Need some advice. I sent my AOS on July 27th Chicago received it July 31st. I still have not received a receipt # are anything and they have not cashed my money orders? My wife is wanting to travel to her country for Christmas Holidays in December. I did not pay the extra fee for the Advance Parole application. I don't believe with the back log of AOS that things will go quick enoug for her to travel in December and I'm now thinking about paying the fee for the Advance Parole application. Does anybody think that this application will get approved before December? and also would I just send in the Advance Parole document I-131 alone with the payment? are do I need other supporting documents? Thanks Dean

Check out the instructions for the I-131. It lists what documents you need to send in as evidence for eligibility to apply for it. One of the evidence required is:

. So, you will have to wait until you get the NOA for your wife's AOS.

WOW So I will have to wait anyway for the Receipt # of the AOS. Thanks for your help. I don't think my wife will get to travel to her country for Christmas holidays this year. Thanks Dean

I just filed for Advance Parole, last week in fact, so that my wife and I can travel back to the UK for Christmas. We filed for AOS last November and have been stuck in an FBI name check ever since. My plan is to contact my State Senator and ask him to petition the USCIS to get the AP expeditied because we thought I'd have my Green Card by now and would be free to travel. I doubt it will make any difference because it seems that the USCIS is above reproach and no-one in any position of authority can get them to do anything that makes our lives as immigrants easier.

No, they just view lack of planning on your part doesn't constitute an emergency on their part.

There's no way to tell you if your wife will get her greencard by Christmas or not. No way at all.

I presume you filed under the old fee structure. If so, in order to obtain AP now, you will need to pay the new fee for that petition. Had you filed under the new structure, AP would have been included and it would have covered her until the greencard does come - even if it took 20 years.

Since I still have not received a receipt # for my AOS... Can I still file the paper work for Advance Parole. What other supporting documents would I need to file for the advance parole? and even if I do file the advance parole. I'm guessing their is no guarantee that this would get approved before Christmas for me and my wife to be able to travel back to her country for the holidays? What do you think? Should I take the chance pay the new fee and file for Advance Parole? Thanks Dean

Are APs taking significantly longer these days, or is it too early to tell? My husband's first AP, which we applied for along w/ his AOS in December 2005, took about 2 1/2 months, and the renewal took five weeks. I would think that APs applied for around now should be issued in time for holiday travel.

LondonGooner, sadly, Rebecca is right about the USCIS view of things re: interim benefits for delayed AOS applications. We applied for AOS nearly 21 months ago now and are still waiting. We had our AOS interview in May 2006 and waited a bit long to apply for EAD renewal thinking that the green card would show up any day (silly us!). He faced a work authorization gap of about three weeks and made an Infopass appointment to see about an interim EAD given the circumstances. The CIS person just shrugged and said, "You should have applied sooner." I wouldn't be surprised if there are more of these situations in the future (for those of us who applied before the all-inclusive AOS scheme, that is) because the fees have gone up so much. It would really sting to fork over $340 for a new EAD and have the green card show up a few weeks later. It's a real drag. You have my empathy!

Julie

Actually, no. The USCIS is accountable and they (elected officials) can help with expediting the AP.

It is the FBI name check that no one can do anything about.

That was actually my point when I was challenging everyone who was trying to beat the fee increase. I would have preferred to have all interim benefits included for and additional $260.00 as a security blanket.

Indeed! Although you can't blame people for wanting to save a few hundred dollars. Most people don't have their cases delayed long enough for this to be an issue. I guess it's more of a consolation for those who have to pay the new fee.

That's right. Because they say National Security is their Number One priority.

USCIS is accountable for valid requests and when they are outside of their normal processing times. Traveling back home for Christmas is hardly a valid excuse for asking an elected represtative to pull your case ahead of thousands of others in the line. A sick relative or a family emergency, yes. But not holiday travel.

Personally, I wouldn't vote for a Senator or Congressman who allowed their staff to work on such requests.

Read my last post. Does not seem that it would be approved in time.