Can You Travel After Green Card Interview?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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The travel document usually arrives within 150 days (sometimes longer) after submitting your application. You can't leave the country until you have your approved travel document in hand, so

you should expect to spend the 3–5 months after submitting your green card application in the United States

.

How long does it take to get the green card after the interview?

In most cases, the interviewing officer will let you know that your case is approved at your interview. You can expect to receive your Green Card in the mail about

2 to 3 weeks

after your case is approved.

Can I travel while waiting for green card interview?

Leaving the U.S. While Waiting for a Green Card.

The U.S. Citizenship and Services (USCIS) does provide that immigrants may travel abroad while waiting on their Green Card

, officially known as a Permanent Resident Card.

What is the next step after green card interview?

After the Interview

If everything goes well at your adjustment of status interview,

the USCIS officer will approve your I-485 application

. In some cases the officer may be able to place an “I-551 stamp” inside your passport. Regardless, USCIS will process the new green card and mail it to your address on record.

Can I travel while my green card is processing?


You can't leave the country until you have your approved travel document in hand

, so you should expect to spend the 3–5 months after submitting your green card application in the United States. Theoretically, you could be out of the United States for as long as you have a travel document (one year plus renewals).

Can I travel while my i-131 is pending?


Individuals may travel on the approved advanced parole document, provided the document is valid for the entire duration of the time abroad

. The pending Form I-131 will not be considered abandoned in this situation.

Can I travel while I 140 is pending?


You should not travel internationally while the travel document is pending

, or the entire process will be considered abandoned and your adjustment of status denied. After several months of waiting, you should then be scheduled for an interview with a USCIS officer.

Can I travel 3 months before my green card expires?


US permanent residents are free to travel and return to the United States up until the expiration date on their Green Card

.

Can I stay in US while waiting for green card?


Some people can stay in the U.S. for the entire period of applying for a U.S. green card

. Others must leave the U.S., either while they wait for a visa to become available (which can take years in some cases) or in order to attend their immigrant visa interview, which is the last major step in the immigration process.

How do I know if my green card is approved?

You can check your case status by

calling the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283

. You will need your receipt number when you call in. This is useful if you do not have access to a computer to check your green card status.

What happens if you fail green card interview?

If you do not pass the green card interview,

USCIS may investigate your case further

. Additionally, USCIS may provide you with the opportunity to submit additional evidence. They may otherwise issue a Notice of Intent to Deny your application for a Green Card.

Is green card interview waived?

Apr 7, 2022

The updated policy explicitly gives USCIS officers discretion to waive interviews of the family members of U.S. citizens and green card holders who have conditional permanent resident status and submitted Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residency.

Does USCIS know everything about you?

Did they get caught lying? The simple answer, of course, is that it is impossible to know whether USCIS knows if an applicant for a green card or for naturalization is lying to them. The safe assumption is that

they DO know everything about you

and that, if you lie in the interview, you will be caught.

Are green card interviews being waived 2021?

The U.S. Department of State (DOS), in accordance with the Department of Homeland Security (DOH), announced on December 23, 2021,

in-person interview requirements are temporarily waived for some nonimmigrant visas through the end of 2022

.

How do you know if you pass the immigration interview?

After making the decision, the official decision notification should arrive via mail within thirty days after the interview.

If it is an approval, it includes notification of approval and a welcome notice

. This letter contains crucial information about the rights and duties of the new permanent resident.

Can I travel while I 90 is pending?

No matter the case, the processing time for an I-90 application is typically 8-10 months, which means, most likely,

the LPR in question will have to postpone international travel until they receive their new green card

.

Where can you travel with green card?

  • Canada.
  • Mexico.
  • Costa Rica.
  • Georgia.
  • The British Virgin Islands.
  • Aruba and Curaçao.
  • The Balkans.
  • Singapore.

Can I travel during adjustment of status?

Adjustment applicants who are in valid H-1B status, and their dependents, can travel abroad and reenter the United States in H status while an I-485 is pending, without having to obtain advance parole. The H1B must still be eligible for H status and returning to the previously approved employer.

Can I travel outside US while I-130 is pending?


It is absolutely possible for a foreign spouse to visit their partner in the United States while awaiting their green card application

. If you are a foreign spouse, you may apply to enter the United States via a tourist visa if you have a pending I-130 petition, and wish to go back to your home country after the visit.

How long does it take for I-131 to be approved 2021?

Generally, it takes

at least three months

for USCIS to process your Form I-131, Application for Travel Document. Check USCIS processing times for the latest estimates. However, you may be able to get expedited processing of a travel document in certain situations.

Can you travel outside US while awaiting citizenship?


You may travel to another country, including your home country, provided no other legal impediment precludes you from doing so

. However, if a trip lasts longer than 180 days, USCIS may determine that you have not continuously resided in the United States and therefore are ineligible for naturalization.

Can I travel after I 485 approval?

You can travel and your pending I485 (with or without Advance parole) will not be abandoned if you have one of these visa types to re-enter the USA: Work visas like H1B and its dependent H4, L-1, and its dependent L2. K-3 spouse or a K-4 child of a US citizen.

Can I stay in US after I-140 approval?

You can remain in the U.S. beyond June 2017 if the FORM I-140 is approved and a visa is available and a FORM I-485 is filed prior to expiration of the L-1B status.

Will I be deported if my green card expires?

You can only be deported from the U.S. if your lawful permanent residency status is no longer valid. Since your lawful permanent resident status is not linked to your green card's validity,

you won't be deported simply because your green card has expired

.

Who gets a 10 year green card?


If you got your residency through your employer or your parent or adult child or brother or sister

you will be issued the regular 10-year card. Also if you get residency through marriage and have been married more than two years at the time you are granted then you also will get the regular 10-year card.

Can I stay more than 6 months outside U.S. with green card due to Covid?

What will happen if I am out of the United States for more than six months? Staying outside the United States for more than 6 months but less than one year will subject you to additional questioning when you return to the United States but you are not required to have a Reentry Permit.

Juan Martinez
Author
Juan Martinez
Juan Martinez is a journalism professor and experienced writer. With a passion for communication and education, Juan has taught students from all over the world. He is an expert in language and writing, and has written for various blogs and magazines.