Carrying GC once received

[PeachesMagee 62]

Good day everyone!

Happy Memorial Day to you all.

I understand that we're to carry our GC with us all the time.

Until we receive our GC, our passport (with stamp) acts as our GC.

Since we're to carry it all the time, are we supposed to always carry our passports with us?

My passport is my most important form of ID, and is very costly to replace if lost or stolen.

This does concern me a little bit.

Thank you

~ mtplace

[Transborderwife 4,666]

Yes. You should always carry it with you. Likely less costly to replace than your gc

Edited May 30, 2016 by Transborderwife

[mallafri76 1,012]

I carried copies of the passport and immigrant stamp with me. Now when I have my proper green card, I carry a copy of that with me. The original is stored in a secure place. It's much cheaper to pay any potential fine for not carrying the original than to pay the fee to replace the green card if it's lost.

[Pitaya 2,576]

Here is the official USCIS statement on Green Card possession:

A Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) is issued to all permanent residents as proof that they are authorized to live and work in the United States. If you are a permanent resident age 18 or older, you are required to have a valid Green Card in your possession at all times.

REF: https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/after-green-card-granted

Here is a more pragmatic point of view:

If you decide to carry a copy of your green card instead of the original because you want to keep the original safe, you will be violating the law. Will you actually be stopped by immigration, prosecuted and fined or jailed for not having your original green card with you? It's unlikely. Like any other government agency, immigration authorities have limited resources and cannot spend precious government time and money on prosecuting people for not carrying their green card “at all times.”

But there have been cases where LPRs are detained or arrested during workplace enforcement actions for not having their green card on them. So to be on the safe side, and obey the law, you should actually carry your green card with you everywhere you go. And it probably goes without saying that if you will be traveling internationally, you should take your original green card with you to board a plane or boat back to the U.S. and to reenter the U.S. as an LPR.

REF: http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/do-i-really-need-carry-green-card-me.html

[PeachesMagee 62]

Thank you all for your replies.

I think I will heed your advice(s), and will carry my passport with me until my GC arrives.

Thank you!

[TBoneTX 43,058]

Three posts have been removed for advocating the skirting or breaking of the law. This thread is now closed to further comment and is not to be restarted.

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