documents you need to enter or leave the USA

its absolutely cleared up with Germany now. Thanks for clarification, cafeconleche.

Who else can bring the real experience for other countries?
 
Travel outside US. PR based on political asylum

From what I remember, I posted my experience travelling outside United States about 1 year ago. Well, I have another story or experience to tell; I went to Vietnam a couple weeks ago with my Indonesian passport and Green Card. Please don't bother making a RTD, if you are a green card holder. You are basically wasting money and time. If you have a valid passport, you go for it. The custom officer at the airport don't even bother looking at your passport, beside when he/she needs to stamp your re-entry.
 
Left with NP, need to come back with RTD

Hi people! It is really nice to have all of you here asking questions and giving suggestions, because this is how we can help each other!
I"m looking for advise too.
Me and my spouse are from different countries, I got my asylum as derivative from him. So received my RTD and went to my home country, which is not COP of my spouse. The lawyer we worked with told me that it is Ok for me to go home to visit beacause I am a derivative asylee. She also said that I could even use my NP if it is still valid. At that time I wasn't aware of rule that asylees are not allowed to use/renew their NPs. Or maybe it is different for derivative asylee?
So I wet home using my NP. That is funny how easy it is to leave the US! Nobody even asked me about RTD or anything. They didn't even stamp my NP when I left. The airline only took my I-94 Departure Record and said they were needed it and that they report it to DHS or something. This was second time in my life travelling internationally, first one was when I left to US in 2005.

I am getting very nervious about the fact that I used my NP. If I knew it wasn't ok to do so, I would try to get a visa. I wonder if my country would issue me a visa. I don't have a CG yet. Only asylum approved and RTD to travel.

I should've got visa for sure! At the time of my departure my NP was expired by one year. To enter my home country with expired passport I had to obtain some kind of Reentry Certificate which was easy to get and I did it.
Now I am wondering how I go back. Someone told me that when I leave my home country at the airport I should show my NP, and when arrived to US point-of-entry - show RTD. Seems easy, but then my RTD doesn't have any stamps in it at all to say where I traveled. They are going to realise that I used my NP to enter and leave home country. As the derivative asylee am I allowed to use/renew my NP? any thoughts?

I am stucked here at home for 6 month already because I'm undergoing some medical treatment here. I cannot afford it in US, I don't have an insurance. My home country still provides free medical service to their residents. I want to go back to US ASAP! My spouse is freaked out that I'm here so long and because I was stupid using NP. He never traveled outside of US and doesn't know how to deal with this situation.

I don't care about my NP I can leave it here. But I don't think I will be able to leaave without it.
Do you think if I show only RTD at the airport in my country they will let me to board? Will they stamp it? Do I actually need this stamp? My RTD is completely clear right now. That is why I don't think my country will take it. They will say:" Ok, where is you visa then? how did you enter etc. show as your NP!"

Please someone had a similar experience? How should I act at the point of entry? which document to show and where? should I tell them I renewed my NP? Technically, in my country you have to present your NP + public insurance card to get medical service anywhere in the country. So, that means there is no point in lying that I don't have an NP? Am I gona get in trouble then?
 
Thanks for the instructions:)


I will copy and paste the conversation between me and the Norwegian Embassy in San Francisco/CA. I just think the Embassies should be aware about the Travel Document...they look at it like it's an alien from Mars!!!

ME: Good morning Norwegian Embassy SF-CA

I live in Santa Barbara-California however I was born in Brazil and I have political Asylum. I just got my Refugee Travel Document and I was wondering If I need the "Schengen Visa" since I am not allowed to use the Brazilian passport anymore.
Can I go to Norway using the Travel Document or I need the "Schengen Visa"?


NORWEGIAN EMBASSY: You do need a visa. Please bring both your travel document and old passport to the interview. Guidelines are found here:

http://www.norway.org/Embassy/Visa-a...San-Francisco/

Regards,

SO, I GATHERED ALL MY PAPERS, BANK STATMENTS, PICTURES, COPIES OF THIS AND THAT BLAH,BLAH, BLAH...AND I DROVE FROM LOS ANGELES AAAAAALLLLLLLL THE WAY TO SAN FRANCISCO JUST TO GET MY VISA. I HAD MY INTERVIEW AND HE SAID THAT I WOULD GET MY RTD IN 5 BUSINESS DAYS...EVERYTHING WAS FINE.

...days later...

NORWEGIAN EMBASSY: Dear xxxxxxx,

I just left you a voicemail. As I was printing your visa I realized you’re a Brazilian national, who then would not normally need a visa to enter Norway. Do you still have your Brazilian passport, or is the U.S. Travel Document your current form of id? You may fall in between the various regulations, so I just want to make sure before I send your passport back (so you don’t have any issues on the border)

Regards,


ME: I would prefer to have the Schengen Visa even if you are not sure that it is required. Often, the airline personnel at the airport ticket counters or the cruise ship personnel at the ports are not familiar with the visa requirements. They tend to err on the side of caution. If I don't have a visa, I might be delayed boarding or denied a boarding pass altogether. I will be on a very tight timeline during my trip with a short connection in Germany and then only five days in Norway. Upon arrival in Venice, I will have only a couple of hours to get on the ship. So, any delay could ruin all of our plans.

