Travel with AP - I485 approved while out of the country

[Mr. Grey 0]

Hey folks,

Just a quick question: I read somewhere that you MAY not be paroled into the country using your AP document, if your I-485 application was approved while you were out of the country. Is this really true or just some horror story someone made up ?

I really cannot imagine that they would turn you down at the POE if they find out that your GC was just approved. If they have the most current status on your status on their screens, I figured they must see the approval date. So whenever they would say "you are a GC holder" I would always respond "I have not received it yet; please check the approval date".

Furthermore, I would not think that USCIS would build such a "trap" without warning you about it.

Any thoughts ?

[YuAndDan 153]

AP doc will allow re-entry if your AOS was approved during the time you were out of the country.

You must have been reading some story someone made up.

[Krikit 1,164]

Yeah, someone's got some wrong information. My AOS was approved and the greencard sent to my house while I was out of the country. I wish I had had it couriered to me because I had to use the AP at the POE to get back home. Long story short.... CBP had no idea that my AOS had been approved and they forgot that I was there and I ended up missing my flight. Yeah. Good times.

[Otto 83]

Hey folks,

Just a quick question: I read somewhere that you MAY not be paroled into the country using your AP document, if your I-485 application was approved while you were out of the country. Is this really true or just some horror story someone made up ?

I really cannot imagine that they would turn you down at the POE if they find out that your GC was just approved. If they have the most current status on your status on their screens, I figured they must see the approval date. So whenever they would say "you are a GC holder" I would always respond "I have not received it yet; please check the approval date".

Furthermore, I would not think that USCIS would build such a "trap" without warning you about it.

Any thoughts ?

If you think about it, the whole idea of AP is so you can travel (and return) while your petition is pending - the assumption is that it would get approved at some point.