Permanent residence card expiry implication

[sureshbabu1]

I have applied for citizenship, but I am concerned that my permanent residence card may expire prior to getting my citizenship. Can someone please tell me what are the implications on residence, work and travel outside the US?

Would applying for extending the permanaent residence help?

 

[N400Applier]

I have applied for citizenship, but I am concerned that my permanent residence card may expire prior to getting my citizenship. Can someone please tell me what are the implications on residence, work and travel outside the US?

Would applying for extending the permanaent residence help?

One must always have a non-expired Green Card. If you have receieved your Interview letter then you can wait until the Interview to see what happens. You may pass the Citizenship Interview and have same day oath. In that case you don't have to worry about GC. However, if there are several months before your interview date then apply for GC renewal. According to me one must always have a non-expired GC. The reason is if your GC has expired then travelling is a major hassle. You cannot get a new job because your GC has expired and employers want a non-expired GC.

You can do the following:
1. Wait until 30 days before your GC expiration.
2. If you have not heard anything about your Citizenship Interview, fill out for a GC renewal.
3. Get your Passport stamped so that you have 1 year stamp which will enable you to travel/get a job etc.

 

[Huracan]

This is from the naturalization guide.

24. If my Permanent Resident Card expires while I am applying for
naturalization, do I still need to apply for a new card?

If you apply for naturalization 6 months or more before the expiration date on your
Permanent Resident Card (formerly known as an Alien Registration Card or “Green
Card”), you do not have to apply for a new card. However, you may apply for a renewal
card if you wish by using an “Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card” (Form I-
90) and paying the appropriate fee. Call the USCIS Forms Line or visit www.uscis.gov.
If you apply for naturalization less than 6 months before the expiration date on your
Permanent Resident Card, or don’t apply for naturalization until your card has already
expired, you must renew your card.

My 2 cents.

 

[Triple Citizen]

Sureshbabu,
Green cards expire, one's LPR status does not. However since by law one always needs to carry his/her GC, it is not a good idea to let the card expire. One can time his N-400 well so that a renewal GC is not needed, however if one gets stuck in the N-400 process, then the wait may be long.

 

[Flydog]

We applied about 7-8 months before our GCs expired. They expired before we were processed. We took advantage of the 6 month rule.

My wife's interview was 5 days after her GC expired and her oath was exactly one month after the expiration. We did nothing about it and all was well.

My interview was descheduled. I scheduled an infoPass right after I found out that I had been descheduled to find out what was going on. I pointed out my expired GC and they stamped an I-551 (I think that's the number) in my passport extending my GC 7.5 months (yes, a very weird number, but it was about right - I had less than a month left on it when I took the oath).

My daughter's GC expired at the same time. She didn't "apply for an N-400" (being a minor). We were worried about her status, so we filed for a replacement GC. She got her FP about the time her GC expired (at which time they applied a hologram sticker extending her GC 6 months). Her new GC showed up the day before my wife took the oath (at which point my daughter became a USC). Interestingly, until very recently, my daughter had 2 valid green cards and a US Passport (the "extension sticker" expired before Christmas).

So, if your application/GC situation fits the 6 month rule, don't worry about it. They didn't bat an eye at either of our interviews or at either of our oath ceremonies.