We Lied To USCIS

[citycop 2]

OK, so me & wife (Wife citizen, me GC holder) had our InfoPass appointment yesterday at local USCIS office regarding I-551 stamp. We plan to visit native country SriLanka soon & what we were told by friends back home that expired green cards are thrown at face & customs at Colombo airport won't even look at the extension letter. So we lied to USCIS saying our extension letter is lost & we need a I-551 stamp. The office just told us to return the expired green card & stamped my passport (1 year validity). We were told that we will need to get my passport stamped if we wish to go out of country after I-551 expires & also told us that we should get my 10 year GC within 6-8 more months. I am now confused by the fact that what to say to officer on our return at Newark airport if immigration folks asks for the expired GC & extension letter ? I guess we will say that we exchanged the GC & NOA1 with I-551. We will carry the copies of exired GC,NOA1 letter & the infoPass appointment token.

I seriously believe USCIS should get rid off the extension letter & replace it with something else (3 year GC may be). What's the point of having the letter when many countries do not even honor it? (Just my own thought)

[aleful 1,905]

OK, so me & wife (Wife citizen, me GC holder) had our InfoPass appointment yesterday at local USCIS office regarding I-551 stamp. We plan to visit native country SriLanka soon & what we were told by friends back home that expired green cards are thrown at face & customs at Colombo airport won't even look at the extension letter. So we lied to USCIS saying our extension letter is lost & we need a I-551 stamp. The office just told us to return the expired green card & stamped my passport (1 year validity). We were told that we will need to get my passport stamped if we wish to go out of country after I-551 expires & also told us that we should get my 10 year GC within 6-8 more months. I am now confused by the fact that what to say to officer on our return at Newark airport if immigration folks asks for the expired GC & extension letter ? I guess we will say that we exchanged the GC & NOA1 with I-551. We will carry the copies of exired GC,NOA1 letter & the infoPass appointment token.

I seriously believe USCIS should get rid off the extension letter & replace it with something else (3 year GC may be). What's the point of having the letter when many countries do not even honor it? (Just my own thought)

sorry didn't understand the last part because the GC and extension letter is only to enter the US, it is not for other countries, so who cares what other countries think because it is to enter the US and from what I have read in the forum, nobody has had any problems showing the extension letter when doing customs in the US.

[Cathi 5,610]

you are confused. the GC and letter are for you to RETURN to the US...your home country could care less. Like the poster above me, I have never heard of anyone being denied entry with the extension letter. People really need to stop listening to rumors and here-say from friends and family, and get the real facts and use common sense before lying to USCIS

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

you are confused. the GC and letter are for you to RETURN to the US...your home country could care less. Like the poster above me, I have never heard of anyone being denied entry with the extension letter. People really need to stop listening to rumors and here-say from friends and family, and get the real facts and use common sense before lying to USCIS

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

you are confused. the GC and letter are for you to RETURN to the US...your home country could care less. Like the poster above me, I have never heard of anyone being denied entry with the extension letter. People really need to stop listening to rumors and here-say from friends and family, and get the real facts and use common sense before lying to USCIS

With the exception of GROUND TRAVEL to countries that accept the Green Card as a means to ENTER (Canada and Mexico) you never use the green card except to ENTER the USA. Canada and Mexico have no problem with the extension letter and neither does any US port of entry.

You had bad information.

It is possible that someone tried to enter another country using a green card and extension letter and that was not accepted because they needed a visa, NOT because of the extension letter (or green card). So what? Permanent residents need visas whereever they needed visas before. You do not need a visa to enter your home country.

The astounding thing here is that you had an infopass appointment and instead of ASKING the Immigration Officer, who would be very informed about the situation, you assumed that USCIS issues junk documents and lied to them to get something YOU thought was better. Seriously? You think you have a better grasp of this than USCIS does or that the US government is issuing documents to its residents that are worthless?

Good grief.

Edited January 6, 2013 by Gary and Alla

[citycop 2]

Thanks for all the honest opinions, but honesty at this point wouldn't cut it for us. I am sure none will be there to help us if we get denied of boarding the flight back home so we did whatever was needed to get the job done. Our return flight is also at 3 AM local time & no supervisor from Airlines or immigrations will be assisting us. The only choice we had left is to lie & get the I-551 stamp.

I think the MOST important thing to immigration/customs back in countries like SriLanka,India,Bangladesh,Pakistan is the word EXPIRED. The moment they hear word EXPIRED, you are treated like worthless. Common sense/logic is something they lack of or do not wish to follow.

Edited January 6, 2013 by citycop

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Thanks for all the honest opinions, but honesty at this point wouldn't cut it for us. I am sure none will be there to help us if we get denied of boarding the flight back home so we did whatever was needed to get the job done. Our return flight is also at 3 AM local time & no supervisor from Airlines or immigrations will be assisting us. The only choice we had left is to lie & get the I-551 stamp.

whatever. Not sure why you posted this but it is a violation of TOS in suggest directly or indirectly that people lie or commit fraud. I will just report it and hope they remove this thread.

