No Passport – Can Travel?

Here’s the immigration question of the week we received from a client.

Q. My friend who has a green card (lawful permanent residence) is traveling outside of the country and has lost his passport. Can he re-enter the U.S. without his passport?

A. Permanent residents of the U.S. do not need a passport to enter the United States after international travel (see 8 C.F.R. 211.1(a)). They can present their green card alone to the Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officer at the airport and be admitted to the U.S. However, the airlines may require a valid passport for international travel so all travelers without passports should check with their airline before travel.

Submit your question of the week – email us at question@badmuslaw.com.