British Expatriate Network

Hello everyone,

I was hoping someone could awnser my questions by some chance? I have a couple here.

1) Its been almost 2 years since I split with my Ex and went back to the UK. What should I do with my green card now that its not vaild? Should I send it too the immigration office?

2) What information does a green card hold exactly does anyone know? Does it hold the name of your spouse?

3) Also I am wondering when you visit the USA from the UK do you have to give the address that you are staying at while you are visiting at the immigration controls?

4) If you have a permanent residency card (ie Green Card) and you live in the U.S. Do you have to inform the Immigration service everytime that you move house? ie to a different apartment complex? I can't remember that being the case a few years ago? Just I was looking at this

"A willful failure to give written notice to the USCIS of a change of address within 10 days of the change is a misdemeanor crime. If convicted, the alien (or parent or legal guardian of an alien under age 14 who is required to give notice) can be fined up to $200 or imprisoned up to 30 days"

http://www.uscis.gov/addresschange


Would really appreciate any advice.

I'm no expert so this is based on common sense/personal experience when I had a green card.

1) At this point, I would just destroy it. The fact it has lapsed means you can't use it again and sending it anywhere risks it being intercepted or misused.

2) IIRC, mine recorded date of birth, place of birth, nation of birth, alien registration number - in the magnetic strip alone. It also had the same information printed on the card. The strip was read at the border, the same way a modern passport is read quickly.

3) When I visited as a tourist, I did have to give addresses of places I was going to be staying during my stay. The worst thing is to not have an address ready so if in any doubt, pick a hotel in the city you will be staying in and use that.

4) Yes, you do have to inform USCIS. This is something that came in within the past 2-3 years. I've yet to hear of it being prosecuted though.

Thanks so much for the reply!

2. Does it have on it the address you are going to live at in the US? Also does it have on the name of your spouse?

ohh and another question

5. do you need a visa to go to the us for a short visit ie a week? or just your passport?

As far as I could tell from looking at it, it did not have an address on it.

It also does not have the name of your spouse. I would imagine the alien number will pull up your file and they can see all your current information from that, so no need to overburden the card itself.

You can get into US without a visa, using the Visa Waiver program. There is a form you fill out on the plane before landing and then hand it in with your passport. It gives you so many weeks (12 I think) maximum but in return for this benefit, you waive the right challenge a denial, if by chance you are rejected at the border.

Are you coming over to visit or to return to live? If the latter, you may have issues and they will likely know you are a former resident, out of status, so best to be honest and upfront all the way.

I'm not an expert, but I think the best thing to do is to contact
the US consulate or embassy, and ask what to do.
You don't want to mess around
with the US immigration authorities if you ever intend to visit the US
again. They can be very unforgiving if you break the rules.

If you have a green card and re-enter the US, you are supposed to
show the card. If you have a green card, and don't intend to
live there. you are supposed to surrender the card.

I had a US green card, them moved to Canada, and I surrendered
the green card at the US border some weeks after moving to
Canada. I filled in a bunch of forms, and agreed that I knew what
I was doing, then got a form and a stamp in my passport to say that
I had surrendered my green card, and was told to show the forms
if I went to the US again.

Perhaps I'm paranoid, or anal retentive, or something, but I like to
do things by the rules, especially when US immigration is involved.

Anyway, just a suggestion.

Dave.