[AnotherLostSoul 167]

I still don't understand what Pakistan/India/Sri Lanka has to do with any type of green card that happen to say EXPIRED....I don't understand because when you exit US no one cares, when you enter into Pakistan/India/Sri Lanka they only want to see your Pakistani/Indian/Sri Lanka passport that it's valid, so that as a citizen you do not need any visa, or anything to ENTER the country, that is your homecountry. On the way back, Pakistan/India/Sri Lanka waves goodbye to you no matter if you exit with your passport, or your valid green card, or your expired green card, or your US passport etc...doesn't matter they don't care, you're leaving the country. When you land in the US that's where they want to see: Are you on visa? What visa are you on? What program are you working/studying under? How long are you staying with your B visa, or your VWP? If you are on US passport, "welcome home", if you are on a valid Green card, "welcome back, immigrant!" if you are on an expired green card, then "may I see your valid passport, and your extension letter so that I can see I can allow you back into our country as an immigrant, or you no longer qualify to enter as an immigrant and you should go back to your home country and apply for a visa". Why on Earth would Pakistan/India/Sri Lanka care about your expired green card? It is not the valid green card that allows you to enter the country....US is the one that is concerned as you're entering here...but US knows the extension letter issue otherwise they would not be issued by USCIS....so I still don't understand why you had to do this...but your call....if you feel more confident this way....I would just follow the instruction that they give me instead of trying to figure out some changes that I could do....they know what they are doing...I don't! Anyhow, at the end of the day the decision is yours....just don't be shocked if they see the stamp and still say they need the extension letter to let you back because than you suck big time for your lies....Good luck!

[citycop 2]

I still don't understand what Pakistan/India/Sri Lanka has to do with any type of green card that happen to say EXPIRED....I don't understand because when you exit US no one cares, when you enter into Pakistan/India/Sri Lanka they only want to see your Pakistani/Indian/Sri Lanka passport that it's valid, so that as a citizen you do not need any visa, or anything to ENTER the country, that is your homecountry. On the way back, Pakistan/India/Sri Lanka waves goodbye to you no matter if you exit with your passport, or your valid green card, or your expired green card, or your US passport etc...doesn't matter they don't care, you're leaving the country. When you land in the US that's where they want to see: Are you on visa? What visa are you on? What program are you working/studying under? How long are you staying with your B visa, or your VWP? If you are on US passport, "welcome home", if you are on a valid Green card, "welcome back, immigrant!" if you are on an expired green card, then "may I see your valid passport, and your extension letter so that I can see I can allow you back into our country as an immigrant, or you no longer qualify to enter as an immigrant and you should go back to your home country and apply for a visa". Why on Earth would Pakistan/India/Sri Lanka care about your expired green card? It is not the valid green card that allows you to enter the country....US is the one that is concerned as you're entering here...but US knows the extension letter issue otherwise they would not be issued by USCIS....so I still don't understand why you had to do this...but your call....if you feel more confident this way....I would just follow the instruction that they give me instead of trying to figure out some changes that I could do....they know what they are doing...I don't! Anyhow, at the end of the day the decision is yours....just don't be shocked if they see the stamp and still say they need the extension letter to let you back because than you suck big time for your lies....Good luck!

"Why on Earth would Pakistan/India/Sri Lanka care about your expired green card?"

-- Because they want to make sure Airline do NOT carry someone who eventually gets denied admission to the States. Then, the airlines have to carry the deported person back at the cost of their own expense . This is also why customs back there are too worried in the wrong way (any thing expired to them considered as a matter of objection & investigation). Neither they are aware of our immigration rules nor they are interested. I know from my words the reply will come to your mind: "Then just don't go", but I wish I could just do that. Anyway, I firmly believe I-551 is efficient to pass by their security & that's what plan to do only. Only we get back home we are in good hands.

Edited January 6, 2013 by citycop

[AnotherLostSoul 167]

Hey there: Ohhh, I was not aware of that. That makes sense...I see now. Thanks for explaining...I was really confused. By the way you're not a good mind reader... I was not thinking at all "then don't go". It is not my business why you go and why don't...you wish to go and you are afraid of this issue. I was not aware of the airline's issue, hence did not understand your concern. That's it. No second thoughts of "don't go then!" or anything like that. Well, I'll cross my fingers for you so that the stamp will be acceptable for your return. Have a safe trip!

[Jahwaree 83]

Jamaica will not let U fly out with expired GC U have to go to US embassy and get some kind of stamp or

kind of letter, the airlines do not want to pay a fine or giving the person returned a free seat

[citycop 2]

Jamaica will not let U fly out with expired GC U have to go to US embassy and get some kind of stamp or

kind of letter, the airlines do not want to pay a fine or giving the person returned a free seat

There we go... SriLanka, Bangladesh,India,Pakistan & now Jamaica, I am sure there are many more places who do not honor I-797.

[Thatgirl2 21]

See, extension letter is the letter that our buddy up there mentioned in some cou tries you need to have to board planes. You're dead set on what you have heard and not seen being correct. Do us a favor, when you're getting your passport stamp, ask them if an extension letter signed and stamped is a valid replacement for a green card

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

Jamaica will not let U fly out with expired GC U have to go to US embassy and get some kind of stamp or

kind of letter, the airlines do not want to pay a fine or giving the person returned a free seat

That is not true, my husband and I have flown out of Jamaica numerous times with his expired GC along with the extension letter with no problems at all. So will people stop giving unbais statements. We have never been asked for a stamp from any of the arilines, AA, JetBlue nor United. We have been with friends who have their expired GC along with the extension letter and they had no problems.

Our 1st time flying on the GC extension letter was even 3 days afyer doing the bio, and we didn't have one problem. We flew back and forth 3 times that year with the extension letter.

Edited January 6, 2013 by LIFE'SJOURNEY

[ca_babe 129]

USCIS will stamp your passport if you had told them that some airlines require the stamp instead of just the extension letter. You didn't have to lie. By the way, my friend was in Canada for almost a month because he didn't have a stamp in his passport. He had to wait for the US Embassy in Canada to get some information from US Embassy in Philippines so I can totally understand why you would want a stamp instead of just a letter.

Edited January 6, 2013 by ca_babe