Hi, I was wondering if there is a need to bring the extension letter along with your "expired" green card (under process) where ever you go. Also do permanent residents have to bring their green card wherever? Isn't having a driver's license in your wallet enough? I've been wondering about this since becoming a permanent resident 2 years ago. Isn't it better to keep your green card at home in case you lose your wallet?

Supposed to carry GC with us at all times. I'm carrying a copy of extension letter too when my GC expires.

From USCIS website:

Permanent Resident Card
The Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551, is issued to all Permanent Residents as evidence of alien registration and their permanent status in the US. The card must be in your possession at all times. This requirement means that you are not only required to have a currently valid Form I-551 at all times, but also that you must carry your currently valid Form I-551 on your person at all times. The Permanent Resident Card currently is issued with a 10-year validity. You status as a Permanent Resident does not expire with the 10-year validity. Only the card expires. The card is only valid up to the expiration date and must be renewed before it expires.

A Conditional Permanent Resident is issued a card valid for two years. In order to remain a Permanent Resident, the Conditional Permanent Resident must file a petition to remove the condition during the 90 days before the card expires. The conditional card cannot be renewed. The condition must be removed or you lose your permanent resident status. (See Form I-751 and Form I-829.)

I guess we'll haveto carry the extension letter too! I wonder if a copy would be ok? I don't like the idea of folding the original document to fit in my wallet.

Make a copy of your NOA and carry that. As to your other questions:

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This is a matter of law, and is a misdemeanor if you are stopped and don't have it with you.

That's what I did - carry the copy of NOA + expired green card.

I have to carry my passport that DHS stamped in it

Yep, it's INA 264 (d) and (e). IMO, it's one of the more powerful arguments for getting citizenship as soon as practical.



Realistically, I know a lot of LPRs don't always have proof of status with them. I don't hear of this being enforced very often. But it could be enforced at any time.

I have seen a lot of debate on this topic, and it varys from what part of the country you live in, and whether you are a male or female LPR.

Since you are up near the bay area, you don't have to worry about the random border patrol check-points they have down in southern cali. That is where you can run into problems. Up near Niagra and other areas they also do spot checks on the trains.

So like I said, it depends where you live as to if you would ever run into a problem with the Boarder Patrol.

why u carrying your green card in your wallet ? i never carry green card with me unless i travel (international)

driver license is proof enough to show that you are legal in united states

I must admit, I don't carry my GC on me either - way too much risk of me being a complete ditz and losing it!

I carry everything with me. Still do even though I have my 10 year GC.

No it is not.

A lost or stolen wallet, have a list of all my credit card companies, call and stop payment, a new credit card is issued for free, SS card is in there, file an application for a new card, comes in free, can also get a replacement for my library card, driver's and pilots license more expensive, about 30 bucks each, have to write off to the FAA for the pilot's license, DMV is in town. Also carry medical and dental health plan cards, also free, tax resell card, but that is a copy that I signed. Have my VA card, again can get a new one free. Money? Ha, since you can use a credit card anywhere and ATM's all over the place, lucky to find a buck in there. My FCC license is also a copy, no law against that.

The green card? Four hundred bucks and up to a years wait for a replacement, seems a bit unreasonable, wife turned her back at the hospital she works at, and somebody grabbed her purse, but fortunately it was turned into her lost and found department, talk about a near heart attack. Daughter was not as fortunate, her wallet was stolen from school, damn schools, but underage was not required to carry her green card, that would have been a disaster, as it was, ten bucks for a new school ID, they have those now, plus 30 bucks for a driver's license, come to think of it, have to call the AAA for her insurance card.

Since I have a photo quality scanner and printer, made excellent copies of their cards to carry with them, just in case, locking up the real cards in my safe, course we carry the real ones for international travel, ha, actually, I carry those. Any day now, wife will have to turn in her green card for US citizenship, but if stopped, hope they buy that copy and give us a few hours to show the original, but never stopped. Just travel, interviews, her employer that made a copy, and driver's license are the only times she had to show it. But feel what the USCIS charges for this card and the amount of time it takes to replace it is very unreasonable. A question I have since you are suppose to carry your green card with you, what do you do in that long time span to get a replacement? The one year extension notice was also reduced and copied, certainly don't want to loose that either, but I carried the original with a cardboard stiffener in a zip lock bag when we traveled.

Not that I am paranoid with our strict product liability laws and lawsuits, no longer an Act of God, God was freed of this responsibility, a lot more time is used in the what if scenario portion of product design than the actual design of a new product. Have been brainwashed on this issue, so what if your wallet is lost or stolen and what are the consequence of this happening?

I gotta say too, if I was to lose the green card and apply for a replacement, that's going to be a lot more problematic than worrying about the enforcement of the 'must carry at all times rule'.

Its very difficult to enforce anyhow. If a USC has no requirements to carry any sort of ID, how will they be able to tell a USC with no ID on them from a PR with no ID. Unless its required for everyone to carry some sort of ID, I doubt they will enforce this rule very strictly.

You make some valid points, but you forget such things as racial profiling when it comes to being asked about citizenship. As to how they tell the difference, they ask if you are a US Citizen. If you answer "yes", then unless they have other resonable doubt, they let you go. That right there, is what's called a felony, if you are NOT a US Citizen, and is why they ask on the N-400 form if you ever claimed to be a US Citizen.

Whether it makes sence to carry a GC or not, can be debated. Anybody who drives a vehicle is required to carry a drivers license, so there's not much difference, in that regard. As to what the law requires, is NOT debatable. So it boils down to this... "do you feel lucky? Well do ya?"

I understand. I guess I'm lucky in that I don't live close to a border where it might be more important.

Replacing a driver's license is much easier than replacing a green card though.

If I remember correctly, it used to be that travelers in the US (ie tourists) didn't have to carry their passports with them. I wonder if that is different now.

True statement about replacing a GC.

Travelers must still have their passports, along with a valid I-94.

Hubby does not carry his GC in his wallet. He has a valid D/L. We decided we were willing to take the risk of him not carrying VS losing. The GC & extension letter (along with passports and other difficult to replace docs) are kept in a fireproof box, in the house.
We also don't live near a border.

Ha, we were issued dog tags in the military that we had to wear 24/7, USCIS could do the same to make it a bit more practical. But at the price they charge, a golden locket ID for the ladies, and 30 function waterproof wrist watch with ID for the men.

With the laws as they are here in Oklahoma, I'd rather have them on me. Between my documents and my medicine I carry with me, my purse doesn't travel far from me.

IMHO, the law is the law, whether it may be inconvenient or not.

Actually, I was reading up on the 4th amendment last night, and unless a policeman has probable cause, you can technically walk away without answering any questions or showing anything if you are not being detained.

Now, I don't think I'd want to be the person to try out this in theory, but we are supposed to be able to be secure in our persons from unreasonable searches and seizures.

I wouldn't want to test it either. This is where you get into the gray area of "probable cause".

I absolutely agree. Here in OK you better have your GC with you...they are crazy bout that stuff here.