LT1

The law seems pretty clear that we are to carry our Green Card with us at all times. But that law was also written over seventy years ago, well before the days of photocopiers, scanners, pictures and iPhones! I'm wondering if folks who currently have GCs (or perhaps had them and have since naturalized) actually do/did carry their GC with them at all times?

I have high quality scans and pictures (both sides) on my phone, and never go anywhere without my phone (not least because it's also my car key!). The scans/pics are also on Dropbox and iCloud so accessible (behind 2FA) on any device as ever needed.

I don't like the idea of knowingly breaking a law, but the thought of losing or having the GC stolen, and all that then entails (cost/time/hassle/worry) seems very unattractive...

Olly_

Nope, in my 5 and a bit years as a LPR I never carried my green card. I left it at home in the safe and kept a scanned copy in iCloud like you.

YMMV obviously, perhaps if you live near the Mexican border where they have those highway immigration checkpoints you might want to carry it!

tht

I don’t have a green card anymore, but I carry a US passport (card) most of the time now, and whenever I leave town. The whole East coast is within the “100 mile boarder zone” and I prefer that as ID vs my DL as it has no address on it. It is only $10 or $20 extra with the US passport. I also have them for my sons and take them whenever we go to NYC etc…

neill

I think if you live in the 100 mile 'border zone' it's a better idea to carry it on longer road trips within the border zone, otherwise mostly unnecessary.

steph0scope

Yes, I did when I was a GC holder. Now a US citizen and carry the passport card. My situation was unusual in that I had to surrender my drivers license for medical reasons so my GC was my only government-issued ID. I was too unwell to go to the DMV to get a state ID as I had to be on oxygen 24/7 and was in a wheelchair. I’m almost fully recovered now and will get my license back. But I want to wait until I have a bit more hair before I have my photo taken 😂

petitefrancaise

Yes, I always carried mine.
Since you live in ATX it's easy to get within the 100 mile border zone and there is an immigration control point on the road out to Big Bend. Ex OH got a telling off and a letter for not having his GC on him, luckily he had his TX driver's license so they checked him out using that.

Pulaski

The law was also written before green cards were credit card sized, and before credit cards were invented.

I am now a USC, but previously when I was already carrying credit cards, an ATM card, health insurance, FSA and HSA cards, a AAA card, a Lowe's store card, a BP gas card, among other credit card sized pieces of plastic and paper, adding my green card to the cards I was carrying, was not a burden. Personally I would not expect a copy, whether paper or electronic, to be taken seriously as both can be faked very easily, and I would expect that they would likely lead to a further delay (to me, going on my way) while the data was verified.

FWIW I haven't been stopped at a police/sheriff's check point in a number of years, but I was probably encounter 3-4 checks mostly if not entirely before I became a USC. I don't know what they were looking for, but only ever needed to show my driver's license. .... My current license is Real ID compliant.

karenkaren1

Nope, too expensive and inconvenient to replace if it goes missing. I wouldn't trust my teenage kids (age 17 and 19) with theirs either. Got scanned copies on phones, willing to take the risk of being arrested for not carrying. (never heard of this happening to anyone tho).

LT1

Thanks all! Reassuring that I'm not alone in my thinking!

Jerseygirl

Lived in the US approx 10 years before becoming a USC and I never carried my GC. Too much hassle to replace if it is lost/stolen. If concerned carry a copy.

newacct

After May 2025, green card holders in Washington state will have to bring either their green card or foreign passport when they fly, because Washington state does not issue REAL ID driver's licenses/state IDs, and Enhanced driver's licenses/IDs can only be issued to US citizens.

Pulaski

Unless the final implementation of Real ID is postponed, again.

tht

Being so close to Canada it would be crazy not to take the GC, even on a domestic flight, always a chance of a divert (which could be in Canada) and many airports have CBP so a higher chance of being inspected by an officer while flying…

jkeller

Global entry card would do the trick in this case. Although when it comes to flying and all the security/tsa/police you can encounter at the airport, it might be just safer to carry the green card.

S Folinsky

Interesting. Take a look at Section 266 of the Immigration & Nationality Act. Failure to carry the green card is a very minor misdemeanor. Copying it is a felony.

Is convenience sufficient justification to commit a felony?

(Although the statutory language is quite broad, the only prosecutions I’ve ever seen involved counterfeiting for gain).