AOS Interview and Traveling Internationally

[mcuzin1985 13]

My Wife and I are about to have out interview on July 9th. We had purchased tickets for 15 July a couple of months back (not knowing we had an interview coming up). Our lawyer stated most cases now a days are getting the interview wavier for K1's.

1) Anyhow, my question is if and when she gets approved on spot for the I-485, will she receive the temporary I-551 stamp and seal on her passport to allow her to travel? She is not returning to the states until Jan 2015.

2) If she doesn’t get automatically approved and they have to decide a couple of days later, she will be able to keep her EAD card so that she is able to travel outside of the country? Is that correct?

Any help would be great to ease my mind.

Mike

[nobbie 105]

You can travel out of the country anytime you want, it;s getting back in that's the problem. If her GC arrives after she has gone can't you get it sent to her so she can come back in with it?

[mcuzin1985 13]

Thank you. I did not know that.

What is the experience with people having EAD cards and getting to keep them after the interview?

[Pitaya 2,577]

If approved at the interview, it may be best to explain the impending travel plans and request a I-551 stamp in your wife's passport. Some IOs ask for the combo cards at the interview, some folks simply return them at the interview, some folks forget to return them to USCIS (we fit in the last category ).

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Bring proof of your travel arrangements with you to the interview to show that there is a time constraint involved. If you are approved right away, she should be able to get the I-551 stamp placed right into her passport. This is her proof of permanent residency status - a stamped 'green card' so to speak.

If she is not approved right away, then discuss the options with the adjudicator. It may be that he just needs to run it by a senior official before making the final approval, and with the imminent travel arrangements, he may be willing to have you wait that day until he can get a final approval or she may be able to come back in a day or two to get the I-551 stamp.

Good luck.

[mcuzin1985 13]

Great ideas. Thanks for the help. I will bring a copy of the intinerary to the interview in case they have any doubts.