As an asylee in the United States, I am forbidden from using my Brazilian passport for travel. I must use only the Refugee Travel Document issued by the United States or I risk losing my asylee status and could be deported to Brazil.

As I have paid the fees and provided all the required documentation, please issue the Schengen Visa.

Thank you so much


NORWEGIAN EMBASSY: Dear xxxxxxx,

UDI has confirmed that as a Brazilian national with a US-issued travel document, you do not need a visa to enter Norway. I have also checked that Italy and Germany accept U.S. travel documents in the same fashion .

As such, I have cancelled the visa in your travel document, since we cannot issue visas to citizens of countries that do not require such permission to travel. I will include a letter with your passport that explains why we have not processed your visa, in case you are worried about airline personnel/ border authorities.

I have of course refunded the visa fee (which will go back on your card). I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this process has caused you.

Regards,
 
Advise needed

Hi people! It is really nice to have all of you here asking questions and giving suggestions, because this is how we can help each other!
I"m looking for advise too.
Me and my spouse are from different countries, I got my asylum as derivative from him. So received my RTD and went to my home country, which is not COP of my spouse. The lawyer we worked with told me that it is Ok for me to go home to visit beacause I am a derivative asylee. She also said that I could even use my NP if it is still valid. At that time I wasn't aware of rule that asylees are not allowed to use/renew their NPs. Or maybe it is different for derivative asylee?
So I wet home using my NP. That is funny how easy it is to leave the US! Nobody even asked me about RTD or anything. They didn't even stamp my NP when I left. The airline only took my I-94 Departure Record and said they were needed it and that they report it to DHS or something. This was second time in my life travelling internationally, first one was when I left to US in 2005.

I am getting very nervious about the fact that I used my NP. If I knew it wasn't ok to do so, I would try to get a visa. I wonder if my country would issue me a visa. I don't have a CG yet. Only asylum approved and RTD to travel.

I should've got visa for sure! At the time of my departure my NP was expired by one year. To enter my home country with expired passport I had to obtain some kind of Reentry Certificate which was easy to get and I did it.
Now I am wondering how I go back. Someone told me that when I leave my home country at the airport I should show my NP, and when arrived to US point-of-entry - show RTD. Seems easy, but then my RTD doesn't have any stamps in it at all to say where I traveled. They are going to realise that I used my NP to enter and leave home country. As the derivative asylee am I allowed to use/renew my NP? any thoughts?

I am stucked here at home for 6 month already because I'm undergoing some medical treatment here. I cannot afford it in US, I don't have an insurance. My home country still provides free medical service to their residents. I want to go back to US ASAP! My spouse is freaked out that I'm here so long and because I was stupid using NP. He never traveled outside of US and doesn't know how to deal with this situation.

I don't care about my NP I can leave it here. But I don't think I will be able to leaave without it.
Do you think if I show only RTD at the airport in my country they will let me to board? Will they stamp it? Do I actually need this stamp? My RTD is completely clear right now. That is why I don't think my country will take it. They will say:" Ok, where is you visa then? how did you enter etc. show as your NP!"

Please someone had a similar experience? How should I act at the point of entry? which document to show and where? should I tell them I renewed my NP? Technically, in my country you have to present your NP + public insurance card to get medical service anywhere in the country. So, that means there is no point in lying that I don't have an NP? Am I gona get in trouble then?

So how did it go? Are you back to US yet ? I'm in the same situation as you , i'm an asylee derivative from my wife and i'm planing to go to my country with the RTD. What the IO asked you? Thanks in advance for any help
 
Dear forum,

I am an asylee from Russian Federation. I also have pending I-485 application for a green card. I need to travel abroad (not the country of persecution or any close to it) urgently. I have been in touch my congressman's office who helped me expedite my application for a Refugee Travel Document. According to them it is currently being printed and it will be mailed to me by the end of this week.

My question is whether I can leave the country with my national Russian passport before the RTD arrives. My plan was to have my friend mail it to me by the time I have to travel back to the U.S. Aside from the risks of having the RTD lost during mailing, what are the other risks, if any?

Many thanks in advance!
 
Well, if it's definitely in the printing stage, then the loss is the main issue. There's also the issue (depending on your claim of persecution) of using your Russian passport. If you know this poses no risks to your well being from the Russian authorities, then leaving on the Russian passport would be fine.

Ideally, though, you would wait for the RTD.
 
