Non-Citizen of Any Country With GC Traviling Abroad

[eagle1111]

Hello everyone,

I am a permanent resident with green card, but don't have any passport. Nor am I a citizen of any country. So I cannot get a Any passport unless I become a US citizen. But for now I am not. I would like to travel to Europe for vacation (2 weeks max). I understand that GC is sufficient enough for re-entry back to US. What about the entry into other countries? Another question...There are countries that don't require visa for US citizens..How does that apply to me? Thank you in advance. I really appreciate your feedback, comments, and all the help!

[jochensch]

Sorry, but I don't think you can travel to Europe without a passport. You will just have to wait until you get your citizenship.

How did that happen anyway, that you don't have any citzenship? Just curious.

[trialanderror83]

Originally Posted by eagle1111

Hello everyone,

I am a permanent resident with green card, but don't have any passport. Nor am I a citizen of any country. So I cannot get a Any passport unless I become a US citizen. But for now I am not. I would like to travel to Europe for vacation (2 weeks max). I understand that GC is sufficient enough for re-entry back to US. What about the entry into other countries? Another question...There are countries that don't require visa for US citizens..How does that apply to me? Thank you in advance. I really appreciate your feedback, comments, and all the help!

Were you born somewhere off planet earth?

[Jackolantern]

You people never heard of "stateless" individuals?

Some people were born in countries that don't exist anymore, or were born in a country where they don't give citizenship to the newborns unless the parents are citizens, and their parents' country doesn't give citizenship to children unless they're born in the same country. So they don't have any citizenship... they're stateless.

Or their citizenship may have been revoked because they spoke out against their oppressive government (this is often the case with asylees).

[C R S]

Originally Posted by eagle1111

I would like to travel to Europe for vacation (2 weeks max).

You may be able to make do with either a refugee travel document or a reentry permit. To get either, you have to file form I-131. The document that USCIS provides is colloquially referred to as a white passport which makes perfect sense since it is neither white nor is it a passport... Various countries accept this document in lieu of a passport. Check with the consulates of the country or countries you intend to visit before deciding on a course of action.

[thankful]

Originally Posted by eagle1111

Hello everyone,

I am a permanent resident with green card, but don't have any passport. Nor am I a citizen of any country. So I cannot get a Any passport unless I become a US citizen. But for now I am not. I would like to travel to Europe for vacation (2 weeks max). I understand that GC is sufficient enough for re-entry back to US. What about the entry into other countries? Another question...There are countries that don't require visa for US citizens..How does that apply to me? Thank you in advance. I really appreciate your feedback, comments, and all the help!

You can get a travel document called the reentry permit from the USCIS. Do that by filing Form I-131. You can apply for visas using that document. That document is in essence a passport. Often using a U.S. issued travel document is easier than a passport.

[thankful]

Originally Posted by eagle1111

Hello everyone,

I am a permanent resident with green card, but don't have any passport. Nor am I a citizen of any country. So I cannot get a Any passport unless I become a US citizen. But for now I am not. I would like to travel to Europe for vacation (2 weeks max). I understand that GC is sufficient enough for re-entry back to US. What about the entry into other countries? Another question...There are countries that don't require visa for US citizens..How does that apply to me? Thank you in advance. I really appreciate your feedback, comments, and all the help!

Did you happen to get your green card by a grant of asylum or refugee status?

[thankful]

Originally Posted by trialanderror83

Were you born somewhere off planet earth?

A good number of people do not have passports because their governments refuse to issue them passports. Or they can be stateless.

[eagle1111]

Thank you for your feedback. My family came here from USSR back when it was still USSR. I was not even 15 yo then, and all the adults in the family had to give up their passports in order to leave the country. I guess it sounds like Travel Document is the way to go provided it is acceptable by the country I want to travel to. I would need to contact the consulate for more details. If you guys can think of anything else, I would greatly appreciate more comments.

[thankful]

Originally Posted by eagle1111

Thank you for your feedback. My family came here from USSR back when it was still USSR. I was not even 15 yo then, and all the adults in the family had to give up their passports in order to leave the country. I guess it sounds like Travel Document is the way to go provided it is acceptable by the country I want to travel to. I would need to contact the consulate for more details. If you guys can think of anything else, I would greatly appreciate more comments.

