Do you carry your GC with you all the time?

[herenthere]

Recently I had a big scare where I thought I had lost my green card because I lost my wallet. Luckily, this was one of the few times where I did not carry my card with me because I left it at work. The inconvenience of losing my wallet would have been magnified several times if I had lost my GC, as I only recently got it.

My question is - how many of you carry your GC with you at all times? I know the law states that you have to carry your GC in person, but how strictly is this enforced and have you heard of anyone getting in to trouble for not carrying the card? My preference would be to just put it in a safe deposit box somewhere, but I don't want to break any rules either that might jeapordize future apps.

[shekhar63]

I got my green card 3 years back and I never carry it with me (except, of course, travelling abraod).
I may not be doing the right thing, but if I lose it- I will be in bigger trouble.
Nobody has ever asked me to show my green card.
Shekhar

[Triple Citizen]

I carried my green card for nearly 3 years. Never stepped out of my house without it.

Originally Posted by herenthere

My question is - how many of you carry your GC with you at all times?

[TheRealCanadian]

I've carried my GC with me every day for over three years now. Before that, I had been carrying a wallet for over 20 years and had never lost it.

[tinyhippo]

Originally Posted by shekhar63

I got my green card 3 years back and I never carry it with me (except, of course, travelling abraod).
I may not be doing the right thing....

You got that right. USCIS clearly says this :

"The card must be in your possession at all times. This requirement means that you are not only required to have a currently valid Form I-551 at all times, but also that you must carry your currently valid Form I-551 on your person at all times"

[qsazsh4R]

i only carry my GC when travelling

[pmpforgc]

Hi

I also recently got GC . I never carry it with me.

I keep Xerox copies of GC in my Car and office. My car is not always with me, but at that time I will be most probably in my office. SO I think I can produce copy if some one stop me on road or so.


Is there any legal case in which some one has been troubled due to not carrying GC with him/her?

What is the AILA or Lawyers opinion on this important matter?

Deep insight on the issue or any link to similar questions will help

[VidhiVidhan]

I have never carried my GC except when travelling abroad. I also don't intend to carry it on my person unless I hear of a specific case of person getting in trouble because of not having GC on person.

[Rose18]

Hi everyone happy new yr well I carry mine all the time!

[hannah2]

Didn't carry all the time, only on important walk or when I'm going to be outside for more 5 hrs. Just always have the xerox copy, just in case.

[Johnkent]

I don't think anyone would actually get into trouble for not having their GC with them at all times. The reason USCIS asks that u have it on u at all times is for easier identification incase something should happen. I think having a copy of it should be fine but make sure that u have the plastic GC accessible to you incase u need to show it for some reason.
I can't imagine living in some countries in europe were immigrants literally have to carry their passports on them at all time as they are always harrassed by immigrations. Thank God for America.

[harvydonald]

Originally Posted by herenthere

Recently I had a big scare where I thought I had lost my green card because I lost my wallet. Luckily, this was one of the few times where I did not carry my card with me because I left it at work. The inconvenience of losing my wallet would have been magnified several times if I had lost my GC, as I only recently got it.

My question is - how many of you carry your GC with you at all times? I know the law states that you have to carry your GC in person, but how strictly is this enforced and have you heard of anyone getting in to trouble for not carrying the card? My preference would be to just put it in a safe deposit box somewhere, but I don't want to break any rules either that might jeapordize future apps.

Loosing your GC is not the same as loosing your status. People pay too much importence to the card because of the time, effort, and money it took to get the card. Relax!!!! if you loose the card, you are still a Permanent Resident. Yes it is an inconvinence to replace it, but nowhere near the original process. You have to file a police report, and pay a few hundred dollars to get a duplicate one. It may jeopardize a trip oversees if you have one coming up soon.

Every one needs to think and handle their situation differently, if you work at a manufacturing plant that hires lot of illegal workers (like my current client in Dallas), chances are sooner or later there will be an ICE raid and you don't want to be caught without a Green Card with you.

[dante73]

I was asked for my green card at the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles...I recently started carrying it all the time...I was happy, I had it with me. I was applying for an endorsement in my driver license and I guess they had to check my immigration status...

[nickS652]

I know that the rule is we are required to carry it at all times. I know that it's just a card, if one loses it he is still in PR status. But I'm concerned about fraude. If I lose my wallet I can stop credit cards immediately. If I lose my GC... I don't like this. One our friend had some kind of identity theft case, she restored her GC, but now every time she arrives at the border they take her to a room and ask questions to make sure she is who she is.
A copy in the wallet should be OK in my town, I believe.

