AP only for Emergencies?

[maiandra 0]

Hi Everyone,

is the Advanced Parole only for emergency travel? Or can I also use it to travel and visit my family in my homecountry???

My AP states following:

Presentation of the original of this document prior to 1/18/2011 allows a Customs and Border Protection Inspector at a port-of-entry to parole the named bearer, whose photograph appaears hereon, into the United States based upon urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.

Do I need proof at the POE that it was an emergency? Anybody ever had problems w/ that?

What is a significant public benefit?

THANKS FOR ANY ANSWERS IN ADVANCE!!!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Hi Everyone,

is the Advanced Parole only for emergency travel? Or can I also use it to travel and visit my family in my homecountry???

My AP states following:

Presentation of the original of this document prior to 1/18/2011 allows a Customs and Border Protection Inspector at a port-of-entry to parole the named bearer, whose photograph appaears hereon, into the United States based upon urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.

Do I need proof at the POE that it was an emergency? Anybody ever had problems w/ that?

What is a significant public benefit?

THANKS FOR ANY ANSWERS IN ADVANCE!!!

No, the AP that is issued as part of the I-485 application can be used to re-enter the US after traveling away from the US whether it was for an emergency or not. It is a document that allows you to physically re-enter the country (as long as there are no overstay bans in place) to wait out the processing - you are rejoining your US citizen spouse which is the humanitarian reason. A parolee is technically a different status than if you had not left the country but for your purposes the differences are probably not going to matter. Many VJers have travelled on an AP without it being an emergency.

[Nik+Heather 121]

I agree "It probably won't matter" is true. It's also true that you can read it to mean it's only for emergencies. I think this is one of those technicality laws - usually doesn't have any effect until someone decides to throw the book at you.

We had another long discussion on another thread because other wording regarding the AP talks about "emergent" circumstances, which some people take as merely unplanned (at the time), but not quite emergency....

There are other reasons that you shouldn't plan to travel before you get your green card - what if the interview gets scheduled just when you are gone - what a hassle to try to get all of your flights and other plans rearranged!

[w8inglongtime 29]

Hi Everyone,

is the Advanced Parole only for emergency travel? Or can I also use it to travel and visit my family in my homecountry???

My AP states following:

Presentation of the original of this document prior to 1/18/2011 allows a Customs and Border Protection Inspector at a port-of-entry to parole the named bearer, whose photograph appaears hereon, into the United States based upon urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.

Do I need proof at the POE that it was an emergency? Anybody ever had problems w/ that?

What is a significant public benefit?

THANKS FOR ANY ANSWERS IN ADVANCE!!!

Idealy, they would like you to use it in emergency cases where you obviously can not wait for them to finish with your case but majority of people use it for "everyday reasons". I went to London on an AP and no one at the POE asked me what kind kind of emergency. I would have been screwed since I just went there to hang out with friends and family for christmas.

[maiandra 0]

I agree "It probably won't matter" is true. It's also true that you can read it to mean it's only for emergencies. I think this is one of those technicality laws - usually doesn't have any effect until someone decides to throw the book at you.

We had another long discussion on another thread because other wording regarding the AP talks about "emergent" circumstances, which some people take as merely unplanned (at the time), but not quite emergency....

There are other reasons that you shouldn't plan to travel before you get your green card - what if the interview gets scheduled just when you are gone - what a hassle to try to get all of your flights and other plans rearranged!

The thing is I filed for my GreenCard in November 2009. So many November files have gotten their GreenCard in the mail already, some of them didn't even go to an interview. I am concerned why I have not gotten mine. I am planning to travel in August and I really hope it will be get to me until then. Thanks for the reply.

[maiandra 0]

Idealy, they would like you to use it in emergency cases where you obviously can not wait for them to finish with your case but majority of people use it for "everyday reasons". I went to London on an AP and no one at the POE asked me what kind kind of emergency. I would have been screwed since I just went there to hang out with friends and family for christmas.

Hey,

my husband booked the tickets already and then he took a look at the AP and freaked out! He always freaks out about the little things, lol, so I needed to find someone that knew better. Thank you. I knew I was right, he just wouldn't believe me! He is calm now.

[raymaga 25]

You can use AP to visit family and friends... it doesn't have to be an emergency.

Enjoy your trip!!!!