travel abroad with I-551 stamp only

J

jd02

Registered Users (C)
Hi, my I-485 was approved recently. I'll take my infopass appt and get my stamp on passport soon.

I wonder if I can travel abroad and get back USA with that stamp only before getting my green card? Do I need to carry an AP anyway?

And, for GC holder, is there any limitation that how long I should live in USA each year? Thanks.
 
Here's something for you to read about that I got from this website:http://provost.uncg.edu/immigration/pr_responsibilities.htm

I am planning of travelling abroad too but not sure if I could do it without my physical card. It says in this article I can but I don't wanna take chances.

Your Resident Alien (Green) Card
At the time you were approved for residency, a stamp was placed in your passport. This is called an I-551 stamp and serves as temporary evidence of your lawful resident status in the U.S. This stamp contains an expiration date (usually six months into the future). You should use this passport stamp for completing a new Form I-9 for your employer, or, if you must travel out of the country before you receive your Green Card, you may use this stamp to re-enter the U.S. Be sure to return before the expiration date listed on the stamp.

Your Green Card is processed at a facility in Texas and will be mailed to you at the address you gave at the time you were approved for residency. You should receive your Green Card before your passport stamp expires. If your stamp will expire within 30 days, and you still have not received your Green Card, visit the BCIS website to find out how to inquire about your Card.
 
my experience

i came back from India last month with the 551 stamp. At the counter, there were two officers, it seemed like the older one was training the younger one. The older officer looked at the stamp anf asked me "How did you get this stamp?". I said I had a copy of the I 485 approval notice and showed it to him (I was carrying the copy in my pocket). He then says: "This is only a copy, where is the original?", I said I had it in my handbag - he asked me to take it out, and I did. He then talks to the junior saying: Normally, you'd send him to secondary inspection, but in this case, he has everything in order. As he stamps an entry on my passport, he asks who I work for (obviously cross checking with the approval notice) and says thank you..

It makes sense to carry the approval notice, to improve your chances of saving time by not having to go through a secondary inspection. I noticed a few people being fingerprinted and photographed in the line before me (I was in the US Citizens and Resident Card holders line). They did not do that with me.
 
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