What restrictions are there on traveling with a green card. I will be going on a Cruise to Jamiaca. I am a Mexican Citizen. Is there anything else I need to travel as I can not get an American passport.

Dear Jimmy:

You will need your green card and your Mexican passport. If you do not have a Mexican passport, you will need to obtain a US re-entry permit. Good luck.

Dear sir,
my question is also about travel abroad. My in-law is from China and was granted PR early this year and entered the states in Feb. she had a stamp on her passport and she haven't received her green card so far. But she need go back to China or go to Canada for medical reasons. Can she travel back without influencing her immigration status? do we need to file certain documents for her or re-entry permit and how? Thanks for you help.
Leia

Dear Leia:

As long as your in-law has an unexpired immigration stamp in her passport indicating that she is a lawful permanent resident of the US, she can travel abroad without the need of having any particular travel document.

She must, of course, return before the stamp expires, and she should not remain outside for more than six months to avoid any appearance of having abandoned her residence. Good luck.

Dear sir,

I am a naturalized citizen of US, and sent Petition for Alien Relative(I-130)to INS for my mother who lived in Guangzhou, China. After interview, she was granted immigration visa and then entered US in 2/7/01. At the port of entry, after submitting her visa package and having her finger print taken, she got a stamp on her passport as a proof for "processed for I-551, temporary evidence of lawful evidence for permanent residence". we thought that all we need is to wait for green card mailing in. After 6-month of waiting, and an inquery with INS, we realized that we didn't filed I-485 for her to begin with. We will file I-485 for her ASAP.

The questions here are:
A) Can she travel oversea and re-enter US before the immigration stamp expires whlie her application (I-485) is pending?

B)Does she need to have her physical exam, finger print taken again? she had already physical and finger print done.

Thanks

Jason

I obtained a white card from my local INS office with a stamp of "processed for I-551, temporary evidence of lawful admission for permanent residence valid until September, 2002" in September of 2001. I have booked a Cruise to Bahamas that departures at the end of April 2002. I am a Chinese Citizen. My petition for a Chinese passport was rejected from Chinese consul because I have used two names before. Then I immediately applied for a US re-entry permit in February of 2002. A receipt notice dated February 11, 2002 was issued from INS, which states "It usually takes 85 to 115 days from the date of this receipt for us to process this type of case." This means that I will not receive my re-entry permit anytime in April of 2002. Can I request INS to expedite processing my case, or if there is anything else that can help me to be able travel on time. Can I use my driver license, my notarial birth certificate, and the above white card issued from INS to go on cruise to Bahamas. Thank you in advance.


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Dear Joey:

First of all, we assume from your question that you were issued a temporary form I-94 with the I-551 stamp on it, valid to September 2002. If this is the case, this document is sufficient for you to re-enter the US provided you have another document of identity, such as a passport.

In your case, since you do not have a passport, you need to obtain a re-entry permit. INS does provide a procedure whereby you can request expedited processing of a re-entry permit. To do so, you should contact the INS office where your application was filed, which should have been the Nebraska Service Center, and they can explain what you will need to demonstrate in order to have the application expeditiously handled. Good luck.

Hello, I am a student and a part time DJ. I just got booked to play in Belgium, in May. My problem is the following; I have a green card, but my passport has expired. I have a valid NYS Drivers License, a Social Security Card, a College ID card, and the old expired passport. If I don't manage to renew my passport in time, what are my options for travelling to Belgium?

Thanks,
Jack.

Dear Jack:

Since you have a valid green card, you have sufficient documentation to enter the US. The reason for the valid passport is for purposes of entering other countries for which you don't have an entry document.

You will have to check with Belgian authorities to see what they will require for you to enter Belgium. Actually, you should be able to get your Belgium passport renewed, on an expedited basis, before May. Good luck.

I am permanent resident of US.I know that I may travel outside the US up to six months .
I must stay outside the US about five months and one week for medical treatment.May INS question my stayout even in this case? Would be it reasonable for me to prepare documentations which proof that
my long stayout is due to medical treatment?

Dear Slavik:

INS can always question your stay, but they do not have much of a case against you if you are out less than 6 months.

If it will make you feel better, you can carry with you some evidence of the medical treatment when you return. Good luck.

Dear Slavik:
I recently obtained a status as LPR based on a granted asylum .. for which I applied initially 13 years ago..
Do I have a restriction to travel to my country of origen ??