I would like to thank you for documenting your experience here and updating this post! It has been incredibly useful for me. There is so much conflicting information out there. I wanted to thank you (if you are still here), and share my upcoming experience with the same issue for others on the same boat.
Background: My husband was brought to the US at the age of 5, with a visa, from Venezuela. He later became a DACA recipient. We decided to speed up our marriage plans due to Trump getting elected. He is now a legal resident.
Like your wife, he is unable to renew his Venezuelan passport in the US given that he is missing his "cedula" from Venezuela, which must be issued in that country, not in any embassy or consulate abroad, at the age of 9. Since he never got this, and of course, cannot risk going to Venezuela given the current political climate, we thought we would have to wait the 3 years for him to become a US citizen and then get a US passport.
With the help of a friend, we heard of using a re-entry permit as a valid travel document. We have confirmed with lawyers that this may be used in place of a passport. We have applied for it and have been using IATA to verify the aviation and immigration validity of it all. We are also traveling to Costa Rica, where my in-laws now live.
Current Status: We mailed the I-131 on Thursday, 01/04/2018, and it was delivered on Saturday 01/06/2018. Expecting receipt notification anytime soon.
Our Next Steps: Contact the Costa Rican consulate and ask about any additional documentation or preparation needed for our trip in addition to the Re-Entry Permit and Green Card.
I will post an update for the following items:
Total I-131 timeline
Costa Rica Consulate Experience (in Chicago)
Booking Flight + Calling airline to add special note re: permit
does Costa rica require a passport for entry or re entry permit ok?
in Working & Traveling During US Immigration
Posted
Original Poster,
I would like to thank you for documenting your experience here and updating this post! It has been incredibly useful for me. There is so much conflicting information out there. I wanted to thank you (if you are still here), and share my upcoming experience with the same issue for others on the same boat.
Background: My husband was brought to the US at the age of 5, with a visa, from Venezuela. He later became a DACA recipient. We decided to speed up our marriage plans due to Trump getting elected. He is now a legal resident.
Like your wife, he is unable to renew his Venezuelan passport in the US given that he is missing his "cedula" from Venezuela, which must be issued in that country, not in any embassy or consulate abroad, at the age of 9. Since he never got this, and of course, cannot risk going to Venezuela given the current political climate, we thought we would have to wait the 3 years for him to become a US citizen and then get a US passport.
With the help of a friend, we heard of using a re-entry permit as a valid travel document. We have confirmed with lawyers that this may be used in place of a passport. We have applied for it and have been using IATA to verify the aviation and immigration validity of it all. We are also traveling to Costa Rica, where my in-laws now live.
Current Status: We mailed the I-131 on Thursday, 01/04/2018, and it was delivered on Saturday 01/06/2018. Expecting receipt notification anytime soon.
Our Next Steps: Contact the Costa Rican consulate and ask about any additional documentation or preparation needed for our trip in addition to the Re-Entry Permit and Green Card.
I will post an update for the following items:
Thank you once again OP
I am very grateful.