snowcat

Last June 2018, I rushed back to the Philippines to be by the bedside of my ailing mother. Doctors had warned my family that she may be nearing the end of her life, so my dad urged me to hop on the next plane to be with her ASAP. The day after I arrived, she passed away. As if that wasn't already a traumatic and distressing point in my life, during her wake, my wallet (which had my EAD/AP card inside) was stolen from my purse, inside the family room at the back of the chapel where my mother's ashes were being held. 
 
At first, I thought, it can't be that bad. Surely, EAD/AP cards have been lost before, and the US Embassy in Manila can help me. I was wrong. 
 
The US Embassy in Manila could not help me because I was not yet a permanent resident. They don't have a protocol for lost EAD/AP cards. They only have a protocol for lost green cards and lost US passports. I was in a gray area, so they didn't know what to do with me. I asked what I should do, and they told me to ask the USCIS. I called the USCIS, and was told I can't be helped because I was outside the USA and only the Embassy can help me. I told them the Embassy couldn't help me, and they told me that that was preposterous and that I should try and talk to someone higher up. So I tried to talk to the Embassy again, and again, they denied me of any help. I have called the US Embassy Manila twice, sent them emails thrice, and even appeared in person WITH my US Citizen husband (who came to the Philippines to be with me during this difficult time of my mother's passing), and all those times, they denied us of any help. I called the USCIS maybe 4-5 times, my husband called twice, and every time, they didn't know how to help and kept telling us the same thing: ask the US Embassy in Manila. It seemed to be such a hopeless situation, and I was afraid I was not gonna be able to go back to the USA.
 
I researched what others in my situation had done, and many said they just fought with the airline to let them board the plane without their EAD/AP card. Once they got to POE in the US, it was a breeze, because they could just look them up in the system. Luckily, I had an aunt that worked for Philippine Airlines (or PAL, which was the airline I was using to go back to the USA). She did all she could in her power to help me, even got in touch with the President of PAL, who asked an Operations Manager to aid me, but all for naught. The CBP told PAL that they do not advise them to let me board. They called and insisted several times, but was denied each time. I had to cancel my return flight and my husband had to go back to the USA without me. 
 
On top of all of this, on July 2nd, I received notice of my green card interview scheduled on August 6th. I panicked. I didn't know if I could be back by August 6th. To be honest, I didn't know if I'd be back EVER. I called the USCIS again, and they told me I could request to reschedule my interview and also request to have it in Manila, if need be, but that will delay my application for a long time. I was at a loss. I was stressed and depressed. My mother had just died, and now all this. I was desperate, so I asked all my family members for help.
 
Fortunately, my dad is well connected, and after being referred from one person to another, was able to get in touch with the Ambassador of the US Embassy Manila. And only then did the US Embassy FINALLY agree to help me. They had me apply for a Humanitarian Parole, which would enable me to enter the USA once, within a given timeframe. Finally. So, that's what I did. It took around 3 weeks (and an interview at the Embassy) after I submitted application to receive the Parole, which was like a Visa stamped in my passport.
 
So my question is, if someone who was not as lucky as me, who had a dad with connections, was placed in the same predicament, what would happen to them? I wouldn't even know what to advise someone who finds themselves in the same situation because it seemed almost impossible for me, if not for my dad's network. It was utterly ridiculous that US government had no protocol for lost EAD/AP cards.
 
But if you are in this situation, I would suggest you urge your US Embassy to look into a HUMANITARIAN PAROLE and ask how you can apply for that, because it's the only way you can get back to the USA.
 
If you are a EAD/AP card holder, for the love of God, do NOT lose it when you are traveling abroad. It will turn out to be the most stressful thing in your entire immigration journey. Just keep it safe with your passport, locked up in your hotel's lockbox or in a safe drawer wherever you are staying in. Do not bring it with you in your wallet everywhere in case you wallet gets stolen like mine. Learn from my mistake!

Alright, I stand corrected! Just trying to defend those who missed the 2 passport photos each requirement, as I feel like I would have missed it too (what with the number of things you have to submit!), had I not been more paranoid and asked many things on VJ forums~ People make mistakes all the time, it's alright, we're all going to be ok in the end, with RFEs or not haha~~  PEACE

Update:
 
The email oca.crd-us@dfa.gov.ph was the one that worked and responded very promptly (within 2 hours!) to my request for transmittal details. I have now forwarded those details to info@psaserbilis.com.ph and will post another update as soon as I get a response.

Thank you, @top_secretand @Talako! I have emailed both the emails you provided (just in case!) with those details. Will see if I get a response soon  
 
Thanks for the input @Chancy! I tried just getting a marriage certificate from PSA but the details top_secret listed above also came up (see screenshot below) so it seems I do really have to get those transmittal details and email info@psaserbilis.com.ph.
 

 
This seems like such a tedious process to get a copy of ROM ... or even to get my passport renewed with my new name 😅 Wish they would just take the original copy of ROM given to me when I filed it years ago. Always so many steps with these things!
 

Nevermind, I found my tear-off sheet with the 3 barcodes (thank god I was smart enough not to throw it away!!!). I found this other checklist from an older thread here on VJ. I will probably just include all the other documents listed here in my packet, just in case. Please see my question on one of the items below, too..... 
EAD Cover Letter G-1145 Original i-765 2 passport photo's (Name and Alien Number written on back) Photocopy of i-797c for my i-485 Photocopy of i-797c for my previous i-765 submission Photocopy of i-797c biometrics appointment notice Photocopy of current EAD card (front and back) Photocopy of Potential Interview Waiver Notice - WHAT IS THIS? I DON'T REMEMBER EVER HAVING THIS?  Photocopy of i-94 (front and back) AP Cover Letter G-1145 Original i-131 2 passport photo's (Name and Alien Number written on back) Photocopy of i-797c for my i-485 Photocopy of i-797c for my previous i-131 submission Photocopy of i-797c biometrics appointment notice Photocopy of current EAD card (front and back) Photocopy of K1 Visa Supplement sheet explaining reasoning for AP request I'll then send all the documents to this address: 
 
USCIS Chicago Lockbox
For U.S. Postal Service:
USCIS
P.O. Box 805887
Chicago, IL 60680-4120
For Express mail and courier deliveries:
USCIS
Attn: FBAS
131 South Dearborn-3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60603-5517
 
 
Let me know if I'm getting this correctly! As usual, I'm super paranoid when it comes to my immigration, so your guidance and reassurance would help tons!! Thank you, VJ Community. <3

It's great to hear everyone's opinions on the matter.  Thanks for chiming in! 
 
Yes, it was a bit of a weird transition for us especially at the beginning of our marriage...  But as most of you have said, communication is key. We also sit down and talk about things that bother us, which this was one of, on my end. I took the time to explain the whole "we're a family now and we share costs" and he has definitely gotten better about it. On the flip side, when he was having financial trouble in the past, he didn't come to me for help or tell me that he's struggling. When I found out, I immediately paid for whatever he needed to pay for and he was so shocked and grateful. I had to explain yet again that hey, this works both ways - we help each other and we support each other. You don't have to carry the burden alone! I come from a family where we buy each other gifts and pay for each other's expenses, if we are able, without expecting anything back. And his family is quite the opposite, where his dad actually has an Excel spreadsheet of everything he owes him since his teenage years! Also, when we asked his parents if we can stay with them for a few months as we find a house of our own, they said yes but only if we pay rent! LOL 😮 That's ridiculous for me - my family would LOVE to have me (and my husband) live with them again for as long as I wanted for free (and that won't even be a discussion!). 
 
Anyway, it's interesting to hear everyone's take on it. I also would like to clarify that I'm not in any way troubled by this (at least, not anymore), as my husband and I do discuss this, among many other things. He does try to understand everything from my perspective as well. We have a healthy, happy relationship and I couldn't imagine anything better. I just wanted to open up the discussion because I was just curious of how other married couples deal with stuff like this. I'm not exactly asking for relationship advice here hehe. It's different for everyone!  

It's great to hear everyone's opinions on the matter.  Thanks for chiming in! 
 
Yes, it was a bit of a weird transition for us especially at the beginning of our marriage...  But as most of you have said, communication is key. We also sit down and talk about things that bother us, which this was one of, on my end. I took the time to explain the whole "we're a family now and we share costs" and he has definitely gotten better about it. On the flip side, when he was having financial trouble in the past, he didn't come to me for help or tell me that he's struggling. When I found out, I immediately paid for whatever he needed to pay for and he was so shocked and grateful. I had to explain yet again that hey, this works both ways - we help each other and we support each other. You don't have to carry the burden alone! I come from a family where we buy each other gifts and pay for each other's expenses, if we are able, without expecting anything back. And his family is quite the opposite, where his dad actually has an Excel spreadsheet of everything he owes him since his teenage years! Also, when we asked his parents if we can stay with them for a few months as we find a house of our own, they said yes but only if we pay rent! LOL 😮 That's ridiculous for me - my family would LOVE to have me (and my husband) live with them again for as long as I wanted for free (and that won't even be a discussion!). 
 
Anyway, it's interesting to hear everyone's take on it. I also would like to clarify that I'm not in any way troubled by this (at least, not anymore), as my husband and I do discuss this, among many other things. He does try to understand everything from my perspective as well. We have a healthy, happy relationship and I couldn't imagine anything better. I just wanted to open up the discussion because I was just curious of how other married couples deal with stuff like this. I'm not exactly asking for relationship advice here hehe. It's different for everyone!  