I was a frequent user of travel document.

Which country do you want to go to?

[eagle1111]

In the near future I would like to travel to Latvia and Russia. Anything that you can tell me would be really helpful.

[asPapi]

If you have not been naturalized as a citizen of any country other than your country of birth your citizenship is determined by the location of your city of birth and where it is currently located.

For Immigration and travel purposes, you will need a passport for travel. Your GC is only recognized as a right of abode and employment in the United States.

[thankful]

Originally Posted by asPapi

If you have not been naturalized as a citizen of any country other than your country of birth your citizenship is determined by the location of your city of birth and where it is currently located.

This is dead wrong. You do NOT attain the citizenship of the country in which you were born unless the law of that country makes you a citizen. As a matter of fact the majority of countries in the world do not award citizenship to a person simply beause she/he was born within their boundaries. They have more specific requirements, usually tied to ancestry.

People in this situation usually get the citizenship of the country of which their parents are citizens. Howeve this is up to the law of each country and some countries do not allow this. Thus in the world there are people who lack a nationality of any kind.

[thankful]

Originally Posted by asPapi

For Immigration and travel purposes, you will need a passport for travel. Your GC is only recognized as a right of abode and employment in the United States.

This is wrong again. The United States issues special documents to enable immigrants without a nationality to travel (people who do not wish to use their passports can also receive these travel douments).

Both Britian and Canada also issue such travel documents.

Please double check your posts for accuracy.

[Jackolantern]

In addition, some people who were born with citizenship had it revoked, or their original country of citizenship has broken up (e.g. Yugoslavia, USSR) and they have not obtained citizenship from the country that now occupies their place of birth or anywhere else.

[asPapi]

Here is information on how to get what the USCIS considers to be a travel document. Perhaps this article on passports might shed some light. Is the OP a refugee?

[thankful]

Originally Posted by asPapi

Here is information on how to get what the USCIS considers to be a travel document. Perhaps this article on passports might shed some light. Is the OP a refugee?

It really does not matter if she is a refugee or not. Chances are refugees are more likely to use the special travel documents but under U.S. law every green card holder is eligible for a reentry permit which may be used as a substitute passport. A refugee can obtain either a RP or a Refugee Travel Document.

As an aside for refugees who have national passports, they often find that they get better treatment if they use an American travel document.

[asPapi]

Originally Posted by thankful

It really does not matter if she is a refugee or not. Chances are refugees are more likely to use the special travel documents but under U.S. law every green card holder is eligible for a reentry permit.

Why does it not matter whthether the OP was a refugee or not? The question here relates to the OP as a Permanent Resident without a passport who wants to travel internationally.
If the OP is in the US and was not a refugee or claimed asylum prior to obtaining a GC, how did the OP get here?

No one is disputing the right of rentry to the US for a GC holder, the question here is, which countries can the OP travel to as a GC holder without a passport and if there are such countries, which are they and do they accept the GC as a travel document, which it is not?

As to being "stateless", you cannot remain stateless indefinitely if you want to be able to travel internationally.

[thankful]

Originally Posted by asPapi

If the OP is in the US and was not a refugee or claimed asylum prior to obtaining a GC, how did the OP get here?

The possibilities are endless. The person can be from the former Soviet Union, entered the United States with a passport and then after the Soviet breakup he could no longer qualify for citizenship in any of the 15 former Soviet republics. This person would then have no passport to use. He could still qualify for a green card based on say marriage or employment. Then he is a green card holder but he has no passport (and did not recceive asylum status).

[asPapi]

Good. Now that we know, in your example, that he came from somewhere, in this case the USSR and was a citizen of the USSR. Would he by any chance have a claim to citizenship of any of the subsequent republics arising out of the old the USSR, in this case, say he was born in Moscow?

[thankful]

Originally Posted by asPapi

As to being "stateless", you cannot remain stateless indefinitely if you want to be able to travel internationally.

