Travel documents required?

[Luke and Deanna 0]

Hi everyone and Merry Christmas,

So it's that wonderful time to start Visa applications again after 2 years of peace. I will be submitting my request to remove conditions on my permanent residency based on marriage to a U.S. Citizen. My question is my card expires on February 11th and I am flying out to visit my family on the 14th of February for 2 weeks. What will I need in order to get back into the U.S. without any problems as my card will then be expired.

Thanks,

Luke

[fairandfoul 7]

Hi everyone and Merry Christmas,

So it's that wonderful time to start Visa applications again after 2 years of peace. I will be submitting my request to remove conditions on my permanent residency based on marriage to a U.S. Citizen. My question is my card expires on February 11th and I am flying out to visit my family on the 14th of February for 2 weeks. What will I need in order to get back into the U.S. without any problems as my card will then be expired.

Thanks,

Luke

You will need these 3 documents for peace of mind. Together, they should be more than enough BOTH as you board your return flight to the United States from a foreign port AND at the United States border as you re-enter through immigrations at the United States port of entry airport:

1) Passport with ample validity (say at least 6 months before expiration), goes without saying!

2) Expired Green Card (the conditional one)

3) ORIGINAL Extension Letter of the expired Green Card issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) and typically referred to in these forums as NOA (1)

NOTE:

1) The Extension Letter typically arrives within 2 weeks after sending in your packet. DO NOT LEAVE THE COUNTRY UNTIL YOU HAVE IT IN YOUR POSSESSION

2) Take the original Extension Letter with you and avoid the temptation of travelling only with a copy

3) For your trip, it might help a bit more if you use a United States based airline or any major global airline that flies regular routes into the United States. Such airlines are lkely to be better trained with your entry documents and treat you as a bonafide United States resident with no restrictions

I have entered the United States at least 5 times with the 3 documents above from various foreign ports and arrived at various border crossings and have never had any problems. Neither should you.

For reference, I have used British Airways, Lufthansa, American Airlines, LAN Chile and TAM.

Good luck!

[mr and mrs 187]

visa

no more visas at this point. we're in green card country now.

edit: typo

Edited December 25, 2011 by mr and mrs

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

The passport needs only be valid for the time of your absence from the United States. If you return on a Monday, it can expire at Midnight entering Tuesday. Thereafter you never will need another Aussie passport in your lifetime again, as far as Uncle Sam is concerned.

[Luke and Deanna 0]

The passport needs only be valid for the time of your absence from the United States. If you return on a Monday, it can expire at Midnight entering Tuesday. Thereafter you never will need another Aussie passport in your lifetime again, as far as Uncle Sam is concerned.

Can anyone confirm this? My passport expires in August of 2012 and I fly back end of February.

Also, i'm a little confused on this section of the I-751.

Affidavits sworn to or affirmed by at least two people who have known both of you since your conditional residence was granted and have personal knowledge of your marriage and relationship. (Such persons may be required to testify before an immigration officer as to the information contained in the affidavit.) The original affidavit must be submitted and also contain the following information regarding the person making the affidavit: his or her full name and address; date and place of birth; relationship to you or your spouse, if any; and full information and complete details explaining how the person acquired his or her knowledge. Affidavits must be supported by other types of evidence listed above.

Thanks,

Luke

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Yes, you are legally entitled to live in the US and your passport needs to be valid for your entry to the US and it can expire any time after your entry. You will be fine.

Affidavits are a type of evidence that is suggested to show the validity of your marriage. If you have sufficient other documentary evidence - especially financial showing a co-mingling of liabilities and assets - you probably don't need to provide affidavits. If you are weak on evidence, then family or friends who know your marriage and can attest that you are legitimately married for the right reasons and not just to obtain US residency, can help reinforce your evidence. They are basically letters providing their identifying information and signed by them (may or may not be notarized) stating the circumstances about how they know you and their opinion on the marriage.

Edited December 26, 2011 by Kathryn41