Thanks for chiming in, everyone. I'm actually already in the USA with my husband. We have gone through everything already (and he's paid for a bit more than half of all immigration related stuff, especially since I didn't have a job right when I got here) and my next step is removing conditions on my green card, which I'll be doing later this year. We are very open with each other and communicate stuff like that. He understands my point of view, hence why he pays his share in the end, so it's not as if he just refuses to help. It's just not automatic to him, the whole "we are married so we should pay for everything 50/50" thing, especially when it comes to my immigration. So we have the same discussion every time we need to pay another fee for yet another immigration-related packet. Getting married and navigating shared expenses when we used to fend for ourselves is also in itself a journey, so I also try to be understanding of where he is coming from.
 
Anyway, was just curious how it is for other couples. Every one is different. But rest assured my husband and I are in a very loving, understanding, communicative relationship!

To each their own, but I don't think splitting costs is weird if both parties work and earn pretty much the same amount every month. It seems fair to me.

To each their own, but I don't think splitting costs is weird if both parties work and earn pretty much the same amount every month. It seems fair to me.

Thanks for chiming in, everyone. I'm actually already in the USA with my husband. We have gone through everything already (and he's paid for a bit more than half of all immigration related stuff, especially since I didn't have a job right when I got here) and my next step is removing conditions on my green card, which I'll be doing later this year. We are very open with each other and communicate stuff like that. He understands my point of view, hence why he pays his share in the end, so it's not as if he just refuses to help. It's just not automatic to him, the whole "we are married so we should pay for everything 50/50" thing, especially when it comes to my immigration. So we have the same discussion every time we need to pay another fee for yet another immigration-related packet. Getting married and navigating shared expenses when we used to fend for ourselves is also in itself a journey, so I also try to be understanding of where he is coming from.
 
Anyway, was just curious how it is for other couples. Every one is different. But rest assured my husband and I are in a very loving, understanding, communicative relationship!

Just recounting my experience for a more updated walkthrough (plus tips!) for those who have yet to take their medical exam at SLEC. Just a fair warning, though: this is going to be a very long and thorough post!
A bit of a background: my interview is scheduled sometime during the first week of January, but I decided to do the medical this last week of November because my family and I will be traveling in December and I most likely won't have time to do it later. And I didn't want to risk having my visa interview before our trip either, in case my passport gets held up at the USEM - which would lead to more issues and stress! Having your medical done in advance should be ok though, as long as you leave for the U.S., get married, and change status (someone correct me if I'm wrong here!) before the medical exam validity expires (6 months from when you took it).
DAY 1
I arrived at SLEC at 4:30AM on a Monday. I know, it was probably the worst time to go, but I had a LOT going on for the rest of the week and it was really just the best time for me to do it. There was already a pretty long line at that hour (which I half expected).
TIP FOR THOSE WHO PLAN ON DRIVING: there is a small parking lot right beside SLEC that opens around 6AM (this is an educated guess, based on my driver's observation - I just know for sure that it wasn't open at 4:30AM when we got there). ₱30 for the first 2 hours, ₱10 for every succeeding hour. I highly suggest getting there at 6AM, though, because it gets REALLY packed by 7AM, and I'm pretty sure it's not open yet before then. There is also street parking, but it costs a whopping ₱100 - though it's good for 8 hours, it's still the same price if you end up staying for less than that. There is no assurance of you getting a parking slot though (it's very limited), so I don't suggest driving there yourself. Would be good if you had someone drive you there (drivers can double-park in the parking lot as long as the car is attended to the whole time), or take an Uber/Grab/cab instead.
STEP 1: GUARD'S PODIUM AT ENTRANCE
I was given the number 59 when we finally got to the guard's podium (I spent around 1.5 hours in line).
THINGS THE GUARD ASKED OF ME:
Passport Photocopy of Passport's Bio Page NVC Letter (either the one sent to your USC fiance or from your Packet 3, if you received it - pretty sure an email from NVC if you don't have either works just as fine, too) Appointment Confirmation x 2 (if available only - really NOT necessary) SLEC Registration Page 4 pcs 2x2 I.D. pictures (with your full name written at the back)---the "hustlers" (people who try to sell you overpriced ballpens and passport covers) outside said I.D. pics need to have you in a collared shirt, but I'm not sure how true that is (I was in a collared shirt already in my I.D. pics, though, which I had done just in case!) TIP FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NO TIME TO PHOTOCOPY/HAVE THEIR I.D. PICS TAKEN BEFORE MEDICAL: there is a photocopy and I.D. photo store right across SLEC, and they are open at 4:30AM (probably earlier). Not sure how much it is for I.D. pics, but it's ₱2/page for photocopies (expensive, but expected). They can Photoshop a collared shirt onto you in your I.D. pic, too, just FYI.
STEP 2: REGISTRATION
I waited another hour or so to get to the Registration counter. Once there, I was asked a few questions about my travel history, past visits to the U.S. (if any), and the visa I am applying for. After, my picture was taken and my fingerprint scanned.
THINGS ASKED OF ME AT REGISTRATION COUNTER:
Everything the guard asked me (as detailed above) Photocopies of other, recent U.S. visas, if any (I had an expired student visa from 2014 and a valid tourist visa expiring 2025)---if you don't have photocopies of these, no worries, you can just give them at Releasing on Day 2 of your medical STEP 3: CASHIER
After the Registration Counter, I was told to proceed to the Cashier at the 3rd floor. It will be at the right, once you get out of the elevator, or straight to the left if you used the stairs. Someone will be there to direct you, too. There, I paid the exorbitant fee of ₱16,042.50. Truly a mind-boggling, heart-stopping amount, let's be honest here... but we really just have no choice! You will be given a receipt + a checklist stapled to it. Do not lose these pieces of paper! You will need to give this to the counter at every step, to have your name called.
STEP 4: X-RAY
Give your receipt & checklist to the counter and wait for your name to be called. You'll be given some forms to fill out, and to declare if you've had any history of TB (tuberculosis). FOR WOMEN: you will also be asked about the first day of your last period (know the date before going, you will be asked this 214098 times!!!). I waited around 30-40 minutes. Then I entered the X-ray room, where there was one dressing room and a larger waiting area. The other applicants and I just got dressed/undressed at the waiting area, since we didn't want to have to wait for the person inside the dressing room to finish. You will need to remove your top and bra and wear a gown. You also need to put your hair up, if your hair is long.
TIPS FOR THE X-RAY STEP: Bring hair bands, to put your hair up (but if you don't have any, no worries, they have a hair clip you can borrow). Try not to wear a necklace, as you'll only have to remove it for this step. Also, don't wear a dress, unless you don't mind being only in your panties under your gown (the back side will be open). You are allowed to wear pants and shoes.
STEP 5: LABORATORY
This was at the 4th floor, I believe (not 100% sure!). Waited around 30 minutes to be called. I was asked when I last peed and when my last period was (again!). They took a blood sample from me, and I had to return after an hour to provide my urine, because:
TIP FOR THE LABORATORY STEP: DO NOT PEE while waiting for this step. Actually, try not to pee at all after paying at the cashier (if you can hold it), because you need to provide a urine sample that has been in your bladder for at least an hour after you last urinated. I foolishly peed while waiting for this step (despite me knowing I had to pee for this step anyway - I don't know what I was thinking), thus the reason I had to go back in an hour! If you really can't hold it in, though, just pee (let's not risk you getting a UTI here). You can just do the next step (and still be productive), like I did, while waiting an hour for your pee to be urine-sample-worthy.
STEP 6: IMMUNIZATION INTERVIEW
This is done at the 2nd floor. At the interview, they will ask questions about your health history: if you've had so and so diseases, if you've had animal bites/scratches before and if you were given rabies/tetanus shots for that, if you've been admitted to the hospital in the past, etc. Pretty easy stuff, and the lady giving me the interview was very nice.
TIPS FOR IMMUNIZATION INTERVIEW: Know where your chickenpox scars are (if any) to prove you've had chickenpox before and not need a vaccine for that anymore.
STEP 7: PHYSICAL EXAM
I was first called for my weight to be taken. Then I had to sit down and wait. Then I was called again for my blood pressure and temperature. Sit down and wait. Then I was called again for my height and eye test (bring your glasses or wear contact lenses if you have poor eyesight!). Sit down, and prepare for the longest wait of your day. Not even kidding. It was really bad. Like 2.5 hours bad. You could literally watch an entire movie while waiting. Not cute.
After dying from utter ennui and lack of sleep, I was finally called. I praised the heavens and tried my best to regain the ability to walk (as I seemed to have temporarily misplaced it, sitting for that long in those stupid, uncomfortable plastic chairs you're supposed to wait in). And as though the gods were playing a trick on me, I rose from the seats at the waiting area only to be asked to sit again, in one of the seats line up outside the doctor's clinic I was to enter. I had to wait for another 20 minutes. On top of the 2.5 hours. At this point, feeling extremely famished on top of everything else, I had lost any semblance of joy and was seriously questioning the importance Filipinos place on efficiency in this godforsaken country.
Anyway, enough of my drama. At the physical, I was asked a series of questions in rapid succession. I can't remember it all, but these were some of the questions:
History of so and so disease/s? (There were so many!) History of mental illness? Depression? Suicide tendencies? Are you on any sort of medication? Any history of STDs? Do you smoke? Any experience with marijuana, shabu? After the questions, the doctor (female if you are female, and vice-versa) will ask you to strip naked and wear a gown. She will then inspect all of you, but very quickly (just a poke, squeeze, or glance for each part), so it's not too awkward, if you're worried about this part.
STEP 8: U.S.A. COUNTER
This is right outside the doctor's clinic where you get your physical. I left my receipt and checklist at the USA counter and was, again, as always, asked to wait. Then I was given my receipt back with instructions to return the next day for my results.
DAY 1 TOTAL DURATION: 9 HOURS (!!!) or 4:30AM-1:00PM
DAY 2
No need to arrive ridiculously early for this day, just go at the time written on your instructions paper. I had to come back at 9:00AM on this day, but I woke up late (lol) and arrived around 10:20AM instead. No worries if you're late, it doesn't matter too much.
STEP 1: GUARD'S PODIUM INSIDE BUILDING
Go straight to the guard's podium inside (to the right) and present your receipt. He will look your PDS (it's the number they give you at the start of the medical) up and stamp your receipt with the next thing you have to do. If you get stamped with IMMUNIZATION that means you passed the medical exam and don't need to do much else except get your vaccines! I was thankfully stamped with "immunization" and told to proceed to the 2nd floor to get my shots.
STEP 2: IMMUNIZATION
If you think this second day would mean less waiting, because, you know, it's just the releasing of your results and a couple shots, right? WRONG. WAITING IS APPARENTLY AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THIS ENTIRE PROCESS WITHOUT WHICH YOUR SLEC EXPERIENCE CANNOT BE WHOLE. I waited another 1.5 hours just to get shots. Yup. I even left and had some breakfast at McDonald's in the middle of waiting (yes, you can do that) because I just can't anymore. But when I came back it still wasn't my turn. Of course. I waited like 30 more minutes.
I got 2 vaccines when I finally got called into the Immunization Room. Then I was told to go downstairs to the Releasing Area.
STEP 3: RELEASING
Again, if you think releasing shouldn't be so bad, because they're only gonna just have to literally release your information to you, which they have had since the end of yesterday, I mean it just makes logical sense for that to be a fast process---WRONG! I don't know why or how - perhaps sloths reminiscent of those from Zootopia run the place idek, but it took them another ~2 hours to give me my results back. I could have watched Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them instead. Absolutely ridiculous. ANYWAY, so I get called after 2 hours of questioning my existence and life itself, and, after some questions, was given my documents sealed in a DO NOT OPEN envelope (to be taken to the Embassy for my interview) and a CD of my X-ray + a piece of paper to be given to the immigration officer at the airport when I arrive in the U.S.! FINALLY FINISHED OMFG NO MORE LONG HOURS OF WAITING AND HAVING EXISTENTIAL CRISES BECAUSE OF IT LET US CELEBRATE AND EAT CHICKENJOY
DAY 2 TOTAL DURATION: ~4 HOURS or 10:20AM - 2:30PM
Hope this long-### post helps everyone else who still need to do their medical! And I do apologize for the over-dramatic narration, but hope that you were at least mildly humored by my rather unfortunate predicaments. ;p

