Travel with I797C & no expired green card
 

Hi,

They took my expired green card when I did my biometrics. Now I just have the I-797C. My online research suggests travel with the I-797C and the expired green card work, but can I travel out of the US with the I-797C, my California driver's license and emergency travel documents from the British Consulate. My passport was lost in the mail during renewal!

Re: Travel with I797C & no expired green card
 

You should not have a problem. I would hope that you made copies of the green card and that you can take that along with you as well. As a matter of fact, you needed to send a copy, front and back, of the green card with the I-751 form. Make an extra copy to go with your I-131.

Re: Travel with I797C & no expired green card
 

What kind of travel document did the British Consulate give you? Sometimes they are just valid for a single journey, with the journey itself stated on the document.

Re: Travel with I797C & no expired green card
 

There is a new version, valid for 5 journeys.

Re: Travel with I797C & no expired green card
 

Whoever "they" is, they didn't have the authority to take your green card... expired or not.

Ian

Re: Travel with I797C & no expired green card
 

"they" were the US Immigration folks at our appointment where they did the biometrics for the green card renewal. They took the expired card, gave us the I797C and said we were fine.

Re: Travel with I797C & no expired green card
 

For the sake of others reading this thread, the folks who do the biometrics are not USCIS employees. They had no right to take away your green card. In the future, if this happens to anyone, don't relinquish your green card to them.

If you can, I'd file some kind of complaint about it. You never know where that green card could end up (in some illegal alien's pocket, for example).

Rene

Re: Travel with I797C & no expired green card
 

Good advice. We didn't even realize they weren't USCIS and my husband just followed instructions. Now we are really stuck. The USCIS customer service call center recommends we go to an info pass appointment to get another stamp on his I797C, so he can travel. I made the appointment, but it is 2 days AFTER he was supposed to travel. If he just flies on Tuesday, i wonder if we can get the additional stamp in London... If the time estimates on the USCIS website are correct, his renewed green card should arrive around July 22nd.

Re: Travel with I797C & no expired green card
 

Was this for an expired 10-year card renewal? Or was this for removing conditions from the 2-year card to get the 10-year card?

Either way, I suggest also carrying a photocopy of the green card along with the I-797C.

I don't believe he can get an I-551 stamp in London.

Rene

Re: Travel with I797C & no expired green card
 

What happens if someone is traveling in England and their expired green card is stolen? They must have a way to resolve that there?

Re: Travel with I797C & no expired green card
 

Well, if they are traveling on an expired green card, they must have some other form of proof of their continued PR status...either a current I-551 stamp in their passport, or the 1-year extension letter from filing I-751 for removal of conditions, right? Otherwise they shouldn't be in England with an expired green card.

If they go to England on an unexpired green card, and it gets stolen, they can get a returning resident visa to the USA. If they are in England on an unexpired green card and it expires while they are there, I am not sure what happens...I suppose they can also apply for a returning resident visa. I don't think there's a way to renew the green card from inside England, because you need to appear for biometrics, which can only be done in the USA.

Rene

Re: Travel with I797C & no expired green card
 

You aren't in that situation though, so why discuss that now?

Re: Travel with I797C & no expired green card
 

It was a renewal of a 10 year green card.

Re: Travel with I797C & no expired green card
 

OK, so that rules out using the 1-year extension letter.

Rene