Traveling outside US with pending I-751

[tony777 3]

We filed my wife's I-751 in September 2021 and she got a 2-year extension of her Green Card until November 2023. Next year we plan to spend five months in Latin America from February to July, so there is a high likelihood that the permanent GC won't arrive until we leave on the trip. We will have someone take care of our mail and have the online case tracker.

 

My questions:

 

1. If an interview is scheduled while we are away, how risky is it to ask to reschedule? Can you make a specific request for the new date, e.g. that it's after our planned return date? With 4 months between our return date and extended GC expiration, is that a sufficient window to have the rescheduled interview before the expiration date?

 

2. If the new card is issued and mailed while we are traveling (without an interview), does the old card still remain valid for re-entry?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

[OldUser 6,660]

Hi @tony777

1. Very risky. Sometimes reschedule does not work, and USCIS denies the case, assuming you didn't show up. Sometimes, the case gets stuck indefinitely or for many months after rescheduling. So I would strongly advise changing travel plans and rush back to the US to attend the interview if you get called.

2. You should be able to enter with expired green card and valid original extension letter.

 

Just make sure the GC doesn't get lost or bounced back. It would be an expensive and painful accident.