I had my green card interview at the San Francisco USCIS Field Office (Sansome St.) at the end of October 2018. Just sharing my experience here.
 
Our interview was at 9:45AM on a Tuesday, and my USC husband and I arrived at 9:30AM. Please don't bring sharp objects including nail clippers - my husband's nail clippers were not permitted inside, so we had to leave it outside (good thing it was still there when we exited the building lol). The entrance has these x-ray machines for your belongings, as well as for you to walk through; it's basically like being at an airport. We went to the 2nd floor afterwards, where we were checked in by the receptionist and told to wait. There were not a lot of people that day, and many chairs to choose from. We waited for around 20-30 minutes before my name was finally called. We were met by our interviewer, a middle aged woman who seemed to be in her 60s, and led to an office in the back. She asked us to raise our right hands and swear that we tell the truth, then we all sat down. 
 
She asked for our IDs. My husband gave his CA driver's license. I unfortunately had my wallet stolen which had my EAD/AP card and driver's license, so all I had was my passport. She seemed to have wanted me to give more than one photo ID, and better yet a photo ID with my married name on it (my passport is still in my maiden name), but I explained my situation and she seemed content with it.
 
She asked basic questions: when we got married, how many times we've been married (to different people), if we have kids, etc. She went through the I-485 form and asked us all the questions from there, so it was basically just like filling up the I-485 form but orally and in person.
 
Then, she asked if we were living together, and I said yes, and she asked for our apartment's lease. I told her we didn't bring it, because my name isn't on the lease yet, since we are just renting and are will be moving to another home in the future. She said that that was fine, and asked for other documents to prove that we live together, like utility bills and such. I gave her all that we had: a utility bill from PG&E, auto insurance cards, health insurance cards, and bank statements from our joint bank accounts, all of which had both our names on them. She took all of that.
 
Then she asked me for my EAD/AP, had to remind her again that I lost my card, but I did have a new AP that was just a piece of paper. She took a copy of that.
 
She asked also for my vaccination records, and I just gave another copy of my DS-260. She made a comment about it being expired, and I explained that to my understanding as long as I file my I-485 application before its expiry date it is still valid. She told me she will double-check that with her supervisor and let me know if they need anything else from me. (They ended up not needing anything else so just your DS-260 should be sufficient.)
 
After getting all these documents from me, she asked us to tell her how my husband and I met. This was our favorite part because we love sharing our story! My husband excitedly told our story, with such great detail, that our interviewer had to stop him in the middle and tell him to quickly summarize it because we didn't have much time left lol! She seemed to be happy about my husband's enthusiasm in telling our story though! And she was smiling the entire time he was telling it. 
 
After we told our story, she asked to see pictures - mostly of our wedding days (we've had 2 weddings so far, a civil wedding at City Hall and a second celebration in my husband's hometown in Ohio - I told her that we will be having a third wedding celebration in my hometown in the Philippines in Feb 2019, and she seemed quite pleased about us celebrating with all our family and friends in our hometowns). I also showed her a picture from the day my husband and I met (which was way back in 2012) and several pictures of us traveling around the world with our families. I was also very excited about showing her our pictures that she asked me to calm down and just give her one picture from each event haha. She kept around 5 pictures.
 
After all that, she said "okay, so far so good," which helped me relax a little bit. She then went to photocopy a bunch of my documents then came back to tell us that she will be talking to her supervisor about our case, but that it seemed good so far. If there is a problem at all with our case, we will be notified ASAP via mail. Otherwise, I will be receiving my green card in several weeks. 
 
Overall, the interview lasted around 30 minutes. It wasn't as nerve-wracking as I thought it would be! Our interviewer also was quite nice and not too intimidating.
 
2 weeks later, I receive an NOA stating my application for permanent residency has been approved! Then around 5 days after I received that NOA, I got my green card in the mail!

