Advance parole and my rant

[JohnE 57]

Hello fellow Visa Journey people,

I would first like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas (sorry I am not always PC). What a journey this has been and without the help of the many people on this site I would not have been successful in this process (so far). We are adjusting from K1 and filed all the paperwork (yes I keep my time line updated). Elizabeth had her biometrics the first of December so we are expecting the combo card real soon.

I know what AP (advance parole) is all about but I will be the first to say it scares us. Elizabeth has been in the states for years working under her TN visa and has zero overstay. I have read stories about people using their AP with no problems getting back into the states. I have also read stories how the airlines don't understand the combo card (with AP) and will not issue a boarding pass. Other stories of people at the POE in the states and having major problems getting into the states. It appears to us that using AP to get back in the states is a ####### shoot. You might not have any problems but then again you might have problems. Why in the blue blazes would AP every been created if it causes so many problems? We are planning a trip back to Mexico City to see family this spring but am super worried about this iffy AP. I know some people might chime in and say to just wait for the green card but that just adds to the wait time of visiting family. In my lifetime I have came in contact with many people in authority that have no idea what the rules and regulations are that they are in charge of enforcing. I have had to educate a number of people what the rules are...to the point of having to wait for supervisors or managers in order to have them do the legal or correct thing. It is scary that your future is held in the decision of someone at the airline or POE (point of entry) in the US and hopefully they know what they are doing.

Okay rant over and in the end the decision is ours. I guess AP could be summed up using the words of Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry "Do you feel lucky"

God Bless everyone

Edited December 21, 2013 by JohnE

[FilAmRouge 15]

My spouse had to leave the country quickly after we filed our AOS documents. We filed for emergency advance parole. The form doesn't look very official. It's a typed up form with a passport picture glued to the bottom. I'm sure a normal advance parole document will look much more official. My spouse did have issues with the airlines when trying to return home. He was held for a short while in the airline office while they checked with the TSA. My only advice would be to schedule your flights with plenty of layover time between connections. That will give you time if they need to verify things like they did with my spouse.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Season's Greetings to you and Elizabeth, John!

You do not have to be so worried about the AP. I know the warnings about entry not being guaranteed can be worrisome, but technically entry is not guaranteed even with the green card. She has no overstay, so no reason she would have a bar triggered when she leaves the US. That is the real worry with using AP, for those that have over 180 days of overstay.

Contact the airline you will be using and make sure they are familiar with the EAD/AP combo card, so you will have no delays boarding the plane back to the US. The EAD/AP card has been issued since 2011, so you would think all airlines would already be familiar with it but I guess there are some workers that are not well educated in their jobs.

She will go through secondary when entering the US, to be paroled back in. Similar to what was done when entering on the K-1, but should take less time because there are no sealed envelope packets to turn in with the AP entry.

[Darnell 8,478]

I think you should be prepared to train up airline employees until yer wife has her USA Passport.

Note I said 'airline employees' here. POE staff know what the card is.

It's not an 'iffy AP' - at all.

[D N Medellin COL 75]

To the OP I can just tell you our experience with AP.

My Colombian wife needed to see her doctor in Medellin, stayed in Medellin for 2.5 months and returned early September 2013. She flew JetBlue and POE was in Miami, FL - no issues at all with her AP, she even said how polite the agenet was.

Then last month, November 2013 we decided to take a few days and together visited Ensenada, Mexico. We did not drive but parked at the San Diego/TJ border and crossed on foot. On the return through the passenger border crossing at Otay/TJ the agent was a real piece of work, asked many many questions, what we were doing, why, where we visited, why is a Colombian wanting to visit TJ, etc., etc......let me tell you, if I was not with her, tall white green eyed California raised guy, well I don't know what would have happened.

Long and short, IMHO I would not go to Mexico on an AP. And this is comming from my perspective and first hand experience of dealing with our US border agents.

[pete_falcone 7]

My wife is worried about the AP as well, but I wouldn't worry about it. If someone on the lower rung doesn't know what it is, eventually someone higher up will.