This is plain wrong again. Every single green card holder in the United States can upon request receive a reentry permit from the DHS. With the reentry permit the person will be able to apply for a visa from the embassy or consulate of the country he or she intends to visit. The vast majority of the countries on the planet accept a U.S. issued travel document for purposes of stamping a visa and for entry. Plenty of LPRs have been visiting other countries with their DHS travel documents.

[thankful]

Originally Posted by asPapi

Good. Now that we know, in your example, that he came from somewhere, in this case the USSR and was a citizen of the USSR. Would he by any chance have a claim to citizenship of any of the subsequent republics arising out of the old the USSR, in this case, say he was born in Moscow?

He may or may not have been born in Mosow. He could have been born anywhere within the former USSR. After the breakup each of the republics passed its own nationality law or laws. These new rules were rather convoluted, given the chaos of the time and the (re)appearance of serious ethnic rivalry in that part of the world. The upshot was that many people were left without a nationality. Even for some people who could claim a nationality under the post-Soviet rules somewhere they decided to hell with it because they now had American green cards and they could use American travel documents to travel. In other words, they concluded that they would be better off using a travel document than a passport from a former Soviet republic (assuming that he could get such a passport in the first place.)

[thankful]

Originally Posted by asPapi

the question here is, which countries can the OP travel to as a GC holder without a passport and if there are such countries, which are they and do they accept the GC as a travel document, which it is not?

The answer is again with a reentry permit (which is a travel document and which every green card holder can get) a green card holder can get a visa from most countries in the world.

As a general rule a GC by itself does not get you into a country (though I note that Canada is an exception to that) but a reentry permit will.

That said life is not perfect and a few countries have made a policy decision not to accept travel documents.

[asPapi]

Originally Posted by thankful

The answer is again with a reentry permit (which is a travel document and which every green card holder can get) a green card holder can get a visa from most countries in the world.

As a general rule a GC by itself does not get you into a country (though I note that Canada is an exception to that) but a reentry permit will.
A reentry permit only gets you back into the USA. It does not admit you to most countries.

That said life is not perfect and a few countries have made a policy decision not to accept travel documents.

Form I-131: Application for Travel Document is used to apply for the following types of travel documents.

1. Reentry Permit - A reentry permit allows a permanent resident or conditional resident to apply for admission to the United States upon return from abroad during the permit's validity, without having to obtain a returning resident visa from a U.S. embassy or consulate.

2. Refugee Travel Document - A refugee travel document is issued to a person classified as a refugee or asylee, or to a permanent resident who obtained such status as a result of being a refugee or asylee in the United States. Persons who hold such status must have a refugee travel document to return to the United States after temporary travel abroad unless he or she is in possession of a valid advance parole document. A refugee travel document is issued by USCIS to implement Article 28 of the United Nations Convention of July 28, 1951.

The document may be accepted by a transportation company in lieu of a visa as an authorization for the holder to travel to the United States. An advance parole document is not issued to serve in place of any required passport.

3. Advance Parole Document - An advance parole document is issued solely to authorize the temporary parole of a person into the United States.

Official Link to Form I-131 Instructions
____________________________________

From U.S. Customs & Border Protection. What documents, identification, paperwork does a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident (LPR) need to travel internationally?

[thankful]

Originally Posted by asPapi

Form I-131: Application for Travel Document is used to apply for the following types of travel documents.

1. Reentry Permit - A reentry permit allows a permanent resident or conditional resident to apply for admission to the United States upon return from abroad during the permit's validity, without having to obtain a returning resident visa from a U.S. embassy or consulate.

2. Refugee Travel Document - A refugee travel document is issued to a person classified as a refugee or asylee, or to a permanent resident who obtained such status as a result of being a refugee or asylee in the United States. Persons who hold such status must have a refugee travel document to return to the United States after temporary travel abroad unless he or she is in possession of a valid advance parole document. A refugee travel document is issued by USCIS to implement Article 28 of the United Nations Convention of July 28, 1951.

The document may be accepted by a transportation company in lieu of a visa as an authorization for the holder to travel to the United States. An advance parole document is not issued to serve in place of any required passport.

