Green Card and the Rules of Possession

If, you have the driver’s license or State ID card, is there a need to carry the green card or passport?

An Immigration Control Officer can look up your immigration status from your State ID or driver’s license, so there is no need to carry your passport around on you. You must carry your Permanent Resident Card (also know as the “I-551” Card) around with them at all times as this is required under Federal Law. Click here for more information on US Code Title 8, Section 1304 (e).

If, you are caught by immigration officials, law enforcement or any authorized officer of the federal government without your Green Card, which is incidentally no longer Green in color, if convicted you can be fined up to $100 or spend up to 30 days in jail or both.

Avoid any possible hassles while in the United States and comply with federal laws and carry your Green Card with you at all times. You don’t want to have to go through the IAFIS (Integrated Automated Fingerprint System) run by the FBI that runs your fingerprints through its nationwide database to check your criminal history and all. If, you are subject to the IAFIS and the authorized agent thinks you’re a criminal of some sort, it could delay you for about two hours, but if they think you are a civilian with reason to get your fingerprints, you could be delayed up to twenty-fours. So, avoid the disturbance of your time and carry your Green Card with you at all times.