EllisAndRenz

Her Philippine passport, her (expired) green card and the I-797 extension letter showing it's validity.  Korean immigration refused to recognize the letter as valid.

Her Philippine passport, her (expired) green card and the I-797 extension letter showing it's validity.  Korean immigration refused to recognize the letter as valid.

My answers to the questions:
 
Q: Were one or both of your parents a U.S. citizen when you were born?
A: No

Q: How old are you?
A: over 18

Q: Are you a member of the U.S. armed forces?
A: No

Q: Are you a lawful permanent resident?
A: Yes

Q: When did you become a lawful permanent resident?
A: Between April 28, 2019 and April 28, 2021

Q: Are you married to a US Citizen?
A: Yes

Q: Have you been married for 3 years or longer?
A: Yes

Q: Has your spouse been a U.S. citizen for 3 years or longer?
A: Yes

Q: Have any of your trips outside of the United States been longer than 6 months?
A: No

... AND now this time it says eligible. Maybe a glitch earlier?  No idea.  

Either way I'll submit the form (and the fee $$) 

Getting her a US Passport will be so much better than what we are dealing with.  She's been amazing thru this process.  (As have all of you with the support)
 
 

She's not here on a visa anymore. She has her GC and will be able to remove conditions on her own. 
 
What I want to know is when did this warrant come to light? What crime is it said she committed? If this is a crime that happened before she received her visa, she can lose everything if it was approved on a lie. 
 
Please say you found this out by official sources and not from so and so that so and so knows kind of thing? It would not be the first time someone back home tries to destroy someone's life. 

Yeah, since you asked.  
Prior to leaving for the trip, I called the Embassy in Atlanta and they assured me we woudln't have a problem.  
 
When we got to the airport and were ready to board Asiana they called immigration in Korea.  The immigration officer there wouldn't accept the extension letter so long as the expiration date on the actual green card was expired.  So, we were denied boarding.  Asiana showed us as "abandoning the flight", so we couldn't even get a refund.  
 
(I've since contacted the embassy again about this matter, and they said the ROK immigration officer was wrong, not that it's any recourse).
 
All wasn't lost.  We spent an extra three days in Thailand and had a great time.  But, I had to buy a new ticket home.  Due to the last minute booking, it cost me an extra $2400 which wasn't expected for our trip.  Making matters worse, it was a long flight.  Bangkok - Abu Dhabi - Dublin, Ireland and then back to Florida.  (Qatar seats were REALLY uncomfortable).  Air Lingus was much better, but it's the first airline that I can recall that charges you for everything on International.  

That said: When we got to Dublin we learned that the airport doesn't have a "transit" area so we also had to clear immigration.  Wife didn't have an EU visa.  We explained it, and the immigration officer was REALLY nice.  He granted her a 24 hour Visa rather than being deported.  (So we got to see Ireland for a few hours during our 10 hour layover).  
 
All of this could have been avoided if the USA would have just issued a new card with a current expiration date.  
 
We are actually applying for her to get a tourist Visa for Korea now so she can go and visit.  (Technically she shouldn't need one, but this time not taking a chance).
 
 
 
 

Yeah, since you asked.  
Prior to leaving for the trip, I called the Embassy in Atlanta and they assured me we woudln't have a problem.  
 
When we got to the airport and were ready to board Asiana they called immigration in Korea.  The immigration officer there wouldn't accept the extension letter so long as the expiration date on the actual green card was expired.  So, we were denied boarding.  Asiana showed us as "abandoning the flight", so we couldn't even get a refund.  
 
(I've since contacted the embassy again about this matter, and they said the ROK immigration officer was wrong, not that it's any recourse).
 
All wasn't lost.  We spent an extra three days in Thailand and had a great time.  But, I had to buy a new ticket home.  Due to the last minute booking, it cost me an extra $2400 which wasn't expected for our trip.  Making matters worse, it was a long flight.  Bangkok - Abu Dhabi - Dublin, Ireland and then back to Florida.  (Qatar seats were REALLY uncomfortable).  Air Lingus was much better, but it's the first airline that I can recall that charges you for everything on International.  

That said: When we got to Dublin we learned that the airport doesn't have a "transit" area so we also had to clear immigration.  Wife didn't have an EU visa.  We explained it, and the immigration officer was REALLY nice.  He granted her a 24 hour Visa rather than being deported.  (So we got to see Ireland for a few hours during our 10 hour layover).  
 
