Can I travel - while I-751 is pending?

[j25 0]

The only people who check are airlines employees or ICTS (agency that screens passengers for security reasons) employees.

I traveled 4 times on my expired green card. The only time the employee took more than 5 seconds to realize was at Heathrow, I guess he wasn't the brightest one of the bunch. Anyways, no problem, he just checked my paperwork several times.

That might be the case in Italy.

In some other countries, you cannot leave country if you didn’t get exit stamp in passport from custom officers at the airport. They have Exit as well as Entry control.

At the time of inspecting your passport, the custom officer has the right to not let you board the plain – if you do not have valid visa for final flight destination.

[j25 0]

I haven't travelled a whole lot and so haven't had the experience of having a non english speaking person at customs. Wouldn't the person at customs for planes going to the US speak English? Or am I just being dumb?

I am in doubt that every airport has multilingual custom officers capable of reading documents from 192 countries in the world. By the way I have encountered many non-english speaking persons at foreign customs.

Moreover, for particular foreign country, I am not aware that their custom or police have to speak any other language beside their native language. I am sure that it is the same with US POE officers.

[antda 13]

Hi J25,

Yes you are legally entitled to work and travel between the USA and other countries while your I-751 case is still pending. Also those of you who are travelling while your I-751 case is pending, just bring the following documents, and you should be ok (note: I have travelled to Canada and back to the USA on several occasions with these documents too):

-Valid Foreign Passport

-Expired 2yr Green card

-NOA 1yr extension letter

-Approval letter (if you have it already and haven't received the actual card yet but have been approved already)

-Other travel documentation (driver's licenses, personal identification, etc.)

-Optional, but recommended: I-551 Stamp in Foreign Passport (though I didn't have such when I travelled)

Depending on the border guards/customs officials, it can be a good experience crossing international borders, or it can be a bad experience. So "be prepared for anything" and remember to tell the truth when asked any questions.

Sorry to those of you who have had bad expierences travelling while the case is pending, and hopefully next time your travels will go a lot smoother. It is too bad that despite having the proper legal paperwork, that you have to go through this harassment and trouble for such. We all don't deserve this treatment, especially more so that we have done things the legally by filing the I-751!

Hope this helps. Good luck on your travels while you are still waiting. Good luck do everyone on their immigration journeys too.

Ant (Still waiting for card 9 months+, Still waiting for baby 9 months...)

I got I-751 receipt notice stating, "your conditional status is extended for one year. During one year you are authorized employment and travel"

Do I have to carry receipt notice along with passport on trip out of US?

Edited May 20, 2009 by AntandD

[j25 0]

I haven't travelled a whole lot and so haven't had the experience of having a non english speaking person at customs. Wouldn't the person at customs for planes going to the US speak English? Or am I just being dumb?

I am in doubt that every airport has multilingual custom officers capable of reading documents from 192 countries in the world. By the way I have encountered many non-english speaking persons at foreign customs.

Moreover, for particular foreign country, It is hard to see custom officer using any other language beside their native language. They might know German, French... I am sure that it is the same with US POE officers.

[Killer_Clown_2009 0]

Well the solution is pretty simple. Make an appointment at the local office and ask for a stamp. If they woun't give you a stamp, then pick your travel locations with care.

[kimone2004 2]

My husband has received the NOA1 a few months agao and we went to the local office on Tues and still got a stamp. He had a family emergency and needed to travel. We showed them the transfer letter to CSC from VSC dated Mar. 16, 2009 and he advised them he needed to travel. They looked at something in the computer and gave him the stamp and told him he was "good for one year." We were in and out in 10 min. This was in Charlotte NC, by the way.

[Italian_in_NYC 259]

The only people who check are airlines employees or ICTS (agency that screens passengers for security reasons) employees.

I traveled 4 times on my expired green card. The only time the employee took more than 5 seconds to realize was at Heathrow, I guess he wasn't the brightest one of the bunch. Anyways, no problem, he just checked my paperwork several times.

That might be the case in Italy.

In some other countries, you cannot leave country if you didn’t get exit stamp in passport from custom officers at the airport. They have Exit as well as Entry control.

At the time of inspecting your passport, the custom officer has the right to not let you board the plain – if you do not have valid visa for final flight destination.

You're confused.

There's immigration and customs in exit in Italy as well.

They check your passport, make sure you didn't overstay (if you're not an EU citizen) and that you're good to leave the country.

Immigration in exit is all over the world (just the US and the UK don't have that among places I traveled to).

However, they do not check your status in the US, it's none of their business and they couldn't care less.

They're not responsible for your trip back if you're denied entry in the US. The airlines are and they do check when you check-in or board.

It has nothing to do with foreign immigration authorities.

Only in Canada when traveling by air you will clear US customs there, mainly because flights from Canada land at domestic terminals in US airports.

[bettyblue 1]

It's not paranoia when one has had unnecessary difficulties in the past.

I have certainly had the misfortune of dealing with people in power who were not as informed as what they should have been. All we are expressing is a concern.

And perhaps if you have nothing to add, then you should add nothing?

