The cost of carrying your green card
Feb 27th 2011, 2:25 pm
#31
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Florida
Posts: 198
Re: The cost of carrying your green card
The Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551, (Green Card) is issued to all Permanent Residents as evidence of alien registration and their permanent status in the US. The card must be in your possession at all times. This requirement means that you are not only required to have a currently valid Form I-551 at all times, but also that you must carry your currently valid Form I-551 on your person at all times. The Permanent Resident Card currently is issued with a 10-year validity. You status as a Permanent Resident does not expire with the 10-year validity. Only the card expires. The card is only valid up to the expiration date and must be renewed before it expires.
I have mine in my wallet now, and have carried it since the day I got it.
My Interview is April the 4th, letter came in the mail yesterday! Then will not need it anymore, I have only ever used it in buying guns.
Otherwise it is just sat on!
Feb 27th 2011, 2:34 pm
#32
Shocked of Redmond
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: Redmond, WA
Posts: 3,446
Re: The cost of carrying your green card
How do people who choose not to carry the GC knowing that they should be doing so answer question (D)15 in Part 10 of the N-400?
"Have you ever committed a crime or offense for which you were not arrested?"
"Have you ever committed a crime or offense for which you were not arrested?"
Feb 27th 2011, 3:09 pm
#33
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2008
Location: Quebec, Canada
Posts: 976
Re: The cost of carrying your green card
I would presume they give a similar answer as someone who has ever removed the tag from their mattress. This would be pure speculation on my part, though.
Feb 27th 2011, 3:14 pm
#34
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Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Maryland (via Belfast, Manchester, Toronto and London)
Posts: 4,802
Re: The cost of carrying your green card
Hi i dont like to carry my green card but the law states you must have it with you at all times. Here is what happens when your wallet is stolen.
1. Apart from loosing your money/credit cards.
2. You have to renew your driving license
3. You have to replace your greencard cost $360
4. You have to go through the greencard process again and also you have to have your fingerprint taken again.
All this costs money from time off work to travelling to immigration center plus the waiting time to get your replacement green card between 3 and 6 months.
Next time i will not carry my greencard and if i get stopped will rather take a small fine not quite sure what the fine will be.
Thanks mark
1. Apart from loosing your money/credit cards.
2. You have to renew your driving license
3. You have to replace your greencard cost $360
4. You have to go through the greencard process again and also you have to have your fingerprint taken again.
All this costs money from time off work to travelling to immigration center plus the waiting time to get your replacement green card between 3 and 6 months.
Next time i will not carry my greencard and if i get stopped will rather take a small fine not quite sure what the fine will be.
Thanks mark
Last edited by MarylandNed; Feb 27th 2011 at 3:32 pm.
Feb 27th 2011, 3:32 pm
#35
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Location: Maryland (via Belfast, Manchester, Toronto and London)
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Re: The cost of carrying your green card
Good question. Although I can't imagine a single person would say "Yes" simply because they didn't always carry their green card with them (I'm sure many people have also driven and left their driver's license at home). I suspect a lot of GC holders don't even know of the requirement and therefore don't realize that failing to comply is a possible misdemeanor.
Feb 27th 2011, 3:55 pm
#36
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Florida
Posts: 198
Re: The cost of carrying your green card
Good question. Although I can't imagine a single person would say "Yes" simply because they didn't always carry their green card with them (I'm sure many people have also driven and left their driver's license at home). I suspect a lot of GC holders don't even know of the requirement and therefore don't realize that failing to comply is a possible misdemeanor.
Them that's Irish, and them that wants to be?
Feb 27th 2011, 4:50 pm
#38
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 38,865
Re: The cost of carrying your green card
Ian
Feb 27th 2011, 5:01 pm
#39
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Florida
Posts: 198
Re: The cost of carrying your green card
He needed my Dvr. Lic.-Insurance-Ownership. Sign here, bye.
The 6 year driving Lic. Was good enough I recon.
But I did have my GC handy.
Feb 27th 2011, 5:05 pm
#40
Shocked of Redmond
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: Redmond, WA
Posts: 3,446
Re: The cost of carrying your green card
The question talks about offenses, not criminal offenses. Otherwise, why would people worry about traffic violations?
Feb 27th 2011, 5:53 pm
#41
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: The cost of carrying your green card
The spot checks were mostly set out to catch Canadians though, who'd brought guns over in their boats, good little money earner. Catching Brits was a side product, but then there were so many Brits around, they had a good chance in the first couple of years they started doing it catching folks without their greencards.
Feb 27th 2011, 5:55 pm
#42
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: The cost of carrying your green card
Wow I don't know what to do now. 
Feb 27th 2011, 7:35 pm
#45
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 218
Re: The cost of carrying your green card
I used to carry my GC all the time as a long haul lorry driver. Going into Canada was no problem but comeing back into the US was a pain sometimes. When the Yanks asked if i was American or Canadian and i said no then they wanted to see the GC, ok but then they'd ask a lot of questions. Just when thought i was going to go they had me get out of my cab while they searched it.
So, next time comeing back when the Yank asked if i'm American i said 'yes' and he waived me through
So, next time comeing back when the Yank asked if i'm American i said 'yes' and he waived me through