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Entering US on extension letter

By cazzers in Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion

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cazzers Proficient

cazzers   83

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Romania
 Timeline
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I just sent my ROC package and we want to travel to Romania in Sept or Oct this year. I assume I will not have my GC before then so if we go to Europe in autumn, will I be able to enter US with my extension letter? Will they give me any hard time at the airport?

I'm the Beneficiary
N400 April 2017 fillers: https://goo.gl/cp2Uxz
Support group for Romanian-American couples--> https://www.facebook.com/groups/520291304693940/
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Cheezees Mentor

Cheezees   1,514

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Trinidad and Tobago
 Timeline
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I just sent my ROC package and we want to travel to Romania in Sept or Oct this year. I assume I will not have my GC before then so if we go to Europe in autumn, will I be able to enter US with my extension letter? Yes. Will they give me any hard time at the airport? Most likely not. Go to your local office and get an I-551 stamp on your passport. Some airport personnel are not too versed on the extension letter's purpose and validity. Good luck! :)

 

 

AOS

03/24/11 - Got married in the Boogie-Down Bronx, NYC!
04/21/11 - Mailed I-130,I-765, I-485, I-864 and I-693 - Day 00

04/23/11 - Application delivered - Day 02
04/28/11 - NOA (most forms) - Day 07
05/03/11 - Checks cashed - Day 12
05/31/11 - Biometrics completed in the Bronx, NYC - Day 40
06/24/11 - Received someone else's employment authorization card!!! What the...? - Day 64
07/01/11 - Mailed the poor lady's card back after calling USCIS - Day 71
07/07/11 - Received poor lady's interview notice! What??? - Day 77
07/15/11 - Received my own EAD card - Day 85
08/12/11 - Interview. Approved on the spot! - Day 113
08/18/11 - Received card in the mail - Day 119

ROC
05/28/13 - Mailed I-751 - Day 00

05/30/13 - Application delivered - Day 02

05/31/13 - NOA I-797 - Day 03
06/04/13 - Check cashed - Day 07

06/06/13 - NOA delivered to my home/Biometrics letter generated - Day 09

06/10/13 - Received Biometrics letter in the mail - Day 13

06/27/13 - Biometrics completed in Milwaukee, WI - Day 30

09/10/13 - Application approved! - Day 105

09/14/13 - 10 year Green Card received! - Day 109

Citizenship

05/10/16 - Mailed N-400 - Day 00

05/12/16 - Application delivered - Day 02

05/13/16 - Credit card payment accepted - Day 03

05/17/16 - Received text & email update - Day 07

05/20/16 - Received 1st NOA (dated 05/13/16) & created ELIS acct - Day 10

05/21/16 - Received 2nd NOA (dated 05/16/16) confirming my DOB and address - Day 11

05/22/06 - Biometrics scheduled (online update) and appt letter was mailed on 05/20/16 - Day 12

05/24/06 - Biometrics letter became viewable online (appt scheduled for 06/07/16) - Day 14

05/27/16 - Received Biometrics letter in mail - Day 17

05/31/16 - Was denied walk-in fingerprints with just 1 person left in line. Milwaukee office, boo! - Day 21

06/07/16 - Biometrics completed in Milwaukee, WI - Day 28

12/21/16 - Passed Citizenship test/Interview was successful! - Day 197

01/26/17 - I am a US citizen!!! - Day 233

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cazzers Proficient

cazzers   83

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Romania
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I just sent my ROC package and we want to travel to Romania in Sept or Oct this year. I assume I will not have my GC before then so if we go to Europe in autumn, will I be able to enter US with my extension letter? Yes. Will they give me any hard time at the airport? Most likely not. Go to your local office and get an I-551 stamp on your passport. Some airport personnel are not too versed on the extension letter's purpose and validity. Good luck! :)

Thank you! do you happen to know if I need to do an appointment or can I just do a walk-in?

I'm the Beneficiary
N400 April 2017 fillers: https://goo.gl/cp2Uxz
Support group for Romanian-American couples--> https://www.facebook.com/groups/520291304693940/
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MsDDD Contributor

MsDDD   7

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (pnd) Timeline
Posted (edited)

Thank you! do you happen to know if I need to do an appointment or can I just do a walk-in?

Don't even try, useless. If you have extension letter for 1 year USCIS will NOT give you stamp into passport, only if that letter is about to expire or expired already. I tried, they can't give you stamp and letter for extension in same time.No two extension docs in hands...even when seems they know about stupidity of some airline workers.

Go with the extension letter. All will be fine, just arrive several hours upfront your flight time to get ready for explanations to airline workers if needed.

Edited by MsDDD
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cazzers Proficient

cazzers   83

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Romania
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Posted

Thanks, good to know! :)

Don't even try, useless. If you have extension letter for 1 year USCIS will NOT give you stamp into passport, only if that letter is about to expire or expired already. I tried, they can't give you stamp and letter for extension in same time.No two extension docs in hands...even when seems they know about stupidity of some airline workers.

Go with the extension letter. All will be fine, just arrive several hours upfront your flight time to get ready for explanations to airline workers if needed.

I'm the Beneficiary
N400 April 2017 fillers: https://goo.gl/cp2Uxz
Support group for Romanian-American couples--> https://www.facebook.com/groups/520291304693940/
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3rd Collaborator

3rd   84

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: United Kingdom
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Posted

Even if they put the stamp in your passport, it's all but useless anyway. I got mine the day of my AOS approval because I was travelling to visit family and couldn't wait on the Green Card. I was told multiple times that the I-551 stamp would be fine for getting me back into the country and I'd have no issues. I deliberately waited around after my interview to get the stamp too, which was a nightmare! Left the country, came back 3 weeks later into LAX and couldn't use the machines because they wanted a GC, so we had to wait in another line to see someone. She then let my husband through but I had to go to secondary processing. The whole thing was truly an unmitigated disaster and I felt like a criminal the entire time.