3. Advance Parole Document - An advance parole document is issued solely to authorize the temporary parole of a person into the United States.

Official Link to Form I-131 Instructions
____________________________________

From U.S. Customs & Border Protection. What documents, identification, paperwork does a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident (LPR) need to travel internationally?

What is your problem? I fully answered the OP's original question: that yes as a GC holder he can use a RP to travel. You then created a huge distraction by saying that (a) a person is a citizen of a country in which he was born and (b) a national passport is needed to travel. Both claims are WRONG.

[thankful]

Again I do not know what your problem is.

As one of hundreds of examples, the Japanese Consulate advises visa applicants:


Documentation

Each applicant for a Temporary Visitor Visa must submit the following documents. Please be aware that we decline incomplete documents.

1. One application form, completed and signed. Chinese and Korean citizens must write their names in Chinese characters as well as in Roman letters.
2. Valid passport with sufficient space for visa stamp. If, instead of a national passport, you submit a PERMIT TO REENTER THE UNITED STATES or a REFUGEE TRAVEL DOCUMENT issued by the U.S. government, it must have a validity date at least six months beyond the day of application.
3. One photograph 1.7 inches square, taken within the previous six months of application, attached to the application forms.
4. Green Card or valid U.S. visa to reenter the United States (An F or J visa holder must show an I-20 or IAP-66 with the valid signature of an appropriate official in order for return). If you will be entering a third country after leaving Japan, you must show a valid visa to enter the country (or a national passport of the country) instead of a U.S. visa.


source: http://www.boston.us.emb-japan.go.jp...itingjapan.htm

As a second example, the Schengen visa application form (which covers a big part of Europe) asks via question number 13 if the applicant uses a national passport or a special travel document such as a reentry permit.

[asPapi]

What is my problem you ask, none whatsoever. What is yours?

This is a forum, everyone here has a right to an opinion, that includes you and I and everyone else. There is no need to get personal. Please comment constructively. That said, let's move on.

[myl1996]

Originally Posted by eagle1111

Thank you for your feedback. My family came here from USSR back when it was still USSR. I was not even 15 yo then, and all the adults in the family had to give up their passports in order to leave the country. I guess it sounds like Travel Document is the way to go provided it is acceptable by the country I want to travel to. I would need to contact the consulate for more details. If you guys can think of anything else, I would greatly appreciate more comments.

You were born in one of those 15 republics, that together made USSR. You need to dig out your birth certificate and call or go on line with appropriate embassy. Your country of citizenship will be your place of birth. You never lost your citizenship, you just need to register with embassy, pay fee and request a passport.

[kiev]

Originally Posted by myl1996

You were born in one of those 15 republics, that together made USSR. You need to dig out your birth certificate and call or go on line with appropriate embassy. Your country of citizenship will be your place of birth. You never lost your citizenship, you just need to register with embassy, pay fee and request a passport.

What you said is true for the most part (though the situation for the three former Baltic republics is more complicated.

But the bottom line is that as a permanent resident there is no point in getting a passport from one of those republics. I have been using the reentry permit as my passport and life is good. The less contact I have with these people the better off I am.

[myl1996]

Originally Posted by kiev

What you said is true for the most part (though the situation for the three former Baltic republics is more complicated.

But the bottom line is that as a permanent resident there is no point in getting a passport from one of those republics. I have been using the reentry permit as my passport and life is good. The less contact I have with these people the better off I am.

You are right if you are going to visit any country, other than post Soviet , put aside Baltic republics. Let see , for example, he was born in Russia and would like to go visit, he needs Russian passport in order. My daughter was 9, when we moved to US, from then USSR, today Belarus. She never had Belarussian passport, until last year, when we decided to go back to visit.
We contacted Belarussian embassy here in US and she received her passport, because even if we are permanent residents of US and citizen of US, we also citizens of Belarus. WE hold dual citizenship and this way no Visa requet to visit Belarus, Russia , Kazachstan and such. Since he is only green card holder, meaning not US citizen yet, he should be a citizen of one of those post Soviet countries.( non Baltic).