All of this could have been avoided if the USA would have just issued a new card with a current expiration date.  
 
We are actually applying for her to get a tourist Visa for Korea now so she can go and visit.  (Technically she shouldn't need one, but this time not taking a chance).
 
 
 
 

Republic of Korea (Inchon).  They specifically said they wouldn't take the extension letter if the date on the card was expired.  The embassy subsequently told me that was incorrect, but that really doesn't help.
 
(I just made another post about that ..)
 

We are well over two years at this point.  I have to look and see when, but I fear we are going to hit the end of the extension letter.  
(That extension letter by the way is often rejected at foreign ports of entry, they should have sent us an updated card)
 
Frustrating.
 

We are well over two years at this point.  I have to look and see when, but I fear we are going to hit the end of the extension letter.  
(That extension letter by the way is often rejected at foreign ports of entry, they should have sent us an updated card)
 
Frustrating.
 

My wife and I are taking a (VERY) log overdue honeymoon starting 10/31.  Our plans were to go to Thailand and then spend three days in South Korea on the way home.   I have a USA passport and my wife has a Philippine passport and USA green card. 
Unfortunately for me, my wife told me that she didn't need a Visa to Korea.  (She claims she did, but whatever).  So I decided to check and yes, she does.  
 
Here is the issue:  The Korean embassy is in Atlanta.  Assuming I mail all the documents to them, it takes 14 days to process and then they mail back.  (USPS mail). 
I asked them if I fly to Atlanta does it help?  They said they still need 14 days and will mail it back.  
 
I'm not even sure I'd have her passport back by the time we leave, and if not, the whole trip is dead.   
 
I emailed the Korean embassy in Bangkok, but they told me that I would have to live in Thailand for 2 years before they could help us.  
 
Would you all take the chance?  If I don't get the Korean embassy, we have an issue coming home.  BUT: we at least get the Thailand portion of the trip.  
If I mail it, I *might* get it back on time?  (It's already the 11th!)
 
Wife REALLY wants to go and she's accusing me of sabotaging the Korean portion of the trip.  
Am I overthinking this?  I tend not to trust the USPS or government agencies in general with time-sensitive items.
 
(We only booked this trip two weeks ago ...)
 
Thanks in advance.  
 

Oh, just to add some clarification:
- She was right you don't need a visa to transit THROUGH Korea.  
- Then she found your a get the ETA in like a few days.  She confused that with a Visa.  
 
I for one will be thrilled whenever she gets her citizenship and I can get her on a US Passport.

Subsequent to our above conversation, I did find that on the Korean consulate page.  It's a 30-day Visa Exemption, for US, Canada, Australia and NZ.  It seems to say (paraphrased) if the passenger is destined for the USA while transiting thru Korea and holds a valid Visa or Residency to enter (the USA) they are waved from the Visa requirement.
 
Now I'm trying to get an embassy to confirm this.  I can't get anyone to answer the phone.  There is also a blurb that the Visa must be affixed to her passport, but she's a green card holder (with an extension letter).  So I have NO idea what to expect.  
 
Hopefully I'll get ahold of someone soon.  I am surprised the Embassy didn't mention this when I was corresponding with them.
 
Thank you.  This trip *might* be salvageable.

it's also that the passport name doesn't match her airline ticket name that could potentially cause the issue.  This is where my wife ran into problems.
 

Well, it was opposite what I expected to happen.  
I was worried with her married name on the ticket and her maiden name on the passport, she'd have a hard time boarding the plane.  (On the trip down, Philippine air rejected her, but Asiana had absolutely no problem flying her.). She was flying home on Asiana, but since she was in a different airport, I didn't want to take a chance.  That's why I paid $1,400 more to get her a ticket home.  (This time on Japan airlines)

But this created sort of the opposite problem.  Philippine Immigration now gave her a hard time because her green card was in her married name and the ticket was in her maiden name.  They sort of implied she wasn't cleared to come to the USA, and asked her if she'd ever been there.  My wife went into beast mode and told them "I live in the USA, do you think they mailed my green card to Manila?"  They then asked her if she was OFW which pissed my wife off even more.  No, they didn't take her to a back room, but they may have felt she was about to murder them at that time.  They finally cleared her passed.  
 