Just recounting my experience for a more updated walkthrough (plus tips!) for those who have yet to take their medical exam at SLEC. Just a fair warning, though: this is going to be a very long and thorough post!
A bit of a background: my interview is scheduled sometime during the first week of January, but I decided to do the medical this last week of November because my family and I will be traveling in December and I most likely won't have time to do it later. And I didn't want to risk having my visa interview before our trip either, in case my passport gets held up at the USEM - which would lead to more issues and stress! Having your medical done in advance should be ok though, as long as you leave for the U.S., get married, and change status (someone correct me if I'm wrong here!) before the medical exam validity expires (6 months from when you took it).
DAY 1
I arrived at SLEC at 4:30AM on a Monday. I know, it was probably the worst time to go, but I had a LOT going on for the rest of the week and it was really just the best time for me to do it. There was already a pretty long line at that hour (which I half expected).
TIP FOR THOSE WHO PLAN ON DRIVING: there is a small parking lot right beside SLEC that opens around 6AM (this is an educated guess, based on my driver's observation - I just know for sure that it wasn't open at 4:30AM when we got there). ₱30 for the first 2 hours, ₱10 for every succeeding hour. I highly suggest getting there at 6AM, though, because it gets REALLY packed by 7AM, and I'm pretty sure it's not open yet before then. There is also street parking, but it costs a whopping ₱100 - though it's good for 8 hours, it's still the same price if you end up staying for less than that. There is no assurance of you getting a parking slot though (it's very limited), so I don't suggest driving there yourself. Would be good if you had someone drive you there (drivers can double-park in the parking lot as long as the car is attended to the whole time), or take an Uber/Grab/cab instead.
STEP 1: GUARD'S PODIUM AT ENTRANCE
I was given the number 59 when we finally got to the guard's podium (I spent around 1.5 hours in line).
THINGS THE GUARD ASKED OF ME:
Passport Photocopy of Passport's Bio Page NVC Letter (either the one sent to your USC fiance or from your Packet 3, if you received it - pretty sure an email from NVC if you don't have either works just as fine, too) Appointment Confirmation x 2 (if available only - really NOT necessary) SLEC Registration Page 4 pcs 2x2 I.D. pictures (with your full name written at the back)---the "hustlers" (people who try to sell you overpriced ballpens and passport covers) outside said I.D. pics need to have you in a collared shirt, but I'm not sure how true that is (I was in a collared shirt already in my I.D. pics, though, which I had done just in case!) TIP FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NO TIME TO PHOTOCOPY/HAVE THEIR I.D. PICS TAKEN BEFORE MEDICAL: there is a photocopy and I.D. photo store right across SLEC, and they are open at 4:30AM (probably earlier). Not sure how much it is for I.D. pics, but it's ₱2/page for photocopies (expensive, but expected). They can Photoshop a collared shirt onto you in your I.D. pic, too, just FYI.
STEP 2: REGISTRATION
I waited another hour or so to get to the Registration counter. Once there, I was asked a few questions about my travel history, past visits to the U.S. (if any), and the visa I am applying for. After, my picture was taken and my fingerprint scanned.
THINGS ASKED OF ME AT REGISTRATION COUNTER:
Everything the guard asked me (as detailed above) Photocopies of other, recent U.S. visas, if any (I had an expired student visa from 2014 and a valid tourist visa expiring 2025)---if you don't have photocopies of these, no worries, you can just give them at Releasing on Day 2 of your medical STEP 3: CASHIER
After the Registration Counter, I was told to proceed to the Cashier at the 3rd floor. It will be at the right, once you get out of the elevator, or straight to the left if you used the stairs. Someone will be there to direct you, too. There, I paid the exorbitant fee of ₱16,042.50. Truly a mind-boggling, heart-stopping amount, let's be honest here... but we really just have no choice! You will be given a receipt + a checklist stapled to it. Do not lose these pieces of paper! You will need to give this to the counter at every step, to have your name called.
STEP 4: X-RAY
Give your receipt & checklist to the counter and wait for your name to be called. You'll be given some forms to fill out, and to declare if you've had any history of TB (tuberculosis). FOR WOMEN: you will also be asked about the first day of your last period (know the date before going, you will be asked this 214098 times!!!). I waited around 30-40 minutes. Then I entered the X-ray room, where there was one dressing room and a larger waiting area. The other applicants and I just got dressed/undressed at the waiting area, since we didn't want to have to wait for the person inside the dressing room to finish. You will need to remove your top and bra and wear a gown. You also need to put your hair up, if your hair is long.
TIPS FOR THE X-RAY STEP: Bring hair bands, to put your hair up (but if you don't have any, no worries, they have a hair clip you can borrow). Try not to wear a necklace, as you'll only have to remove it for this step. Also, don't wear a dress, unless you don't mind being only in your panties under your gown (the back side will be open). You are allowed to wear pants and shoes.
STEP 5: LABORATORY
This was at the 4th floor, I believe (not 100% sure!). Waited around 30 minutes to be called. I was asked when I last peed and when my last period was (again!). They took a blood sample from me, and I had to return after an hour to provide my urine, because:
TIP FOR THE LABORATORY STEP: DO NOT PEE while waiting for this step. Actually, try not to pee at all after paying at the cashier (if you can hold it), because you need to provide a urine sample that has been in your bladder for at least an hour after you last urinated. I foolishly peed while waiting for this step (despite me knowing I had to pee for this step anyway - I don't know what I was thinking), thus the reason I had to go back in an hour! If you really can't hold it in, though, just pee (let's not risk you getting a UTI here). You can just do the next step (and still be productive), like I did, while waiting an hour for your pee to be urine-sample-worthy.
STEP 6: IMMUNIZATION INTERVIEW
This is done at the 2nd floor. At the interview, they will ask questions about your health history: if you've had so and so diseases, if you've had animal bites/scratches before and if you were given rabies/tetanus shots for that, if you've been admitted to the hospital in the past, etc. Pretty easy stuff, and the lady giving me the interview was very nice.
TIPS FOR IMMUNIZATION INTERVIEW: Know where your chickenpox scars are (if any) to prove you've had chickenpox before and not need a vaccine for that anymore.
STEP 7: PHYSICAL EXAM
I was first called for my weight to be taken. Then I had to sit down and wait. Then I was called again for my blood pressure and temperature. Sit down and wait. Then I was called again for my height and eye test (bring your glasses or wear contact lenses if you have poor eyesight!). Sit down, and prepare for the longest wait of your day. Not even kidding. It was really bad. Like 2.5 hours bad. You could literally watch an entire movie while waiting. Not cute.
After dying from utter ennui and lack of sleep, I was finally called. I praised the heavens and tried my best to regain the ability to walk (as I seemed to have temporarily misplaced it, sitting for that long in those stupid, uncomfortable plastic chairs you're supposed to wait in). And as though the gods were playing a trick on me, I rose from the seats at the waiting area only to be asked to sit again, in one of the seats line up outside the doctor's clinic I was to enter. I had to wait for another 20 minutes. On top of the 2.5 hours. At this point, feeling extremely famished on top of everything else, I had lost any semblance of joy and was seriously questioning the importance Filipinos place on efficiency in this godforsaken country.
Anyway, enough of my drama. At the physical, I was asked a series of questions in rapid succession. I can't remember it all, but these were some of the questions:
History of so and so disease/s? (There were so many!) History of mental illness? Depression? Suicide tendencies? Are you on any sort of medication? Any history of STDs? Do you smoke? Any experience with marijuana, shabu? After the questions, the doctor (female if you are female, and vice-versa) will ask you to strip naked and wear a gown. She will then inspect all of you, but very quickly (just a poke, squeeze, or glance for each part), so it's not too awkward, if you're worried about this part.
STEP 8: U.S.A. COUNTER
This is right outside the doctor's clinic where you get your physical. I left my receipt and checklist at the USA counter and was, again, as always, asked to wait. Then I was given my receipt back with instructions to return the next day for my results.
DAY 1 TOTAL DURATION: 9 HOURS (!!!) or 4:30AM-1:00PM
DAY 2
No need to arrive ridiculously early for this day, just go at the time written on your instructions paper. I had to come back at 9:00AM on this day, but I woke up late (lol) and arrived around 10:20AM instead. No worries if you're late, it doesn't matter too much.
STEP 1: GUARD'S PODIUM INSIDE BUILDING
Go straight to the guard's podium inside (to the right) and present your receipt. He will look your PDS (it's the number they give you at the start of the medical) up and stamp your receipt with the next thing you have to do. If you get stamped with IMMUNIZATION that means you passed the medical exam and don't need to do much else except get your vaccines! I was thankfully stamped with "immunization" and told to proceed to the 2nd floor to get my shots.
STEP 2: IMMUNIZATION
If you think this second day would mean less waiting, because, you know, it's just the releasing of your results and a couple shots, right? WRONG. WAITING IS APPARENTLY AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THIS ENTIRE PROCESS WITHOUT WHICH YOUR SLEC EXPERIENCE CANNOT BE WHOLE. I waited another 1.5 hours just to get shots. Yup. I even left and had some breakfast at McDonald's in the middle of waiting (yes, you can do that) because I just can't anymore. But when I came back it still wasn't my turn. Of course. I waited like 30 more minutes.
I got 2 vaccines when I finally got called into the Immunization Room. Then I was told to go downstairs to the Releasing Area.
STEP 3: RELEASING
Again, if you think releasing shouldn't be so bad, because they're only gonna just have to literally release your information to you, which they have had since the end of yesterday, I mean it just makes logical sense for that to be a fast process---WRONG! I don't know why or how - perhaps sloths reminiscent of those from Zootopia run the place idek, but it took them another ~2 hours to give me my results back. I could have watched Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them instead. Absolutely ridiculous. ANYWAY, so I get called after 2 hours of questioning my existence and life itself, and, after some questions, was given my documents sealed in a DO NOT OPEN envelope (to be taken to the Embassy for my interview) and a CD of my X-ray + a piece of paper to be given to the immigration officer at the airport when I arrive in the U.S.! FINALLY FINISHED OMFG NO MORE LONG HOURS OF WAITING AND HAVING EXISTENTIAL CRISES BECAUSE OF IT LET US CELEBRATE AND EAT CHICKENJOY
DAY 2 TOTAL DURATION: ~4 HOURS or 10:20AM - 2:30PM
Hope this long-### post helps everyone else who still need to do their medical! And I do apologize for the over-dramatic narration, but hope that you were at least mildly humored by my rather unfortunate predicaments. ;p

Last June 2018, I rushed back to the Philippines to be by the bedside of my ailing mother. Doctors had warned my family that she may be nearing the end of her life, so my dad urged me to hop on the next plane to be with her ASAP. The day after I arrived, she passed away. As if that wasn't already a traumatic and distressing point in my life, during her wake, my wallet (which had my EAD/AP card inside) was stolen from my purse, inside the family room at the back of the chapel where my mother's ashes were being held. 
 
At first, I thought, it can't be that bad. Surely, EAD/AP cards have been lost before, and the US Embassy in Manila can help me. I was wrong. 
 
The US Embassy in Manila could not help me because I was not yet a permanent resident. They don't have a protocol for lost EAD/AP cards. They only have a protocol for lost green cards and lost US passports. I was in a gray area, so they didn't know what to do with me. I asked what I should do, and they told me to ask the USCIS. I called the USCIS, and was told I can't be helped because I was outside the USA and only the Embassy can help me. I told them the Embassy couldn't help me, and they told me that that was preposterous and that I should try and talk to someone higher up. So I tried to talk to the Embassy again, and again, they denied me of any help. I have called the US Embassy Manila twice, sent them emails thrice, and even appeared in person WITH my US Citizen husband (who came to the Philippines to be with me during this difficult time of my mother's passing), and all those times, they denied us of any help. I called the USCIS maybe 4-5 times, my husband called twice, and every time, they didn't know how to help and kept telling us the same thing: ask the US Embassy in Manila. It seemed to be such a hopeless situation, and I was afraid I was not gonna be able to go back to the USA.
 
