Back from a home visit

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greencarder

Registered Users (C)
I just came back from a home visit last Thursday and wanted to share with you my experiences. First, I was very hesitant to go back home after the nerve wrecking posts that have been written in this forum. I recall people warning about home visits and making all sorts of claims about INS harsh retributions. I had doubts about these claims since no one talked about their personal experiences regarding this issue. Rather, they said that they know someone or a friend who was bothered by the INS for going back home. They then failed to update us about the fate of their friends. The funny thing is that one person said that his friend will be deported after he applied for citizenship. People can sometimes have fertile imaginations and are good at making stories you know. When I consulted my lawyer he advised me not to listen to "paranoid asylees." His rationale was that the INS can only claim that fraud has been committed in the original political asylum applications. For them to prove such outrageous claim, they have to show evidence of such fraud. The problem is that most asylees get their green cards after long years and many of them do not visit home unless they already receive their green cards. It is a pretty good chance that things got better after these years and that can be a good excuse to refute the fraud claim. Of course, if an asylee visits home before getting a green card it is a totally different story and the claim of fraud can be a stronger one in this case. Anyway, when I cam back home, I went through the citizens/permanent residents line and the officer was very nice to me. He asked me how long I stayed in my home country and I told him I stayed there for 2 months. He then said welcome back. If you want to visit your home country do so provided that it is safe and things have changed. This was my first time in 13 years to go back home and boy did it feel so good. I always yearned to do that but I was worried about my safety. Things really got better recently in my country thanks to President Bush who scared my country's president and forced him to make reforms and I did not want to wait for a second and made the decision to go. Of course, the country is not perfectly safe, but is far better than before. I am actually thinking of going back forever but I have to think deeply about my decision given the fact that I developed a strong bond with the US. So, if you believe that things got better in your country and if you have not visited it for very long years, do so. I have a request for asylees who scare other asylees. I understand that you have to be suspicious of everything in life. After all, you endured years of discrimination and prejudice before coming here. However, be easy on your fellow asylees and do not make outrageous claims unless you can back them up!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
greencarder said:
Anyway, when I cam back home, I went through the citizens/permanent residents line and the officer was very nice to me. He asked me how long I stayed in my home country and I told him I stayed there for 2 months. He then said welcome back. If you want to visit your home country do so provided that it is safe and things have changed.
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hmmm.... so the officer did realize that you have obtained GC thru asylum?
 
Home visit worries...

Lazerthegreat said:
hmmm.... so the officer did realize that you have obtained GC thru asylum?
Click to expand...

Once you become a Permanent Resident, you are a Permanent Resident and as such, you can travel to any country a Permanent Resident can travel to, regardless of the way they have gained their Permanent Resident status.

Now if you are still an asylee, you have not gotten your green card yet, and travel to the country that you have gotten asylum from, that is when you should worry.
 
So what did you do?

Greencarder,
Well, thanks for sharing your personal experience. Could you tell us what did you use to travel? Did you use your RTD with visa from your home country or did you renewed your national passport and used that along with your GC?
Thanks
 
I still believe that going back to home country after been in the states claiming persecution is an act of disrespect to the system. MY opinion and period. I hope fellow asylees don't take that experience as an ecouragement to go back. Is not right. IS taking advantage of a benefit that we have received from among others.

Cheers!
 
Do not panic...

Let's say things have changed in the home country. There was a revolution, the government has changed and you are no longer in danger; What would stop you from going there? Not the U.S. government!

Now if there is danger for you in the country, you may go at your own risk. This risk may be the government of that country, not the U.S. government.

I haven't heard of a single case where the permanent residency status has been revoked due to a visit in the home country. Of course, there are people who were deported for crimes commited in the U.S. (drugs, felonies etc.)

Of course, they will hide the real reason for their deportation and claim that they "home visit" is the cause.
 
Lazerthegreat said:
hmmm.... so the officer did realize that you have obtained GC thru asylum?
Click to expand...
I am not sure if he cared. He asked me how long I stayed there and this is a routine question for all green card holders. They just want to make sure you did not stay abroad for a long time so that you could keep your status.
 
Arizona_Poet said:
I still believe that going back to home country after been in the states claiming persecution is an act of disrespect to the system. MY opinion and period. I hope fellow asylees don't take that experience as an ecouragement to go back. Is not right. IS taking advantage of a benefit that we have received from among others.

Cheers!
Click to expand...
I agree. Again, I am only encouraging home visits for those whose countries have changed.
 
