which USCIS office can give me a letter stating all my entries into USA as GC holder?

2

2scoops

New Member
Whenever I return to the US as a greencard holder, the CBP officer always just swipe my greencard, ask a couple of simple questions, and let me in. I've never been asked to show my country of origin passport. This also means that my passport has no US entry stamps at all.

This has created a problem for me recently when dealing with a 3rd country's consulate regarding visa issues. They were unable to accept my visa application unless I can produce a passport showing US entry stamps. They didn't deny my visa application, since they could not accept my application in the first place because of this.(no fee charged, since the application could not technically land on the consular officer's desk due to this) Showing them my greencard was not sufficient. The very nice consular officer spoke for several minutes with his boss. The boss was sympathetic and said he understood that not all passports get stamped, but his hands were tied because of his country's visa regulations. He took me aside(from the ears of others waiting in the visa office) and told me that I can simply make a short trip to Canada and return to the US, so the US CBP can place an entry stamp in my passport. That will involve spend a couple hundred dollars on airfare or gas... He also said a letter from the CBP or USCIS showing at least one entry into the US as a greencard holder will be enough.

I telephoned the CBP and talked to an officer. She said that greencard-holders don't always need to have their passports examined or stamped (which I already knew) She said the USCIS should have a record of my entries into the US, but she didn't know which offices at USCIS handles this.

Does anyone know which USCIS office I should contact to see if I can get a document certifying my entries? The usual USCIS 800 number rep couldn't tell me either...

Thanks in advance! :)
 
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There is no place I am aware of that can do this.

By the way, what 3rd country was this, and what is the basis for this stupid requirement?
 
TheRealCanadian said:
There is no place I am aware of that can do this.

By the way, what 3rd country was this, and what is the basis for this stupid requirement?
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They just need to verify that I did not enter the US uninspected(a.k.a. illegally). Yes, kind of stupid, as I had my greencard in my hand, but on the other hand, one can enter the US illegally and then acquire a greencard legally later on. :D I would rather not say which 3rd country it is... as I love visiting their country and this is "stupid" requirement is new and only applies, as a result of reciprocity, between this 3rd country and my country of origin. :) (kind of like when Brazil started fingerprinting US citizens at the Brazillian airports, only because the US does the same to Brazillian citizens at US airports) :)

There is actually another alternative for me, which is to go back to my country(13-hour flight plus connections) and go to that 3rd country's consulate in my own country. There I can just apply for a visa as a resident of my country. This is how I got my last visa(expired) from them. But again, that will cost $$$ in airfare, since I have to do it in person.

Just called the USCIS again because I wanted to see if a different rep will know more. This time the rep got another person(supervisor or an actual immigration officer?) on the phone... still no idea... they suggested that I write to the USCIS headquarters in Washington, DC... Oh well... I guess it's a short weekend trip to Canada for me then....(which happens to be my third favourite country in the world, right after the USA and the country that I was born in) :)

By the way, they only charge me $10 visa fee when I apply using my current passort. Once I become a US citizen, if I apply with a US passport, it will cost $130.(again, thanks to reciprocity, because that's the same as what the US charges to issue visitor visas to citizens of that country)
 
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No guarantee of that happening either. If you insist, you might even raise suspicion. I do admire your stance to keep this country anonymous. I have to admit, pretty stupid of them to require a passport stamp from a green card holder. Love is blind, now I know it :)

2scoops said:
I can simply make a short trip to Canada and return to the US, so the US CBP can place an entry stamp in my passport.
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Strange request!

So, what happens if you do visit Canada and upon return your passport is swiped once more, and no entry stamp placed on your passport? I don't think as LPR's, we can start to explain to the PoE officer that he must place an entry stamp or expect he will listen to and understand your third country visa requirements etc.

The fact that you have an American GC is sufficient to prove that you are a bonafide resident. How you got it, how you came to America, what your favorite food is, and the name of your first pet is totally irrelevant in my opinion.

I am imagining this requirement is from some asian or south american country as I do not know of any european requirements to this effect.

I do believe that inquiring too much about it with paper trail or otherwise may raise suspicions with USCIS.
 
GC_TRAP said:
So, what happens if you do visit Canada and upon return your passport is swiped once more, and no entry stamp placed on your passport? I don't think as LPR's, we can start to explain to the PoE officer that he must place an entry stamp or expect he will listen to and understand your third country visa requirements etc.
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turn around, drive back to Canada again, and make another U-turn back into the USA? :D

That has actually happened to me once before. I went to Detroit to see the autoshow. On the last day, I had nothing to do, so I drove across the river into Windsor, Canada.(takes 1 minute) I did some shopping and other stuff. Drove back across the river into Detroit. When I was giving the US CBP officer my greencard, I noticed my credit card was missing. After she cleared me, I drove down the street and stopped the car... the credit card was not in the card... I called a store in Windsor that I had just shopped at. The clerk told me that my credit card was still on the counter. I drove back to Windsor and retrieved my credit card. Then I drove back again. Can't remember how long it took, but the two entries into the US were no more than 20 minutes apart. The second CBP didn't say anything and just waved me through. (but I did have to pay the bridge toll twice) :)
 
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I made 7 road trips to Canada when I had my GC and my Canadian passport was never stamped (or inspected) upon return. I wasn't going to stick around for even one additional second after hearing "Have a good day".

GC_TRAP said:
So, what happens if you do visit Canada and upon return your passport is swiped once more, and no entry stamp placed on your passport?
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Strange, I've been out of the US something like 50 times since I got my GC and my passport has always been stamped.
 
2scoops said:
They just need to verify that I did not enter the US uninspected(a.k.a. illegally). QUOTE]
---Did not you have an original passport stampped the first time you used to enter the US. I

2scoops said:
I would rather not say which 3rd country it is... QUOTE]

Why do you need to hide that country's name. It is a public issue, right? Also, releasing its name can help others to be prepared for visiting it, if there is any.
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