Now that he's here does he need to carry around papers?

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

My Husband just came on the K3 visa and has been here 9 days. The first night he was here he asked my Mom, my Uncle and I if he needed to carry his passport with papers like we have to do in Egypt. We all had a long conversation about it in the car on the way to dinner and we didn't come to any kind of mutual consensus. Mom and I felt as USC's we're not used to carrying around identification encase we are asked for it on the street. My Uncle said that the rules have changed and if any of us are asked for identification by a police officer or official we have to present it to be able to identify ourselves but I didn't know this. I wondered if this is some new federal law or is this just in my state?

The only other reason we could think of for my Husband to carry his passport around with him is to show his visa inside encase he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and needed to show his papers for immigration so they didn't try to accidentally ship him out of the country for some reason.

We think it's a good idea he carries his ID around with papers, but we don't know for certain what the facts are on the matter, and we want him to feel safe here.

Edited April 16, 2010 by Cleocatra

[canadian_wife 1,823]

I'm not sure about the passport, but he must carry his green card (when received) around with him at all times

http://www.lawhelp.org/documents/1974518106EN.pdf?stateabbrev=/WA/

Good luck

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Thank you for that information Canadian wife. I printed it off for my Husband to read when he gets up in the morning.

[Need2know 0]

Good to know information!

[TBoneTX 45,498]

Many or most states have "failure to identify" laws, which must be adhered to. In short, if a law-enforcement officer asks you to identify yourself, you must. Sometimes, verbal identification is acceptable, but do a search for the particular laws in YOUR state.

Also, if you are anywhere within a 100-mile radius of either U.S. border, he'd better have every possible paper with him. For example, if you have applied for AOS but haven't yet received the NOA1 for it, he should carry a photocopy of the cover-letter that you sent with your AOS package. Until he gets the green card, he should carry a duplicate of your marriage certificate with him at all times.

This may seem like overkill, but take NO chances. WHY take chances?

[Mononoke28 135]

I've posted this before but when I was a permanent resident I chose not to carry my green card with me, in fact, the only two people in my family who chose to carry theirs were my sisters. My older (half) sister got her purse stolen at a large casino in Vegas and needless to say, never found it so she had to file to replace her green card. My younger sister lost hers when her purse was stolen when they broke into her car and had to go through the same thing. My husband never carries his and has memorized his A# just in case but there's no way we're going to pay $370 to replace his card if his gets lost or stolen.

Diana

[alex and astrid 38]

I've posted this before but when I was a permanent resident I chose not to carry my green card with me, in fact, the only two people in my family who chose to carry theirs were my sisters. My older (half) sister got her purse stolen at a large casino in Vegas and needless to say, never found it so she had to file to replace her green card. My younger sister lost hers when her purse was stolen when they broke into her car and had to go through the same thing. My husband never carries his and has memorized his A# just in case but there's no way we're going to pay $370 to replace his card if his gets lost or stolen.

Diana

I was just going to say, all the permanent residents I know don't carry their green cards with them - only when they are going somewhere like the DMV or Social Security or whatever and they need to prove their status. I've got my A number memorized...I don't think I'll carry mine around either.

[justashooter 430]

agreed that carrying the green card is required by law, but that it is stupid to do. the original should be locked up safe and sound, and a color copy carried in wallet to show any policeman who might ask.

[DanielParul 50]

I carry my greencard all the time in my wallet. It is easy as it is the same size as my drivers license. Just goes in a slot next to the license, military ID and Credit cards.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Thank you for the information everyone.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

I don't carry my SS card, my passport, nor my Green Card with me, never have. Those documents are in the safest place in my home, and I take 'em out when I need them, the latter ones when I travel internationally. The Green Card is the Federal document needed to reenter the US; within the US, the driver license remains the primary form of identification. In the almost 20 years I live in the US now, I have NEVER, not even once, been asked to show my Green Card to anyone, and I have traveled close to the US-Mexico border quite often.

Just last week my wife's purse was stolen from her chair at Starbucks, in my presence, while we both were having a chat. In it was "everything" including her diamond wrist watch, the first "valuable" present she ever got (don't ask).

Purses and wallets get stolen every day in the US. For the amount that VJ members had to pay for the replacement of lost and stolen Green Cards, one could build a Beverly Hills villa with swimming pool, overlooking Sunset Strip.

To all of you who carry their Green Card with them at all times: good for you! If you are tempting the Fates, don't be surprised if you'll get a wakeup call one day.

[Nik+Heather 121]

This was one of the reasons that getting Nik a drivers license was one of our top priorities when he arrived, never mind that we had read that he could drive for up to a year on his foreign license. It satisfies all ID requirements except for international travel or getting a job (And even then, just need unrestricted SS card!) If he can't drive or can't pass the driver's test, maybe just a state ID card would be good. Plus, it will look just like everyone else's which is helpful when you have to show it to store clerks when you use your credit card or something.

He's got is SSN and A# memorized too, so I think he now only carries the photocopy I made of the GC....

[TBoneTX 45,498]

Well, at the CBP highway checkpoint outside Laredo, C. gave her driver's license, and the agent said, "Are you a USC, ma'am?" I said, "LPR!" The agent then requested the green card, which we supplied, & everything was then fine. Perhaps CBP can charge people with an offense for not carrying their green card. I wouldn't want to take that chance.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

TBone,

if you live in an area of high illegal immigration and have to pass CBP checkpoints on your daily commute, and your wife looks like an immigrant . . . heck . . . of course it makes sense that she caries her GC with her!

But for the rest of us, risking a possible fine of $100 is still a much better deal as having to pay $310 for a replacement card.

[Empress of Groovy 373]

We live in AZ, and we've often encountered checkpoints driving to Bisbee and Sierra Vista, and also to California (on I-8, I believe). In most cases, we've been waved through, but sometimes they stop all cars, particularly on the secondary roads, and ask if everyone's a USC. My husband's documentation has been checked before, and it would have been a hassle if he didn't have it. They also move checkpoints all the time. I highly recommend taking your GC with you if you're traveling anywhere near the border. It can be a real headache if you don't have it and want to get where you're going. Also not much fun to be directed to secondary to explain your situation when it's 110 degrees and there are 10 people in front of you.