Punjabi_Munda said:
Greencarder,
Well, thanks for sharing your personal experience. Could you tell us what did you use to travel? Did you use your RTD with visa from your home country or did you renewed your national passport and used that along with your GC?
Thanks
Click to expand...
I used my national passport.
 
dardan said:
Let's say things have changed in the home country. There was a revolution, the government has changed and you are no longer in danger; What would stop you from going there? Not the U.S. government!

Now if there is danger for you in the country, you may go at your own risk. This risk may be the government of that country, not the U.S. government.

I haven't heard of a single case where the permanent residency status has been revoked due to a visit in the home country. Of course, there are people who were deported for crimes commited in the U.S. (drugs, felonies etc.)

Of course, they will hide the real reason for their deportation and claim that they "home visit" is the cause.
Click to expand...

Well Dardan, If all asylees start to think like that, sooner than later U.S Government will require interviews before issuing a GC. What you are saying is that lets say an asylee's home government is good now and its time to get his gc..can they send you back saying Ok you are safe now?? Using the logic you gave above...

I am glad you came back safely with no problems. However you should remember that during ur citizenship interview, they do have your whole file in front of you..how you became a PR etc..countries you have visited. I would recommend you take this trip and write good reasoning behind it, JUST IN CASE...

With USCIS you never know....so all the "lies" you hear around are just "beware" stories...
 
Arizona_Poet said:
I still believe that going back to home country after been in the states claiming persecution is an act of disrespect to the system. MY opinion and period. I hope fellow asylees don't take that experience as an ecouragement to go back. Is not right. IS taking advantage of a benefit that we have received from among others.

Cheers!
Click to expand...


I think it is OK if the government has really changed, but in most situations there is no genuine change.

The USCIS certainly will look at your immigration history when they review your citizenship application. See this discussion http://www.immigrationportal.com/showthread.php?t=183203.

Plenty of green card holders are deported after the US government discovers the the original basis of his immigration application was a bunch of BS. Most people who cheat the sytem will pay the price for it.
 
Ok... I cannot share any true stories about myself, because I would NEVER dream of going back to my native country. Not only is it still unsafe, but I truly feel like the USA is my home and have no reason to go back.

I will tell you this though... I travel a lot and almost EVERY time I come back, the immigration officer asks me if I had 1.) ever applied for a national passport since my asylulm and 2.) if i have ever gone back to my native country.

After being asked this serveral times, I decided to ask why I was being asked this considering I have never gone back and I am a GC holder. The officer told me that its a question they must ask all refugee/asylee travelers (including those who had adjusted their status).

So - as you can see, this is something they are aware of and do not support or like. Although the officer said "welcome back" to you, I do not doubt that they will note your file, and let's face it - it is their right to do so.

We are all adults and are ultimately responsible for our actions. My advice is that you excerise caution and do what you need to do. But, if things don't turn out the way you expected them to - you have no one to blame but yourself.
 
What did you use, NP, AP or RTD when you are back hme country?

greencarder said:
I just came back from a home visit last Thursday and wanted to share with you my experiences. First, I was very hesitant to go back home after the nerve wrecking posts that have been written in this forum. I recall people warning about home visits and making all sorts of claims about INS harsh retributions. I had doubts about these claims since no one talked about their personal experiences regarding this issue. Rather, they said that they know someone or a friend who was bothered by the INS for going back home. They then failed to update us about the fate of their friends. The funny thing is that one person said that his friend will be deported after he applied for citizenship. People can sometimes have fertile imaginations and are good at making stories you know. When I consulted my lawyer he advised me not to listen to "paranoid asylees." His rationale was that the INS can only claim that fraud has been committed in the original political asylum applications. For them to prove such outrageous claim, they have to show evidence of such fraud. The problem is that most asylees get their green cards after long years and many of them do not visit home unless they already receive their green cards. It is a pretty good chance that things got better after these years and that can be a good excuse to refute the fraud claim. Of course, if an asylee visits home before getting a green card it is a totally different story and the claim of fraud can be a stronger one in this case. Anyway, when I cam back home, I went through the citizens/permanent residents line and the officer was very nice to me. He asked me how long I stayed in my home country and I told him I stayed there for 2 months. He then said welcome back. If you want to visit your home country do so provided that it is safe and things have changed. This was my first time in 13 years to go back home and boy did it feel so good. I always yearned to do that but I was worried about my safety. Things really got better recently in my country thanks to President Bush who scared my country's president and forced him to make reforms and I did not want to wait for a second and made the decision to go. Of course, the country is not perfectly safe, but is far better than before. I am actually thinking of going back forever but I have to think deeply about my decision given the fact that I developed a strong bond with the US. So, if you believe that things got better in your country and if you have not visited it for very long years, do so. I have a request for asylees who scare other asylees. I understand that you have to be suspicious of everything in life. After all, you endured years of discrimination and prejudice before coming here. However, be easy on your fellow asylees and do not make outrageous claims unless you can back them up!
Click to expand...
 
comcast said:
I think it is OK if the government has really changed, but in most situations there is no genuine change.

