Travel

E

energizer

Registered Users (C)
Hello..I am a new user, so please be patient with me, in case my questions have been asked before.

I have been granted the green card after a long wait (I will post the dates when I get home tonight). I took part in the class action lawsuit filed by AILF, and I think it really helped.

My questions is:
I want to travel overseas. Now that I have my greencard, can I use my national passport? I am NOT going back home. Can I stop using the RTD now that I am a GC holder? Will there be a problem for a former asylee entering the US with a national passport if he/she did not go back to his/her country?

FYI - I travel overseas every 3 months for my job..have been doing it for years on the RTD and never had any issues. My issue now is how long it takes to get one.

Thanks for all your help.

PS - my online status changed a few days ago to "On October 3, 2003, after approving your application, we ordered you a new card. Your card will be mailed to you as soon as it is ready."

I guess this means the plastic card is on its way, which is amazing, because I got stamped on July 31 (only 2 months).
 
The safest way is to use your RTD with green card. I have known people who have traveled using their national passports without trouble but it can be questioned even if you do not intend to travel to your native country.

Best Wishes,
 
Thanks Lazer..the problem is the country I am going to (UAE) does not accept the refugee travel document. Nor do they accept a re-entry permit. I called BCIS this morning, and they said it is no problem at all to travel using my national passport as I am now a LPR. I just dont trust the wisdom of the guys answering the 800 number.
 
Originally posted by Lazerthegreat
The safest way is to use your RTD with green card. I have known people who have traveled using their national passports without trouble but it can be questioned even if you do not intend to travel to your native country.

Best Wishes,
Click to expand...


I agree with this opinion.

There is probably no advantage to using your national passport over the RTD anyway.
 
Here are the dates as promised:

Asylum Application 11/15/94
Asylum recommended Approval: 11/07/97
Asylum Approval: 01/05/98
I485 Receipt Date: 01/25/99
I485 approval: 07/30/03
Plastic Card processed: 10/03/03
 
Originally posted by energizer
Hello..I am a new user, so please be patient with me, in case my questions have been asked before.

I have been granted the green card after a long wait (I will post the dates when I get home tonight). I took part in the class action lawsuit filed by AILF, and I think it really helped.

My questions is:
I want to travel overseas. Now that I have my greencard, can I use my national passport? I am NOT going back home. Can I stop using the RTD now that I am a GC holder? Will there be a problem for a former asylee entering the US with a national passport if he/she did not go back to his/her country?

FYI - I travel overseas every 3 months for my job..have been doing it for years on the RTD and never had any issues. My issue now is how long it takes to get one.

Thanks for all your help.

PS - my online status changed a few days ago to "On October 3, 2003, after approving your application, we ordered you a new card. Your card will be mailed to you as soon as it is ready."

I guess this means the plastic card is on its way, which is amazing, because I got stamped on July 31 (only 2 months).

Energizer,
I have a friend who was an asylee and wanted to travel to Syria (not his country of citizenship). The Syrian, like UAE doesn't accept neither a RTD nor a Re-entry permit. He called BCIS and asked them. They literally said that RTD or Re-entry permits act as a multiple entry visa to the USA or it is a gurantee of your entry to the US on your status. They told him that he can use his national passport. They also told him that's why the BCIS don't hold your passport because you can use it if you wish.
I agree with this statement because I know of people who applied for Assylum in England, Germany and France. The moment you became an assylee, they take possesion of your passport.
I think it is very safe to travel to any place with both your national passport and your GC as long as you don't go back home.
 
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Status changed today:


Previously:

Asylum Application 11/15/94
Asylum recommended Approval: 11/07/97
Asylum Approval: 01/05/98
I485 Receipt Date: 01/25/99
I485 approval: 07/30/03
Plastic Card processed: 10/03/03

Today the status shows:

On October 7, 2003, the card order was completed and we mailed the applicant's new card directly to him or her. If 14 days have passed and you have not received this card, you may wish to verify or update your address. To update your address, please call the National Customer Service Center at (800) 375-5283.
 
