Hi, I have an experience to share. I was searching a lot for this question: do I need a visa to go to Mexico with RTD and no green card? even the Mexican consulate, each time I call them, they say different answer!
I finally went there to the Mexican consulate in NYC, with all documents to get a VISA just in case.
The lady there told me as RTD holder you need no visa, I asked if I can get it anyway just in case, she said we cant issue visa on USA issued document! she then printed a website page from their web site and stamped it (upon my request) with the consulate stamp which should support what she says about no visa is required.
at the airport, the airline employee scanned (swiped) my rtd, but nothing was scanned! probably, when you choose at nationality field: your country and not USA, since you are not a citizen, and then scan the document, that confuses the system. and no information comes up. she entered it manually, then she told me excuse me I have to confirm something! she took my RTD "and my heart" away and disappeared for 5 minutes, coming back with my boarding pass and a smile on her face and an apology she was late..
at the gate, the airline employee again "different one" looked at my rtd and asked, why your passport is green? i told her "it is not a passport, it is a refugee travel document" in brief, and she said ok and let me board.
upon arriving Mexico, the officer "he was so young and smiling in a nice way" asked me if I have a visa, I said, no "ops!!!" but he said, it is ok, it is not needed anyways "thank GOD". but again, when he tried to scan (swipe) the RTD it didnt scan! he called another lady, and they were speaking in Spanish while trying to do something at the computer, then the lady "seems his supervisor" took my RTD "and my heart!" away once again and went to someone else.. When she went back she told him something in spanish but I was able to hear "USA", while she pointed at the computer screen. I saw his fingers typing "U S A" and here I concluded that if selecting usa as nationality the RTD scans correctly!! but of course I will never write that in any immigration forms, it is their job not mine, if they want to fake it to scan it, then it is their problem not mine.. the guy after that asked me the regular questions, how many days you stay...etc.. stamped my RTD with no problems..
upon leaving Mexico back to USA, no problems at the airport at all in Mexico. When arrived USA, I had to choose between 2 lines: first was for: "citizens and residents" second was "visitors". I choosed the first as I am not visitor, the immigration officer looked at my RTD like he seeing a miracle that came true
!!
he told me "I still need a passport" LOOOOL, no sir, that is my passport, as I am an asylee and not allowed to use my national passport "actually if I have a green card, I would use my national passport. I dont care about that law"
he saw each single page in my RTD! read all the instructions that is written inside at the front page (3) and the last pages! then he took my finger prints and photo. Since I didnt surrendered my original I-94 when existing I wasnt really care to have another one, and wished he tell me I am good to go specially I have another connecting flight to catch, but he was paranoid and told me I am not still sure about this "Come on!" he called someone, and he knew that I have to go to the inspection room "ops I wish he didnt know that"
to get a new I-94.
I went to inspection room, I wasnt nervous because I know it is just stupid procedure "thanks to this great forum which educated me" and when it was my turn the officer "a lady" asked me some regular questions, like why i was at mexico...etc.. she was polite with me "although she was aggressive with the Mexican lady before me", she asked if I have a GC, and I told her I think my attorney applied last week "I knew he did, but sometimes it is better to look stupid and unsure!", she said what forms you applied?! i said I-485 and others that I cant remember! she wrote that down, I dont know why. then she asked if i have other documents, I told her a driving license "they dont care about that one" and an employment authorization document "BINGO", she asked to see my EAD in a way like that is what she was looking for!
Then told me to have a seat, after few minutes, she gave me back my docs plus the new I-94. I felt I am late as I still have security checkpoint and I dont want to miss my flight, I took everything without checking and ran through the airport. at the gate, I checked the new I-94 to find she typed my birth date wrong. but since it is typed by her hand writing "not generated from the system" and I already applied for the green card and waiting, I really do not care.
That was my whole experience about the first time I leave USA with only RTD, I was scared actually, but it was not bad at all.. just next time I will make sure that the lay over time is enough between the 2 flights to not run again in the airport..
Good luck everyone, and final advise, read a lot, educate yourself about your status and the document you have and what it is needed for so if you face any irregular situation you become calm. also dont expect that employees are very educated about your rtd, they usually need you to tell them: "it is OK baby!, calm down!, it is a legal document and no need to panic my little officer"
I finally went there to the Mexican consulate in NYC, with all documents to get a VISA just in case.
