Traveling for the first time after GC

Z

zeek

Registered Users (C)
Hi. I’m traveling abroad for the first time after getting a green card and had some questions. My old I-94 in the passport has an expiration date that’s earlier than my GC start date, since my H-1 was extended and then I submitted I-485 (I was in status at all time). Now that I am traveling with GC, do I need to carry documents to prove that I was in status during this time (between I-94 expiration and GC start date), such as H-1B extension approval notice and I-485 receipt etc? Or simply GC is enough? Also, do I need to turn in the old I-94 at the airline ticket counter, or is it OK if it’s not collected? I know that this topic has come up, but wanted to make sure exactly what I should do. Your help would be appreciated.
 
Just carry your passport, GC, and old I-94. You should give the old I-94 to the airline staff, and travel back with just the passport and GC. You will be fine.
 
sg_orl said:
Just carry your passport, GC, and old I-94. You should give the old I-94 to the airline staff, and travel back with just the passport and GC. You will be fine.
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That is not correct. There is no need to give your old I-94 to the airline staff. Just take it out of your passport, and put it in a scrap book. A Green Card holder turning in a I-94 might cause unnecessary confusion.
 
harvydonald said:
That is not correct. There is no need to give your old I-94 to the airline staff. Just take it out of your passport, and put it in a scrap book. A Green Card holder turning in a I-94 might cause unnecessary confusion.
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I don't think this is true. do you have any official link explaning this? what type of confusion are you referring to? Airline staff doesn't even bother for this stuff they simply collect all I-94s. My mother wasn't a permenant residence when she came to USA but while leaving she was and she did surrender her I-94 despite of having GC, there wasn't any confusion.

ON top of everything without worrying about confusion one should follow legal instruction written on I-94 form. If one has an I-94, it has to be surrendered while leaving the contry if you read I-94 document precisely.
 
I beg to differ. I-94 is for temporary resident. The minute your GC is approved, you no longer belongs to I-94 category. They used to collect I-94 during passport stamping. Since they do not do PS anymore, I think you can return it to DHS if you want, or probably just throw it away. If you give them back I-94 during departure, they might confuse that you are still a temporary resident. Again, nothing happened to your case doesn't mean it is right.

EA

dyingforgc said:
I don't think this is true. do you have any official link explaning this? what type of confusion are you referring to? Airline staff doesn't even bother for this stuff they simply collect all I-94s. My mother wasn't a permenant residence when she came to USA but while leaving she was and she did surrender her I-94 despite of having GC, there wasn't any confusion.

ON top of everything without worrying about confusion one should follow legal instruction written on I-94 form. If one has an I-94, it has to be surrendered while leaving the contry if you read I-94 document precisely.
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EAin2005 said:
If you give them back I-94 during departure, they might confuse that you are still a temporary resident. Again, nothing happened to your case doesn't mean it is right.
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It won't confuse them. Just give it back.
 
dyingforgc said:
I don't think this is true. do you have any official link explaning this? what type of confusion are you referring to? Airline staff doesn't even bother for this stuff they simply collect all I-94s. My mother wasn't a permenant residence when she came to USA but while leaving she was and she did surrender her I-94 despite of having GC, there wasn't any confusion.

ON top of everything without worrying about confusion one should follow legal instruction written on I-94 form. If one has an I-94, it has to be surrendered while leaving the contry if you read I-94 document precisely.
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The confustion I'm talking about is with regards to US VISIT Program. People with Green Card are not required to perform US VISIT departure procedures. When the airline person notices an I94 he/she will insist that the passenger perform US VISIT departure procedure, which includes scanning your non immigrant visa, and taking your finger prints again. At this time if the original non immigrant visa has expired, the airline employee may notify an Immigration officer, who will realize that the passenger has a green card and let you continue with the journey. By this time the passenger may have missed their flight.
If you insist on returning your I-94, I suggest you put them in an envelope and mail them to USCIS.
 
harvydonald said:
The confustion I'm talking about is with regards to US VISIT Program. People with Green Card are not required to perform US VISIT departure procedures. When the airline person notices an I94 he/she will insist that the passenger perform US VISIT departure procedure, which includes scanning your non immigrant visa, and taking your finger prints again. At this time if the original non immigrant visa has expired, the airline employee may notify an Immigration officer, who will realize that the passenger has a green card and let you continue with the journey. By this time the passenger may have missed their flight.
If you insist on returning your I-94, I suggest you put them in an envelope and mail them to USCIS.
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In a meeting with members of the San Diego Bar Association, this question was asked and the USCIS officer responded that it would be best to make an Infopass and return the I94.
 
harvydonald said:
The confustion I'm talking about is with regards to US VISIT Program. People with Green Card are not required to perform US VISIT departure procedures. When the airline person notices an I94 he/she will insist that the passenger perform US VISIT departure procedure, which includes scanning your non immigrant visa, and taking your finger prints again. At this time if the original non immigrant visa has expired, the airline employee may notify an Immigration officer, who will realize that the passenger has a green card and let you continue with the journey. By this time the passenger may have missed their flight.
If you insist on returning your I-94, I suggest you put them in an envelope and mail them to USCIS.
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This is not true or I have never experienced this while traveling out of USA with visa and returning I-94 they never took my finger prints neither they checked my non-immigrant visa. Bottom line is; one's immigration status is checked while s/he is entering in the country and not while leaving the country.
 
dyingforgc said:
This is not true or I have never experienced this while traveling out of USA with visa and returning I-94 they never took my finger prints neither they checked my non-immigrant visa. Bottom line is; one's immigration status is checked while s/he is entering in the country and not while leaving the country.
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Please read the new exit procedures in effect on this DHS web site
http://www.dhs.gov/xtrvlsec/programs/editorial_0525.shtm
 
pianoplayer said:
Hi:

He probably has never experienced it, since exit procedures have not been in effect at many airports. Also, these procedures do NOT currently apply to permanent residents, even though there was speculation at some point that GC would participate in US VISIT also.
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I travelled from Newark Liberty International 4 weeks ago, which is in the list in provided link but I was never asked to show US visa/reentry permit nor my finger prints were taken before departing. Not sure if US-VISIT is being implemented thoroughly even on listed airports.
 
dyingforgc said:
I travelled from Newark Liberty International 4 weeks ago, which is in the list in provided link but I was never asked to show US visa/reentry permit nor my finger prints were taken before departing. Not sure if US-VISIT is being implemented thoroughly even on listed airports.
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Interesting --- you are not the first person to say this. And you are not a GC holder yet?
 
dyingforgc said:
I am not GC holder yet.
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Yes, they do not seem to have implemented it thoroughly. I could never understand why the US does not take exit control seriously. Even though a big show was made of the new US VISIT exit procedures, it seems to have watered down.
 
My recent experience

I travelled a few weeks back to India on my GC for the first time. I was a little nervous .
I also had an old I-94. I returned it to the airline lady and she was litle confused and asked me "you have a GC, they gave you I-94?" . So I explained to her that I did not have GC when I last entered US. I got it later. She took it and put in a I-94-basket.

While coming back,in India the Airline person swiped my GC though his machine. I asked him if his machine can even read GC. He said "Yes.We are supposed to check the validity of GC" . I am not sure if he could really check the validity of GC?

But when I reached US, the immigration officer did swipe the GC and did not even look at the Passport.He did stamp pp for entry. He did not ask me anything -no questions . Just said "Welcome back Home"
 
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