Do I need to carry Passport while entering US or just GC is enough?

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Avalon

Registered Users (C)
Do I need to carry passport while entering US or just GC ( Plastic Card) is sufficient? Some people may answer that while entering through Canada and Mexico the POE officer simply asks for GC. I am referring to airports where passport is required by airline to board the plane but is it required to show at POE to officer?

Again, the question is, "Even though you have a passport with you, does POE ask for it or he lets you go after showing GC?"
 
Avalon said:
Do I need to carry passport while entering US or just GC ( Plastic Card) is sufficient? Some people may answer that while entering through Canada and Mexico the POE officer simply asks for GC. I am referring to airports where passport is required by airline to board the plane but is it required to show at POE to officer?

Again, the question is, "Even though you have a passport with you, does POE ask for it or he lets you go after showing GC?"
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A passport is not an absolute requirement but sometime the immigration personnel ask for it. It is also in your benefit to carry a passport to record dates of your travel outside US. Of course, passport is required by almost all other countries so you will definitely carry one if you travel outside US (excluding Canada). Mexico can require visas of some citizens.
 
Thanks nkm. Having a pp is a good thing. But the question is, is it a must to present to officer at POE? or if you do not produce, do the officer ask for it?
 
Avalon said:
Thanks nkm. Having a pp is a good thing. But the question is, is it a must to present to officer at POE? or if you do not produce, do the officer ask for it?
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It is not a must. The officer can ask for it. You will have to explain why you don't have it and also possibly steer him to the relevant law. JoeF recently had a similar experience, search for his posts.

You seem to have some issues with passports. What is it?
 
Thanks nkm.

Be assured that I do not have any issues with passport. I am just trying to know the technical aspects of using GC.

It is obvious that I can not make a trip abroad without passport. It is going to be there with me when I enter US. But let me give you an analogy.

When you enter US, it is likely that you will have driver's license, because you need to drive when you get out of airport. But is it a must to show to officer at POE? The answer is NO. But if officer asks then you can show the same. But if you do not drive then you can state that.

In case, of PP, the best answer could be, is it required to show to officer, NO, but if officer insist then you must show.
 
Thanks JoeF

It is good that you had such experience. You mentioned that you asked the officer the question, "Is the passport required to be shown?". I need to know the reply that you got from officer.
 
Hi JoeF,

The issue you brought up here is quite interesting. I guess this is the gray area in that the No. of POE stamps on your passports do not equal to your actual trips in some cases.

I am wondering if BCIS will actually check on details of your trips (e.g. look up their computer, verify with airlines etc.) with your future naturalization
N-400. Of course they can if they want, but I doubt if they have the resources to do so for everyone although they can do some random sampling.

The problem with the POE officer you came across was his unfamilarity with the law.
 
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