Some green card and visa holders in the United States are reportedly experiencing anxiety over international travel – and even opting out entirely – due to concerns about reentry.
Explorer Travel Services is a travel agency based in Canyon Country, California. The agency’s owner, Ted Bradpiece, told Travel Weekly that his green card-holding clients are either canceling or deprioritizing international travel outside of the U.S. Bradpiece explained that those travelers are weary of possibly getting targeted for additional screening while reentering the U.S. Notably, Travel Weekly reported that other sources shared similar sentiments regarding many green card or visa holders‘ current travel anxieties.
“There are a lot of concerns now, and it’s going to get worse with the new travel bans,” Bradpiece stated. Elsewhere, he said, “The concern is: Is my visa going to be revoked?… Am I going to be able to return on my visa? There are a number of different issues involved.”
Bradpiece claimed that the typically green card-carrying traveler “is scared.” He also told the publication, “It’s a situation right now where everyone’s just kind of holding tight. Nobody knows what’s going to happen.”
What Should U.S. Green Card Holders Know About Traveling Internationally?
Green card holders are permanent residents who are allowed to live and work in the U.S. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, permanent residents generally need a passport from the country of which they’re a citizen to travel outside of the U.S. They’ll also need their valid green card to reenter the country. Additionally, the source noted that permanent residents may have a higher risk of facing issues during reentry or undergoing naturalization if they’ve been out of the country for over a year.
In March, Hilton Beckham, Assistant Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), issued a statement to NPR regarding green card holders and their travel.
She said, “Green card holders who have not broken any U.S. laws, committed application fraud, or failed to apply for a reentry permit after a long period of travel have nothing to fear about entering and exiting the country.”
