Need details on AP process

[LuvMyPortuGAL 1]

Hi,

Our AP is in process and according to my time line we should be approved March 13 - 18 (if all goes well).

We need to leave the country ASAP and we were wondering what "approved" means, and would like to know if this includes having whatever paperwork that is required "in hand" or does it mean we are approved and need to wait another week or so (or however long) to get the appropriate documents before we can actually leave the country?

Does anyone know the exact process? We were thinking of purchasing our tickets and if we needed to change them to a later date (if we don't get the docs in time) we would pay the fees.

Thanks.

P

[payxibka 10,045]

Hi,

Our AP is in process and according to my time line we should be approved March 13 - 18 (if all goes well).

We need to leave the country ASAP and we were wondering what "approved" means, and would like to know if this includes having whatever paperwork that is required "in hand" or does it mean we are approved and need to wait another week or so (or however long) to get the appropriate documents before we can actually leave the country?

Does anyone know the exact process? We were thinking of purchasing our tickets and if we needed to change them to a later date (if we don't get the docs in time) we would pay the fees.

Thanks.

P

You need be in the country on the day it is "approved" but I certainly would not leave until it was in my hands. If you leave before it is in your hands how will you get the documents while you are gone?

Edited January 28, 2010 by payxibka

[baron555 934]

Hi,

Our AP is in process and according to my time line we should be approved March 13 - 18 (if all goes well).

We need to leave the country ASAP and we were wondering what "approved" means, and would like to know if this includes having whatever paperwork that is required "in hand" or does it mean we are approved and need to wait another week or so (or however long) to get the appropriate documents before we can actually leave the country?

Does anyone know the exact process? We were thinking of purchasing our tickets and if we needed to change them to a later date (if we don't get the docs in time) we would pay the fees.

Thanks.

P

It needs to physically be in your hands prior to you actually leaving the country. You can wait at the airport and have a relative motor it over. When they hand it to you, you can then walk past the entry door of the plane.

[LuvMyPortuGAL 1]

You need be in the country on the day it is "approved" but I certainly would not leave until it was in my hands. If you leave before it is in your hands how will you get the documents while you are gone?

Hi,

Thanks for the post/reply.

Didn't say we planned to leave before we had docs hand. I did mention we would postpone and pay airline fees if we didn't have the appropriate docs in hand. I have read the warnings 1000 times here that is is a bad idea to leave without them.

I just want to know if anyone knows, based on the estimated approval date, WHEN we should have whatever we need in hand. Does approval date imply that we have docs in hand or does it imply that you are approved (but only after you get the docs that we will send you when we are good and ready).

Thanks

It needs to physically be in your hands prior to you actually leaving the country. You can wait at the airport and have a relative motor it over. When they hand it to you, you can then walk past the entry door of the plane.

Thanks.

Again...... when is the document EXPECTED in hand based on the estimated dates in the time line?

[Eric-Pris 1,606]

It needs to physically be in your hands prior to you actually leaving the country.

I disagree. You don't have to have the document in hand. Once it's approved, you are good to leave. Nobody will ask to see it as you are leaving. Once it arrives, somebody can mail it to you overseas. The only problem would be if it got lost in the mail. You'd be SOL. Use FEDEX or some other guaranteed, reliable, trackable courier.

You can wait at the airport and have a relative motor it over. When they hand it to you, you can then walk past the entry door of the plane.

I hope this is a joke.

Edited January 28, 2010 by Eric-Pris

[LuvMyPortuGAL 1]

I disagree. You don't have to have the document in hand. Once it's approved, you are good to leave. Nobody will ask to see it as you are leaving. Once it arrives, somebody can mail it to you overseas. The only problem would be if it got lost in the mail. You'd be SOL. Use FEDEX or some other guaranteed, reliable, trackable courier.

I hope this is a joke.

I think it was .. was kinda funny

Anyway ... still wondering if estimate date is an "in hand" date or an "approved" date .. and if "in hand" date is actually later later than "approved" date, how much longer do we need to wait before "in hand"?

Does ANYONE know?

[payxibka 10,045]

I think it was .. was kinda funny

Anyway ... still wondering if estimate date is an "in hand" date or an "approved" date .. and if "in hand" date is actually later later than "approved" date, how much longer do we need to wait before "in hand"?

Does ANYONE know?

The estimate date on the timeline is the estimated "approved" date.....

[LuvMyPortuGAL 1]

The estimate date on the timeline is the estimated "approved" date.....

Yes, that was mentioned earlier .. So based on that, what is the IN HAND date?

Does anyone know?

Someone certainly must have been through this before and knows.

[Krikit 1,164]

This is probably a good suggestion for the site administrator to amend the stat fields on the AP timelines. I'll point him to this thread for you and see if he can make the change.

In the meantime, I'm going to move your thread from the AOS forum to the Working & Traveling forum. You may get an average from the people who post there. Should the AP not arrive prior to your departure you have the option of making an InfoPass appointment and requesting the stamp in your passport.

From personal observations, I have seen some have their documents in hand anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months after filing. Some less, some more.

[HeatDeath 430]

The October 2009 AOS filers keep a spreadsheet that calculates average dates for various milestones in the AOS process, based on reports from regular posters in that thread. I imagine the other monthly filer's threads do this too. We found that the average interval between receiving your AOS NOA1 and receiving approval on your AP application was 43 days. Lowest was 32, highest was 62. That's over approximately 70 people, so it can be considered reasonably statistically reliable.

Assuming that the processing time at Lee's Summit for AP applications has not changed significantly, you can reasonably expect your AP documents in hand 43 (plus or minus 10) days after your NOA1 date, plus another week to allow for it to arrive in the mail.

Edited January 30, 2010 by HeatDeath