That's not to say that having the stamp won't see you breeze through, but it caused all kinds of issues for me.

AOS

09/02/2015 - Enter United States @ Raleigh Durham International Airport, NC under VWP

14/02/2015 - Fly to San Francisco, CA

09/05/2015 - I-94 Expires

22/05/2015 - Civil Surgeon Medical Examination

28/05/2015 - Received Sealed Envelope

04/07/2015 - Married in Vegas

14/08/2015 - Sent I-130, I-485, I-765 & I-131 to Chicago Lockbox

21/08/2015 - Emails/Texts of Acceptance for I-130, I-485, I-765 & I-131

24/08/2015 - I-130 & I-485 Cheques Cashed

27/08/2015 - Paper NOA1 Received

14/09/2015 - Biometrics Letter Received

23/09/2015 - Biometrics Complete

17/10/2015 - EAD/AP Card Produced

21/10/2015 - EAD/AP Card Mailed

24/10/2015 - EAD/AP Card Delivered

31/10/2015 - Received SSN

06/02/2016 - Interview Notice Delivered by Post

09/03/2016 - Interview

09/03/2016 - Approved at Interview + Card Ordered

14/03/2016 - Green Card Mailed

16/03/2016 - Green Card Received

ROC

05/02/2018 - Sent I-751 to California Service Centre

07/02/2018 - I-751 Received

09/02/2018 - Extension Letter Arrived in Post

12/05/2018 - Biometrics Reused Letter

18/08/2018 - 18 Months Extension Letter

19/04/2019 - 1-751 Approved + Card Produced

Naturalisation

09/12/2018 - Sent N-400 Application Online

14/12/2018 - Received Paper NOA1

02/01/2019 - Biometrics Scheduled

06/02/2019 - Biometrics Rescheduled

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akihon Proficient

akihon   129

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Timeline
Posted

I'm not sure what there is to explain. Just give them the letter and tell them to read the part where it says it extends your GC by a year.

Adjustment of Status from H-1B, Family-Based
07/26/2012 - 10/18/2012: 85 Days from Application Received to GC Received.
Removal of Conditions
07/22/2014 - 11/14/2014: 116 Days from Application Received to GC Received.
Naturalization
02/03/2016 - 05/31/2016 : 119 Days from Application Received to Oath Ceremony.

I am a United States citizen!

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squareleg Enthusiast

squareleg   69

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Timeline
Posted

I just sent my ROC package and we want to travel to Romania in Sept or Oct this year. I assume I will not have my GC before then so if we go to Europe in autumn, will I be able to enter US with my extension letter? Will they give me any hard time at the airport?

Yes, you will be able to enter US with the extension letter. However, that doesn't mean that it will be seamless entry for every person holding that document and on every airline.

I have traveled extensively (Europe-Asia-Latin America) on the expired greencard along with extension letter. It absolutely depends on the education of the airline employee and the CBP personnel. There is no consistency. I consider, these extension letters are in place for decades (as I was informed by CBP), however, not everyone is educated to consider it as valid document. Airline or CBP then just have call for their supervisor to validate...this causes delays. I suggest, giving yourself plenty of time.

There could be worst case scenario (incident was in 1 out of 17 trips that I took) as well. One of the European airline didn't let me board because they did not understand the document. Since, I was traveling on business, I was able to get a ticket on another airline in few minutes.

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andy78 Enthusiast

andy78   178

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Timeline
Posted (edited)

I wouldn't worry about whether you will be able to enter the US or not. You will be able to enter the US with extension letter + expired card without issue. I would be more concerned about airline employees letting you go through in the airport during your return trip. If you have any issues with that, you will need to talk to a supervisor.

Edited by andy78
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cazzers Proficient

cazzers   83

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Romania
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I wouldn't worry about whether you will be able to enter the US or not. You will be able to enter the US with extension letter + expired card without issue. I would be more concerned about airline employees letting you go through in the airport during your return trip. If you have any issues with that, you will need to talk to a supervisor.

Thank you! So if there any issues and I do need to speak to a supervisor, I should get a longer layover huh? I would assume 3h should be more than enough?

I'm the Beneficiary
N400 April 2017 fillers: https://goo.gl/cp2Uxz
Support group for Romanian-American couples--> https://www.facebook.com/groups/520291304693940/
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andy78 Enthusiast

andy78   178

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Timeline
Posted (edited)

Thank you! So if there any issues and I do need to speak to a supervisor, I should get a longer layover huh? I would assume 3h should be more than enough?

From my experience, it doesn't take more than a few minutes to resolve in foreign airports. I would be comfortable with a three hour layover. I didn't ask for a supervisor, but the employees I dealt with went to their supervisors on their own to show them my passport and papers. After that, I went through without an issue.

Edited by andy78
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RiceCake Contributor

RiceCake   1

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Timeline
Posted

Just a reminder that you should take BOTH the expired green card AND the extension letter. Don't travel with only the extension letter or only the expired green card.

I just sent my ROC package and we want to travel to Romania in Sept or Oct this year. I assume I will not have my GC before then so if we go to Europe in autumn, will I be able to enter US with my extension letter? Will they give me any hard time at the airport?

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cazzers Proficient

cazzers   83

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Romania
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted

Just a reminder that you should take BOTH the expired green card AND the extension letter. Don't travel with only the extension letter or only the expired green card.

Thank you! I will make sure to have it with me.

I'm the Beneficiary
N400 April 2017 fillers: https://goo.gl/cp2Uxz
Support group for Romanian-American couples--> https://www.facebook.com/groups/520291304693940/
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