I researched what others in my situation had done, and many said they just fought with the airline to let them board the plane without their EAD/AP card. Once they got to POE in the US, it was a breeze, because they could just look them up in the system. Luckily, I had an aunt that worked for Philippine Airlines (or PAL, which was the airline I was using to go back to the USA). She did all she could in her power to help me, even got in touch with the President of PAL, who asked an Operations Manager to aid me, but all for naught. The CBP told PAL that they do not advise them to let me board. They called and insisted several times, but was denied each time. I had to cancel my return flight and my husband had to go back to the USA without me. 
 
On top of all of this, on July 2nd, I received notice of my green card interview scheduled on August 6th. I panicked. I didn't know if I could be back by August 6th. To be honest, I didn't know if I'd be back EVER. I called the USCIS again, and they told me I could request to reschedule my interview and also request to have it in Manila, if need be, but that will delay my application for a long time. I was at a loss. I was stressed and depressed. My mother had just died, and now all this. I was desperate, so I asked all my family members for help.
 
Fortunately, my dad is well connected, and after being referred from one person to another, was able to get in touch with the Ambassador of the US Embassy Manila. And only then did the US Embassy FINALLY agree to help me. They had me apply for a Humanitarian Parole, which would enable me to enter the USA once, within a given timeframe. Finally. So, that's what I did. It took around 3 weeks (and an interview at the Embassy) after I submitted application to receive the Parole, which was like a Visa stamped in my passport.
 
So my question is, if someone who was not as lucky as me, who had a dad with connections, was placed in the same predicament, what would happen to them? I wouldn't even know what to advise someone who finds themselves in the same situation because it seemed almost impossible for me, if not for my dad's network. It was utterly ridiculous that US government had no protocol for lost EAD/AP cards.
 
But if you are in this situation, I would suggest you urge your US Embassy to look into a HUMANITARIAN PAROLE and ask how you can apply for that, because it's the only way you can get back to the USA.
 
If you are a EAD/AP card holder, for the love of God, do NOT lose it when you are traveling abroad. It will turn out to be the most stressful thing in your entire immigration journey. Just keep it safe with your passport, locked up in your hotel's lockbox or in a safe drawer wherever you are staying in. Do not bring it with you in your wallet everywhere in case you wallet gets stolen like mine. Learn from my mistake!

I had my green card interview at the San Francisco USCIS Field Office (Sansome St.) at the end of October 2018. Just sharing my experience here.
 
Our interview was at 9:45AM on a Tuesday, and my USC husband and I arrived at 9:30AM. Please don't bring sharp objects including nail clippers - my husband's nail clippers were not permitted inside, so we had to leave it outside (good thing it was still there when we exited the building lol). The entrance has these x-ray machines for your belongings, as well as for you to walk through; it's basically like being at an airport. We went to the 2nd floor afterwards, where we were checked in by the receptionist and told to wait. There were not a lot of people that day, and many chairs to choose from. We waited for around 20-30 minutes before my name was finally called. We were met by our interviewer, a middle aged woman who seemed to be in her 60s, and led to an office in the back. She asked us to raise our right hands and swear that we tell the truth, then we all sat down. 
 
She asked for our IDs. My husband gave his CA driver's license. I unfortunately had my wallet stolen which had my EAD/AP card and driver's license, so all I had was my passport. She seemed to have wanted me to give more than one photo ID, and better yet a photo ID with my married name on it (my passport is still in my maiden name), but I explained my situation and she seemed content with it.
 
She asked basic questions: when we got married, how many times we've been married (to different people), if we have kids, etc. She went through the I-485 form and asked us all the questions from there, so it was basically just like filling up the I-485 form but orally and in person.
 
Then, she asked if we were living together, and I said yes, and she asked for our apartment's lease. I told her we didn't bring it, because my name isn't on the lease yet, since we are just renting and are will be moving to another home in the future. She said that that was fine, and asked for other documents to prove that we live together, like utility bills and such. I gave her all that we had: a utility bill from PG&E, auto insurance cards, health insurance cards, and bank statements from our joint bank accounts, all of which had both our names on them. She took all of that.
 
Then she asked me for my EAD/AP, had to remind her again that I lost my card, but I did have a new AP that was just a piece of paper. She took a copy of that.
 
She asked also for my vaccination records, and I just gave another copy of my DS-260. She made a comment about it being expired, and I explained that to my understanding as long as I file my I-485 application before its expiry date it is still valid. She told me she will double-check that with her supervisor and let me know if they need anything else from me. (They ended up not needing anything else so just your DS-260 should be sufficient.)
 
After getting all these documents from me, she asked us to tell her how my husband and I met. This was our favorite part because we love sharing our story! My husband excitedly told our story, with such great detail, that our interviewer had to stop him in the middle and tell him to quickly summarize it because we didn't have much time left lol! She seemed to be happy about my husband's enthusiasm in telling our story though! And she was smiling the entire time he was telling it. 
 
After we told our story, she asked to see pictures - mostly of our wedding days (we've had 2 weddings so far, a civil wedding at City Hall and a second celebration in my husband's hometown in Ohio - I told her that we will be having a third wedding celebration in my hometown in the Philippines in Feb 2019, and she seemed quite pleased about us celebrating with all our family and friends in our hometowns). I also showed her a picture from the day my husband and I met (which was way back in 2012) and several pictures of us traveling around the world with our families. I was also very excited about showing her our pictures that she asked me to calm down and just give her one picture from each event haha. She kept around 5 pictures.
 
After all that, she said "okay, so far so good," which helped me relax a little bit. She then went to photocopy a bunch of my documents then came back to tell us that she will be talking to her supervisor about our case, but that it seemed good so far. If there is a problem at all with our case, we will be notified ASAP via mail. Otherwise, I will be receiving my green card in several weeks. 
 
Overall, the interview lasted around 30 minutes. It wasn't as nerve-wracking as I thought it would be! Our interviewer also was quite nice and not too intimidating.
 
2 weeks later, I receive an NOA stating my application for permanent residency has been approved! Then around 5 days after I received that NOA, I got my green card in the mail!

Last June 2018, I rushed back to the Philippines to be by the bedside of my ailing mother. Doctors had warned my family that she may be nearing the end of her life, so my dad urged me to hop on the next plane to be with her ASAP. The day after I arrived, she passed away. As if that wasn't already a traumatic and distressing point in my life, during her wake, my wallet (which had my EAD/AP card inside) was stolen from my purse, inside the family room at the back of the chapel where my mother's ashes were being held. 
 
At first, I thought, it can't be that bad. Surely, EAD/AP cards have been lost before, and the US Embassy in Manila can help me. I was wrong. 
 
The US Embassy in Manila could not help me because I was not yet a permanent resident. They don't have a protocol for lost EAD/AP cards. They only have a protocol for lost green cards and lost US passports. I was in a gray area, so they didn't know what to do with me. I asked what I should do, and they told me to ask the USCIS. I called the USCIS, and was told I can't be helped because I was outside the USA and only the Embassy can help me. I told them the Embassy couldn't help me, and they told me that that was preposterous and that I should try and talk to someone higher up. So I tried to talk to the Embassy again, and again, they denied me of any help. I have called the US Embassy Manila twice, sent them emails thrice, and even appeared in person WITH my US Citizen husband (who came to the Philippines to be with me during this difficult time of my mother's passing), and all those times, they denied us of any help. I called the USCIS maybe 4-5 times, my husband called twice, and every time, they didn't know how to help and kept telling us the same thing: ask the US Embassy in Manila. It seemed to be such a hopeless situation, and I was afraid I was not gonna be able to go back to the USA.
 
I researched what others in my situation had done, and many said they just fought with the airline to let them board the plane without their EAD/AP card. Once they got to POE in the US, it was a breeze, because they could just look them up in the system. Luckily, I had an aunt that worked for Philippine Airlines (or PAL, which was the airline I was using to go back to the USA). She did all she could in her power to help me, even got in touch with the President of PAL, who asked an Operations Manager to aid me, but all for naught. The CBP told PAL that they do not advise them to let me board. They called and insisted several times, but was denied each time. I had to cancel my return flight and my husband had to go back to the USA without me. 
 
On top of all of this, on July 2nd, I received notice of my green card interview scheduled on August 6th. I panicked. I didn't know if I could be back by August 6th. To be honest, I didn't know if I'd be back EVER. I called the USCIS again, and they told me I could request to reschedule my interview and also request to have it in Manila, if need be, but that will delay my application for a long time. I was at a loss. I was stressed and depressed. My mother had just died, and now all this. I was desperate, so I asked all my family members for help.
 
Fortunately, my dad is well connected, and after being referred from one person to another, was able to get in touch with the Ambassador of the US Embassy Manila. And only then did the US Embassy FINALLY agree to help me. They had me apply for a Humanitarian Parole, which would enable me to enter the USA once, within a given timeframe. Finally. So, that's what I did. It took around 3 weeks (and an interview at the Embassy) after I submitted application to receive the Parole, which was like a Visa stamped in my passport.
 
