Question For Refugee Travel Document

My understanding, probably mistaken, is that the RTD is an option for traveling with for people who are assylees (after GC) and can't obtain a NP (I undertand that being an assylee we shouldn't obtain a new passport). So it appears to me is that it is the solution of the USCIS for people unable to get a new NP.
Now having my situation where I am not getting a new NP, I am just using the one I had before becoming a refugee.
I am still confussed.
The thing is that getting a RTD every year and waitting and paying for it is a little of a hassle. Before my GC I traveled a couple of times on my RTD and had no problem in main ports of entry to other countries ... only a few isolated porblems where I had to explain what the RTD was (the color doesn't help). One option is to use the NP to get into other countris and the RTD to return here if needed, but truly I am not sure if to get into the US the IO will ask for a RTD and the GC, or just the GC and NP.
Anyone with such experience?
Thanks
Oliver

clotty said:
Of course you can choose whatever option that fits best for your situation . You asked why one needs RTD after they get GC. It is because some people can not renew their NP or lost their NP. And some who already have a valid, unexpired NP (like Oliver) can use their GC with their NP to travel because why bother paying for RTD when they can use their NP+GC, you know. But ultimately it is always a personal choice.
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oliver1 said:
but truly I am not sure if to get into the US the IO will ask for a RTD and the GC, or just the GC and NP.
Anyone with such experience?
Thanks
Oliver
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OK, since you are asking for experiences, you can make a search on this forum and you will find many threads made by people who used their NP and GC and did not have any problems at the port of entry in USA. While I have been posting here, I have seen quite a few of such threads. And since there is no law prohibiting using GC along with NP for asylees, the lawyers (mine and others' who have posted here) tell that it is absoutely OK to do so. Make your decision according to whatever feels right TO YOU. If you need to, you can ask your own lawyer or if you do not have one, you can consult one just for this question.
 
clotty said:
Of course you can choose whatever option that fits best for your situation . You asked why one needs RTD after they get GC. It is because some people can not renew their NP or lost their NP. And some who already have a valid, unexpired NP (like Oliver) can use their GC with their NP to travel because why bother paying for RTD when they can use their NP+GC, you know. But ultimately it is always a personal choice.
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true. by using NP we don't have to bother paying RTD. Some people can't renew their NP, that's why they have the option of RTD. for people who has the NP, .. they can choose either one to travel.
 
Oliver,

It really depends on your choice. If you have a gc in hand and travel minimaly, go ahead use your NP and GC. IF you do want to visit your COP then make sure you have a valid excuse in case you are asked.

What's the use of RTD? Well RTD doesn't require a visa for Germany. I actually travel every 3 months to Germany for work related(at Siemens for USPS) and my travels aren't planned..they happen on a 1 week notice..For me RTD is great becuase I dont' need to run after Consulates to obtain a visa etc.

Just 3 months before my RTD expires, I send a renewal application along with a letter explaining why I need to keep my current RTD. Last August, USCIS sent me a RTD while my other was still valid so i had 2 valid documents.

The choice is up to you. If you really are scared of using your NP, you can get a REntry PErmit, valid for 2 years and maybe the next passport you would need is a U.S Passport to travel.

When you enter, unless you get a bad officer, usually they scan your GC and ask you random questions they ask everyone..how long you were away for? What were u gone for? Etc etc...

Now there are stories where lots of folks had IO asking about NP when they return but that happens if the IO is suspicious..like for instance if you are sweating like hell and give your NP to the officer and your hands are shaking..well believe me, you will get some trouble..
 
wantmygcnow said:
Oliver,

Just 3 months before my RTD expires, I send a renewal application along with a letter explaining why I need to keep my current RTD. Last August, USCIS sent me a RTD while my other was still valid so i had 2 valid documents.
..
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Hi, what you said here caught my attention. Doesn't it say specifically that you can't have two valid documents on hand at once? I once applied for a new travel document while I had one on hand, and I even asked them to make the new one valid from the date of expiry of my current document, which I had to keep because I had necessary visas in it, but they rejected my application.

I now have one that is valid until 20 June, but I have to stay here (in the Netherlands) until 30 June, so six months ago I applied for a re-entry permit (so that I don't have to renew it so often), and in a letter accompanying the application, I said that I will send in my travel document when they request it (because I can't, or so I thought, have two valid documents at one time). This should happen around February. But, I was also thinking about reporting it lost (to keep the visa).

My questions are:

What did you tell them to be allowed to keep two valid documents on hand? Was it allowed because there were only three months of validity left? Mine had about six months left.

Second, is it true that if I report my travel document lost that I'll have to submit to secondary inspection at US ports of entry? I've never had to do this before, but my brother tells me that I will if I am flagged for having a lost travel document.

Thanks for your help.
 
cafeconleche said:
Hi, what you said here caught my attention. Doesn't it say specifically that you can't have two valid documents on hand at once? I once applied for a new travel document while I had one on hand, and I even asked them to make the new one valid from the date of expiry of my current document, which I had to keep because I had necessary visas in it, but they rejected my application.