Have you tried calling the UAE embassy or consulate and tell them that you're a LPR in the US? They might have a different policy on US LPRs travelling there with RTD or RP. Just my 2 cents.
 
Hi Jack..yes I called them, and they don't process any visas on travel documents. I think I will just use my passport. Spoke to an attorney, and she said it is not an issue at all. She said there is no law forbidding the use of a national passport by a former asylee.
 
Originally posted by energizer
Hi Jack..yes I called them, and they don't process any visas on travel documents. I think I will just use my passport. Spoke to an attorney, and she said it is not an issue at all. She said there is no law forbidding the use of a national passport by a former asylee.
Click to expand...

Agree with your lawyer. There is no law prohibiting using the national passport. There shouldnt be problem as long as not going to home country of course.
 
Originally posted by alanpero2
Agree with your lawyer. There is no law prohibiting using the national passport. There shouldnt be problem as long as not going to home country of course.
Click to expand...

I agree with this too.

But as a prudent measure, I would get something in writing from the UAE consulate saying that as a matter of policy they do not stamp nonpassport travel documents. So that if against your expectations the US government questions this issue down the road, you will have a very good explanation to offer to the CIS officer.

And also please do not travel to home country.
 
Originally posted by jw1951
I agree with this too.

But as a prudent measure, I would get something in writing from the UAE consulate saying that as a matter of policy they do not stamp nonpassport travel documents. So that if against your expectations the US government questions this issue down the road, you will have a very good explanation to offer to the CIS officer.

And also please do not travel to home country.
Click to expand...

Good suggestion, JW.

When you have a choice, always use the RTD or RP.

When there is no choice as it is the case here, document it.

Sometimes it is hard to get a customized response from an embassy or consulate, so you might want to print out this webpage for your records:
 
Hello all...after further studies, I am convinced there is no problem at all with a permanent resident (through asylum) travelling on his/her national passport. I spoke with attorneys and they mentioned that once you are a permanent resident it does not matter how you obtained the GC and are afforded the same rights as all other PR's, including travelling with a national passport. I also called BCIS and they verified the same. Lastly, I found this on the BCIS web site.

http://www.bcis.gov/graphics/howdoi/PermRes.htm

It clearly states 2 important facts:

1.) Now that you have become a Permanent Resident of the United States we would like to welcome and congratulate you on your accomplishment. Some of you came to the United States as immigrants through a relative or through an employer. Some of you came as refugees or were given asylum status. And some of you came through other programs, like the Diversity Visa Lottery. But now that you are Permanent Residents you all share the same status.

2.) International Travel
A Permanent Resident of the United States can travel freely outside of the US. A passport from the country of citizenship is normally all that is needed. To reenter the US a Permanent Resident normally needs to present the green card (Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551) for readmission. A reentry permit is needed for reentry for trips greater than one year but less than two years in duration.

**An interesting point that I did not know:
Permanent Resident Card
The Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551, is issued to all Permanent Residents as evidence of alien registration and their permanent status in the US. The card must be in your possession at all times. While that does not require that you have on your person at all times, it does require that you have a currently valid card and that you know where it is and can show it to an immigration officer, if requested.

I am gonna take the card out of my wallet and store it at home where it is safer! I'm also gonna print out this BCIS web page and use it with me when I travel.

PS - I just came back from a trip to Korea using my RTD. The immigration officer at LAX did not even look at the RTD. He swiped the greencard and when all was OK, opened to a blank page on the RTD and stamped it (didn;t even look at the picture). It all took about 15 secs. His only question was "how long have you been out of the country".

Sorry for the information overload, but I thought it may be helpful to some of you.
 
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Originally posted by energizer
Hello all...after further studies, I am convinced there is no problem at all with a permanent resident (through asylum) travelling on his/her national passport. I spoke with attorneys and they mentioned that once you are a permanent resident it does not matter how you obtained the GC and are afforded the same rights as all other PR's, including travelling with a national passport. I also called BCIS and they verified the same. Lastly, I found this on the BCIS web site.

http://www.bcis.gov/graphics/howdoi/PermRes.htm

It clearly states 2 important facts:

1.) Now that you have become a Permanent Resident of the United States we would like to welcome and congratulate you on your accomplishment. Some of you came to the United States as immigrants through a relative or through an employer. Some of you came as refugees or were given asylum status. And some of you came through other programs, like the Diversity Visa Lottery. But now that you are Permanent Residents you all share the same status.

