Travelling Internationally with Green Card

[gbmarisela 0]

Hi everybody,

I am currently in the process of becoming a citizen, after living in the US for 10+ years. I am originally from Chile. My husband, a US citizen, and I will be traveling to Colombia soon. Unfortunately, I have just realized that my Chilean passport is expired, and I would have to travel to San Francisco to renovate it, plus it would take 15 days or more to receive it. We are traveling in a month.

I have my naturalization interview on May 26, and I am hoping that I will get to do the oath ceremony the same day, so I can expedite my American passport in order to travel, but who knows...

Because I am still a Chilean citizen, and I have my identity card from there, I can enter Colombia without a passport, just my Chilean ID and a form that I fill out at the airport. Now, my issue is coming back to the US. I have been reading online and from what I gather, I can enter the US with just my green card. This is where I found this information: https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1191/~/traveling-outside-of-the-u.s.---documents-needed-for-lawful-permanent-residents

It reads: "Lawful Permanent Residents of the U.S. must present a Permanent Resident Card ("Green Card", INS Form I-551), a Reentry Permit (if gone for more than 1 year), or a Returning Resident Visa (if gone for 2 years or more) to reenter the United States. U.S. LPRs do not need a passport to enter the United States as per (8 CFR 211.1(a)), however, they may need a passport to enter another country. Please contact the embassy of the foreign country you will be traveling to for their requirements."

Has anybody had any experiences with entering the country with just a Green Card? Is this possible?

Thank you so much! We already have the plane tickets and this is worrying me a lot.

Marisela

[Boiler 43,419]

Getting on a plane would be the tricky bit.

Renew your passport.

[PeachesMagee 62]

While I don't have my GC yet, my Mom has been in Florida for nearly 3 years.

She has visited me in Canada for the holidays, and travelled on cruises, returning to the US with only her GC.

She's had no issues, at least as far as I know.

I think you'll be just fine.

Have a safe trip!!

[gbmarisela 0]

While I don't have my GC yet, my Mom has been in Florida for nearly 3 years.

She has visited me in Canada for the holidays, and travelled on cruises, returning to the US with only her GC.

She's had no issues, at least as far as I know.

I think you'll be just fine.

Have a safe trip!!

Thanks for sharing this info with me! Do you know what documents she usually shows during check-in?

We have two separate flights:

- First flight is Seattle to LAX with Alaska Airlines.

- Second flight is LAX to Bogota with Aeromexico.

Would I have trouble getting in the second plane if I print a boarding pass online to have with me when we arrive in LAX? Since we're not going through security at LAX because we are taking the next flight directly after the one from Seattle, and we're only bringing carry on (again, no time to get out and re-check our bags). Would this be an issue? Should I be just fine showing my Chilean ID or US ID when I get on the plane to Bogota?

Thanks guys.

[PeachesMagee 62]

Thanks for sharing this info with me! Do you know what documents she usually shows during check-in?

We have two separate flights:

- First flight is Seattle to LAX with Alaska Airlines.

- Second flight is LAX to Bogota with Aeromexico.

Would I have trouble getting in the second plane if I print a boarding pass online to have with me when we arrive in LAX? Since we're not going through security at LAX because we are taking the next flight directly after the one from Seattle, and we're only bringing carry on (again, no time to get out and re-check our bags). Would this be an issue? Should I be just fine showing my Chilean ID or US ID when I get on the plane to Bogota?

Thanks guys.

Glad to help!

Well, the way I would understand it, is that you can travel unrestricted within the US, using your GC, since you don't have a US Passport.

So, US airline to US destination, your GC should be just fine.

To get on the Chilean flight, if your Chilean ID would allow you to get on the flight, and you don't need your Chilean Passport, I would think you'd be fine.

You might want to double-check with the airline though.

When my Mom travelled, she left Canada on a US direct flight, and only had to show her GC here.

Once in the US (as far as I know) she only showed her GC for her connecting flights.

When in doubt, I would check with the airlines. They're the ones who have the final say, and should know what documents you need to board their aircraft.

Have a great trip!

(I hope this helps a little)

[Hypnos 6,576]

As you say, federal law only requires LPRs to show their green cards for re-entry to the US. Certainly CBP can (and often do) ask LPRs for a foreign passport, but not having one, or having one and refusing to show it, cannot be the basis of denying you entry.

As Boiler stated, the issue may be your airline, some of which may insist upon a passport per their own policies. You should contact the relevant airlines and ask them directly if they will let you board with only a green card.

Also, federal law requires US citizens to both exit and enter the US on US passports. If by the time you travel you are a US citizen, you would require a US passport.

You can usually obtain a US passport the same day if you make an appointment at a passport agency and bring proof of travel plans.

https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/services/expedited.html

Edited May 16, 2016 by Hypnos

[slee0000 13]

Hi everybody,

I am currently in the process of becoming a citizen, after living in the US for 10+ years. I am originally from Chile. My husband, a US citizen, and I will be traveling to Colombia soon. Unfortunately, I have just realized that my Chilean passport is expired, and I would have to travel to San Francisco to renovate it, plus it would take 15 days or more to receive it. We are traveling in a month.

I have my naturalization interview on May 26, and I am hoping that I will get to do the oath ceremony the same day, so I can expedite my American passport in order to travel, but who knows...

Because I am still a Chilean citizen, and I have my identity card from there, I can enter Colombia without a passport, just my Chilean ID and a form that I fill out at the airport. Now, my issue is coming back to the US. I have been reading online and from what I gather, I can enter the US with just my green card. This is where I found this information: https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1191/~/traveling-outside-of-the-u.s.---documents-needed-for-lawful-permanent-residents

It reads: "Lawful Permanent Residents of the U.S. must present a Permanent Resident Card ("Green Card", INS Form I-551), a Reentry Permit (if gone for more than 1 year), or a Returning Resident Visa (if gone for 2 years or more) to reenter the United States. U.S. LPRs do not need a passport to enter the United States as per (8 CFR 211.1(a)), however, they may need a passport to enter another country. Please contact the embassy of the foreign country you will be traveling to for their requirements."

Has anybody had any experiences with entering the country with just a Green Card? Is this possible?

Thank you so much! We already have the plane tickets and this is worrying me a lot.

Marisela

Hi Marisela!

I don't have any answers for you but I just wanted to say Hi from a fellow Chilean going through the same thing!

I wish you all the luck