The USCIS certainly will look at your immigration history when they review your citizenship application. See this discussion http://www.immigrationportal.com/showthread.php?t=183203.

Plenty of green card holders are deported after the US government discovers the the original basis of his immigration application was a bunch of BS. Most people who cheat the sytem will pay the price for it.
Click to expand...

I agree, those who lie and cheat to obtain immigration benefits should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It's the law abiding residents that should not suffer from the paranoia caused by the rumors.

Just an example, while I was waiting on line for my BIO, I had a conversation with an asylee from Rwanda. He was telling me that he was afraid to apply for travel document (he has been in the U.S. for 15 years) because he did not want to jeopardize his asylee status. This is the paranoia I am talking about.

Of course, traveling is a personal decision. Again, my opinion is that unless you have skeletons in your closet, there is absolutely nothing to worry about.
 
dardan said:
I agree, those who lie and cheat to obtain immigration benefits should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It's the law abiding residents that should not suffer from the paranoia caused by the rumors.

Just an example, while I was waiting on line for my BIO, I had a conversation with an asylee from Rwanda. He was telling me that he was afraid to apply for travel document (he has been in the U.S. for 15 years) because he did not want to jeopardize his asylee status. This is the paranoia I am talking about.

Of course, traveling is a personal decision. Again, my opinion is that unless you have skeletons in your closet, there is absolutely nothing to worry about.
Click to expand...

Agree for 100%.
 
dardan said:
Of course, traveling is a personal decision. Again, my opinion is that unless you have skeletons in your closet, there is absolutely nothing to worry about.
Click to expand...

Well all of the asylees are scared of being blamed for traveling home when they haven't...since that's the basis for an asylum. Its easier for anyone who has a GC in hand to say that if you have nothing to worry about dont worry....But most asylees are labeled as fraud by the Government and most others... so even if a person has good intention by travelling, they are stereotyped as fraud. If you do tell anyone out there there that I claimed persecution against my home country and now I am traveling back home.Your GC will be deemed a fraud...
 
wantmygcnow said:
But most asylees are labeled as fraud by the Government...
Click to expand...

Don't you think this is NOT a quite accurate statement? I can sense a certain lack of logic in it. If most asylees are labeled as fraud by the Government doesn't that mean the Government participates in the fraud by granting "fraudulent" asylum claims?

Moreover, when someone states that my Government (this is the country of my choice thus I deem its Government as my Government also) might label me as a fraud (I am an asylee, "most" very well might mean I am a fraud also) I would like to see the source for such a bold statement.

Please, support this claim that most of us "are being labeled as frauds by the Government" by some verifiable facts, or your statement would not bear any significance, at least it would not bear it for me.
 
wozzek said:
Don't you think this is NOT a quite accurate statement? I can sense a certain lack of logic in it. If most asylees are labeled as fraud by the Government doesn't that mean the Government participates in the fraud by granting "fraudulent" asylum claims?

Moreover, when someone states that my Government (this is the country of my choice thus I deem its Government as my Government also) might label me as a fraud (I am an asylee, "most" very well might mean I am a fraud also) I would like to see the source for such a bold statement.

Please, support this claim that most of us "are being labeled as frauds by the Government" by some verifiable facts, or your statement would not bear any significance, at least it would not bear it for me.
Click to expand...

When I say government and when I say immigration, they are 2 differnt hings in my opinion. Immigration officers are trained to interview asylum cases etc, however Congressional senators do not really care much for your home conditions.. I can support this statement by letting you know that the CAP in place for so many years was in place for people to not apply for asylum because it took soo long to get a GC..It was introduced and passed by senators who thought asylees were mostly fakes...

And also the fact that asylees have been treated as a stepchild by USCIS shows that no one really cares for Asylees..they are looking out to get you rather than make life easier for you.
 
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