Traveling to different country on AP

[elisabethferg9 0]

Hiya everyone,

I'm new around here, so I'm hoping I get all the lingo right. I've applied for AOS from an F-1 student visa, along with EAD and AP. My American husband is my sponsor.

Everything was received April 6. Biometrics appointment was May 1. Response to an RFE received May 28. I haven't heard anything since then, but I'm hoping to get my EAD and AP really soon!

I have a question about my AP. At the time, I had been planning on going to England for the month of July with my husband, as he was going to be taking a course there. I explained this all on my I-131 form at the time and wrote that I was planning on going to (just) England.

Plans have now changed, and we are planning to use those plane tickets to travel around Europe.

1) Is the AP granted specific to certain countries? As in, if I go to more countries than just England, will I have a problem coming back? Should I alert USCIS?

2) According to estimated dates on this site, they're meant to be reviewing my AP today. But they are behind a couple days on EAD review. Are these two issued together? As in, do I have to wait to receive my AP until they've finished with EAD too? We leave July 4, which means two weeks from today! :/

Appreciate any insight I can get! Thank you!

[usmsbow 795]

1) No problem

2) When you apply for AP/EAD, they are on the same card, so yes, issued together. For some reason, not everyone applies for both AP/EAD, so that's why probably why the estimated times on VJ don't match for those two.

[elisabethferg9 0]

Thank you, usmsbow! I appreciate the reassurance. Fingers crossed they catch up on the review process.

[ChicagoSarah 127]

1) Totally Fine

2) They are issued on a dual-purpose card. It takes up to 90 days for issue, and there have been a number of people recently posted that it has taken that full 90 days.

Hope you get it, but you're cutting it awful close...

[Shauneg 762]

I know it's been answered twice to you, but simply put the U.S. cannot control what countries you go to....

[elisabethferg9 0]

1) Totally Fine

2) They are issued on a dual-purpose card. It takes up to 90 days for issue, and there have been a number of people recently posted that it has taken that full 90 days.

Hope you get it, but you're cutting it awful close...

I know we're cutting it close... I wasn't planning on filing for AOS til this summer, but had to quite quickly when the program opened up for my husband. Fingers crossed all round.

[ChicagoSarah 127]

And you're from Canada, so it's not so much of an issue, but just to be said for anyone else who happens upon this thread....

the AP still requires you to have the appropriate visas for any country that your citizenship would require you to have a visa (bad example, for to prove the point: If Canadians need a visa to get into the UK but Americans do not, even with the AP card, you would need the visa as a Canadian citizen.)

You can maybe make an InfoPass appointment. Maybe they can tell you or give you a I-551 stamp in your passport to travel if the card has been approved but is just still in the mail somewhere? Maybe make an InfoPass for closer to your trip just in case the card hasn't arrived....and cancel the appointment if it turns up!

[elisabethferg9 0]

And you're from Canada, so it's not so much of an issue, but just to be said for anyone else who happens upon this thread....

the AP still requires you to have the appropriate visas for any country that your citizenship would require you to have a visa (bad example, for to prove the point: If Canadians need a visa to get into the UK but Americans do not, even with the AP card, you would need the visa as a Canadian citizen.)

You can maybe make an InfoPass appointment. Maybe they can tell you or give you a I-551 stamp in your passport to travel if the card has been approved but is just still in the mail somewhere? Maybe make an InfoPass for closer to your trip just in case the card hasn't arrived....and cancel the appointment if it turns up!

Hmm. I had been under the impression that InfoPass will basically turn you down unless you have an emergency and need to travel ASAP, and that since I don't, that won't be an option to me. But maybe I will try to make an appointment anyways!

[Shauneg 762]

Check it. Some countries visa requirements change when you become a permanent resident of the U.S. but still hold a foreign passport. Linked site is extremely helpful for in the future....

https://mexico.visahq.com/requirements/Philippines/resident-United_States/