I now have one that is valid until 20 June, but I have to stay here (in the Netherlands) until 30 June, so six months ago I applied for a re-entry permit (so that I don't have to renew it so often), and in a letter accompanying the application, I said that I will send in my travel document when they request it (because I can't, or so I thought, have two valid documents at one time). This should happen around February. But, I was also thinking about reporting it lost (to keep the visa).

My questions are:

What did you tell them to be allowed to keep two valid documents on hand? Was it allowed because there were only three months of validity left? Mine had about six months left.

Second, is it true that if I report my travel document lost that I'll have to submit to secondary inspection at US ports of entry? I've never had to do this before, but my brother tells me that I will if I am flagged for having a lost travel document.

Thanks for your help.
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Are you in Holland now? You cannot apply for another RTD while you are physically outside the United States.
 
cafeconleche said:
Second, is it true that if I report my travel document lost that I'll have to submit to secondary inspection at US ports of entry? I've never had to do this before, but my brother tells me that I will if I am flagged for having a lost travel document.

.
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It seems to be how they are operating--if you have a document reported as stolen/lost you will be subject to secondary. My statement is based on anecdotal evidence, not anything official from the DHS.
 
If you report your RTD lost, you will be send to Secondary Inspection EVERY TIME YOU ENTER THE U.S, till you get your US Citizenship.
Based on personal experience of myself and a few friends.
 
I am in Holland, but I applied for the re-entry permit in the US. I asked that they send it to the American consulate in Amsterdam.

I guess I'll have to send in my travel document, then. I don't want to have to go through secondary inspection. Strangely enough, I've never had to. Why do they do it for some people (without lost documents)? My brother is also an asylee with a travel document, and he's had to go every time.
 
cafeconleche said:
I am in Holland, but I applied for the re-entry permit in the US. I asked that they send it to the American consulate in Amsterdam.

I guess I'll have to send in my travel document, then. I don't want to have to go through secondary inspection. Strangely enough, I've never had to. Why do they do it for some people (without lost documents)? My brother is also an asylee with a travel document, and he's had to go every time.
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Hmm its going to get complicated for you. THey will send you a RFE to your U.S address to send your RTD which you can theoretically from Holland, however, you will be stuck with no document in your hand.

I recommend you come to back to the U.S and get your new RP and then go back...its better and safer that way.
 
I can't come back to the US. I have school. If they ask me to send it in, I'll mail it home, from where it'll be mailed in. Then, they should send it to the Amsterdam consulate, right? If anything seems awry, I'll just send in a letter. That always seems to work. They've been good about reading my letters. We'll just have to see, eh?
 
cafeconleche said:
I can't come back to the US. I have school. If they ask me to send it in, I'll mail it home, from where it'll be mailed in. Then, they should send it to the Amsterdam consulate, right? If anything seems awry, I'll just send in a letter. That always seems to work. They've been good about reading my letters. We'll just have to see, eh?
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So you are more concerned about your stay rather than coming back????????????
I would strongly suggest you have a valid document in hand while out of country..going to embassies etc is all very easy to say but hard to do when you need something done quickly.
 
Dealing with embassies is the crapiest way to do things. Think about Govt. officials working far away from their US bosses. Embassy is an example of Govt. speed multiplied by a factor of 4 in other countries.....

4 X Lazy.US_Government = US embassy

:D
 
Well, I've decided that I won't send in my travel document if they ask for it. I'll explain to them that I need to keep it since I have a visa in it, on top of the fact that I don't want to surrender the only travel document I have while I'm abroad.
 
I have a Refugee Travel Document but no Green Card.

Hello everyone!

I was granted asylum in July 2011 and in September I applied for my Refugee Travel Document. I have never been here ilegal. I went from Student Status "F1" straight to "asylee status".

According to the law, an asylee is able to apply to for his/her permanent status "Green Card" a year later after being granted. However, the fees to get a Green Card are really expensive and I personally don't have that amount of money.

I recently booked a two week trip to Norway for the first week of August 2012 and I"ve gotten a "Schengen Visa" which is required for those using the RTD. "Except Germany"

My question is: On July 20th will be one year since I was granted asylum, remembering "I don't have money for the fees to apply for my GC". Will I have problems flying back to the United States by using only the RTD without the Green Card?

Thank you so much!
 
gandrud said:
My FINANCES are NON OF YOUR BUSINESS! If you CAN'T HELP, just be quiet!
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You should have no problem returning to the US with your RTD, you don't have to get a green card at all, Green card is optional for Assylees, people get green card because they want to have it or because simply they want to become US citizens.
 
"However, the fees to get a Green Card are really expensive and I personally don't have that amount of money"

just a flight tickert to Norway, min. $1,200.00(peak season)not including travel related expences.
cost for I-485 application(green card) $1,010.00

Really interesting.
 
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