Oath Ceremony and valid/ expired green cards

[ChasUno 101]

I have my Oath Ceremony tomorrow, and in the letter it asks that I bring:

 

"All Permanent Resident Cards ("green card") that you have, valid or expired. Along with employment authorization cards, valid or expired."

 

I have all these cards - my expired 2 year conditional green card, my expired employment authorization card (that is also the I-512 Advanced Parole), and my current 10 year green card - and I will be bringing them to the ceremony with me.

 

Do we get to keep these cards as souvenirs, or do we have to give them back to the USCIS?

 

 

  

[OldUser 6,969]

3 minutes ago, ChasUno said:

I have my Oath Ceremony tomorrow, and in the letter it asks that I bring:

 

"All Permanent Resident Cards ("green card") that you have, valid or expired. Along with employment authorization cards, valid or expired."

 

I have all these cards - my expired 2 year conditional green card, my expired employment authorization card (that is also the I-512 Advanced Parole), and my current 10 year green card - and I will be bringing them to the ceremony with me.

 

Do we get to keep these cards as souvenirs, or do we have to give them back to the USCIS?

 

 

  

Bring all of them and ask whether you could keep them.

[Dashinka 24,634]

When my wife had her Oath Ceremony, USCIS was keeping the cards (she brought her EAD only as her expired 2yr GC was already taken when she got her ADIT stamp).  I don't think they will let you keep them, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

Good Luck and Congratulations!

 

 

[Bob in Boston 753]

In May of this year in Boston We brought 10 yr and exp 2 yr and EAD. They kept the 10 year green card and gave back the other 2. You may be able to keep the expired cards.

[Wuozopo 4,293]

On 11/7/2022 at 1:45 PM, ChasUno said:

I have my Oath Ceremony tomorrow, and in the letter it asks that I bring:

 

"All Permanent Resident Cards ("green card") that you have, valid or expired. Along with employment authorization cards, valid or expired."

 

I have all these cards - my expired 2 year conditional green card, my expired employment authorization card (that is also the I-512 Advanced Parole), and my current 10 year green card - and I will be bringing them to the ceremony with me.

 

Do we get to keep these cards as souvenirs, or do we have to give them back to the USCIS?

 

And what was your experience  with your cards today?

[ChasUno 101]

On 11/8/2022 at 3:05 PM, Wuozopo said:

And what was your experience  with your cards today?

 

Sorry for the delay in responding, it's been a whirlwind since the ceremony.

 

When I got to USCIS and handed my Oath Letter in at the desk leading to the ceremony hall, the supervisor asked me for green card. I replied "just the current green card or do you need the expired conditional green card and work permit cards too?", to which she replied "your green card and any other expired cards you have on you". I asked if I could keep them as souvenirs, and she said sorry, but no. So I had to hand all of them back. I guess I could have kept quiet about the conditional green card and work permit card, and could probably have kept hold of them. But as I brought them to her attention, I couldn't really hold them back and had to return them.

 

I did take photos of them before I went to the ceremony, so I still have those as a reminder of my journey from immigrant green card holder to citizen!      

Edited November 18, 2022 by ChasUno

[OldUser 6,969]

@ChasUno thank you for the update. Congratulations with becoming a US citizen!