So my question is, if someone who was not as lucky as me, who had a dad with connections, was placed in the same predicament, what would happen to them? I wouldn't even know what to advise someone who finds themselves in the same situation because it seemed almost impossible for me, if not for my dad's network. It was utterly ridiculous that US government had no protocol for lost EAD/AP cards.
 
But if you are in this situation, I would suggest you urge your US Embassy to look into a HUMANITARIAN PAROLE and ask how you can apply for that, because it's the only way you can get back to the USA.
 
If you are a EAD/AP card holder, for the love of God, do NOT lose it when you are traveling abroad. It will turn out to be the most stressful thing in your entire immigration journey. Just keep it safe with your passport, locked up in your hotel's lockbox or in a safe drawer wherever you are staying in. Do not bring it with you in your wallet everywhere in case you wallet gets stolen like mine. Learn from my mistake!

Last June 2018, I rushed back to the Philippines to be by the bedside of my ailing mother. Doctors had warned my family that she may be nearing the end of her life, so my dad urged me to hop on the next plane to be with her ASAP. The day after I arrived, she passed away. As if that wasn't already a traumatic and distressing point in my life, during her wake, my wallet (which had my EAD/AP card inside) was stolen from my purse, inside the family room at the back of the chapel where my mother's ashes were being held. 
 
At first, I thought, it can't be that bad. Surely, EAD/AP cards have been lost before, and the US Embassy in Manila can help me. I was wrong. 
 
The US Embassy in Manila could not help me because I was not yet a permanent resident. They don't have a protocol for lost EAD/AP cards. They only have a protocol for lost green cards and lost US passports. I was in a gray area, so they didn't know what to do with me. I asked what I should do, and they told me to ask the USCIS. I called the USCIS, and was told I can't be helped because I was outside the USA and only the Embassy can help me. I told them the Embassy couldn't help me, and they told me that that was preposterous and that I should try and talk to someone higher up. So I tried to talk to the Embassy again, and again, they denied me of any help. I have called the US Embassy Manila twice, sent them emails thrice, and even appeared in person WITH my US Citizen husband (who came to the Philippines to be with me during this difficult time of my mother's passing), and all those times, they denied us of any help. I called the USCIS maybe 4-5 times, my husband called twice, and every time, they didn't know how to help and kept telling us the same thing: ask the US Embassy in Manila. It seemed to be such a hopeless situation, and I was afraid I was not gonna be able to go back to the USA.
 
I researched what others in my situation had done, and many said they just fought with the airline to let them board the plane without their EAD/AP card. Once they got to POE in the US, it was a breeze, because they could just look them up in the system. Luckily, I had an aunt that worked for Philippine Airlines (or PAL, which was the airline I was using to go back to the USA). She did all she could in her power to help me, even got in touch with the President of PAL, who asked an Operations Manager to aid me, but all for naught. The CBP told PAL that they do not advise them to let me board. They called and insisted several times, but was denied each time. I had to cancel my return flight and my husband had to go back to the USA without me. 
 
On top of all of this, on July 2nd, I received notice of my green card interview scheduled on August 6th. I panicked. I didn't know if I could be back by August 6th. To be honest, I didn't know if I'd be back EVER. I called the USCIS again, and they told me I could request to reschedule my interview and also request to have it in Manila, if need be, but that will delay my application for a long time. I was at a loss. I was stressed and depressed. My mother had just died, and now all this. I was desperate, so I asked all my family members for help.
 
Fortunately, my dad is well connected, and after being referred from one person to another, was able to get in touch with the Ambassador of the US Embassy Manila. And only then did the US Embassy FINALLY agree to help me. They had me apply for a Humanitarian Parole, which would enable me to enter the USA once, within a given timeframe. Finally. So, that's what I did. It took around 3 weeks (and an interview at the Embassy) after I submitted application to receive the Parole, which was like a Visa stamped in my passport.
 
So my question is, if someone who was not as lucky as me, who had a dad with connections, was placed in the same predicament, what would happen to them? I wouldn't even know what to advise someone who finds themselves in the same situation because it seemed almost impossible for me, if not for my dad's network. It was utterly ridiculous that US government had no protocol for lost EAD/AP cards.
 
But if you are in this situation, I would suggest you urge your US Embassy to look into a HUMANITARIAN PAROLE and ask how you can apply for that, because it's the only way you can get back to the USA.
 
If you are a EAD/AP card holder, for the love of God, do NOT lose it when you are traveling abroad. It will turn out to be the most stressful thing in your entire immigration journey. Just keep it safe with your passport, locked up in your hotel's lockbox or in a safe drawer wherever you are staying in. Do not bring it with you in your wallet everywhere in case you wallet gets stolen like mine. Learn from my mistake!

I had my green card interview at the San Francisco USCIS Field Office (Sansome St.) at the end of October 2018. Just sharing my experience here.
 
Our interview was at 9:45AM on a Tuesday, and my USC husband and I arrived at 9:30AM. Please don't bring sharp objects including nail clippers - my husband's nail clippers were not permitted inside, so we had to leave it outside (good thing it was still there when we exited the building lol). The entrance has these x-ray machines for your belongings, as well as for you to walk through; it's basically like being at an airport. We went to the 2nd floor afterwards, where we were checked in by the receptionist and told to wait. There were not a lot of people that day, and many chairs to choose from. We waited for around 20-30 minutes before my name was finally called. We were met by our interviewer, a middle aged woman who seemed to be in her 60s, and led to an office in the back. She asked us to raise our right hands and swear that we tell the truth, then we all sat down. 
 
She asked for our IDs. My husband gave his CA driver's license. I unfortunately had my wallet stolen which had my EAD/AP card and driver's license, so all I had was my passport. She seemed to have wanted me to give more than one photo ID, and better yet a photo ID with my married name on it (my passport is still in my maiden name), but I explained my situation and she seemed content with it.
 
She asked basic questions: when we got married, how many times we've been married (to different people), if we have kids, etc. She went through the I-485 form and asked us all the questions from there, so it was basically just like filling up the I-485 form but orally and in person.
 
Then, she asked if we were living together, and I said yes, and she asked for our apartment's lease. I told her we didn't bring it, because my name isn't on the lease yet, since we are just renting and are will be moving to another home in the future. She said that that was fine, and asked for other documents to prove that we live together, like utility bills and such. I gave her all that we had: a utility bill from PG&E, auto insurance cards, health insurance cards, and bank statements from our joint bank accounts, all of which had both our names on them. She took all of that.
 
Then she asked me for my EAD/AP, had to remind her again that I lost my card, but I did have a new AP that was just a piece of paper. She took a copy of that.
 
She asked also for my vaccination records, and I just gave another copy of my DS-260. She made a comment about it being expired, and I explained that to my understanding as long as I file my I-485 application before its expiry date it is still valid. She told me she will double-check that with her supervisor and let me know if they need anything else from me. (They ended up not needing anything else so just your DS-260 should be sufficient.)
 
After getting all these documents from me, she asked us to tell her how my husband and I met. This was our favorite part because we love sharing our story! My husband excitedly told our story, with such great detail, that our interviewer had to stop him in the middle and tell him to quickly summarize it because we didn't have much time left lol! She seemed to be happy about my husband's enthusiasm in telling our story though! And she was smiling the entire time he was telling it. 
 
After we told our story, she asked to see pictures - mostly of our wedding days (we've had 2 weddings so far, a civil wedding at City Hall and a second celebration in my husband's hometown in Ohio - I told her that we will be having a third wedding celebration in my hometown in the Philippines in Feb 2019, and she seemed quite pleased about us celebrating with all our family and friends in our hometowns). I also showed her a picture from the day my husband and I met (which was way back in 2012) and several pictures of us traveling around the world with our families. I was also very excited about showing her our pictures that she asked me to calm down and just give her one picture from each event haha. She kept around 5 pictures.
 
After all that, she said "okay, so far so good," which helped me relax a little bit. She then went to photocopy a bunch of my documents then came back to tell us that she will be talking to her supervisor about our case, but that it seemed good so far. If there is a problem at all with our case, we will be notified ASAP via mail. Otherwise, I will be receiving my green card in several weeks. 
 
Overall, the interview lasted around 30 minutes. It wasn't as nerve-wracking as I thought it would be! Our interviewer also was quite nice and not too intimidating.
 
2 weeks later, I receive an NOA stating my application for permanent residency has been approved! Then around 5 days after I received that NOA, I got my green card in the mail!

I had my green card interview at the San Francisco USCIS Field Office (Sansome St.) at the end of October 2018. Just sharing my experience here.
 
Our interview was at 9:45AM on a Tuesday, and my USC husband and I arrived at 9:30AM. Please don't bring sharp objects including nail clippers - my husband's nail clippers were not permitted inside, so we had to leave it outside (good thing it was still there when we exited the building lol). The entrance has these x-ray machines for your belongings, as well as for you to walk through; it's basically like being at an airport. We went to the 2nd floor afterwards, where we were checked in by the receptionist and told to wait. There were not a lot of people that day, and many chairs to choose from. We waited for around 20-30 minutes before my name was finally called. We were met by our interviewer, a middle aged woman who seemed to be in her 60s, and led to an office in the back. She asked us to raise our right hands and swear that we tell the truth, then we all sat down. 
 
