Advance Parole came but ‘parole stamp’ is blank?

[peanutismint 35]

I finally received my Advance Parole letter document that I have to take with me when I leave the USA in order to be allowed back in. It came as a separate document to my EAD work permit card because I expedited that, so now I guess I have to carry both... 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

Anyway, at the bottom of the letter it has a box with my photo in it, and then next to it it has a box for the ‘parole stamp’ but this is left empty/blank... Anyone know if this is normal? Am I meant to get a stamp here when I leave/re-enter or something? Or should it have been stamped by the USCIS office to demonstrate authenticity or something?? I don’t wanna get to passport control and be turned around back to the UK...! 

 

Also, now that I have my EAD card and this AP letter, does anyone know if it’s possible to apply for a ‘combo card’ that will serve as both instead of having to take care of a piece of paper every time I travel? 

[Boiler 45,670]

You do not need to carry your EAD when you travel, or at all.

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

Your EAD needs to be presented when you get a job..that’s about it. Don’t travel with it. Hopefully you will get your GC soon and not have to be bothered by traveling with a piece of paper.

[peanutismint 35]

Thanks both but unfortunately not what I was asking at all 😂 Appreciate your enthusiasm tho! 

 

Anyone else? 

[Ksenia_O 696]

1 hour ago, peanutismint said:

I finally received my Advance Parole letter document that I have to take with me when I leave the USA in order to be allowed back in. It came as a separate document to my EAD work permit card because I expedited that, so now I guess I have to carry both... 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

Anyway, at the bottom of the letter it has a box with my photo in it, and then next to it it has a box for the ‘parole stamp’ but this is left empty/blank... Anyone know if this is normal? Am I meant to get a stamp here when I leave/re-enter or something? Or should it have been stamped by the USCIS office to demonstrate authenticity or something?? I don’t wanna get to passport control and be turned around back to the UK...! 

 

Also, now that I have my EAD card and this AP letter, does anyone know if it’s possible to apply for a ‘combo card’ that will serve as both instead of having to take care of a piece of paper every time I travel? 

When I had to re-new my combo card, for some reason my AP was sent to me also  as a separate document. I've heard once in a while this happens.

It was the same as you've described -  with a box with my photo in it, and with a blank "parole stamp" box.  If I remember correct - it was 2 identical pieces/letters.

 

A "parole stamp" box will be stamped at POE upon return to the US. So, no worries here  - It has to be blank until you enter the US.

 

 You'll be going through the secondary, which is a regular routine as well for everyone, who enters the US  with a combo (EAD) card . So, if you have another flight within US on your way back - you should make sure you have enough layover time between those flights..  You never know how long the secondary can take - usually it took about 15-40 minutes for me, but once in Detroit  - about 2 hours....

 

I think the second piece of AP was also taken by CBP during secondary.  So, not sure if that 'paper" AP is only for one travel - thankfully , shortly after that travel I got my green card, so didn't have to worry about AP anymore. 

 

You cannot get any stamp at this point - I-551 stamp can be given only to an LPR. And you are not there yet, until your AOS gets approved.

Also, don't think you can re-apply at this point - you were granted both, a Work Authorization and Travel documents . They are valid, not expired and etc... Just look "different" . So, i doubt USCIS will re-issue anything at this time.

 

But you should be fine to travel with  the AP you were provided with - it's still I-131 Form and serves  as a travel document.  I did - no troubles, and it was the same routine as before, when I traveled with a combo card.  

 

Good luck with your immigration journey and have a safe trip!!!!

Edited November 16, 2019 by Ksenia_O

[payxibka 10,045]

1 hour ago, peanutismint said:

I finally received my Advance Parole letter document that I have to take with me when I leave the USA in order to be allowed back in. It came as a separate document to my EAD work permit card because I expedited that, so now I guess I have to carry both... 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

Anyway, at the bottom of the letter it has a box with my photo in it, and then next to it it has a box for the ‘parole stamp’ but this is left empty/blank... Anyone know if this is normal? Am I meant to get a stamp here when I leave/re-enter or something? Or should it have been stamped by the USCIS office to demonstrate authenticity or something?? I don’t wanna get to passport control and be turned around back to the UK...! 

 

Also, now that I have my EAD card and this AP letter, does anyone know if it’s possible to apply for a ‘combo card’ that will serve as both instead of having to take care of a piece of paper every time I travel? 

How many times are you going to travel?

