Unable to renew passport and re-entry permit

N

netdude

New Member
Hello

I have a non-US passport which will expire in 2009, after which I will not be able to renew it. I've received my Green Card on 7/2008. I would like to travel to other countries (not to country I am a national of) for vacation before I will receive US Citizenship/Passport (ie waiting 5 years). I learned that some countries allow visitors with GC + re-entry permit. I have no intention of staying outside of US for more than 1 year, only a couple of weeks per year for vacation. I am trying to apply for the permit by myself. What should I put for the following on I-131 form? Should I explain why I am unable to renew my passport on the form? For the last three below, I have no idea since the vacation hasn't been planned yet (ie in the future).

* Purpose of trip.
* Date of Intended Departure
* Expected Length of Trip
* Countries intend to visit.

Thanks in advance for your views.
 
I assume you are a refugee or asylee from your country? Anyway, you most definitely CAN use an RP and GC to travel. You can also include a letter with your application telling them why you can't renew your passport, and that you need the RP to travel in general. In that case, for those questions, just mention a trip you might want to make. If you want the RP sooner rather than later, tell them your intended date of departure is in 2 months or so.
 
Thanks cafeconleche!

For those who is/will follow the thread, my GC is employment-based.

I'd like ask for opionions on the letter.

My national country has a conscription law for males. I'm in the conscription age and haven't done the service. They won't renew my passport until I go back and finish the 1-year service. I live in the US and have a full-time job. I am unable to stop work for 1-year and go back. I intend to stay as a resident in the US. My question is how to show that beside saying it in the letter? Would these be valid? I pay rent on my apartment and have been filing personal tax returns for last 5 years, which was my primary source of income.

Thanks in advance for your views.
 
netdude said:
My national country has a conscription law for males. I'm in the conscription age and haven't done the service. They won't renew my passport until I go back and finish the 1-year service.
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You'd be breaking the law of your own country by refusing to do the mandatory service, and it's a law that most other countries see as legitimate. So they won't accept that as an excuse for not having a passport.
I live in the US and have a full-time job. I am unable to stop work for 1-year and go back.
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Your country won't pay you and provide accommodation while you're in the service?

You could get a reentry permit, ask for an unpaid leave of absence from your job (although they won't have to give it to you) and go and do the service, then come back. Return to the US at least once before 6 months are up, if they will let you, to make things easier for US citizenship later.
I pay rent on my apartment and have been filing personal tax returns for last 5 years, which was my primary source of income.
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Were you a permanent resident for those 5 years? If yes, you could apply for US citizenship, then you'll be able to get a US passport (you don't need a valid passport from your original country to obtain US citizenship). Of course, you could still be apprehended in your own country for failing to do the mandatory service, if you ever return for a visit.
 
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If you really aren't up for the military service, though, in a letter, you can mention an an ailing parent or something.
 
netdude said:
Hello

I have a non-US passport which will expire in 2009, after which I will not be able to renew it. I've received my Green Card on 7/2008. I would like to travel to other countries (not to country I am a national of) for vacation before I will receive US Citizenship/Passport (ie waiting 5 years). I learned that some countries allow visitors with GC + re-entry permit. I have no intention of staying outside of US for more than 1 year, only a couple of weeks per year for vacation. I am trying to apply for the permit by myself. What should I put for the following on I-131 form? Should I explain why I am unable to renew my passport on the form? For the last three below, I have no idea since the vacation hasn't been planned yet (ie in the future).

* Purpose of trip.
* Date of Intended Departure
* Expected Length of Trip
* Countries intend to visit.

Thanks in advance for your views.
Click to expand...

I do not think there is a single country will let you in without valid passport even with GC and permit.
-The travel permit (I131) is a document to return back to US and keep your GC valid if you stay > one year and < 2 years overseas and has nothing to do with entering other country and is not a replacement for valid passport (most countries need the pasport to be valid for more than 6 months)
-GC is required to enter few countries (canada, mexico and few scattered islands) as a replacemet of visa to those countries and still you need valid passport to enter those countries even if you are US citizen.
-You may be confused with the permit issued for refugee because they can not obtain passport from their contries due to political reasons and the US issue this permit to them (different from the I131 you will apply for)
- If you want to travel for few weeks or days you need valid passport and GC, nothing else unless you are a refugee, then you need extra permit (not I131) as a replacement for passport.
 
mmed, you are not familiar with the re-entry permit. It CAN be used just like a passport or refugee travel document, as I and many others are doing.
 
You CAN use re-entry permit and refugee travel document for travel (first acquire visas from the consulates, of course). Most countries seem to be accepting re-entry permit, although I have read of one case where a person wasn't allowed into Singapore, while many others where.

Also, mmed, is saying that some other application exists (not i-131) for a travel document for asylees/refugees who cannot get their national passport renewed and need a travel document to be allowed to board planes. I haven't heard anything like this, if someone has real knowledge about this, please share with us.
 
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