What does my wife need to travel?

[Cody]

After waiting for almost a year, my wife finally received her green card. Now she wants to travel back to China to see her parents. What documents does she need to travel and return?

 

Are U.S. passports only for citizens, and not permanent residents? Will her green card be enough to get by?

[Randy W]

Green card and Chinese passport

[tonado]

Green card and Chinese passport

228318[/snapback]

Yes.

[david_dawei]

From the AOS FAQ... a little more than you want, but interesting, I think...

 

Q. When will she be able to travel back to China?

 

A.

Once she has either (i) a green card or (ii) has applied for AOS and is travelling with advanced parole, she is still a Chinese citizen. She will not be eligible for a U.S. passport unless and until she becomes an American citizen, which will take at least 5 years (provided she wants to do that). If she ever does become an American citizen, she should travel to China on her U.S. passport with a Chinese visa (although I do have some friends that have returned to China on their Chinese passports after becoming U.S. citizens ... but that's another story).

 

As a Chinese citizen, she will travel to all countries (including China) on her Chinese passport, and will be subject to the travel laws of those countries. And as a Chinese citizen, she can travel back to China on her Chinese passport freely - no visa required. She'll also be able to exit China freely to come back to the U.S. once she has her green card.

 

The green card only guarantees her special rights to stay/work/etc. in the U.S.A. With that said, however, many countries do treat U.S. permanent residents (i.e., green card holders) with essentially the same entry/exit rights as U.S. citizens. So, if you're traveling to Canada, Mexico, many countries in the Carribean, etc., she can probably enter with just her green card and no additional visa application is required. On the other hand, many other countries (Japan, countries in Europe, etc.) will still treat her as they would any other Chinese citizen, and she'll need to obtain a visa (or comply with what's required for PRC citizens). Given that she has a U.S. green card, applying for those visas shouldn't be too difficult, but still something you'll have to do before you get on the plane for that romantic weekend in Paris.

 

So, basically, for other than the U.S. and China - check with the embassy or consulate of the country you want to visit to see what their requirements are.

[frank1538]

After waiting for almost a year, my wife finally received her green card.  Now she wants to travel back to China to see her parents.  What documents does she need to travel and return? 

 

Are U.S. passports only for citizens, and not permanent residents?  Will her green card be enough to get by? 

228317[/snapback]

Assuming the length of stay is less than a year, the green card and Chinese passport should be enough for entry back into the US. I have also suggested to Jingwen that she take her Chinese ID card with her. In past trips, she sometimes presented it. Other times, it wasn't asked for.

 

One quick side note about the Chinese ID cards. They're being replaced countrywide, so your wife might want to think about getting a new one while she's there.

[yuehan123]

  Will her green card be enough to get by? 

228317[/snapback]

No. As the others have said- Her Chinese Passport and the green card are both required. Her Chinese passport will get scanned and stamped at the US re-entry.

[bearbear]

What if the first name on the green card and passport are different? Last name on the green card and passport are the same.

Thanks.

[LeeFisher3]

What if the first name on the green card and passport are different?0„2 Last name on the green card and passport are the same.

Thanks.

228532[/snapback]

Purchase the airline ticket using the name listed in the Chinese Passport.

 

If the green card is incorrect, you should submit for a corrected card. Also, if you do this you should make a trip to the local USCIS office and get the passport stamped as a LPR before sending the card to the USCIS for correction. This way if the corrected green card does not arrive before the trip you have proof for re-entry to the US.

Edited July 3, 2006 by LeeFisher3 (see edit history)

[bearbear]

No, the green card is not incorrect. My husband is still in China and plan to move to the US in Oct. He's thinking to have his American name on the green card. Does he need to fill out any form at the POE to have his first name changed? I wonder if the name on his SSN card will be the same as on his GC. Thanks.

[ÕÔÙ»ºÍ³Î°ÛÀû]

She will not be eligible for a U.S. passport unless and until she becomes an American citizen, which will take at least 5 years (provided she wants to do that).

228334[/snapback]

Shouldn't that be 3 years?

[frank1538]

She will not be eligible for a U.S. passport unless and until she becomes an American citizen, which will take at least 5 years (provided she wants to do that).

228334[/snapback]

Shouldn't that be 3 years?

229434[/snapback]

Yep, 3 years as a legal permanent resident for a spouse.

[warpedbored]

My wife went to China a year ago to visit. She has her married name on her green card and maiden name on her passport. She had no problem leaving or re-entering the country. As Lee said though the name on the plane ticket and the passport have to match or they won't let her on the plane.