry, they can refuse to allow you to board.  

[millefleur 5,046]

**Moved from General Immigration-Related Discussion to Working & Traveling During US Immigration; topic is travel**

Edited September 12, 2019 by millefleur