[Wuozopo 4,293]

1 hour ago, peanutismint said:

I finally received my Advance Parole letter document that I have to take with me when I leave the USA in order to be allowed back in. It came as a separate document to my EAD work permit card because I expedited that, so now I guess I have to carry both... 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

Anyway, at the bottom of the letter it has a box with my photo in it, and then next to it it has a box for the ‘parole stamp’ but this is left empty/blank... Anyone know if this is normal? Am I meant to get a stamp here when I leave/re-enter or something? Or should it have been stamped by the USCIS office to demonstrate authenticity or something?? I don’t wanna get to passport control and be turned around back to the UK...! 

 

Also, now that I have my EAD card and this AP letter, does anyone know if it’s possible to apply for a ‘combo card’ that will serve as both instead of having to take care of a piece of paper every time I travel? 

They send two. Keep one at home to make copies of for subsequent travel. Bring one and get it stamped when you return. Use a photocopy next time you travel. That's how we did it before combo cards. 

[HRQX 4,145]

2 hours ago, peanutismint said:

at the bottom of the letter it has a box with my photo in it, and then next to it it has a box for the ‘parole stamp’ but this is left empty/blank... Anyone know if this is normal?

Yes, it's normal:

1 hour ago, Boiler said:

or at all.

1 hour ago, Luckycuds said:

Your EAD needs to be presented when you get a job..that’s about it.

INA 264(e): "Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him pursuant to subsection (d). Any alien who fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction for each offense be fined not to exceed $100 or be imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both." Definition of registration certificate is at 8 CFR § 264.1(b):

Quote

The following forms constitute evidence of registration:

• I-94, Arrival-Departure Record - Aliens admitted as nonimmigrants; aliens paroled into the United States under section 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act; aliens whose claimed entry prior to July 1, 1924, cannot be verified, they having satisfactorily established residence in the United States since prior to July 1, 1924; and aliens granted permission to depart without the institution of deportation proceedings.
• I-95, Crewmen's Landing Permit - Crewmen arriving by vessel or aircraft.
• I-184, Alien Crewman Landing Permit and Identification Card - Crewmen arriving by vessel.
• I-185, Nonresident Alien Canadian Border Crossing Card - Citizens of Canada or British subjects residing in Canada.
• I-186, Nonresident Alien Mexican Border Crossing Card - Citizens of Mexico residing in Mexico.
• I-221, Order to Show Cause and Notice of Hearing - Aliens against whom deportation proceedings are being instituted.
• I-221S, Order to Show Cause, Notice of Hearing, and Warrant for Arrest of Alien - Aliens against whom deportation proceedings are being instituted.
• I-551, Permanent Resident Card - Lawful permanent resident of the United States.
• I-766, Employment Authorization Document.
• Form I-862, Notice to Appear - Aliens against whom removal proceedings are being instituted. Form I-863, Notice of Referral to Immigration Judge - Aliens against whom removal proceedings are being instituted.

 

Note: In addition to the forms noted in this paragraph (b), a valid, unexpired nonimmigrant DHS admission or parole stamp in a foreign passport constitutes evidence of registration.

As a realistic example, if an AOS applicant (that has been issued an EAD) travels through an internal BP checkpoint, shouldn't he carry his EAD? https://goo.gl/maps/N3iXnPCiEgHrztDw9

23 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

They send two.

Darn! I wonder why they only sent me one.

Edited November 16, 2019 by HRQX

[peanutismint 35]

Thanks so much to everyone who helped! Good to know it's meant to look like that 🙂 

 

 

On 11/16/2019 at 12:54 PM, payxibka said:

How many times are you going to travel?

Well we have one pending trip planned, but I can see myself possibly having some international business trips in 2020 so would like to know that I can come and go as I please until my AOS is complete... 

 

On 11/16/2019 at 1:16 PM, Wuozopo said:

They send two. Keep one at home to make copies of for subsequent travel. Bring one and get it stamped when you return. Use a photocopy next time you travel. That's how we did it before combo cards. 

That's interesting! Thanks for the info. I'll definitely be scanning this first one in case a second one doesn't show up. They can't even get my address right - I moved house after starting the process so I updated my address as I was told; the EAD/AOS process is coming to my new address but all the AP stuff (like this letter) keeps going to my in-laws! I called USCIS once we realised and they updated it to be the same as my other processes, but nope - still coming to the wrong address. Thank God it's someone I know that lives there!! 🤦🏻‍♂️😂

 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

On 11/16/2019 at 3:30 PM, HRQX said:

Darn! I wonder why they only sent me one.

Dunno. In the pre-combo days they always sent two. I got two. Maybe take a color copy and the original on your trip and ask if they will stamp the copy or what to do on next trip. Find an old bloke who would remember the old way.

Edited November 21, 2019 by Wuozopo