Carrying GC

[strumfulina 4]

I have news for you guys! I just received my GC today and on the letter that came along with the card it says very clearly that you do not need to carry the card with you in America!!

I was just thinking about that today...i still didn't decided...but probably i'll keep it with me till i'll get my driving licence and after that, i'll keep it home.

[amyandjorge 76]

thanks Strumfulina, unfortunately as soon as my husband realized what was in the envelope everything but the card was in shreds on the floor...

[nylonmac 10]

I have news for you guys! I just received my GC today and on the letter that came along with the card it says very clearly that you do not need to carry the card with you in America!!

I was just thinking about that today...i still didn't decided...but probably i'll keep it with me till i'll get my driving licence and after that, i'll keep it home.

Really? Because mine had a letter saying that it is a legal requirement to carry it with you and even came with a little RF inhibiting sleeve to slip it in when it's in your wallet. (received 2 weeks ago)

[Iyawo Ijebu 157]

While I was still a GC holder (now naturalized), I imported some Austin Mini Cooper parts from the UK. Customs placed some sort of hold on it and I had to go to the Long Beach office to get some sort of form. This was not a border crossing, right smack in downtown Long Beach Califronia.

So while I was there the Officer at the desk (armed and in uniform) asked me about my nationality. I answered Nigerian but with a Green card, he asked to see my card. I told him I did not have it as I keep it secured in my home safe.

Basically, two agents appeared behind me like magic and basically told me to consider myself detained until they can verify my status.

30 minutes later I got my release form for my parts and a stern reminder to always carry my GC on me as requried by law.

So there you go. I always carried mine since that day.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/M-618.pdf

(Page 18 on the PDF page counter; Page 8 of the document)

Your Rights and Responsibilities

What you do now as a permanent resident can affect

your ability to become a U.S. citizen later. The process of

becoming a U.S. citizen is called “naturalization.”

As a permanent resident, you have the right to:

• Live and work permanently anywhere in the U.S.

• Apply to become a U.S. citizen once you are eligible.

• Request visas for your husband or wife and unmarried

children to live in the U.S.

• Get Social Security, Supplemental Security Income,

and Medicare benefits, if you are eligible.

• Own property in the U.S.

• Apply for a driver’s license in your state or territory.

• Leave and return to the U.S. under certain conditions.

• Attend public school and college.

• Join certain branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.

• Purchase or own a firearm, as long as there are no state

or local restrictions saying you can’t.

As a permanent resident, it is your responsibility to:

• Obey all federal, state, and local laws.

• Pay federal, state, and local income taxes.

• Register with the Selective Service (U.S. Armed

Forces), if you are a male between ages 18 and 26.

See page 11 for instructions.

• Maintain your immigration status.

• Carry proof of your permanent resident status at all

times.

• Change your address online or provide it in writing

to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

within 10 days of each time you move. See page 12

for instructions.

[Messybrownhair 251]

I keep mine at home unless I travel out of state

[Stuart and Thea 95]

My new GC that I just got a couple of weeks ago said I had to carry it with me at all times, I even carry it to walk the dogs. My twelve year old son's said the same thing, I mostly carry his right now, but am really worried about him having to carry it with him when school starts up. I would hope that giving him a copy would be okayed, if not exactly the letter of the law. Any thoughts?? I just know he'll lose it.

[M&Pooh 12]

My new GC that I just got a couple of weeks ago said I had to carry it with me at all times, I even carry it to walk the dogs. My twelve year old son's said the same thing, I mostly carry his right now, but am really worried about him having to carry it with him when school starts up. I would hope that giving him a copy would be okayed, if not exactly the letter of the law. Any thoughts?? I just know he'll lose it.

Practically, it highly depends on where you live. If you are far away from any borders, I wouldn't be worrying too much about carrying GC all the time...

[VanessaTony 3,567]

My wife and daughter carry theirs all the time. We have copies in the safe, but they carry the originals. If they lose them, so be it, we pay the piper.

Don't know what would have happened if they hadn't had the originals when we were in New Mexico a few months ago and hit a check point. Gee sir, we were scared of losing them and the originals are back in Georgia. Don't think that would have cut it.

Of course, I know many people on this forum do exactly the opposite.

I'm sorry but that's a ridiculous example. As one of "many people" who don't carry the card every day, I DO carry it when travelling more than an hour from home (and the hour is only because I live in the sticks and the nearest big town is an hour away and that's where I work)... as most of the other "many people" do. So in your example "many people" would have had their GC because they were leaving their state and far from home.

**Edit - All that said, it IS breaking the law not to carry it. See here (emphasis added): http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=d0a33a4107083210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=d0a33a4107083210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD

"Section 264 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) states, "Every alien in the United States . . . shall be issued a certificate of alien registration or an alien registration receipt card in such form and manner and at such time as shall be prescribed under regulations . . ." It also says, "Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him . . .. Any alien who fails to comply with [these provisions] shall be guilty of a misdemeanor..." The specific requirements and procedures for applying to renew an expiring green card are contained in the Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] at 8 CFR section 264.5."

Edited June 24, 2012 by Vanessa&Tony