U.S Residence

[Ace of Pop]

Having worked on a USAF Base for 2 Years during the Nam Era. In 1970 i applied for a Tourist Visa in 1972. It came back as a Granted Lifetime Residence. Services to USA, with a nice letter.. Would this still be on record.?. or could i just fly to LAX next week, and they could hit some Keys..The Passport with the 2 Page Eagle,has long gone.BKK Embassy just keeps me on Hold.Any Ideas. ?.

[Shot]

I believe you are referring to what is now commonly called a Green Card? I think there are a number of rules you have to follow to keep it valid. Not saying it isn’t, but I would check before flying anywhere. Hate to see you held up on the US side.

I would email the US Embassy and attach a copy of the card. They usually take a few days to reply.

Hope that helps. Let us know what happens.

Shot.

[Ace of Pop]

I believe you are referring to what is now commonly called a Green Card? I think there are a number of rules you have to follow to keep it valid. Not saying it isn’t, but I would check before flying anywhere. Hate to see you held up on the US side.

I would email the US Embassy and attach a copy of the card. They usually take a few days to reply.

Hope that helps. Let us know what happens.

Shot.

No its not a Green Card, it was a Eagle Stamp taking up the 2 center pages of the passport.The passport containing it has long gone,ran out in the eighties.Thanks.

[Time Traveller]

2 questions.

1. When was the last tax year that you filed your US taxes?

2. Have you resided in USA within the last 12 months (or 24 months with a re-entry permit)?

IF your answers are not 2011 and Yes, then don't count on any "granted lifetime residence" permit to secure your entry to the USA.

All Permanent residents that have not filed taxes every year and no longer reside within the US are likely to be refused entry unless they have secured another visa. There are some exceptions if you have lived a very long time wthin the US.

[Ace of Pop]

Q1.Never,Q2. No. I was sent by a Brit/Portuguese Company,and paid by them. It stated Lifetime Residence Visa, not Permanant issued by Grosvenor Square Embassy London in 1970. I was quite proud of it,hence my Ex Wife destroyed it.It was usefull ,i just walked through U.S Citizens at Airports. Admittedly a while back.No ive never lived in the U.S.A. in the true sence of the word, but neither did i request any favour,they just checked what a did at Pensacola and gave me a Thank You, i guess.

[Ticketmaster]

Sounds like a bureaucratic nightmare. I seriously doubt the embassy would have anything, since the matter is so old. I think you will have to contact the US Department of State and see if they can track something from your passport number. I assume that after the PP in question was destroyed, you got a new on with the same number. If you do not know the old PP number, then you should probably forget the whole thing. If you do know it, telephone the Department of State and start winnowing through the bureaucracy until you get to the right place.

The euphemistically named Department of Homeland Security could probably get the bottom of it quickly, but they will NOT help anybody. Their specialty and the only thing they care about is servicing the rectal cavity.

Edited July 11, 2013 by Ticketmaster

[TerryLH]

" I assume that after the PP in question was destroyed, you got a new on with the same number."

New passports have new numbers, but they can probably find something in their archives.

[NanLaew]

Without proof of a valid visa in your passport or eligibility for the visa waiver system, you would probably be denied boarding in Bangkok.

There's a helluva remote chance that the Lifetime Residence Visa is still valid and buried in their records. The question is, is the existence and validity in the online systems that the US Immigration looks up when you arrive? Based on the fact that the US Embassy in BKK haven't been able to confirm anything implies it's not accessible online. Even if it was in the system, the Immigration would ask to see the passport and you don't have that anymore and they would have a problem with that too.

What's your nationality Ace? There's a whole slew of nationalities are eligible to enter the US on the visa-waiver system. That's not a visa but gives you 90-days on arrival but you need to have a return ticket. Also, you will need to go online and complete an ESTA application before checking in. You need to show the ESTA receipt at pre-check-in for all US bound flights. No ESTA, boarding will be denied even if qualified for the visa waiver.

Oh yes, just so you know, it is illegal to enter on a travel document with the visa waiver if you have another travel document with a valid US visa. Tecnically, your LR Visa is still valid despite the loss of the travel document it was placed in. If you do decide to go to the US frequently, I would make some effort while there to see if they can either re-validate the LR Visa in your current passport or cancel it altogether. I was unaware of the 'must use the visa' law until about 5 years ago and before that, I swanned in and out for over 10 years on either one of two valid passports but only one had a visa. They started secondary inspections on me every time I arrived until they finally made a decision that I had broken the law and they permanently rescinded my eligibility for the visa waiver, ie. "you must get a new visa." Since US visa applications are now a major drama, I haven't been back since!

Edited July 13, 2013 by NanLaew

[Ace of Pop]

Thanks all,il just try the Phone again,i get grumpy being on Hold. Or just apply for Tourist Visa.

[NanLaew]

Thanks all,il just try the Phone again,i get grumpy being on Hold. Or just apply for Tourist Visa.

Or (if you qualify) the visa waiver and online ESTA. No need to get in line on Wireless Road.

[sirineou]

Your Chances of entering the US with a green card are Zero to none,

A close relative of mine lived in the US with a green card in the late seventies, she then went back to Europe got married and stayed there until last year when she came to the US on a tourist visa and tried to use her old green card to stay and work in the US .She was told that since she had voluntarily stayed outside the country for a long length of time, she had voluntarily surrender her Green card and that if she wanted to stay in the US as a permanent resident, she will need to star the process again, which is what we have done for her.

If I was you. I would consult an Immigration lawyer, because your case is Unique, do to the fact that you worked for the military and there might be a back door option to getting your Green card back. .

[sirineou]

Your Chances of entering the US with a green card are Zero to none,

A close relative of mine lived in the US with a green card in the late seventies, she then went back to Europe got married and stayed there until last year when she came to the US on a tourist visa and tried to use her old green card to stay and work in the US .She was told that since she had voluntarily stayed outside the country for a long length of time, she had voluntarily surrender her Green card and that if she wanted to stay in the US as a permanent resident, she will need to start the process 0f getting a new Green card again, which is what we have done for her.

If I was you. I would consult an Immigration lawyer, because your case is Unique, do to the fact that you worked for the military and there might be a back door option to getting your Green card back. .

[NanLaew]

Your Chances of entering the US with a green card are Zero to none,

A close relative of mine lived in the US with a green card in the late seventies, she then went back to Europe got married and stayed there until last year when she came to the US on a tourist visa and tried to use her old green card to stay and work in the US .She was told that since she had voluntarily stayed outside the country for a long length of time, she had voluntarily surrender her Green card and that if she wanted to stay in the US as a permanent resident, she will need to star the process again, which is what we have done for her.

If I was you. I would consult an Immigration lawyer, because your case is Unique, do to the fact that you worked for the military and there might be a back door option to getting your Green card back. .

You are correct that green cards need to be used to remain valid.

However, the OP is not talking about a green card, he is talking about a special lifetime visa in an expired and destroyed passport that legally and technically is still valid. He just no longer had physical proof of its existence.

[juanellis]

Were you actively in the US Military? What function did you serve, if not? You need to understand what status/benefits were available and bestowed to you. I would start here.

http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume12-PartI-Chapter3.html

USCIS has an office in Bangkok. I would send them a detailed letter or try to get in touch with them via e-mail/phone.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=863f3367f4548210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=1ac900c262197210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD