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Entering USA on old unexpired green card

Entering USA on old unexpired green card

Old Jun 25th 2019, 5:52 pm
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Default Entering USA on old unexpired green card

Long time since I posted on here, hope everyone is doing well.

My daughter is currently in Europe, and has accidentally taken her old green card with her. It doesn't expire until 2024, and the photo still looks like her, however she got a new card a couple of years ago when she turned 14.

Anyone know if she is going to experience any problems returning on the old card?

Thanks!
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Old Jun 25th 2019, 8:43 pm
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Default Re: Entering USA on old unexpired green card

As long as the GC is not expired, I wouldn’t have thought it’d be a problem.
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Old Jun 25th 2019, 9:57 pm
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Default Re: Entering USA on old unexpired green card

Originally Posted by N1cky
Long time since I posted on here, hope everyone is doing well.

My daughter is currently in Europe, and has accidentally taken her old green card with her. It doesn't expire until 2024, and the photo still looks like her, however she got a new card a couple of years ago when she turned 14.

Anyone know if she is going to experience any problems returning on the old card?

Thanks!
I have no experience of this, but would suggest that (if you have access to the new card) you message her a copy of the new one, so that if necessary she can explain what happened and show a picture of it. Hopefully this would get her on the plane. Would you be meeting her at the airport when she returns, and could have the card with you in the hope she could contact you in case of a problem at this end?
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Old Jun 25th 2019, 10:09 pm
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Default Re: Entering USA on old unexpired green card

Originally Posted by civilservant
As long as the GC is not expired, I wouldn’t have thought it’d be a problem.
Thanks! Prior Googling suggests the same thing.

Originally Posted by Nutmegger
I have no experience of this, but would suggest that (if you have access to the new card) you message her a copy of the new one, so that if necessary she can explain what happened and show a picture of it. Hopefully this would get her on the plane. Would you be meeting her at the airport when she returns, and could have the card with you in the hope she could contact you in case of a problem at this end?
Good idea about sending her a photo of the new one. She shouldn't have any problems getting on the plane as the card numbers are the same so the system shouldn't flag anything. I imagine the only problem could come upon inspection at the US entry. I won't be meeting her at the airport, she lands in Chicago before her connecting flight to San Francisco.

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Old Jun 26th 2019, 10:47 pm
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Default Re: Entering USA on old unexpired green card

If it were my kid, I'd fedex the new one to her.
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Old Jun 26th 2019, 11:24 pm
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Default Re: Entering USA on old unexpired green card

Originally Posted by petitefrancaise
If it were my kid, I'd fedex the new one to her.
Me too assuming she is not due back in the next few days. Otherwise-life lesson, kid.
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Old Jun 28th 2019, 5:05 pm
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Default Re: Entering USA on old unexpired green card

Originally Posted by petitefrancaise
If it were my kid, I'd fedex the new one to her.
Originally Posted by RICH
Me too assuming she is not due back in the next few days. Otherwise-life lesson, kid.
She's moving around a lot, 2 days here and there all in mountain areas. Other than flying back out from Barcelona she's not really in a major city and I'm concerned that her GC would end up at some random middle of nowhere FedEx office with no way of us retrieving it.
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Old Jun 28th 2019, 5:15 pm
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Default Re: Entering USA on old unexpired green card

Originally Posted by N1cky
She's moving around a lot, 2 days here and there all in mountain areas. Other than flying back out from Barcelona she's not really in a major city and I'm concerned that her GC would end up at some random middle of nowhere FedEx office with no way of us retrieving it.
Kids!!
Let us know how it works out. Hopefully all will ok.
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Old Jun 28th 2019, 5:26 pm
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Default Re: Entering USA on old unexpired green card

Originally Posted by petitefrancaise
Kids!!
Let us know how it works out. Hopefully all will ok.
It was my fault in fairness. I pulled it out of the file and gave her it. I even looked at the photo and thought doesn't she look young and cute. Doh!

I will be filing it away elsewhere when she returns next week.
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Old Jun 28th 2019, 5:39 pm
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Default Re: Entering USA on old unexpired green card

Originally Posted by N1cky
She's moving around a lot, 2 days here and there all in mountain areas. Other than flying back out from Barcelona she's not really in a major city and I'm concerned that her GC would end up at some random middle of nowhere FedEx office with no way of us retrieving it.
maybe different in Europe, when my younger brother was biking from SF to NY he mailed himself packages with food to post offices all across the country because he could not carry a lot on his bike, they were all there ready and waiting when he arrived. Obviously a GC is a little more valuable, is she not staying in a hotel before flying back? I have never had issues with things being couriered to a hotel and picking them up at reception.
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Old Jun 28th 2019, 5:48 pm
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Default Re: Entering USA on old unexpired green card

Originally Posted by tht


maybe different in Europe, when my younger brother was biking from SF to NY he mailed himself packages with food to post offices all across the country because he could not carry a lot on his bike, they were all there ready and waiting when he arrived. Obviously a GC is a little more valuable, is she not staying in a hotel before flying back? I have never had issues with things being couriered to a hotel and picking them up at reception.
If she had a fixed itinerary I would have probably have mailed it, but they are mainly backpacking around staying at Airbnb's/campsites as they go. They're not staying at a hotel before flying back. I don't even think they are staying in Barcelona the night before, just travelling directly to the airport early morning.

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Old Jun 28th 2019, 5:53 pm
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Default Re: Entering USA on old unexpired green card

N1cky, just thinking back to when DD turned 14 and had to get biometrics done - she had to go out/into the USA before the new GC arrived, ie using the old one and it wasn't a problem at all.
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Old Jun 28th 2019, 5:58 pm
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Default Re: Entering USA on old unexpired green card

I understand the concern about losing the new card, but even if she is hiking the Camino de Santiago, there are youth hostels/villages it could be sent to. Even 20 years ago when I did (part of) it, it would have been possible to send mail Poste Restant for pickup at some point. Also 10 years of sending & receiving multiple fedex/ups packgages at work, gives me good faith it won't just get undelivered. All said though I don't feel it will be a problem for her returning using the card she has.
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Old Jun 28th 2019, 6:42 pm
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Default Re: Entering USA on old unexpired green card

Originally Posted by petitefrancaise
N1cky, just thinking back to when DD turned 14 and had to get biometrics done - she had to go out/into the USA before the new GC arrived, ie using the old one and it wasn't a problem at all.
Thanks for this, good to know. In fact thinking back, we might have also have done that.

Originally Posted by RICH
I understand the concern about losing the new card, but even if she is hiking the Camino de Santiago, there are youth hostels/villages it could be sent to. Even 20 years ago when I did (part of) it, it would have been possible to send mail Poste Restant for pickup at some point. Also 10 years of sending & receiving multiple fedex/ups packgages at work, gives me good faith it won't just get undelivered. All said though I don't feel it will be a problem for her returning using the card she has.
Thanks! She's not. She's saying looking at that rock over there, I want to go climb that, and going to it. They have very little idea where they are going to be from one day to the next.

While I think I could potentially make it work. From what I've read I don't think it's necessary to send the card. I was just hoping some people would be able to clarify by saying "I've done that".
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Old Jun 28th 2019, 6:49 pm
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Default Re: Entering USA on old unexpired green card

Originally Posted by N1cky
Thanks for this, good to know. In fact thinking back, we might have also have done that.



Thanks! She's not. She's saying looking at that rock over there, I want to go climb that, and going to it. They have very little idea where they are going to be from one day to the next.

While I think I could potentially make it work. From what I've read I don't think it's necessary to send the card. I was just hoping some people would be able to clarify by saying "I've done that".
I had to enter the first time as a PR without my GC as my AOS was while I was in the UK and it was in the mail to my NY apt. I emailed back and forth with the London embassy, in the end they just told me to fly on my L1. As long as the one she has gets past the preflight security and she ia able to board the flight I don’t see where would have an issue once she arrives. If you are that concerned you could check with the embassy in Spain or DOS, they responded to my email the same day and I got the answer I needed.
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