Return to the US with RTD and no GC?

NewMom

Registered Users (C)
My friend has a refugee travel document and a green card (no national passport). He just left today for a 2-week trip to Europe with his RTD and a visa for his destination country, but he forgot his Green Card at home. Will he have problems re-entering the USA, or is his RTD enough to return here? Thank you in advance for advice!
 
i think he should be ok! im not sure tho. he can always ask someone else here in the states to express mail his GC to the us embassy of the country that he is visiting.
 
Thanks! The problem is that he's got the keys to his place and he doesn't even remember where his green card is at his apartment! We could probably get in there, but we may never be able to find the GC. We are going to try of course, but I just wanted to find out what's going to happen if the GC is not found.
 
i think thankful here might be able to answer your question. to be honest with u i am not sure at all. i mean i know that when you are a refugee/asylee, all u need to show when u return to the us is ur rtd/rp. u don't need to have ur i-94 or anything. but that is before you become a permanent resident. ask him to contact the his local us embassy. they will probably be the most reliable source that can guide him or help him out. hope this helps.
 
Well, considering that it shows your status on your RTD, I think everything will be oke. Your friend might be sent to secondary, but most people with RTDs are sent there anyway.
 
might not matter much, but fedex the GC to his address. it takes just 2 days to europe and 3 days to far countries like india.

thats the best thing you can do for him.
 
The RTD, as long as it is unexpired, will allow you to return to the United States.

Since most people have their GCs with them when they show up, if you do not have one the immigration officer will probably question you more. But by law you do not need your GC with you if you have your RTD.
 
Thanks to everyone for responses. I wanted to update on how things worked out. My friend was able to re-enter the country with no problem at all - no additional questioning, no problem not having the GC with him. He was asked why he doesn't have it with, and he said that he left it at home cause he didn't want to lose it (not sure why he said that). To which the officer said that it wasn't a problem. BTW, I contacted the CBP (Customs & Border Protection Agency) before his return with this question, and they told me that he might be sent to a "deferred immigration check", which I believe means that upon return home he'd have to come to the Immigration office to show his GC. This wasn't necessary. Just thought I'd share this info for other people who might be in a similar situation.
 
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