The lady there told me as RTD holder you need no visa, I asked if I can get it anyway just in case, she said we cant issue visa on USA issued document! she then printed a website page from their web site and stamped it (upon my request) with the consulate stamp which should support what she says about no visa is required.
at the airport, the airline employee scanned (swiped) my rtd, but nothing was scanned! probably, when you choose at nationality field: your country and not USA, since you are not a citizen, and then scan the document, that confuses the system. and no information comes up. she entered it manually, then she told me excuse me I have to confirm something! she took my RTD "and my heart" away and disappeared for 5 minutes, coming back with my boarding pass and a smile on her face and an apology she was late..
at the gate, the airline employee again "different one" looked at my rtd and asked, why your passport is green? i told her "it is not a passport, it is a refugee travel document" in brief, and she said ok and let me board.
upon arriving Mexico, the officer "he was so young and smiling in a nice way" asked me if I have a visa, I said, no "ops!!!" but he said, it is ok, it is not needed anyways "thank GOD". but again, when he tried to scan (swipe) the RTD it didnt scan! he called another lady, and they were speaking in Spanish while trying to do something at the computer, then the lady "seems his supervisor" took my RTD "and my heart!" away once again and went to someone else.. When she went back she told him something in spanish but I was able to hear "USA", while she pointed at the computer screen. I saw his fingers typing "U S A" and here I concluded that if selecting usa as nationality the RTD scans correctly!! but of course I will never write that in any immigration forms, it is their job not mine, if they want to fake it to scan it, then it is their problem not mine.. the guy after that asked me the regular questions, how many days you stay...etc.. stamped my RTD with no problems..
upon leaving Mexico back to USA, no problems at the airport at all in Mexico. When arrived USA, I had to choose between 2 lines: first was for: "citizens and residents" second was "visitors". I choosed the first as I am not visitor, the immigration officer looked at my RTD like he seeing a miracle that came true
!!he told me "I still need a passport" LOOOOL, no sir, that is my passport, as I am an asylee and not allowed to use my national passport "actually if I have a green card, I would use my national passport. I dont care about that law"
he saw each single page in my RTD! read all the instructions that is written inside at the front page (3) and the last pages! then he took my finger prints and photo. Since I didnt surrendered my original I-94 when existing I wasnt really care to have another one, and wished he tell me I am good to go specially I have another connecting flight to catch, but he was paranoid and told me I am not still sure about this "Come on!" he called someone, and he knew that I have to go to the inspection room "ops I wish he didnt know that"
to get a new I-94.I went to inspection room, I wasnt nervous because I know it is just stupid procedure "thanks to this great forum which educated me" and when it was my turn the officer "a lady" asked me some regular questions, like why i was at mexico...etc.. she was polite with me "although she was aggressive with the Mexican lady before me", she asked if I have a GC, and I told her I think my attorney applied last week "I knew he did, but sometimes it is better to look stupid and unsure!", she said what forms you applied?! i said I-485 and others that I cant remember! she wrote that down, I dont know why. then she asked if i have other documents, I told her a driving license "they dont care about that one" and an employment authorization document "BINGO", she asked to see my EAD in a way like that is what she was looking for!
Then told me to have a seat, after few minutes, she gave me back my docs plus the new I-94. I felt I am late as I still have security checkpoint and I dont want to miss my flight, I took everything without checking and ran through the airport. at the gate, I checked the new I-94 to find she typed my birth date wrong. but since it is typed by her hand writing "not generated from the system" and I already applied for the green card and waiting, I really do not care.
That was my whole experience about the first time I leave USA with only RTD, I was scared actually, but it was not bad at all.. just next time I will make sure that the lay over time is enough between the 2 flights to not run again in the airport..
Good luck everyone, and final advise, read a lot, educate yourself about your status and the document you have and what it is needed for so if you face any irregular situation you become calm. also dont expect that employees are very educated about your rtd, they usually need you to tell them: "it is OK baby!, calm down!, it is a legal document and no need to panic my little officer"