Traveling with no extention letter and no stamp

[Therese2306 0]

Myself and my son (14yr old) green cards expired on the 17th of July this year. We applied for the conditions removal (I-751) a couple of months before the expiration, as instructed. We received the I-797 (notice of action) for myself and my son. We did not make info pass appointments to get stamps because we had the letters.

 

My son has visitation with his father 4 times a year in Ireland. This is a court order that has to be followed otherwise I can get in serious trouble for international kidnapping.

 

My son was due to travel to Ireland on Friday evening (4 days ago). On Friday we were leaving for the airport and I could not locate my son's 

 I-797 (extention letter). Due to the court order, we were advised by our attorney to send my son to Ireland  and to contact the embassy in Dublin to arrange for either a stamp in his passport or some sort of temporary travel visa to allow him back into the United States.

 

It being the weekend I had to wait until today to contact the Embassy in Dublin Ireland.

The U.S. Embassy in Dublin simply said there was nothing that they could do, all travel related issues were handled by USCIS at the airport in Dublin. Dublin is unique in that it has a full customs office and clears passengers in Dublin before entering the United States.

 

We were then advised to contact the USCIS stateside. USCIS told us over the phone that there was nothing they could do and that we should visit the USCIS field office. We visited the field office where we were informed that there was also nothing that they could do and that we should call the USCIS phone number again and ask to speak to a supervisor immediately so that our request to reissue the I-797(extention letter) could be expedited.

 

The call was returned about an hour and a half later. The person on the phone said they would not expedite the request, but submitted a reissue today and that it would take around 4 weeks.

 

My son is due to travel back to America on Saturday. I'm going to tell him to go to the airport and try. With customs/immigration officers being at the airport I'm hoping the airline will let him through. I'm also hoping because he's a minor traveling on his own that when they scan his passport they will see he had an extension letter issued and let him come home.

 

Has anyone any experience with traveling back to America with expired green card, no extention letter and no stamp?

 

[mindthegap 2,590]

Your attorney was an idiot.

 

Do you not even have a scan or photocopy of the extension letter?

 

It helps massively in this instance that DUB has pre-clearance.

Go very early as they will pull to secondary and will be able to verify status (especially with the expired card in hand), and all should be well. This may take some time though and they will not be happy!

 

 

The issue, however, is getting to pre-clearance in the first place.

Pre-clearance is after security, and you need a boarding pass to get through security. To issue the boarding pass the airline may well want to see/verify immigration documents.

Is the API in the booking? If not, add it now, and for the expiry date for the GC then just add one year to the expiry of the 2 year card.

If the API is complete then you may be able to check in online and obtain a boarding pass via this method (either for printing at the self service kiosk, via an app or home printing) which will get through security.

If not, then you will have to speak to the supervisor at the airport.

 

 

Edited September 25, 2017 by mindthegap

[Therese2306 0]

31 minutes ago, mindthegap said:

Your attorney was an idiot.

 

Do you not even have a scan or photocopy of the extension letter?

 

It helps massively in this instance that DUB has pre-clearance.

Go very early as they will pull to secondary and will be able to verify status (especially with the expired card in hand), and all should be well. This may take some time though and they will not be happy!

 

 

The issue, however, is getting to pre-clearance in the first place.

Pre-clearance is after security, and you need a boarding pass to get through security. To issue the boarding pass the airline may well want to see/verify immigration documents.

Is the API in the booking? If not, add it now, and for the expiry date for the GC then just add one year to the expiry of the 2 year card.

If the API is complete then you may be able to check in online and obtain a boarding pass via this method (either for printing at the self service kiosk, via an app or home printing) which will get through security.

If not, then you will have to speak to the supervisor at the airport.

 

 

Thanks for replying. 

I agree my attorney sucks.  I have no photo or copy of the letter. I didn't even take it out of the envelope. We moved 4 weeks ago and I think it got lost or thrown out in the move.

 

I wish I could check him in online or even at the kiosk but because he is under 18 any time we've tried check him in early a red flag goes up and it says see a ticket agent. There is documentation that need to be filled out when a minor is traveling alone. 

 

I've contacted my congressman to see if they can expedite the reissue of the extension letter but unfortunately because he is 14 he needs to sign a release form. I'm just struggling with logistics and a restricted time line to get all this done. 

 

I do appreciate your advice. I still have my fingers crossed they will be lenient on him because he's a minor.

[mindthegap 2,590]

The other option would be a transportation letter, which is designed for such circumstances, for example when someone loses their card when overseas. Normally that would be issued at the embassy - however, Dublin is done differently, and the extract below is taken from HERE

 

I’ve lost my Permanent Resident Card (green card); what do I do?

If a green card has been lost or stolen or is expired, in most other countries, the permanent resident would need to apply for either a waiver of the document or a transportation letter that will permit him/her to apply for entry into the U.S.  However, because the United States Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) has pre-flight inspection facilities in Ireland and a transportation letter can only be issued in the country of final departure to the U.S., the U.S. Embassy in Dublin does not issue transportation letters.

If a permanent resident is traveling directly back to the U.S. from either Dublin or Shannon airports, he/she may apply for admission at the USCBP pre-flight inspection facilities at the airport. If the person is transiting another country en route to the U.S., including the UK, he/she must make arrangements to apply for a transportation letter at the U.S. Embassy in that country.

 

 

 

 

Honestly, I wouldn't worry too much at this point.  There will be some delays, grumbling and a stern lecture (albeit toned down because he is a minor!) but I would wager that all will be well.

 

 

 

When he is back make an infopass appointment HERE and get an I-551 stamp, so the missing letter becomes a non-issue and no replacement will be required.

 

 

 

Edited September 25, 2017 by mindthegap

[Therese2306 0]

Thanks so much for the advice. It is a blessing and a curse to have immigration officers at Dublin Airport!!!

Edited September 25, 2017 by Therese2306

[Villanelle 4,122]

Make sure he goes to the airport extra early.