Trouble traveling with extension letter - Aeroflot

[tom&tanya 48]

Well, my stepdaughter was almost denied boarding a flight from Moscow to New York this morning. The supervisor would not allowe her to board because "He was 100% sure the extension letter was not acceptable, she needed a I-551 stamp in her passport" After a heated conversation in which I informed him that I would make him personally responsible for the consequences if she was not allowed on the plane, he let her board. Word to the wise: don't think these foreign airline employees have any knowledge of our immigration paperwork!

[Navyk 78]

Sure some don't have any idea. Well done in your case.

[Sveta & Ron 23]

last friday morning in kiev they were not going let sveta on plane and she has her ead/ap card then a supervisor clocked in about hour before flight and said everything is good then in amsterdam same thing glad I was there as I was about to get loud and when the rep told me we see what can do I replied MY WIFE WILL BE ON THIS FLIGHT and they get get training. btw once got to houston poe less then 20 minutes we were waiting for our ride home

Edited May 31, 2013 by Sveta & Ron

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Well, my stepdaughter was almost denied boarding a flight from Moscow to New York this morning. The supervisor would not allowe her to board because "He was 100% sure the extension letter was not acceptable, she needed a I-551 stamp in her passport" After a heated conversation in which I informed him that I would make him personally responsible for the consequences if she was not allowed on the plane, he let her board. Word to the wise: don't think these foreign airline employees have any knowledge of our immigration paperwork!

Good for you Tom!

Incidentally your tact in "making him personally responsible" seems one that is particularly effective in the FSU. I cannot count the times I used nearly those exact words to get a clerk who was "100% sure..." to question his own...sure-ness.

Your experience is a good reminder to everyone. You are going to deal with a lot of ignorant people in this process. Many of them go into a complete tailspin when you do not check "yes" to the question "Are you a US citizen".

If you are not aware of the law(s), regulations and rules, your family members are going to be denied benefits at every turn. You cannot carry a lawyer in your pocket and few lawyers, even immigration lawyers, know what you need to know.

Every time you do anything...get an SS number, open a bank account, go to the DMV, travel internationally, enroll in school, you need to be aware of the applicable laws and you need to carry printed evidence that you are in compliance so you can, literally, train the people you encounter.

Protect your family, KNOW the law, KNOW the rules and bring with you proof that you are correct and DO NOT leave until your family gets what they deserve. I can promise you that this is one of the most important things you can do for your family and your FSU spouse absolutely relies on you to do this.

Something else we need to consider is that this country has imposed severe penalties on common carriers (airlines for example) for bringing people to the USA that do not have proper papers to enter. They have shoved off their responsibility onto people who have no knowledge of our laws. The results are predictable. In some areas of the world, the Pacific Rim area in particular, people are denied boarding with extensions letters all the time. If the airline delivers someone to the Passport line thatis not properly authorized, it is not so easy as saying "take them back"...the airline is slapped with a HUGE fine.

Our politicians do nothing to punish employers of illegal aliens (which would actually eliminate the problem) but instead try to "strengthen the border" by imposing fines on airlines that make mistakes. They know how economic penalties work to get compliance...but get a brain fart when it comes to the thought of economically punishing the employer.

Thanks Tom, and congratulations!

[J&N* 68]

Wow! How horrific! I am going to visit my family in Egypt with my husband and our 9 months old son. We are flying through Germany on the way home to the US. I really hope this doesn't happen to me, I couldn't imagine my husband and baby boarding without me, I'd die. I already got denied at the DMV with only the extension letter. Really the immigration system is FLAWED. They should give stamps automatically when you go for your biometrics appointment.

[Christi85 86]

The good news is that most people are still able to fly back to the US without any problems using the extension letter, but incidents like that make you wonder.

My 2 year conditional GC expires in a few days, and I'll be traveling home to Greece in August and coming back in September with the expired card and the extension letter. Will be flying back through Germany too.

I truly hope that nothing like that happens to me (or anyone else for that matter). I've tried going to the TSA website to see if I could find the rule saying that travel is allowed if you have the extension letter in hand, so that I could print it out and present it to anyone who might try to give me hassle, but I haven't been able to find anything

Does anyone know if US Embassies are more willing to provide passport stamps, just in case? I know the US Embassy in Athens isn't very busy, so you can pretty much call one day and make an appointment for a day or two later, so I was wondering if I should try to obtain a passport stamp from them while in Greece, just in case.

I know it isn't that easy anymore to obtain it through USCIS and they keep insisting you use your extension letter and you will be fine with just that

[Dave&Roza 748]

The good news is that most people are still able to fly back to the US without any problems using the extension letter, but incidents like that make you wonder.

My 2 year conditional GC expires in a few days, and I'll be traveling home to Greece in August and coming back in September with the expired card and the extension letter. Will be flying back through Germany too.

I truly hope that nothing like that happens to me (or anyone else for that matter). I've tried going to the TSA website to see if I could find the rule saying that travel is allowed if you have the extension letter in hand, so that I could print it out and present it to anyone who might try to give me hassle, but I haven't been able to find anything

Does anyone know if US Embassies are more willing to provide passport stamps, just in case? I know the US Embassy in Athens isn't very busy, so you can pretty much call one day and make an appointment for a day or two later, so I was wondering if I should try to obtain a passport stamp from them while in Greece, just in case.

I know it isn't that easy anymore to obtain it through USCIS and they keep insisting you use your extension letter and you will be fine with just that

I checked the airline's website for our trip in August and they specifically state that an expired GC with the original extension letter is fine--the airline is KLM. SInce it is the airline you will be travelling with that will or will not allow you to travel, I would go to their website or contact them directly. TSA does not get involved in international travel nor does CBP when you are still outside the US. You really need to find out from your airline as that is who you will be dealing with.

Good luck,

Dave

[Christi85 86]

I checked the airline's website for our trip in August and they specifically state that an expired GC with the original extension letter is fine--the airline is KLM. SInce it is the airline you will be travelling with that will or will not allow you to travel, I would go to their website or contact them directly. TSA does not get involved in international travel nor does CBP when you are still outside the US. You really need to find out from your airline as that is who you will be dealing with.

Good luck,

Dave

Thanks, I will look into it. I'm flying back to the US with Lufthansa.

[rov 7]

I found the information from CBP.gov where it clearly says that they should let you board a plane to the US with the expired green card and the extension letter.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/75/kw/travel%20with%20expired%20green%20card

Please be aware that if yourtravel plans include air travel, many airlines will not board passengers with an expired green card - unless they have a Notice of Action (Form I-797) verifying that they have applied to replace it - in addition to the expired card, and - depending on where you are going, an unexpired passport.

[Christi85 86]

I found the information from CBP.gov where it clearly says that they should let you board a plane to the US with the expired green card and the extension letter.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/75/kw/travel%20with%20expired%20green%20card

Please be aware that if yourtravel plans include air travel, many airlines will not board passengers with an expired green card - unless they have a Notice of Action (Form I-797) verifying that they have applied to replace it - in addition to the expired card, and - depending on where you are going, an unexpired passport.

Perfect, many thanks!