Travelling without PR card?
Nov 5th 2018, 10:31 pm
#1
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Travelling without PR card?
There was a mistake on my PR card when it arrived so I applied to have it replaced. USCIS have now requested the original card. I will be travelling to the UK over Christmas so I’d like to ask anyone in the know if the I-155 stamp will suffice on my return journey if my new card hasn’t arrived? Or is that stamp only for use when you do not yet have your PR card.
Nov 5th 2018, 11:18 pm
#2
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Re: Travelling without PR card?
As long as the I-551 stamp is not expired, you'll be fine.
Rene
Rene
Nov 6th 2018, 11:41 am
#4
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Re: Travelling without PR card?
I would suggest that you go to your Infopass appointment to obtain the I-551 stamp with the green card in hand before you mail it back to USCIS. It's not necessary but helpful to have that proof available and if the Infopass appointment is scheduled to far out, be sure to take front and back copies of the card before mailing. Bring the copy with you to the Infopass appointment and with you when you travel. This way you have a backup proof if your passport is lost or stolen while you are traveling and need to go to the US Consulate/Embassy for a re-entry document.
Nov 7th 2018, 12:12 pm
#5
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Re: Travelling without PR card?
Rete - I don’t have an infopass appointment. USCIS requested that I mail my card to them. I entered the US in April 2018 so am I correct that the 1-551 was endorsed on arrival? My visa was issued in October 2017 so if it was endorsed from then, it has expired.
If you think booking an infopass appointment is advisable, I will try and book one for before I travel in December. I hadn’t thought about taking front and back copies of my PR card. I will now though.
If you think booking an infopass appointment is advisable, I will try and book one for before I travel in December. I hadn’t thought about taking front and back copies of my PR card. I will now though.
Nov 7th 2018, 12:56 pm
#6
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Re: Travelling without PR card?
As long as the I-551 will not be expired when you return to the US, then you don't require a new one. Still do not mail it until you a front and back copy of the card. IMHO, making digital copies of all your important documents, i.e. social security card, passport info pages, etc. is necessary. You scan them in, put them on a flash drive and god forbid you have a need for a copy because something was lost, stolen or destroyed you have it.
Nov 7th 2018, 3:24 pm
#7
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Re: Travelling without PR card?
As long as the I-551 will not be expired when you return to the US, then you don't require a new one. Still do not mail it until you a front and back copy of the card. IMHO, making digital copies of all your important documents, i.e. social security card, passport info pages, etc. is necessary. You scan them in, put them on a flash drive and god forbid you have a need for a copy because something was lost, stolen or destroyed you have it.
The was endorsed when I entered the country and not when the visa was issued, right? I feel like I should know this but I want to be sure!
Nov 7th 2018, 3:34 pm
#8
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Re: Travelling without PR card?
Right. The US Embassy does not give you an I-551. They give you a visa.
It will or should clearly state "I-551" on the stamp that you received at the POE when you entered.
It will or should clearly state "I-551" on the stamp that you received at the POE when you entered.
Nov 8th 2018, 6:03 pm
#9
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Re: Travelling without PR card?
Technically what you originally had in your passport was an immigrant visa, not an I-551 (proof of permanent residency, equivalent to a green card, which is also just an I-551 document). When you entered the US with your immigrant visa, your immigrant visa ceased to be an immigrant visa (immigrant visas are single-use) and automatically turned into an I-551 (equivalent to a green card) for one year from the date of your entry. This is because your immigrant visa has a line of text on it that says "upon endorsement serves as I-551 evidencing permanent residency for one year". The entry stamp saying you entered, is the "endorsement". You don't need anything else that says I-551; the fact your immigrant visa had that line of text on it, plus the fact that you entered the US and got an entry stamp (endorsement), gives you an I-551 valid for one year from the date you entered. The expiration of your original immigrant visa is irrelevant.
Nov 9th 2018, 2:51 pm
#10
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Re: Travelling without PR card?
Technically what you originally had in your passport was an immigrant visa, not an I-551 (proof of permanent residency, equivalent to a green card, which is also just an I-551 document). When you entered the US with your immigrant visa, your immigrant visa ceased to be an immigrant visa (immigrant visas are single-use) and automatically turned into an I-551 (equivalent to a green card) for one year from the date of your entry. This is because your immigrant visa has a line of text on it that says "upon endorsement serves as I-551 evidencing permanent residency for one year". The entry stamp saying you entered, is the "endorsement". You don't need anything else that says I-551; the fact your immigrant visa had that line of text on it, plus the fact that you entered the US and got an entry stamp (endorsement), gives you an I-551 valid for one year from the date you entered. The expiration of your original immigrant visa is irrelevant.
Thank you!
