Local travel in US

[Mnytblu 0]

TIA and apologies if this has been asked before. My aunt just arrived in the US under an ir1 visa a week ago. Can she travel by plane to another state this month with only her Philippine passport? Are they not going to ask for another ID? Her SS card just arrived BTW. Thanks so much!

[OldUser 9,388]

2 minutes ago, Mnytblu said:

TIA and apologies if this has been asked before. My aunt just arrived in the US under an ir1 visa a week ago. Can she travel by plane to another state this month with only her Philippine passport? Are they not going to ask for another ID? Her SS card just arrived BTW. Thanks so much!

Yes she can, as long as her passport is valid.

 

The passport also contains immigrant visa which proves her status as LPR for 1 year.

 

 

Of course, given higher scrutiny nowadays, she may be pulled aside to prove her legal status or explain where she's going etc.

 

Are you travelling together? If not, this can raise a bit of suspicion.

Edited Friday at 07:49 PM by OldUser

[Mnytblu 0]

19 minutes ago, OldUser said:

Yes she can, as long as her passport is valid.

 

The passport also contains immigrant visa which proves her status as LPR for 1 year.

 

 

Of course, given higher scrutiny nowadays, she may be pulled aside to prove her legal status or explain where she's going etc.

 

Are you travelling together? If not, this can raise a bit of suspicion.

Will it help if she travels with her husband who is an American citizen?  I didn’t think it would potentially be not smooth flowing if she traveled alone. Thanks!

[OldUser 9,388]

7 minutes ago, Mnytblu said:

Will it help if she travels with her husband who is an American citizen?  I didn’t think it would potentially be not smooth flowing if she traveled alone. Thanks!

Yes, it would be easier to travel with US citizen husband. If officials ask who she's travelling with, she can say with my husband.

 

Travelling alone only a week after landing in the US may raise suspicion of some officers, e.g. how come she came to the US to unite with husband and only a week later going somewhere on her own.

 

Some folks commit such immigration fraud, e.g. once foreign spouse enters the US, they go separate ways and divorce. This is why she may get flagged, as a very fresh LPR.

 

Or she maybe totally fine travelling alone. It's hard to predict, but more scrutiny is in place for sure.

Edited Friday at 08:17 PM by OldUser

[carmel34 3,719]

15 hours ago, Mnytblu said:

Will it help if she travels with her husband who is an American citizen?  I didn’t think it would potentially be not smooth flowing if she traveled alone. Thanks!

There has been greater scrutiny in the last five months, so traveling together is a good idea, even for domestic flights.  My husband (Brazilian, and a US citizen since 2023) and I (US citizen since birth) were returning from a trip to Brazil in February, sailed through immigration in Atlanta (we went to the officer together), and when we were exiting the baggage area, a CBP officer asked my husband if he was traveling alone.  I heard the question and replied, "we are together;" he saw me and let us through with no further questions.  If my husband had been alone, the officer would have likely questioned him, searched his luggage, etc.  

[Mnytblu 0]

2 hours ago, carmel34 said:

There has been greater scrutiny in the last five months, so traveling together is a good idea, even for domestic flights.  My husband (Brazilian, and a US citizen since 2023) and I (US citizen since birth) were returning from a trip to Brazil in February, sailed through immigration in Atlanta (we went to the officer together), and when we were exiting the baggage area, a CBP officer asked my husband if he was traveling alone.  I heard the question and replied, "we are together;" he saw me and let us through with no further questions.  If my husband had been alone, the officer would have likely questioned him, searched his luggage, etc.  

Her hubby can’t vacation for more than a week. So they were planning to go together but he will fly home earlier and she will fly alone going back to their home state after 3 weeks. 

[sarahjourney 6]

That should be fine, especially since she’ll have already traveled once with her husband. Just make sure she keeps her passport and any documents like her SS card or a copy of her visa handy in case anyone asks. TSA usually only checks ID for domestic flights, but it's always good to be prepared for questions, especially as a new arrival.