DENIED into entry Costa Rica EXPIRED Green Card with 1 year extension letter I-797

[gooogle]

Went to Costa Rica with my expired GC & the 1 year extension letter. No issues with the airline while boarding.
The immigration at Costa Rica did not let me in & said I need to have an unexpired GC.
I told them but I have an extension letter. They said nope they don't accept letters, have to be a unexpired GC.
Sent me back in the same flight to the US.
US immigration happily accepted my expired GC & the extension letter & asked me why I can came back in less than a day. I said they denied entry, the guy said that's BS you have an extension letter they should have let you in. I said yup but they didn't.

I already have booked a ticket to Mexico, is Mexico like Costa Rica also where you need an unexpired GC?
Has anybody successfully travel to Mexico with an expired GC & I-797?
I am not in a mood to come back in the same flight from Mexico arrrrgggg !!!!!

[daggit]

Hey, sorry to hear about your travel travails; it sucks I'm sure.
While I've not been in such a situation, I imagine Costa Rican immigration has a bunch of no-nothings working there. Did you get to present your case to an upper level officer, or did the initial officer sent you packing on the next flight back? Traveling with expired documents with accompanying letters can be dicey; it seems to be easier with some countries than others.

Hopefully someone else with expired green card travel experience can chime in.

[pabloalgo]

hello, im having the same situation and i travel to mexico a lot, my GC will expired in 4 weeks and i dont want them to send me back from the airport ? how was your experience when getting to Mexico with the expired GC and the I797 extension letter?

[hoosierbaby]

Went to Costa Rica with my expired GC & the 1 year extension letter. No issues with the airline while boarding.
The immigration at Costa Rica did not let me in & said I need to have an unexpired GC.
I told them but I have an extension letter. They said nope they don't accept letters, have to be a unexpired GC.
Sent me back in the same flight to the US.
US immigration happily accepted my expired GC & the extension letter & asked me why I can came back in less than a day. I said they denied entry, the guy said that's BS you have an extension letter they should have let you in. I said yup but they didn't.

I already have booked a ticket to Mexico, is Mexico like Costa Rica also where you need an unexpired GC?
Has anybody successfully travel to Mexico with an expired GC & I-797?
I am not in a mood to come back in the same flight from Mexico arrrrgggg !!!!!

were you able to enter mexico?

[hoosierbaby]

hello, im having the same situation and i travel to mexico a lot, my GC will expired in 4 weeks and i dont want them to send me back from the airport ? how was your experience when getting to Mexico with the expired GC and the I797 extension letter?

Pabloalgo were you able to enter Mexico?

[inadmissible]

With Mexico, it is pretty straightforward in this situation: shell out $36 for a visa

If your United States visa stamped on your passport already expired but you have an official document proving your legal status in USA, you must apply for a Mexican visa (I-797 A Forms, Advance Parole Forms, I-20 OR DS-2019 Forms won’t be accepted to entering Mexico), unless you have a valid Visa for any of the countries listed above (Canada, Japan, United Kingdom or Schengen area).