I-751: Travelling to Canada with Approval Letter...No 10yr Green Card...

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

Well, it’s been awhile since I received my “approval letter” for my I-751 on April 15^th, but I still don’t have a physical 10yr plastic green card yet (which I spent $545 on and am still waiting 9 months for the entire process to be totally completed…what a waste!).

Nevertheless, I decided not to let the USCIS ruin my travel plans this time around (especially more so that I have to travel before I’m farther along in the pregnancy, so it’s “now or never” that I travel). Thus, I decided to travel back to Canada anyways, and this is what happened when I crossed the border recently:

April 25^th (Crossed the border from the USA to Canada, Rainbow Bridge)

D: Pays the $3.25 USD for the toll bridge, waiting ½ hr or so at the bridge. Hands over travel and identification documents for people in the vehicle (D=US birth certificate and US Enhanced Driver’s License, Ant=Canadian passport, US Expired 2yr green card, US I-751 Approved letter, US Driver’s License, Other Relative=Canadian passport)

Canadian Border Guard (looking at documents): What are your citizenships?

D: I’m United States and the other two are Canadian (Ant and other relative)

Canadian Border Guard: Where are you going?

D: We’re taking them (pointing at other relative in the backseat) back home to Canada, as they were in the USA to visit my wife and I the week before in the USA.

Canadian Border Guard: How long are you going to Canada for?

D: About a week.

Canadian Border Guard: Anything to declare?

D: No.

Canadian Border Guard (looks at Ant in the passenger front seat): Did you go shopping at the duty free shop?

Ant: No we didn’t.

Canadian Border Guard: Is there anyone else in the vehicle that is Canadian?

Ant: Just me and them (other relative) in the backseat.

Canadian Border Guard: Ok. Have a good day. (hands back the documents)

April 25^th to May 2^nd

D and I spend the rest of the week in Canada, meeting family, friends, visiting scenic places, and having a good time enjoying our “Canadian vacation”. We had a great time celebrating by going out to places too, especially on our third wedding anniversary and on D’s birthday. Oh how the years have gone by, as we go back in time and remember about “where it all began here”….

May 2^nd (Crossed the border from Canada to the USA, Peace Bridge)

D: Waiting 5-10 minutes or so at the bridge. Hands over travel and identification documents for people in the vehicle (D=US birth certificate and US Enhanced Driver’s License, Ant=Canadian passport, US Expired 2yr green card, US I-751 Approved letter, US Driver’s License)

American Border Guard: What are your citizenships?

D: I’m United States and my wife (Ant) is Canadian.

American Border Guard: How long were you gone for?

D: About a week. To visit her (points at Ant) family and friends.

American Border Guard (looking at documents, especially the letter): What is this?

Ant: It’s my approval letter for the 10yr green card. There is no card yet, so this is all I have for now. And I’m still waiting for the last 9 months or so for this…grrr….

American Border Guard: I guess there have been delays for them making green cards.

Ant: (thinking: no kidding…duh….as if I didn’t know that already…believe me, if I had the card now I wouldn’t be traveling with this letter to confuse you on purpose…but do not say this out loud, as I was tired and wanted to get home as quickly as possible…)

American Border Guard: Ok you’re good to go (hands back documents, and oddly enough, doesn’t question us further about the vehicle full of personal belongings….)

Needless to say, I’m relieved about not having any problems traveling, yet again for the 4^th time during the I-751 process with an expired 2yr green card (and 3 times with NOA letter, and 1 time with Approval letter) and still with no 10yr green card. Meanwhile I still wait for the physical plastic 10yr card…and am still frustrated about this process….Oh well, at least I’m approved (no more worries about deportation, interviews, or rfes), and have the letter to prove such, so at least I can be happy about that for now!…

Hmmm…do I dare travel again to Canada for a 5^th time with no 10yr green card? (lol…who knows, maybe it won’t come to that the next time around…)

So to all who are still waiting for their 10yr green cards, don’t give up! And don’t let the USCIS mess with your vacation/travel plans while you are waiting either! Good luck on the rest of your immigration journeys too!

Ant (Finished with I-751, Still waiting for Card, Still waiting for Baby…)

[antda 13]

[/size]

P.S. By the way, I forgot the mention that my I-751/10yr green card case was "touched/LUD" by CRIS on 04/28/09, co-incidentally on the exact day of our third anniversary. Yet the status online still remains the same… "case is being processed at where it was transferred..."

"Happy Anniversary from the USCIS!"…lol…Now where is my 10yr card????

Funny too, that my AOS/2yr green card case was last touched on 04/28/07, co-incidentally on the exact day of our first anniversary….

Edited May 5, 2009 by AntandD

[Ree 9]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I am thinking about visiting Canada sometime this month, but I have only approval letter saying "you should not travel before receiving your new card", no real greencard yet.

[Ladylethal 12]

I have a trip scheduled to Brazil for August, and before I knew I could travel with my NOA + old GC but now I've been approved and am wondering if it's still safe to travel with the old GC + the approval NOA. Will I need a stamp this time?

I'm hoping they start sending out these cards soon and that it arrives before my trip, but now I'm wondering about that.

[Immigrant2009 0]

Hi Ant,

Glad to hear that your trip went well. I hope your card comes soon.

Good Luck.

[KRS 0]

Hi Ant,

Thanks for sharing your story.

I traveled to Canada back in February for a ski trip, flying in to Vancouver.

I had my extension letter and my expired green card.On the way in no cared about any of them, only my passport.

On the way out of Vancouver, they swiped my expired card and took my fingerprints (the officer did not look at the NOA letter).We were very surprised,in fact my husband demanded answers why I was being fingerprinted.The officer said it's a new procedure that anyone who is not a US citizen gets fingerprinted before entering the US.

I had not heard about such procedure, but whatever...I just thought it was odd, since I did not see anyone around me going through the same.

Edited June 6, 2009 by KRS

[berniefl33 0]

hey guys

i recieved my approval on april 27th and it said to wait 60 days for card---i did a service enquiry anyway and recieved a mail saying that my case was approved and PENDING card production in 60 days---i wonder is it possible to get the card in the mail without getting the card production email or any other notice or do you have to get some type of email or should we be checking our mailbox for the card everyday----i do know there is a 8 week delay but maybe it will come in the mail without any email notices?????

what do you think?

bernie

[keepfaith 0]

[/size]

P.S. By the way, I forgot the mention that my I-751/10yr green card case was "touched/LUD" by CRIS on 04/28/09, co-incidentally on the exact day of our third anniversary. Yet the status online still remains the same… "case is being processed at where it was transferred..."

"Happy Anniversary from the USCIS!"…lol…Now where is my 10yr card????

Funny too, that my AOS/2yr green card case was last touched on 04/28/07, co-incidentally on the exact day of our first anniversary….

pepople aroud your approval date are getting cards now and you will get it soon. i also have added you to card arrival club list.

[bilson4real 2]

Hi Everyone,

Well, it's been awhile since I received my "approval letter" for my I-751 on April 15^th, but I still don't have a physical 10yr plastic green card yet (which I spent $545 on and am still waiting 9 months for the entire process to be totally completed…what a waste!).

Nevertheless, I decided not to let the USCIS ruin my travel plans this time around (especially more so that I have to travel before I'm farther along in the pregnancy, so it's "now or never" that I travel). Thus, I decided to travel back to Canada anyways, and this is what happened when I crossed the border recently:

April 25^th (Crossed the border from the USA to Canada, Rainbow Bridge)

D: Pays the $3.25 USD for the toll bridge, waiting ½ hr or so at the bridge. Hands over travel and identification documents for people in the vehicle (D=US birth certificate and US Enhanced Driver's License, Ant=Canadian passport, US Expired 2yr green card, US I-751 Approved letter, US Driver's License, Other Relative=Canadian passport)

Canadian Border Guard (looking at documents): What are your citizenships?

D: I'm United States and the other two are Canadian (Ant and other relative)

Canadian Border Guard: Where are you going?

D: We're taking them (pointing at other relative in the backseat) back home to Canada, as they were in the USA to visit my wife and I the week before in the USA.

Canadian Border Guard: How long are you going to Canada for?

D: About a week.

Canadian Border Guard: Anything to declare?

D: No.

Canadian Border Guard (looks at Ant in the passenger front seat): Did you go shopping at the duty free shop?

Ant: No we didn't.

Canadian Border Guard: Is there anyone else in the vehicle that is Canadian?

Ant: Just me and them (other relative) in the backseat.

Canadian Border Guard: Ok. Have a good day. (hands back the documents)

April 25^th to May 2^nd

D and I spend the rest of the week in Canada, meeting family, friends, visiting scenic places, and having a good time enjoying our "Canadian vacation". We had a great time celebrating by going out to places too, especially on our third wedding anniversary and on D's birthday. Oh how the years have gone by, as we go back in time and remember about "where it all began here"….

May 2^nd (Crossed the border from Canada to the USA, Peace Bridge)

D: Waiting 5-10 minutes or so at the bridge. Hands over travel and identification documents for people in the vehicle (D=US birth certificate and US Enhanced Driver's License, Ant=Canadian passport, US Expired 2yr green card, US I-751 Approved letter, US Driver's License)

American Border Guard: What are your citizenships?

D: I'm United States and my wife (Ant) is Canadian.

American Border Guard: How long were you gone for?

D: About a week. To visit her (points at Ant) family and friends.

American Border Guard (looking at documents, especially the letter): What is this?

Ant: It's my approval letter for the 10yr green card. There is no card yet, so this is all I have for now. And I'm still waiting for the last 9 months or so for this…grrr….

American Border Guard: I guess there have been delays for them making green cards.

Ant: (thinking: no kidding…duh….as if I didn't know that already…believe me, if I had the card now I wouldn't be traveling with this letter to confuse you on purpose…but do not say this out loud, as I was tired and wanted to get home as quickly as possible…)

American Border Guard: Ok you're good to go (hands back documents, and oddly enough, doesn't question us further about the vehicle full of personal belongings….)

Needless to say, I'm relieved about not having any problems traveling, yet again for the 4^th time during the I-751 process with an expired 2yr green card (and 3 times with NOA letter, and 1 time with Approval letter) and still with no 10yr green card. Meanwhile I still wait for the physical plastic 10yr card…and am still frustrated about this process….Oh well, at least I'm approved (no more worries about deportation, interviews, or rfes), and have the letter to prove such, so at least I can be happy about that for now!…

Hmmm…do I dare travel again to Canada for a 5^th time with no 10yr green card? (lol…who knows, maybe it won't come to that the next time around…)

So to all who are still waiting for their 10yr green cards, don't give up! And don't let the USCIS mess with your vacation/travel plans while you are waiting either! Good luck on the rest of your immigration journeys too!

Ant (Finished with I-751, Still waiting for Card, Still waiting for Baby…)

Hello AntAndD,

I just got my Card today. Yours might be waiting for you in the mail box. I sincerely wish luck.