About to Use AP - San Ysidro POE

[the.ronin 0]

We finally got our advance parole documents, and my wife can finally go back to visit her family. Living just 100 miles from her country is a blessing and a curse - it's so close but without AP or the green card itself, it can be brutal for a K1 holder.

But now my wife is very nervous about having troubles crossing back. Just wanted to get some feedback from you folks who have used AP ... and if you have used it at the San Ysidro border in California, please please respond.

1) The I-512L document has her married last name and maiden middle name (example - Maria Ruiz Jones). The only official ID she has is Mexican with her old name (example - Maria Ruiz Gonzalez). Will this be an issue? Should we bring the marriage certificate as proof?

2) What does this language mean (in bold)?

This authorization is valid for multiple applications for parole into the United States during the validity period noted above. Each parole period shall not exceed one year from the date of parole at the point of-entry.

I think it means that we can't have been out of the country for more than a year?

3) At the bottom where her photo is, above it has the name Robert M. Cowan and I presume his signature and an embossed USHS seal - is that normal?

4) At the bottom opposite her photo, is a box named above it, "National Benefits Center Parole Stamp" ... there is no stamp or anything in the box.

5) Lastly, aside from the document and her Mexican passport, are there any other documents we should bring with us? NOAs? Marriage certificate as mentioned?

[edit] 6) Sorry, I forgot one last question - so we got 2 identical documents. We can keep re-using just 1 of these, right? Perhaps they included another in case 1 got lost?

Thanks for bearing with some questions that might seem really dumb ... now that I think about all this, *I* am becoming a nervous wreck too!!

Edited June 8, 2008 by the.ronin

[Kathryn41 3,205]

That sounds virtually identical to the APs I received. Yes, bring along a copy of your marriage certificate to show the name change. I am not exactly sure what the bold means - it does seem somewhat ambiguous. The AP is only valid for a year from date of issue so it may be stating that, or it may be stating that a year is the maximum amount of time allowable out of the country on an AP. I certainly wouldn't take the risk of being out of the country for a year! (I know once you adjust status there are still restrictions on the length of time you can safely be out of the country - the recommended maximum time is 6 months without obtaining additional types of permission.)

Bring both copies with you to the border and present both copies. While there has been some differences in approaches, the general procedure seems to be that they stamp both copies, keep one copy for their records and return the 2nd to you. Each additional time you use the AP during its year validity you just need to present that same copy.

Good luck, and reassure your wife she should be fine! Enjoy your visit.

And remember - there are no dumb questions - except the one you should have asked and didn't:-).

[Krikit 1,164]

4) At the bottom opposite her photo, is a box named above it, "National Benefits Center Parole Stamp" ... there is no stamp or anything in the box.

Ditto to what Kathryn said. She'll be fine. Bring all copies of the AP, the passport, and the marriage certificate just in case. The NBC parole stamp area is stamped at the POE.

Have fun!

[the.ronin 0]

Thank you both very much for taking the time to respond. This is all very re-assuring. If I hadn't asked, I would have likely brought only one copy thinking the other was for "backup" or what not.

Kathryn41, regarding the ambiguous language, I thought it meant the same as your interpretation - that you cannot be out of the country for more than a year. And, yes, I certainly would not plan on us doing that ... heck, I'd get fired pretty quick haha! My concern was that it was USCIS-ese for not being able to re-use the AP for another year after re-entry. I wish these folks would use plain English.

So you guys think that, in addition to both AP letters, original marriage certificate, and her Mexican passport, it would be overkill to bring the NOAs or other documentation? I would of course like to minimize the amount of original documents we need to bring.

[Krikit 1,164]

I brought everything because it made me feel better. lol. But all they wanted was the AP documents and my passport. There were no questions or anything like that. They just stamped it, gave me a new I-94, and I was on my way. The worst part was the long wait in secondary each time. (I used my AP about 5 or 6 times before I finally got my greencard.) Other than that, it's a breeze.

[shadtov 0]

We crossed in San Ysidro and in Otay Mesa multiple times. If you drive over they'll direct you where to go for inspection. We walked over pretty regularly. If you do that, you have to go to a building just before the pedestrian customs checkpoint. There was a quite a line. Once inside it didn't take too long. They looked over the passport, EAD and AP. My husband also had his drivers' license. That time we carried lots of papers with us. After the first time through, we just carried the passport, driver's license and EAD. They would almost wave us through.

Also, if they do need something additional and your wife doesn't have it with her, she can always call you and have you drive it across. That's obviously not ideal, but we helped a Canadian nurse and his Japanese girlfriend once. He didn't have his passport with him and he had to call his roommate to bring it across.

Customs at LAX was more intensive, but never that bad with the AP.

Is your wife flying from the Tijuana airport? We used to do that to save money. Now we're in seattle so it's a bit different.

[the.ronin 0]

shadtov, thank you for your response! I nearly forgot about that small office before you enter the main building at San Ysidro ... yes, that line can be as brutal as the "big line" since it is so slow. So you had to go through that when you walked across? Ouch. I was hoping we could just walk to the front of the line. I absolutely hate driving in Mexico and do not want to bring my car. I was hoping to just park at the border and walk across ... as I had done for over two years before we got the K1 visa (didn't take that long to get the visa ... took that long to make sure this was the right thing to do and not be too hasty).

Mind if I ask what time you had to get to the "little office" when you walked across and how long the line was?

Thanks again! Always cool to hear about experiences or would-be experiences so similar to your own.

[shadtov 0]

Whenever we walked across we went through San Ysidro, but when we drove, we went through Otay.

hmmm... I'm trying to remember timing. I think it really mattered if it was Saturday or Sunday. Sometimes we would hop over to get tacos and go to a cheap movie. I remember the line was always shorter on Saturday. On a Sunday afternoon, I know that we've had to wait in a line that trailed back quite a bit (to those little stores along the sidewalk).

We only activated one of our APs in San Ysidro. It may have taken an hour or so outside and then 20 minutes inside. They make you wait outside along the fence and only let a few people in at a time. It wasn't so bad since we talked to other people in line. Once you get the AP activated, you then have to go through the regular line again. B/c of the double line, I'd probably not want to do both on a Sunday or on a Monday after a long holiday.

After the first time, you can go straight to the regular line just like you've always done. It's just the first time that's a pain.

Was your wife going to travel by herself? It was a bit intimidating in the small building so I'm glad I was with my husband to give him moral support.

We've also crossed at Nogales. We drove to my husband's hometown on the Pacific Coast of Mexico for Christmas in 2006. They had a more thorough inspection than in San Diego.

Are you guys in LA? I think LA's 100 miles north of the border... or is that only as far as Orange County or Temecula?

[the.ronin 0]

shadtov, thanks again for the insight ... yes, we are in OC. Practically 100 miles to the dot from the border. And yes, I used to have to wait in that horrific pedestrian line every single late Sunday afternoon (possibly the worst time to cross) for the two years before she crossed the border. I remember particularly hot days when that line snaked from the back, made a U all the way back to the bridge, then wrapper around AGAIN!

It's too bad that we actually have to wait in line twice ... although I'm wondering if you are actually escorted back to the big line. You might remember that they stop the big line long before the fence you referred to. Maybe we can sneak in along with the mad rush as they let groups of people through haha! At least you've only got to do it once I guess.

I will definitely be there with my wife. A long time ago, before we were VisaJourney educated, we had actually gone to that little office to flat out ask if we could get her a visitor visa ... on the spot! The agent was very sympathetic and didn't laugh in our face. He just gently made us aware of the involved process and even made a point to tell me that I was a very lucky guy. How crazy would it be if the same guy ended up processing our AP???