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I left the US on an expired green card (I foolishly read the date in the English format dd/mm/yy) and visited my family in England. The green card expired while I was in the UK, and now I have filled the I-751 and I am awaiting a receipt number so I can obtain a transportation letter and fly home to California.

I am very anxious to get home as soon as possible as I am 7 months pregnant and missing important doctor appointments. I really do not want to have my baby here in England without my husband.

Is it possible to fly back in on an ESTA while awaiting for my green card to be renewed?

Rebecca
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1 Answers1

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If you have a 10-year Green Card, you can fly to and enter the US on it alone even if it's expired.

If it's not a 10-year card, you need either a Transportation letter or (for conditional Green cards) a I-797 Notice of Action.

Source: TIMATIC, the database used by Airlines:

An expired Permanent Resident/Resident Alien Card (Form I-551) is accepted with:

  • a 10-years validity at time of issuance; or
  • a Transportation Letter issued by the USA; or
  • a civilian or military travel order issued by the USA or
  • if the passenger is included as dependent spouse or child of the civilian or military travel order.

and

An expired Conditional Resident/Resident Alien Card (Form I-551) with CR shown under category is accepted with an I-797 Notice of Action .

An ESTA will most likely not be granted, as it's not for residents. Moreover, applying for one could easily be seen as evidence of having abandonded permanent residency, in which case you're in trouble.

Crazydre
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