Originally Posted by
qmiro
I did know in the past that having an I-551 stamp on my passport would not allow me into countries like Mexico or Canada without a visa. So I never attempted to do that.
I agree with the rest of your post except this part. It is advisable to call immigration authorities in Mexico and Canada to ask whether they will accept I-551 stamp in the passport in lieu of a Green Card. When I was without an actual Green Card but with an I-551 stamp in my passport, I did call the particular crossing at Aldergrove and asked a CBSA supervisor if they would accept my national passport + I-551 stamp, and he said they would. And they actually did. I have no idea how Mexican authorities treat this stamp, but I can guarantee that you can enter Mexico at any land border without as much as showing your papers at all
It seems that some people in this thread confused the ability to enter the US with a temporary I-551 stamp or extension letter with the ability to enter foreign countries with aforementioned documents. As a matter of fact, if you have a temporary I-551 stamp in your passport, a CBP officer will most likely not even need to look at it because your passport will be linked to your permanent resident status. That is speaking from my own experience when I travelled with this temporary stamp.