She asked for our IDs. My husband gave his CA driver's license. I unfortunately had my wallet stolen which had my EAD/AP card and driver's license, so all I had was my passport. She seemed to have wanted me to give more than one photo ID, and better yet a photo ID with my married name on it (my passport is still in my maiden name), but I explained my situation and she seemed content with it.
 
She asked basic questions: when we got married, how many times we've been married (to different people), if we have kids, etc. She went through the I-485 form and asked us all the questions from there, so it was basically just like filling up the I-485 form but orally and in person.
 
Then, she asked if we were living together, and I said yes, and she asked for our apartment's lease. I told her we didn't bring it, because my name isn't on the lease yet, since we are just renting and are will be moving to another home in the future. She said that that was fine, and asked for other documents to prove that we live together, like utility bills and such. I gave her all that we had: a utility bill from PG&E, auto insurance cards, health insurance cards, and bank statements from our joint bank accounts, all of which had both our names on them. She took all of that.
 
Then she asked me for my EAD/AP, had to remind her again that I lost my card, but I did have a new AP that was just a piece of paper. She took a copy of that.
 
She asked also for my vaccination records, and I just gave another copy of my DS-260. She made a comment about it being expired, and I explained that to my understanding as long as I file my I-485 application before its expiry date it is still valid. She told me she will double-check that with her supervisor and let me know if they need anything else from me. (They ended up not needing anything else so just your DS-260 should be sufficient.)
 
After getting all these documents from me, she asked us to tell her how my husband and I met. This was our favorite part because we love sharing our story! My husband excitedly told our story, with such great detail, that our interviewer had to stop him in the middle and tell him to quickly summarize it because we didn't have much time left lol! She seemed to be happy about my husband's enthusiasm in telling our story though! And she was smiling the entire time he was telling it. 
 
After we told our story, she asked to see pictures - mostly of our wedding days (we've had 2 weddings so far, a civil wedding at City Hall and a second celebration in my husband's hometown in Ohio - I told her that we will be having a third wedding celebration in my hometown in the Philippines in Feb 2019, and she seemed quite pleased about us celebrating with all our family and friends in our hometowns). I also showed her a picture from the day my husband and I met (which was way back in 2012) and several pictures of us traveling around the world with our families. I was also very excited about showing her our pictures that she asked me to calm down and just give her one picture from each event haha. She kept around 5 pictures.
 
After all that, she said "okay, so far so good," which helped me relax a little bit. She then went to photocopy a bunch of my documents then came back to tell us that she will be talking to her supervisor about our case, but that it seemed good so far. If there is a problem at all with our case, we will be notified ASAP via mail. Otherwise, I will be receiving my green card in several weeks. 
 
Overall, the interview lasted around 30 minutes. It wasn't as nerve-wracking as I thought it would be! Our interviewer also was quite nice and not too intimidating.
 
2 weeks later, I receive an NOA stating my application for permanent residency has been approved! Then around 5 days after I received that NOA, I got my green card in the mail!

I had my green card interview at the San Francisco USCIS Field Office (Sansome St.) at the end of October 2018. Just sharing my experience here.
 
Our interview was at 9:45AM on a Tuesday, and my USC husband and I arrived at 9:30AM. Please don't bring sharp objects including nail clippers - my husband's nail clippers were not permitted inside, so we had to leave it outside (good thing it was still there when we exited the building lol). The entrance has these x-ray machines for your belongings, as well as for you to walk through; it's basically like being at an airport. We went to the 2nd floor afterwards, where we were checked in by the receptionist and told to wait. There were not a lot of people that day, and many chairs to choose from. We waited for around 20-30 minutes before my name was finally called. We were met by our interviewer, a middle aged woman who seemed to be in her 60s, and led to an office in the back. She asked us to raise our right hands and swear that we tell the truth, then we all sat down. 
 
She asked for our IDs. My husband gave his CA driver's license. I unfortunately had my wallet stolen which had my EAD/AP card and driver's license, so all I had was my passport. She seemed to have wanted me to give more than one photo ID, and better yet a photo ID with my married name on it (my passport is still in my maiden name), but I explained my situation and she seemed content with it.
 
She asked basic questions: when we got married, how many times we've been married (to different people), if we have kids, etc. She went through the I-485 form and asked us all the questions from there, so it was basically just like filling up the I-485 form but orally and in person.
 
Then, she asked if we were living together, and I said yes, and she asked for our apartment's lease. I told her we didn't bring it, because my name isn't on the lease yet, since we are just renting and are will be moving to another home in the future. She said that that was fine, and asked for other documents to prove that we live together, like utility bills and such. I gave her all that we had: a utility bill from PG&E, auto insurance cards, health insurance cards, and bank statements from our joint bank accounts, all of which had both our names on them. She took all of that.
 
Then she asked me for my EAD/AP, had to remind her again that I lost my card, but I did have a new AP that was just a piece of paper. She took a copy of that.
 
She asked also for my vaccination records, and I just gave another copy of my DS-260. She made a comment about it being expired, and I explained that to my understanding as long as I file my I-485 application before its expiry date it is still valid. She told me she will double-check that with her supervisor and let me know if they need anything else from me. (They ended up not needing anything else so just your DS-260 should be sufficient.)
 
After getting all these documents from me, she asked us to tell her how my husband and I met. This was our favorite part because we love sharing our story! My husband excitedly told our story, with such great detail, that our interviewer had to stop him in the middle and tell him to quickly summarize it because we didn't have much time left lol! She seemed to be happy about my husband's enthusiasm in telling our story though! And she was smiling the entire time he was telling it. 
 
After we told our story, she asked to see pictures - mostly of our wedding days (we've had 2 weddings so far, a civil wedding at City Hall and a second celebration in my husband's hometown in Ohio - I told her that we will be having a third wedding celebration in my hometown in the Philippines in Feb 2019, and she seemed quite pleased about us celebrating with all our family and friends in our hometowns). I also showed her a picture from the day my husband and I met (which was way back in 2012) and several pictures of us traveling around the world with our families. I was also very excited about showing her our pictures that she asked me to calm down and just give her one picture from each event haha. She kept around 5 pictures.
 
After all that, she said "okay, so far so good," which helped me relax a little bit. She then went to photocopy a bunch of my documents then came back to tell us that she will be talking to her supervisor about our case, but that it seemed good so far. If there is a problem at all with our case, we will be notified ASAP via mail. Otherwise, I will be receiving my green card in several weeks. 
 
Overall, the interview lasted around 30 minutes. It wasn't as nerve-wracking as I thought it would be! Our interviewer also was quite nice and not too intimidating.
 
2 weeks later, I receive an NOA stating my application for permanent residency has been approved! Then around 5 days after I received that NOA, I got my green card in the mail!

I had my green card interview at the San Francisco USCIS Field Office (Sansome St.) at the end of October 2018. Just sharing my experience here.
 
Our interview was at 9:45AM on a Tuesday, and my USC husband and I arrived at 9:30AM. Please don't bring sharp objects including nail clippers - my husband's nail clippers were not permitted inside, so we had to leave it outside (good thing it was still there when we exited the building lol). The entrance has these x-ray machines for your belongings, as well as for you to walk through; it's basically like being at an airport. We went to the 2nd floor afterwards, where we were checked in by the receptionist and told to wait. There were not a lot of people that day, and many chairs to choose from. We waited for around 20-30 minutes before my name was finally called. We were met by our interviewer, a middle aged woman who seemed to be in her 60s, and led to an office in the back. She asked us to raise our right hands and swear that we tell the truth, then we all sat down. 
 
She asked for our IDs. My husband gave his CA driver's license. I unfortunately had my wallet stolen which had my EAD/AP card and driver's license, so all I had was my passport. She seemed to have wanted me to give more than one photo ID, and better yet a photo ID with my married name on it (my passport is still in my maiden name), but I explained my situation and she seemed content with it.
 
She asked basic questions: when we got married, how many times we've been married (to different people), if we have kids, etc. She went through the I-485 form and asked us all the questions from there, so it was basically just like filling up the I-485 form but orally and in person.
 
Then, she asked if we were living together, and I said yes, and she asked for our apartment's lease. I told her we didn't bring it, because my name isn't on the lease yet, since we are just renting and are will be moving to another home in the future. She said that that was fine, and asked for other documents to prove that we live together, like utility bills and such. I gave her all that we had: a utility bill from PG&E, auto insurance cards, health insurance cards, and bank statements from our joint bank accounts, all of which had both our names on them. She took all of that.
 
Then she asked me for my EAD/AP, had to remind her again that I lost my card, but I did have a new AP that was just a piece of paper. She took a copy of that.
 
She asked also for my vaccination records, and I just gave another copy of my DS-260. She made a comment about it being expired, and I explained that to my understanding as long as I file my I-485 application before its expiry date it is still valid. She told me she will double-check that with her supervisor and let me know if they need anything else from me. (They ended up not needing anything else so just your DS-260 should be sufficient.)
 
After getting all these documents from me, she asked us to tell her how my husband and I met. This was our favorite part because we love sharing our story! My husband excitedly told our story, with such great detail, that our interviewer had to stop him in the middle and tell him to quickly summarize it because we didn't have much time left lol! She seemed to be happy about my husband's enthusiasm in telling our story though! And she was smiling the entire time he was telling it. 
 