[Jackolantern]

Originally Posted by dante73

I was asked for my green card at the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles...I recently started carrying it all the time...I was happy, I had it with me. I was applying for an endorsement in my driver license and I guess they had to check my immigration status...

Well, you certainly should expect to have to carry it when going to do any personal business with the government. Most people would naturally carry their GC when going to apply for something at the DMV, even if they don't carry it with them on a daily basis.

[desihai]

I never carried it on daily basis. I had a photocopy of it and cut in the same shape and had in my wallet. Only when travelling abroad I had to take the real one. Otherwise it was sleeping in a firechest. In US as long as you have Driving license you are good to go.

When there are 20 million illegals easily walking in the streets of USA we the law abiding ones should not have issues.

[tinyhippo]

Originally Posted by desihai

I never carried it on daily basis. I had a photocopy of it and cut in the same shape and had in my wallet. Only when travelling abroad I had to take the real one. Otherwise it was sleeping in a firechest. In US as long as you have Driving license you are good to go.

When there are 20 million illegals easily walking in the streets of USA we the law abiding ones should not have issues.

When the law says you have to carry it with you and you don't carry it with you, then how can you be a law abiding one?

I believe you cannot apply the photo-copy-is-okay argument to a green card, like you do for approval notices or certificates. Green card is obviously different with the magnetic stripe and stuff.

If we can say photo-copy is sufficient, then we can logically extend the argument to drivers license and start carrying a xerox copy of our drivers license with us instead of the original.

We have to accept what the law says and have to learn to live with it even though it may not be to our liking.

[forrest_gump]

I never carry my GC with me. I have a photocopied version of the original card, and keep a cut-out of that photocopy in my wallet.

The only time I carry my original GC is when I am traveling (out of town/country).

The law says that "the card must be in your POSSESSION at all times." POSSESSION does NOT mean carrying it with you at all times. Possession implies you cannot mail it out of country, etc. According to dictionaries, "possession" refers to having ownership or control. Possession does NOT mean having to carry something with you all the time.

[Jackolantern]

This is the exact wording of the law:

Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him pursuant to subsection (d) of this section. Any alien who fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction for each offense be fined not to exceed $100 or be imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.

This is what USCIS says about it:
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/usc...0045f3d6a1RCRD

Permanent Resident Card
The Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551, is issued to all Permanent Residents as evidence of alien registration and their permanent status in the US. The card must be in your possession at all times. This requirement means that you are not only required to have a currently valid Form I-551 at all times, but also that you must carry your currently valid Form I-551 on your person at all times.

Taken literally, you would need to have it in your hand or pocket even when jogging or playing sports, so technically those foreign-born permanent resident players in the NBA and NHL are violating the law because they don't have space to store the card on their person when playing.

However, if every law is to be taken literally, everybody who isn't in a coma is violating the law. For example, in New York it is illegal to talk in an elevator, and in Tucson (Arizona) it is illegal for women to wear pants.

Carrying a copy of the card won't conform to the letter of the law, but at least it has information on it that can be verified if you are taken to a police station or immigration detention center, which may spare you from being detained for days or weeks if you are arrested for another offense or taken into custody by ICE for being suspected of being an illegal alien.

It's also interesting that the monetary penalty of $100 for not having the card on you is less than the cost of replacing the card (of course, the jail time of up to 30 days is a much bigger penalty, but has anybody ever gone to jail for this for longer than a night?).

[little_bug]

pos·ses·sion (pə-zĕsh'ən) pronunciation
n.

1.
1. The act or fact of possessing.
2. The state of being possessed.
2. Something owned or possessed.
3. possessions Wealth or property.
4. Law. Actual holding or occupancy with or without rightful ownership.
5. A territory subject to foreign control.
6. Self-control.
7. The state of being dominated by or as if by evil spirits or by an obsession.
8. Sports.
1. Physical control of the ball or puck by a player or team.
2. The condition of being on offense: The home team was in possession during most of the fourth quarter.

possessional pos·ses'sion·al adj.


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if you take it literally, I still don't think you need have it in your pocket or hand.
it just means you need rightfully own it.

I possess my house, but I have never hold it in my hand, right?

[Jackolantern]

Originally Posted by little_bug

if you take it literally, I still don't think you need have it in your pocket or hand.
it just means you need rightfully own it.

Possession isn't the only word used; they also said you must "carry" it.

[NativeTexan]

My hubby was just approved yesterday for his GC.

