Applying for ESTA, or any travel document (vacation) as an ex US Permanent Resident Card holder
When I was little I lived in the US with my family. In October 2007 I received a permanent resident card, however in 2008 I moved to Finland with my family.
From what I understood my family should've visited the USA within one year in order to not lose the permanent resident card, however we have lived in Finland for about 11 years now. I was planning on visiting the US this June for vacation and I was confused on the state of my permanent resident card which expired in 2017 and my overall permanent resident status. I wasn’t even aware that I had a permanent resident card until last week when I was trying to fill in the ESTA application and I asked my dad just to be sure if I had any “national identity card issued by any other country”.
A CBP ESTA Officer then informed me that I am ineligible to travel on the Visa Waiver Program/ESTA if I am a Lawful Permanent Resident and I should contact my nearest US embassy or consulate to obtain appropriate travel documentation. First I tried contacting the US embassy in Finland via email and they told me I should contact the US consulate. I tried asking questions from the US consulate on the matter and they didn’t really answer any of my questions specifically. They just said to return the card to their offices and to fill in the I-407 form so I won't have any problems with traveling to the USA. To me that sounds like I would still have some permanent residence status if the consulate wants me to fill in a “Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status”.
So I was wondering if there are any other options for me to travel to the states other than by getting rid of my permanent resident status, if I do still have that, which I am still unsure of? I might want to move back to the US after my studies in Finland so that's why I wouldn't like to abandon it completely. My flight to the US is scheduled in the beginning of June (~4 weeks), and right now I'm scared it's too late to get a travel document.
So, is there any way to still make it, and is my only option here to abandon my old permanent resident status?
Best Answer
i found myself very interested in this thread as i have a similar story to share. my parents abandoned their green card while i was a minor (all of us living in austria and being austrian citizens), so automatically i lost my green card as well. first of all, if you file for an sb-1 why is that not a reason you can claim as "circumstances out of your control" if your parents abandon their green card while you are a minor? and second, what happened to me is that i got rejected esta many times. i started applying for esta in summer 2019. since then i figured i cannot travel with esta. i even went directly to the border in tijuana and tried to cross from mexico. the officers at the border told me that because i once posessed a green card i will never ever be able to travel under vwp.
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Do I need ESTA if I have permanent resident card?
Q: I am a legal permanent resident (green card holder) of the U.S. and a citizen of the VWP country. Do I need to apply for ESTA? A: No.Can a green card holder apply for ESTA?
Convenient: Holders of a Green Card ("Permanent Residents") can travel to the USA without a passport, as the Green Card is considered a "secure document" by the US authorities....Passport for USA travel.Passport for traveling to the USABiometric passportIs entry without a passport possible?ESTA\u274cUS-Visa\u274c8 more rowsDo I need travel document if I have green card?
A U.S. green card is not sufficient by itself as a travel document, though it is enough to get you back into the United States. You will, in fact, be expected to present your valid, unexpired green card upon reentry to the United States. (This is also known as a Permanent Resident Card or Form I-551.)Can a green card holder leave the US and return?
If you are a lawful permanent resident (green card holder), you may leave the United States multiple times and reenter, if you do not intend to stay outside the United States for 1 year or more.How to Apply for Reentry Permit (Travel Document for Green Card Holder)
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Answer 2
If I got it right, they don't allow you to travel under VWP even if you filed I-407. I think the reason is that you are a "potential illegal immigrant" as you already once had interest in a resident status. Therefor you must apply for regular visa and proof very well that you plan to go back to your country of citizenship. I think that's quite tricky and frustrating as this costs way more than the VWP. Also if you don't follow a regular job, as a single person it's quite hard to proof that you are going back for sure.
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