Are you familiar with the green card? It’s also known as the permanent resident card and it’s one of the most important documents for immigrants living in the U.S. The green card allows them to legally work, study, have access to benefits, and mostly, enter and leave the country with no trouble. But, what happens if your green card expires and you need to travel?
This is what recently happened to a Dominican woman who showed that you can travel even when your card is expired, as long as you have a key document with you: the extension letter. So, let’s find out more about this.
The Dominican woman with her green card expired
She is a permanent resident in the U.S. and went to the Dominican Republic on vacation with her green card expired. How is this possible?
Most people think what she did was impossible, but this woman decided to try and see if this common belief was true and… surprise! She passed through all the immigration controls with no trouble.
When in Dominican Republic
Once she arrived at the airport to take her flight back to the U.S., she presented two documents:
- Her expired green card.
- The extension letter issued by U.S. immigration authorities.
Just with these two documents she could go back to Miami.
What happened when she landed in the U.S.?
Nothing at all. She went through all the immigration controls again with no trouble and she was asked to show the same two documents we mentioned before: the expired green card and the extension letter. That’s it, no more documents (again).
The extension letter
This is an official document issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and it’s used to temporarily extend the validity of the green card while the renewal application is being processed. This means that, even though your physical car is expired, the extension letter confirms you still maintain your permanent resident status.
Since September 2022, every person filing the Form I-90 to review their green card will automatically receive a 36-months extension. This way, you could do the same thing as the Dominican woman did, presenting all the official documents.
Recommendations when traveling with an expired green card
If you don’t want to get in trouble with officers, make sure you follow the recommendations below:
- Don’t travel only with your expired card: remember you will need the extension letter.
- Apply for the renewal on time: the best thing is to file the Form I-90 several months before the expiring date to avoid any issues.
- Keep some copies: always carry with you the expired green card, the extension letter, and the renewal receipt.
- Stay calm at the airports: officers know the extension letter is valid, so you shouldn’t worry about it too much.
- Check official sources: always get informed at the USCIS website to make sure your extension is current.
Importance of the green card
You should be very careful with this document because it is useful to identify yourself and let you live a stable life in the U.S. With this you can:
- Travel freely in and out of the U.S.
- Work legally.
- Access social benefits.
- Take the next step toward U.S. citizenship.
So, now you know what you can do in case your green card is going to expire and you plan a trip. However, you should never give too much credit to rumors and get the correct information through official sources. Remember that protecting your green card means protecting your future in America, that’s why you should never take for granted the expiring date of it.