Dear forum,

I am an asylee from Russian Federation. I also have pending I-485 application for a green card. I need to travel abroad (not the country of persecution or any close to it) urgently. I have been in touch my congressman's office who helped me expedite my application for a Refugee Travel Document. According to them it is currently being printed and it will be mailed to me by the end of this week.

My question is whether I can leave the country with my national Russian passport before the RTD arrives. My plan was to have my friend mail it to me by the time I have to travel back to the U.S. Aside from the risks of having the RTD lost during mailing, what are the other risks, if any?

Many thanks in advance!

Hi ,
I have the same situation , I wonder how does it go with you ? , I am an asylee with pending GC case for over a year , I am desperate to see my family in third country , I have valid NP and RTD , can i leave with NP and return with the RTD , as the country I am planning to go to doesn't accept the RTD " Lebanon "
Am I allowed to use my NP before getting my GC ?
Thanks in advance
 
Hi ,
I have the same situation , I wonder how does it go with you ? , I am an asylee with pending GC case for over a year , I am desperate to see my family in third country , I have valid NP and RTD , can i leave with NP and return with the RTD , as the country I am planning to go to doesn't accept the RTD " Lebanon "
Am I allowed to use my NP before getting my GC ?
Thanks in advance
Even if you are thinking about considering this option then just forget about it.Dnt try to play the system because if they played back you will be left with nothing and you can see your family permanently in your home country.
What i am doing is calling my family to a third country which accepts RTD like thailand as you and your family can get a visa without any problem and meet them there.
As a follow asylee thats what i would suggest you dont even think of trying to do what you thinking as the result would be 100% deportation because according to them this a fraud which you are trying to do.
Another option wait for your GC and then travel to lebanon and you will not have any problem.

Good luck
 
Hi all,
Does anyone here know about Voluntary Departure while decision pending of asylum? How and from where it should be applied?
 
"Official" voluntary departure is only a thing if you are in deportation proceedings. If you have a defensive asylum application because of a looming deportation order, this is an option, but there's no application for it. It's something you would arrange with the judge or the DHS directly, and I'm unsure of how exactly this happens. You should DEFINITELY consult with an attorney as voluntary departure isn't always an option.

If you have an affirmative asylum case/decision pending, you have 2 options. You can simply send in a letter with all your information and say you are withdrawing your application for asylum, then leave. You can also just leave without sending anything. Your case is automatically withdrawn the moment you leave the country before a decision is reached.
 
Even if you are thinking about considering this option then just forget about it.Dnt try to play the system because if they played back you will be left with nothing and you can see your family permanently in your home country.
What i am doing is calling my family to a third country which accepts RTD like thailand as you and your family can get a visa without any problem and meet them there.
As a follow asylee thats what i would suggest you dont even think of trying to do what you thinking as the result would be 100% deportation because according to them this a fraud which you are trying to do.
Another option wait for your GC and then travel to lebanon and you will not have any problem.

Good luck

So after having a GC, can asylee use their original passport to travel to other countries? (not the country of persecution, but any other country)
 
So after having a GC, can asylee use their original passport to travel to other countries? (not the country of persecution, but any other country)
There's several threads with recent posts about this. It all depends on your case and what your asylum is based on. If it's based on government persecution, then no. If it's based on anything else. it's risky but doable. Consult with an attorney. Look through the threads for more in-depth answers to this question.
 
If you need an excuse to use your passport, CBP officers always tell ex-asylees/refugees to use their passport after they get a green card. If you're not afraid to use your passport (like, you don't expect your govenment to find and render you, in a manner that would end up slightly better for you than it did for Jamal Kashoggi, for example), then go ahead and use it. Only YOU know if it is risky for you to travel on your passport. For most, I expect your government would not know/care, unless they have cancelled the passport or put out a cross-border warrant for your arrest.
 
i dont think so it is a good option but i have seen a lot of people who used their NP while travelling to other countries with GC but not their country of prosecution.But still it is just a chance that you take.Because there are always exceptions.You dont wanna be that one person who gets prosecuted for such a stupid thing. I also found out you could also travel to turkey with RTD which is another option for you
 
If you need an excuse to use your passport, CBP officers always tell ex-asylees/refugees to use their passport after they get a green card. If you're not afraid to use your passport (like, you don't expect your govenment to find and render you, in a manner that would end up slightly better for you than it did for Jamal Kashoggi, for example), then go ahead and use it. Only YOU know if it is risky for you to travel on your passport. For most, I expect your government would not know/care, unless they have cancelled the passport or put out a cross-border warrant for your arrest.
I agree with you.
I understand the need to travel with NP+ GC. What if the passport gets lost abroad? once witnessed the experience of people misplacing their NP COP passport! I learned my lesson and I concluded that In the future, I would get an RTD or RP until i get citizenship just to be on safe side.
 
I’m just wondering, if I have just green card and my own national passport can I come back in USA without Refugee travel documents?
 
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