2.) International Travel
A Permanent Resident of the United States can travel freely outside of the US. A passport from the country of citizenship is normally all that is needed. To reenter the US a Permanent Resident normally needs to present the green card (Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551) for readmission. A reentry permit is needed for reentry for trips greater than one year but less than two years in duration.

**An interesting point that I did not know:
Permanent Resident Card
The Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551, is issued to all Permanent Residents as evidence of alien registration and their permanent status in the US. The card must be in your possession at all times. While that does not require that you have on your person at all times, it does require that you have a currently valid card and that you know where it is and can show it to an immigration officer, if requested.

I am gonna take the card out of my wallet and store it at home where it is safer! I'm also gonna print out this BCIS web page and use it with me when I travel.

PS - I just came back from a trip to Korea using my RTD. The immigration officer at LAX did not even look at the RTD. He swiped the greencard and when all was OK, opened to a blank page on the RTD and stamped it (didn;t even look at the picture). It all took about 15 secs. His only question was "how long have you been out of the country".

Sorry for the information overload, but I thought it may be helpful to some of you.
Click to expand...

Energizer,

Thank you for taking time to post positive experiences and ideas, that's exactly what we need. To be POSITIVE.

A question, Is Korea your home country?


Thanks
 
Originally posted by energizer
Hello all...after further studies, I am convinced there is no problem at all with a permanent resident (through asylum) travelling on his/her national passport. I spoke with attorneys and they mentioned that once you are a permanent resident it does not matter how you obtained the GC and are afforded the same rights as all other PR's, including travelling with a national passport. I also called BCIS and they verified the same. Lastly, I found this on the BCIS web site.

http://www.bcis.gov/graphics/howdoi/PermRes.htm

It clearly states 2 important facts:

1.) Now that you have become a Permanent Resident of the United States we would like to welcome and congratulate you on your accomplishment. Some of you came to the United States as immigrants through a relative or through an employer. Some of you came as refugees or were given asylum status. And some of you came through other programs, like the Diversity Visa Lottery. But now that you are Permanent Residents you all share the same status.

2.) International Travel
A Permanent Resident of the United States can travel freely outside of the US. A passport from the country of citizenship is normally all that is needed. To reenter the US a Permanent Resident normally needs to present the green card (Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551) for readmission. A reentry permit is needed for reentry for trips greater than one year but less than two years in duration.

**An interesting point that I did not know:
Permanent Resident Card
The Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551, is issued to all Permanent Residents as evidence of alien registration and their permanent status in the US. The card must be in your possession at all times. While that does not require that you have on your person at all times, it does require that you have a currently valid card and that you know where it is and can show it to an immigration officer, if requested.

I am gonna take the card out of my wallet and store it at home where it is safer! I'm also gonna print out this BCIS web page and use it with me when I travel.

PS - I just came back from a trip to Korea using my RTD. The immigration officer at LAX did not even look at the RTD. He swiped the greencard and when all was OK, opened to a blank page on the RTD and stamped it (didn;t even look at the picture). It all took about 15 secs. His only question was "how long have you been out of the country".

Sorry for the information overload, but I thought it may be helpful to some of you.
Click to expand...

energizer,

Thanks for taking the time to post this encouraging news to the forum members. Eventhough I am still long way to go from getting a green card, the info that you posted helps to resolve many confusion that asylees have experienced especially for those who have become a green card holders.

Now we have one less thing to worry about.

But I do have some questions. How do some people still managed to keep thier national passport valid after many years of waiting for the green card application to be approved?

Do you actually renew your national passport while you are waiting for adjustment status? Should we renew our national passport once it is going to expired? Please clarify.
 
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You are really an energiger. You have energised this forum once again and got rid of all confusions.

Guys, any hope for FY 2004 approval yet ?
 
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