Fool who travelled to the UK without their Greencard!
 

Yep that would be me.

After all that bloomin time of waiting for my 10 year greencard to finally arrive (March - December 2011), I go and leave it behind in Northern VA when hubby and I went home for two and a half weeks last month!!

We flew out on Feb 13th, and arrived back yesterday...as we boarded in London yesterday afternoon I realised I didnt have my effin GC!! I WAS SO MAD!!!

YES i know the card warns to carry it at all times, and it was completely my own silly fault, we live and we learn I guess.

Basically I had to go through to secondary (Just like I did with my K1 visa 3 years ago) and we both had to sit there and wait for them to confimr my status. This took about and hour, maybe a little more, although Im sure this varies depending on where you are and how many other people are waiting. We were second in line, and about 12 people or families came in after us.

The officers were pretty stern and warned that although they would waive the fine on this occasion, if it happen again I would have to pay a $500-$600. LESSON LEARNED!!!

Re: Fool who travelled to the UK without their Greencard!
 

A bit different scenario, but along the same "lesson learned" line:

A friend of mine was just telling me about how she and her Iranian husband were driving from Phoenix to San Diego, when they got stopped at a checkpoint along the border. She's a USC, her husband has a green card. When asked about US Citizenship, he was honest and said I'm not a USC, but I have a green card. The officer asked to see it, and he said the original is in my safe deposit box, but I carry a color photocopy, which he then showed the Officer. The Officer had them pull their car over, he sternly reprimanded my friend's husband, said he could turn him away from traveling right now, said he could fine him $600 for not carrying his green card with him....but in the end he just called in to verify the status and sent them on their way with a long lecture. But it delayed their trip about an hour.

I've heard he's now taken the green card out of the safe deposit box, but hasn't started carrying it with him, still. :unsure:

Rene

Re: Fool who travelled to the UK without their Greencard!
 

Not that I would want it to happen to anyone else, but I am glad Im not the only one!