Then she got to Japan airlines and they looked at her passport, and ticket and green card.  The boarding agent did ask "Why is your green card different name?"   She told them the story and how she bought another ticket.  The agent said "Oh, so long as you have all three documents, we are fine boarding you, I mean it's common sense, right?"  (facepalm).  
 
So glad Japan airlines has agents that can think for themselves.  I'd rather have my $1,400 back but it was cheap insurance I guess.
EDIT: Correction:  She flew there on Asiana airlines.  She flew home on Japan Airlines.  
 

So she was able to get home.  I bought her a new ticket in her maiden name.  Then, Philippine immigration gave her a hard time at departure because her green card didn't match.  After some back-and-forth they let her proceed.  She got to Asiana and they were basically "So long as you have something with your name on it, we are fine with you flying."  So a waste of $1400, but it is what it is.  She's home.  I'm happy. 
 
 

So she was able to get home.  I bought her a new ticket in her maiden name.  Then, Philippine immigration gave her a hard time at departure because her green card didn't match.  After some back-and-forth they let her proceed.  She got to Asiana and they were basically "So long as you have something with your name on it, we are fine with you flying."  So a waste of $1400, but it is what it is.  She's home.  I'm happy. 
 
 

American is domestic, but it was an international flight.  They "owned" the trip so to speak.  She wasn't going to board to LAX if they didn't check the credentials for Asiana.  (They issued those boarding passes in Orlando). She got there and her aunt is adamant that she updates her passport.  Let's see how that works out.  
 
If not, I'll go from there.  Asiana seems pretty reasonable.  

Good adventure, mistakes were made.  Live and learn.  I suspect she will be asleep for the next 30 hours.  LOL

I was able to look it up.  It's a bit nuanced.  They are liable for UP TO the $3,800, but it's only for reasonable purchases to replace missing items.  HOWEVER: That's only for domestic flights in the USA.  International flights are covered by a Treaty of Montreal, limiting liability for "up to $1780"

I just want her to get her bag back, and I'd like my baggage fee refunded.  The worst part is I told them where it was ahead of time and they ignored me multiple times.  Now someone (probably Asiana) will be liable, because American dropped the ball.  
 
From my research: 
For domestic flights, the DOT says airlines are liable for up to $3,800 for lost, damaged or delayed bags. The DOT says International flights are subject to the Montreal Convention, which established international airline liabilities, which sets airlines’ baggage liability at about $1,780. Airlines are free to compensate passengers with more money, they just aren’t legally obligated to. 

As you are finding out, immigration, airlines, and other countries all have their own rules, and they may be incongruent with each other.
 
 

That is absolutely terrifying.  
 

As uncomfortable as I am with sending her like that, that's what I'm thinking.  Just hope we don't get an overzealous TSA agent.
 
Wow.  Shocking, but not surprising.  

My wife was able to set up an account at BPI all in one day when she was there in April 2022. My wife also carried in $4000 in cash but that is under the declarable amount. She had no issues.

Have her set up a bank account when she gets there and transfer the money.

In Kenya, you can cash out at any corner. Get out of your house, walk less than 5 mins in either direction you choose, there's a cash out place, even in the villages.  Most in the villages don't have bank accounts. They use mobile banking. These are called Mpesa kiosks..M just means mobile and pesa is $$..so mobile money. 
 
This is how this app started (though the owner was trying to send money to Tanzania. However, it was modeled on Kenya Mpesa). Kenya had been having mobile banking way before Sendwave. In mobile banking, money stays in your account. Your account is your phone number. So, you don't need an actual bank account nor a smart phone. All you need is a phone line. So, you can Sendwave to someone with a Nokia 3100 (if they still exist). The person will get a text and that it. You just carry on with your day till the day you wanna cash out.
 
If your phone gets stolen and someone had sent you $$, no worries. Just go get your sim card replaced. Your money is still there. 
 
 
 

I have not either, I have only used Western Union.
 
Just be aware if you start sending too much cash from a XXXX to YYYY in the Philippines they will lock the account, I know this personally on Western Union.
 
For Western Union just use a few different first names as the sender if you do alot of Western Union to the same person.
 
I would load her up with 9K US Dollars all 100 bills, that are unmarked (No stamps, No Ink Marks, No tears), and figure out how to do the rest.