dreamfool

It was a very sad day for me yesterday. I was all excited to start my vacation as I am dealing with some big and important matters in life and absolutely need a break, but was denied entry because Costa Rica immigration said my green card extension letter was not good enough to proof my PR status in the US. Basically, my old one expired last Oct, and I applied for a new one last Aug (they wouldn't let me apply more than 90 days out). In the meantime, USCIS sent me an official notice stating that my PR status is valid for a year and is good for employment and travel. USCIS takes months to process a new card, which is quite normal, and I didn't think too much of it since I understand the entry requirement is US PRs can enter Costa Rica. However, Costa Rica Immigration insisted that I have the actual valid card in hand, thus sent me back on the plane that I came in. When I re-entered the US, the immigration asked me how long was I out of the country and I said 10 hrs and explained how I was denied entry at Costa Rica. He looked at my card and said, he used to work there (I assume USCIS), they should have placed a sticker on the card that would put that 1 year extension right on the card. I said maybe that would have helped, I don't know, but I didn't know there's such a thing (sticker), I thought there was just an extension notice and that would be good enough but obviously not so.

Any thoughts? Do you think anyone is responsible for my failed trip?
I don't think it's me, since I have checked on Costa Rica's entry requirements at several places and I have the correct document to proof my PR status. I can also understand each country has their specific entry requirements, so I don't blame Costa Rica immigration for insisting me to have the actual valid card presented upon entry, though I wish they would have allowed me to enter since I am just a solo traveler who really wants to enjoy the country. USCIS might have failed to put that sticker on my card, but even that, it is hard to say if Costa Rica would have accepted that. UA? Should they have caught this possible problem when I checked in?

Now, after recovering from a long day of travel, I am trying to see what I can do at this point to recup some of my travel costs at least. I have paid some tour operators etc in CR and I don't think I will get my money back, unfortunately. UA took me there and back, as promised, so I doubt they would return my miles + fees back either. I do have travel insurance that I purchased and I have left a message for them, but I also highly doubt that this would be covered. *Sigh*

Jaimito Cartero

The onus for correct documents is on you, the traveler. A bit more research might have helped, but might not. I assume that your home passport did not let you enter Costa Rica?

LA2CDG

Why is this in the United Forum?
I'm sorry to say, but it's your fault.

dreamfool

No, my home country passport requires a visa and I knew that, but I was counting on using the green card + 1 year extension notice since it said it was good for employment and travel.

I am just wondering if the check-in agent should/could have denied me boarding the plane (which would still suck but not after 10 hrs of flights).

OrlandoFlyer

A couple of things based upon experience:

a. Before my GF's green card expired about 18 months ago, she put in an application to renew it. (She has had a green card since 1995). When she went to get her biometrics done for this they put a sticker on her green card extending it by 6 months without even asking, as they were behind in processing them. No problem traveling to Europe with that green card even after it expired and before the sticker date expired.

b. Another friend had a conditional green card based upon marriage, and when she went for biometrics for the conditions to be removed from her green card, they would not put a sticker on it extending it. They said that the USCIS letter she had extending it a year was good enough to travel with.

Not sure what this all proves except that there appears to be inconsistency on the part of USCIS on whether to give you an extension sticker on your green card or not. I think that in the OPs case it was unfortunate that the immigration officer in Costa Rico did not understand how the UCSIS operates in regards to green card extensions, and honestly why would they.

I think you were just unlucky.

keisari

If your green card expired then you either get a stamp on the back extending it or you go to an immigration office and get a stamp (I think it is I-551 but dont quote me on this); you get the stamp after you do the biometrics and before you receive the card.

As far as who is responsible, it is up to you to check and double check;
On the other hand, UA may get fined for transporting you to a country without the proper immigration requirements.

DEN

Sounds to me that what the USCIS told you was correct. With the extension letter, you were free to travel and even re-enter the US without hindrance. The USCIS has no jurisdiction over any other country's entry policies or VISA requirements and what happened to you is an unfortunate and probably costly mistake on your part.

Trying to make someone else responsible for your mistake is simply wrong.

DEN

dreamfool

Unlucky seems to be the continuing theme of my life right now. Not sure how or what to say.

I wish someone would have told me about this stamp, though I don't know if Costa Rica would have accepted it as a valid proof either.

I do not agree with you that it is my mistake. I checked the requirements and I met the requirements, which was a valid permanent resident of the US with proper documentation to proof that and a valid passport of my home country. I can accept that this was an unfortunate story and that there is no one to blame since there is no information on knowing this would have happened ahead of time.

WineCountryUA

UA's checking is not an official "it is OK for you to travel" but a step to protect UA (not you). They can get fine if they allow improper travel but as the earlier posters stated the responsibility is solely yours. Understand you thought it was OK and others told you it was OK but the responsibility is yours.

Unfortunate, lesson learned. Unless you had an official of Costa Rica provide the specific info that the letter instead of the card was specifically OK, you traveled on assumptions that unfortunately proved incorrect. Things like this happen especially in these gray situations. Should be interesting to see what the travel insurance says, hopefully something will come of that.

star_world

You were in the right here - I am very familiar with the letter to which you refer, and it absolutely does extend your US permanent residency for 1 year while the case is being processed. There is no stamp involved.

Since you mention a 3 month window for the renewal, I presume you had a conditional green card previously and you were filing the petition to have the conditions removed?

This page confirms that the letter is sufficient: http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Laws/Memo...ensn120203.pdf

greenpau

star_world captures it correctly - this seems to me an issue on the part of the CR immigration service, and I can assure you that (much like USCIS) appealing will make very little difference and is unlikely to provide you any redress.

As someone that was subject to significant backlog and processing delays for my GC renewal, I understand how frustrating this can be. However, after an experience very similar to yours until I had the renewed GC in hand, I sucked it up and prepared visas for the visiting country using my home passport to ensure that I avoided any possibility of a ruined vacation.

Sorry this happened to you - pay it forward and warn others in similar situations.

Continental250K

. You're the only one in the wrong, not UA.

star_world

Did you read the thread?

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

dreamfool - sorry to hear about your situation. I hope you manage to have your (much needed by the sound of it) holiday somewhere else.

I just checked the embassy for Costa Rica (US site), and their rules are pretty clear, which I have copied below. It seems you must have a green card, valid for six months:

WineCountryUA

The issue is not if the OP has valid PR / Green card status, but what is the documentation required by the Costa Rican Immigration agents. Just because the OP had an official letter does not mean that will be accepted in place of the official card. You would like it to have been, but in this case the CR immigration agent makes the determination, not the USA authorities.