After we told our story, she asked to see pictures - mostly of our wedding days (we've had 2 weddings so far, a civil wedding at City Hall and a second celebration in my husband's hometown in Ohio - I told her that we will be having a third wedding celebration in my hometown in the Philippines in Feb 2019, and she seemed quite pleased about us celebrating with all our family and friends in our hometowns). I also showed her a picture from the day my husband and I met (which was way back in 2012) and several pictures of us traveling around the world with our families. I was also very excited about showing her our pictures that she asked me to calm down and just give her one picture from each event haha. She kept around 5 pictures.
 
After all that, she said "okay, so far so good," which helped me relax a little bit. She then went to photocopy a bunch of my documents then came back to tell us that she will be talking to her supervisor about our case, but that it seemed good so far. If there is a problem at all with our case, we will be notified ASAP via mail. Otherwise, I will be receiving my green card in several weeks. 
 
Overall, the interview lasted around 30 minutes. It wasn't as nerve-wracking as I thought it would be! Our interviewer also was quite nice and not too intimidating.
 
2 weeks later, I receive an NOA stating my application for permanent residency has been approved! Then around 5 days after I received that NOA, I got my green card in the mail!

I had my green card interview at the San Francisco USCIS Field Office (Sansome St.) at the end of October 2018. Just sharing my experience here.
 
Our interview was at 9:45AM on a Tuesday, and my USC husband and I arrived at 9:30AM. Please don't bring sharp objects including nail clippers - my husband's nail clippers were not permitted inside, so we had to leave it outside (good thing it was still there when we exited the building lol). The entrance has these x-ray machines for your belongings, as well as for you to walk through; it's basically like being at an airport. We went to the 2nd floor afterwards, where we were checked in by the receptionist and told to wait. There were not a lot of people that day, and many chairs to choose from. We waited for around 20-30 minutes before my name was finally called. We were met by our interviewer, a middle aged woman who seemed to be in her 60s, and led to an office in the back. She asked us to raise our right hands and swear that we tell the truth, then we all sat down. 
 
She asked for our IDs. My husband gave his CA driver's license. I unfortunately had my wallet stolen which had my EAD/AP card and driver's license, so all I had was my passport. She seemed to have wanted me to give more than one photo ID, and better yet a photo ID with my married name on it (my passport is still in my maiden name), but I explained my situation and she seemed content with it.
 
She asked basic questions: when we got married, how many times we've been married (to different people), if we have kids, etc. She went through the I-485 form and asked us all the questions from there, so it was basically just like filling up the I-485 form but orally and in person.
 
Then, she asked if we were living together, and I said yes, and she asked for our apartment's lease. I told her we didn't bring it, because my name isn't on the lease yet, since we are just renting and are will be moving to another home in the future. She said that that was fine, and asked for other documents to prove that we live together, like utility bills and such. I gave her all that we had: a utility bill from PG&E, auto insurance cards, health insurance cards, and bank statements from our joint bank accounts, all of which had both our names on them. She took all of that.
 
Then she asked me for my EAD/AP, had to remind her again that I lost my card, but I did have a new AP that was just a piece of paper. She took a copy of that.
 
She asked also for my vaccination records, and I just gave another copy of my DS-260. She made a comment about it being expired, and I explained that to my understanding as long as I file my I-485 application before its expiry date it is still valid. She told me she will double-check that with her supervisor and let me know if they need anything else from me. (They ended up not needing anything else so just your DS-260 should be sufficient.)
 
After getting all these documents from me, she asked us to tell her how my husband and I met. This was our favorite part because we love sharing our story! My husband excitedly told our story, with such great detail, that our interviewer had to stop him in the middle and tell him to quickly summarize it because we didn't have much time left lol! She seemed to be happy about my husband's enthusiasm in telling our story though! And she was smiling the entire time he was telling it. 
 
After we told our story, she asked to see pictures - mostly of our wedding days (we've had 2 weddings so far, a civil wedding at City Hall and a second celebration in my husband's hometown in Ohio - I told her that we will be having a third wedding celebration in my hometown in the Philippines in Feb 2019, and she seemed quite pleased about us celebrating with all our family and friends in our hometowns). I also showed her a picture from the day my husband and I met (which was way back in 2012) and several pictures of us traveling around the world with our families. I was also very excited about showing her our pictures that she asked me to calm down and just give her one picture from each event haha. She kept around 5 pictures.
 
After all that, she said "okay, so far so good," which helped me relax a little bit. She then went to photocopy a bunch of my documents then came back to tell us that she will be talking to her supervisor about our case, but that it seemed good so far. If there is a problem at all with our case, we will be notified ASAP via mail. Otherwise, I will be receiving my green card in several weeks. 
 
Overall, the interview lasted around 30 minutes. It wasn't as nerve-wracking as I thought it would be! Our interviewer also was quite nice and not too intimidating.
 
2 weeks later, I receive an NOA stating my application for permanent residency has been approved! Then around 5 days after I received that NOA, I got my green card in the mail!

I had my green card interview at the San Francisco USCIS Field Office (Sansome St.) at the end of October 2018. Just sharing my experience here.
 
Our interview was at 9:45AM on a Tuesday, and my USC husband and I arrived at 9:30AM. Please don't bring sharp objects including nail clippers - my husband's nail clippers were not permitted inside, so we had to leave it outside (good thing it was still there when we exited the building lol). The entrance has these x-ray machines for your belongings, as well as for you to walk through; it's basically like being at an airport. We went to the 2nd floor afterwards, where we were checked in by the receptionist and told to wait. There were not a lot of people that day, and many chairs to choose from. We waited for around 20-30 minutes before my name was finally called. We were met by our interviewer, a middle aged woman who seemed to be in her 60s, and led to an office in the back. She asked us to raise our right hands and swear that we tell the truth, then we all sat down. 
 
She asked for our IDs. My husband gave his CA driver's license. I unfortunately had my wallet stolen which had my EAD/AP card and driver's license, so all I had was my passport. She seemed to have wanted me to give more than one photo ID, and better yet a photo ID with my married name on it (my passport is still in my maiden name), but I explained my situation and she seemed content with it.
 
She asked basic questions: when we got married, how many times we've been married (to different people), if we have kids, etc. She went through the I-485 form and asked us all the questions from there, so it was basically just like filling up the I-485 form but orally and in person.
 
Then, she asked if we were living together, and I said yes, and she asked for our apartment's lease. I told her we didn't bring it, because my name isn't on the lease yet, since we are just renting and are will be moving to another home in the future. She said that that was fine, and asked for other documents to prove that we live together, like utility bills and such. I gave her all that we had: a utility bill from PG&E, auto insurance cards, health insurance cards, and bank statements from our joint bank accounts, all of which had both our names on them. She took all of that.
 
Then she asked me for my EAD/AP, had to remind her again that I lost my card, but I did have a new AP that was just a piece of paper. She took a copy of that.
 
She asked also for my vaccination records, and I just gave another copy of my DS-260. She made a comment about it being expired, and I explained that to my understanding as long as I file my I-485 application before its expiry date it is still valid. She told me she will double-check that with her supervisor and let me know if they need anything else from me. (They ended up not needing anything else so just your DS-260 should be sufficient.)
 
After getting all these documents from me, she asked us to tell her how my husband and I met. This was our favorite part because we love sharing our story! My husband excitedly told our story, with such great detail, that our interviewer had to stop him in the middle and tell him to quickly summarize it because we didn't have much time left lol! She seemed to be happy about my husband's enthusiasm in telling our story though! And she was smiling the entire time he was telling it. 
 
After we told our story, she asked to see pictures - mostly of our wedding days (we've had 2 weddings so far, a civil wedding at City Hall and a second celebration in my husband's hometown in Ohio - I told her that we will be having a third wedding celebration in my hometown in the Philippines in Feb 2019, and she seemed quite pleased about us celebrating with all our family and friends in our hometowns). I also showed her a picture from the day my husband and I met (which was way back in 2012) and several pictures of us traveling around the world with our families. I was also very excited about showing her our pictures that she asked me to calm down and just give her one picture from each event haha. She kept around 5 pictures.
 
After all that, she said "okay, so far so good," which helped me relax a little bit. She then went to photocopy a bunch of my documents then came back to tell us that she will be talking to her supervisor about our case, but that it seemed good so far. If there is a problem at all with our case, we will be notified ASAP via mail. Otherwise, I will be receiving my green card in several weeks. 
 
Overall, the interview lasted around 30 minutes. It wasn't as nerve-wracking as I thought it would be! Our interviewer also was quite nice and not too intimidating.
 
2 weeks later, I receive an NOA stating my application for permanent residency has been approved! Then around 5 days after I received that NOA, I got my green card in the mail!

Hmm, that's strange. I don't remember having to give a specific reason to travel. I just submitted an I-131 along with my I-485 application. I just ticked the checkbox that says "I am applying for an Advance Parole Document to allow me to return to the US after temporary foreign travel", and included a supplemental page for Part 7 ("...explain how you qualify for an Advance Parole Document, and what circumstances warrant issuance of advance parole), on which I just stated I am eligible for AP because my AOS is currently pending. That's what I did when I applied the first time and when I renewed and was granted an AP both times.