At the end of our interview the IO told him to expect to receive the card in about 4 weeks and to always carry it on his person. She also handed him a letter containing regulations required of all PRs which states:

"The permanent resident card must be kept on you at all times. This is the law and can have jail time and fines if it is not complied with. The card should always be with you, just like you keep your drivers license with you at all times. You are not permitted to keep a copy of the card with you. We recommend you keep a copy of your card at home in a safe place in case you ever lose the real card. (This will make it easier for you to obtain a replacement card.)"

[pmpforgc]

Hi

It looks like takig the law as it is written now, every one in LPR status need to carry there GC with them all the times.


But we have never heard opinon of the Best known Immigration Lawyers and AILA on this matter.

Can some one find answers/ links of lwayers answers on this importnat matter.

Or those who just got GC, can ask there lawaye and see what they tells? Please post your lawyers reply.

Also is there any Legal case in which LPR (GC holder) is deported or jailed for not carrying his GC with him (except at the international or domestic airports or bordercrossings or near the boreder) when stoped for the routine checkup of the Licence etc by police or any other govt agent.

These answers will help lot of peoples like us.

[Triple Citizen]

What is the fear here? If you lose your wallet with your GC and a CC, there is no way your GC can be (mis)used by someone else. However your CC in the wrong hands has potential for your headache. Think about it.

Originally Posted by pmpforgc

These answers will help lot of peoples like us.

[TheRealCanadian]

Originally Posted by pmpforgc

But we have never heard opinon of the Best known Immigration Lawyers and AILA on this matter.

The law is pretty clear. Besides, a lawyer's opinion is just that - an opinion. It has no legal weight.

Also is there any Legal case in which LPR (GC holder) is deported or jailed for not carrying his GC with him (except at the international or domestic airports or bordercrossings or near the boreder) when stoped for the routine checkup of the Licence etc by police or any other govt agent.

People used to feel this way about the AR-11. And then INS started deporting a few select aliens to make a point. So, hands up everyone who feels that filing the AR-11 is optional?

Do you want to be the person used to prove a point?

[thankful]

Originally Posted by TheRealCanadian

The law is pretty clear. Besides, a lawyer's opinion is just that - an opinion. It has no legal weight.



People used to feel this way about the AR-11. And then INS started deporting a few select aliens to make a point. So, hands up everyone who feels that filing the AR-11 is optional?

Do you want to be the person used to prove a point?

Lots of people do not carry their GCs though the plain language of the law requires it. If you are a risk-averse person like me then carry the darn card all the time. You never know which direction the winds of immigration enforcement will blow. When I was a PR I had the card with me all the time. And I also have my Reentry Permit at home; so if my GC got stolen then I would have a back up proof of status immediately available.

When you are an alien you should be extra careful to comply with the laws of this country.

[Triple Citizen]

Well said. I carried my GC in my wallet for 2 years and 11 months. I never thought I am taking any risk by carrying it in my wallet. I was more worried about my 5 credit cards that shared space in that wallet.

Originally Posted by thankful

When you are an alien you should be extra careful to comply with the laws of this country.

[sure2get]

All,
Here is a first hand experience.

This happened to me in year 2000. I was walking from Train station to work (4 Blocks). On the way, a Border Patrol car (yes, inside the city and not anywhere near a border) stopped in front of me while waiting for the WALK sign. She asked me to show the immigration documents and asked if I had any arm. I said that I am a legal resident and do not have any kind of arm. She then asked the immigration documents. I didn't had documents. I told her the POE and entry date details. She called the POE and checked two terminals and confirmed that I was a legal resident. She let me go. She also told me to carry Original Passport or immigration documents or else have $100 citation. (I didn't carry the PP for the fear of loss).

In order to solve your problem, you may carry the scanned copy of both sides of PR card. Worst case, you would be slapped with $100 ticket (not sure if anyone got the citation with legal resident status).

Losing a card means, file a case with Police and get the receipt, file for a new one with $370 at this time, get a I-551 stamping on PP during the fingerprint appointment, and wait for 6 months.

Thanks
sure2get
Disclaimer: Has no legal credibility. Take your own decision

Originally Posted by Triple Citizen

Well said. I carried my GC in my wallet for 2 years and 11 months. I never thought I am taking any risk by carrying it in my wallet. I was more worried about my 5 credit cards that shared space in that wallet.

[herenthere]

Wow, that sounds pretty random. Was she doing this to other people or just you? Smells like racial profiling.

I did not know that we have to carry our passports with us too?

[TheRealCanadian]

Originally Posted by herenthere

I did not know that we have to carry our passports with us too?

You don't. But in the absence of the GC, a passport with an I-551 stamp will suffice.