I'll add whatever I feel like. People in power know these documents exist and if they don't then you tell them and stand your ground. My wife has left her country many times with this document and yes they gave her a hard time but you know what? She gives them a hard time back and she has no problems, of course she's not paranoid about the immigration process because she knows we are in the right.

I'm so sick of people like Alex posting unhelpful, smug #######. If you have nothing useful to say, keep your mouth shut. We have all paid a lot of money for really bad service. I've been dealing with USCIS since 2004 and I'm fed up with it. I'm sick of the harrassment, run around, bad attitudes, money, and paperwork. Fortunately my husband has already applied for naturalization- not that he WANTS to be a US citizen but because it stops all the ####### with USCIS. Oh and Italian In NYC- SHUT UP YOU SMUG GIT!!!!!! I'm so sick of reading your stupid posts as well. People on this forum have real concerns- real issues- real thoughts and I'm sure they don't want to read the stupid boring smug ####### you idiots post. What they want is support, help, and logic. So ####### off if you are incapable of posting helpful things.

[Italian_in_NYC 259]

I'm so sick of people like Alex posting unhelpful, smug #######. If you have nothing useful to say, keep your mouth shut. We have all paid a lot of money for really bad service. I've been dealing with USCIS since 2004 and I'm fed up with it. I'm sick of the harrassment, run around, bad attitudes, money, and paperwork. Fortunately my husband has already applied for naturalization- not that he WANTS to be a US citizen but because it stops all the ####### with USCIS. Oh and Italian In NYC- SHUT UP YOU SMUG GIT!!!!!! I'm so sick of reading your stupid posts as well. People on this forum have real concerns- real issues- real thoughts and I'm sure they don't want to read the stupid boring smug ####### you idiots post. What they want is support, help, and logic. So ####### off if you are incapable of posting helpful things.

Unhelpful?

I'd like to help you, really, but I'm afraid it'd be an impossible task.

I bet it's always people like you that have problems with the immigration process. Bad attitude+paranoia= bad mix

Good luck!

[Italian_in_NYC 259]

To the OP:

I traveled 4 times on my expired GC + extension letter.

I boarded my flight to the US from:

- Dubai

- Milan

- Moscow

- London

Ironically, the only hassle (minor anyways) I had was in London with a very English-speaking employee.

You have nothing to fear, you have a document issued by the US immigration authority which says that your status is extended for 1 year and travel is allowed.

When you clear customs and immigration in exit all they check is your passport and boarding pass.

It will be the airline that checks your status in the US. They're all familiar with the extension letter and they all speak English.

Edited May 21, 2009 by Italian_in_NYC

[jasminelily 1]

The only people who check are airlines employees or ICTS (agency that screens passengers for security reasons) employees.

I traveled 4 times on my expired green card. The only time the employee took more than 5 seconds to realize was at Heathrow, I guess he wasn't the brightest one of the bunch. Anyways, no problem, he just checked my paperwork several times.

That might be the case in Italy.

In some other countries, you cannot leave country if you didn’t get exit stamp in passport from custom officers at the airport. They have Exit as well as Entry control.

At the time of inspecting your passport, the custom officer has the right to not let you board the plain – if you do not have valid visa for final flight destination.

I'm not taking any side on this topic. I just want to say that I know the fact and have experienced, if you're citizen of China and US LPR, you have to show Chinese Customs that your US LPR status is still valid and with that you can enter US legally, otherwise the Chinese Customs do have the right to not let you leave until they clarify or you bring documents to clarify with them. They said that if the person is a citizen of China, it is totally Chinese business. Basically it's more of political reason, Chinese government wants to make sure their citizens don't just go to take assylum status anywhere in the world so they have to take control the exit of China, which is also totally Chinese business, not only US or any other countries business. Now if a foreign citizen (Non-US/Chinese) entered China legally, conduct legal business in China and wants to leave from China to US to continue on with his/her own journey (doesn't matter if the person can enter US legally or not), then Chinese government doesn't care at all because that person is not a citizen of China. By the way, if you are wondering what if that person is holding dual Chinese and some other country's citizenship, sorry, China doesn't allow dual citizenship, so either you're a Chinese citizen or you're not, there's no in between, totally solved the problem if the Chinese government has the right to hold you in China or not. Again, I'm not taking any side, just stating facts.

[Nick jason 1]

Just wanted to share a update for all who are wondering. My wife is a Indian citizen, she has a expired green card and is awaiting her 10 year green card. They have given her form i-797 which allows for work and travel while she awaits her new green card. We are travelling to mexico in October 2017. For all whom are in the same situation, you do need a Mexican visa. Travelling with a expired GC and form i-797 will not be enough to enter mexico. The visa process is simple, some states require a appointment and others don't. Be sure to look at the general and tourist visa requirements. In addition to what is listed, if he/she is applying as your dependent you will need original and copy of marriage cert. As well as a copy of your American passport/ID. Still remember to bring your expired GC and i-797 on your trip as you will need it to re-enter the United States. 

I Have heard and read stories where the visa is not needed, and even speaking to USCIS they said we were fine without it. However, that doesn't mean the customs official in Mexico will feel the same way. It only cost us $36.00...small price to pay and easy process. Hope this helps!