If you lose your green card and do not have a passport with a valid I-551 stamp, you must contact USCIS prior to arrival at a U.S. port of entry. Depending on the situation, the USCIS representative may advise you to renew your green card, apply for an I-551 stamp, or apply for a replacement green card. In order not to jeopardize your legal permanent residence and future naturalization, you should speak to an immigration lawyer before leaving the country for more than a year. It is important to take the right steps to protect your current and future legal status. There are three different ways to get a U.S. passport: Note that only U.S. citizens and non-citizens can apply for a U.S. passport. Green card holders cannot obtain a U.S. passport unless they first become citizens. Green card holders can travel throughout the United States and U.S. territories without a passport.
Of course, you can`t just buy a U.S. passport, but you`ll have to pay an application fee as the U.S. passport application process progresses. Depending on your journey to U.S. citizenship, there are different filing fees: If you stay outside the U.S. for more than 2 years, any return permit issued before you leave the U.S. will have expired. In this case, it is advisable to consider applying for a return residence visa (SB-1) at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
An SB-1 applicant must prove eligibility for an immigrant visa and will need a medical examination. There is an exception to this process for the spouse or child of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or a civilian employee of the U.S. government who is stationed overseas by official order. For more information on obtaining a visa for returning residents, visit the U.S. Department of State`s recurring residency visa website. You`ll need official proof of legal permanent resident status in the United States, such as one of the following: passport requirements, processing times, fees, and receipts vary so much that it`s best to simply access the passport renewal page of the country you`re a citizen of. The passport application is not long, an entire applicant is required to present proof of citizenship (such as a birth certificate, naturalization certificate), a 2×2 inch passport photo in color, a completed DS-11, any other form of identification document and a fee ($145). Passport photos can be easily created digitally using one of the many tools available online such as the U.S. Passport Photo Converter, so people don`t have to leave their homes just to take a passport photo.
Passport Photo Online is here to support applicants in the application process. The USCIS English test is taken to prove your understanding and writing skills in the English language. If you do not qualify for an exemption (for example, for older residents who have lived in the United States for long periods of time or for people with disabilities), you will take the English test during and immediately after the civics test. In addition to carrying a physical green card, legal permanent residents can receive an I-551 stamp in their foreign passport. The I-551 stamp serves as temporary proof of permanent resident status if the passport holder`s green card is lost or expired. A green card, also known as a legal permanent resident card, gives you the right to live and work permanently in the United States. After receiving a green card, you will be recognized by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) as a lawful permanent resident of the United States. If you cannot get a passport from your home country because it does not issue a passport to permanent residents of other countries, you will need to bring all types of travel to Canada if you do not qualify for an exemption (this can be done for older residents who have been living in the United States for a long time, or for people with disabilities), you will take the tests right after the interview.
In addition to a green card, a passport is required when traveling abroad. Although a green card is not verified at its destination, it is important that it is presented when returning to the United States. Each country also requires different things, so it`s important to check what documents are required from each country before leaving – this can be checked at the country`s embassy or consulate. The return permit issued by the USCIS in such situations is commonly referred to as a white passport. However, it`s not really a passport – it only allows you to return to the United States. When you become a U.S. citizen, you have a say in the U.S. government.
However, a U.S. passport is not required. Millions of people are incredibly satisfied with their green cards and like to keep their “old” citizenship. In contrast, citizenship is granted to people born in the United States, through parents with U.S. citizenship or through naturalization procedures. When citizenship is granted, a person is eligible for a U.S. passport, and many other countries allow visa-free travel. In addition, there are no restrictions on the number of stays spent outside the United States. People can leave and return to the United States as many times as they want.
Citizens are allowed to participate in elections, be employed by the government and serve on juries. Scholarships, grants and other government benefits are also available for citizens. In summary, U.S. citizenship must be provided in order to apply for a passport. Refugees, whether they have a green card or not, must complete a refugee travel document before traveling outside the United States. Essentially, a refugee travel document acts as a passport by allowing a refugee to re-enter the United States after international travel. No passport is required when planning a visit to Canada, by land or sea. A green card will be more than enough to confirm identity and legal permanent resident status. These rules do not apply when you cross the border by air – an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is essential when travelling within Canada.
And in return, a passport is required for the electronic travel authorization to be issued. Therefore, a person must travel not only with a passport and a green card, but also with the eTA. Since the Department has received few applications, there is no justification for creating a national alien certificate. The development of a separate document containing enforcement mechanisms was considered an inefficient resource effort. Therefore, the Department noted that those who would be eligible to apply for such a certificate may instead apply for a U.S. passport that delineates and certifies their status as citizens, but not as citizens of the United States. If a traditional green card lasts 10 years, an I-551 stamp is only valid for 6 to 12 months. Meanwhile, the lawful permanent resident can use their passport with the I-551 stamp to return to the United States after a trip abroad. Even with a white passport, leaving the country for more than a year poses a serious risk to your legal permanent residence. It can also cause problems if you are willing to apply for naturalized citizenship. Naturalization is how a non-citizen who was not born in the United States voluntarily becomes a U.S. citizen.
The most common path to U.S. citizenship by naturalization is legal permanent residency (LPR) for at least five years. For more information on determining the first accepted filing date for your naturalization application, see the USCIS Advance Filing Calculator. In general, you will need to present a passport from your country of citizenship or your refugee travel document to travel to a foreign country. In addition, foreign countries may have additional entry/exit regulations (e.g., a visa). Information on entry and exit rules for foreigners can be found on the U.S. Department of State website. As defined by the INA, all U.S. citizens are U.S. citizens, but only a relatively small number of people acquire U.S. citizenship without becoming U.S.
citizens. Article 101(a)(21) of the INA defines the term “national” as “a person who owes lasting loyalty to a State.” Section 101(a)(22) of the INA provides that the term “U.S. national” covers all U.S. states. Citizens as well as persons who, although not citizens of the United States, owe permanent loyalty to the United States (non-citizens). After receiving a green card, U.S. citizenship is the latest achievement for most American immigrants. Learn if you should consider becoming a “real” American and what steps you need to take to get your U.S. passport.
Non-U.S. citizens who are in the U.S. for any reason and need to renew a passport can usually apply to the embassy or consulate general of the country of which they are citizens.