Re-Entering USA without Green Card and Expired CR-1

[Smelserjl 137]

Hi everyone,

I’m not sure if this belongs here or in General Immigration, but here goes. My husband’s POE was June 26^th with the CR-1 visa. I paid the ELIS fee on June 9^th (the day after he got his visa in hand) and we are still waiting for his green card. He wants to visit his family outside the country again in November, but the visa in his passport says it expires in November. If his green card doesn’t come by then, is he able to enter the US again with the expired visa (even though it has the stamp on it from POE in June)?

Thanks

[NikLR 13,227]

Please read the bottom of the visa.

[Smelserjl 137]

Thanks

[Dyattaw 7]

NLR,

For us still waiting for a visa that might be slightly nosey (maybe it's only me), what does the bottom of the visa say?

[aaron2020 11,651]

NLR,

For us still waiting for a visa that might be slightly nosey (maybe it's only me), what does the bottom of the visa say?

Hi,

Once a person enters the U.S. on an immigrant visa, the visa is endorsed and becomes a temporary one year I-551 green card.

OP was not aware her husband was already in possession of a green card.

[newacct 688]

I think the OP was confused by the validity of the visa. The visa is no longer valid; but an immigrant visa is a single use visa and the expiration date is irrelevant after entry anyway. The visa turns into an I-551 upon entry and that I-551 has a separate period of validity (1 year from entry) from the visa itself.

[NikLR 13,227]

Thanks

No worries. It gets missed a lot.

[Teamsami 27]

here is the thing, i believe that leaving and returning to the us is not a problem as long as your husband got the stamp of I-551 which allows the visa to work as a green card for a year, but what you should really look into if the Egyptian authority will let your husband board the plane to get back to the states without a green card or a US passport because that's all they care about they won't care about the validity of any stamps or how the whole green card stamp works, all they want to see is one of three things ( valid visa- american passport- valid green card). so don't forget about that side of the story make sure your husband can leave Egypt again, not only reenter the states.

Good luck!

[aaron2020 11,651]

here is the thing, i believe that leaving and returning to the us is not a problem as long as your husband got the stamp of I-551 which allows the visa to work as a green card for a year, but what you should really look into if the Egyptian authority will let your husband board the plane to get back to the states without a green card or a US passport because that's all they care about they won't care about the validity of any stamps or how the whole green card stamp works, all they want to see is one of three things ( valid visa- american passport- valid green card). so don't forget about that side of the story make sure your husband can leave Egypt again, not only reenter the states.

Good luck!

The I-551 is a green card. It doesn't make sense that you stated he has a green card and then be concern that the Egyptian authority would not let him on the plane for lack of a green card. How do you know that they wouldn't care about the I-551 stamp? Your post does not make sense.

[Teamsami 27]

The I-551 is a green card. It doesn't make sense that you stated he has a green card and then be concern that the Egyptian authority would not let him on the plane for lack of a green card. How do you know that they wouldn't care about the I-551 stamp? Your post does not make sense.

I already know that the stamp validates it as a green card but the 2 year official green card she is still waiting for in the mail. What I'm guessing u don't understand is the way my country works. Their word is law and I'm just advising her to be careful, they might not know about the technicalities of the stamp and only accept one of the 3 items mentioned above. I just wouldn't risk it without checking with them first.

[NikLR 13,227]

IT IS A GREEN CARD. It doesn't matter that it's not the hard copy green card. You can read it on the visa, which is why I advised the OP to do so. That way, also, her husband can point it out to anyone with questions!

[Moustafa/Crystal 65]

As we all know the visa becomes a one year green card, why would you be worried about not having the actual green card? Green cards are issued 1 to 3 months after POE if the fee is paid. Moustafa got his in about 7 weeks.

[Ryan H 3,812]

***Derailing posts removed, do not make any such posts going forward. Doing so will result in thread bans plus other action if warranted.***

~~~Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Process & Procedures to Working & Traveling During US Immigration.~~~

Edited July 19, 2015 by Ryan H