Traveling with expired GC and NOA letter to remove conditions on temporary green card. TRAVELING IN 5 DAYS. PLEASE HELP.

[kiraalex 3]

I am traveling to Mexico in a week and i am just a little uneasy because the United airline personnel in Mexico city previously denied my access to board when i had my EAD card. This happened about 2 years ago when the EAD card (AKA combo card) was kind of new and they made me go to the embassy to get a letter from the USCIS office in the Mexican embassy. It was such a hassle because i was literally standing outside the US embassy in Mexico with no appointment or anything. I pretty much told the guard at the front entrance my situation, he went back into the building and after 2 hrs i was able talk to someone at the USCIS office in the embassy. They just ran my info in the system and they issued a sealed letter which i had to show to the United airlines clerk in order to board. The USCIS officer was very nice and he told me he wasn't sure why they didn't let me board. The only thing he could think of was them not having the updated booklets where the employees at airlines check what documents are needed to travel. When I got to the counter after two days of being stuck in Mexico city. It appeared that the United airlines personnel did not have the updated booklet. Evidently, i was furious with the people at United airlines and they let me board with this letter they made me go and get at the embassy.

My concern is the airline personnel (United Airline) not being informed again and them giving me trouble to board. I have read many posts that just by showing your NOA that shows your one year extension along with your expired GC is enough. I have read that others get an info pass stamp just as an extra precaution. I have my NOA extension letter and my GC will expire while I am in Mexico. HAS ANY BODY RECENTLY TRAVELED TO MEXICO UNDER THIS CIRCUMSTANCES?

Edited January 2, 2015 by kiraalex

[Nevin 12]

You were lucky that they let you board with an EAD card. In EAD card It clearly states "Not valid for re-entry to US" (or) they might have let you in because of your valid Visa.

Anyway that's not the case now. You have a valid NOA letter and GC, as NOA is extension of your GC they wont create any issue at the POE.

To be safe call your local office and get your passport stamped.

Just make sure to carry

1. Expired GC

2. Current valid passport

3. NOA letter

Edited January 2, 2015 by Nevin

[Pitaya 2,576]

Similar-themed thread: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/528601-travel-with-an-expire-residence/

Sorry, I don't know how United Airlines trains its employees. Our response in the mentioned thread was for travel to and from Canada.

YMMV.

Good luck on your immigration journey.

[jxn 86]

You were lucky that they let you board with an EAD card. In EAD card It clearly states "Not valid for re-entry to US" (or) they might have let you in because of your valid Visa.

Anyway that's not the case now. You have a valid NOA letter and GC, as NOA is extension of your GC they wont create any issue at the POE.

To be safe call your local office and get your passport stamped.

Just make sure to carry

1. Expired GC

2. Current valid passport

3. NOA letter

It sounds like OP has the EAD/AP combo card (as opposed to the EAD without AP as you suggested) and at the time the combo card system was brand new and the airline (at least this specific employee) wasn't yet familiar with it and was expecting a separate AP document, just like the system used to be before the combo cards.