Traveling with AP

[moelarrycheese 0]

I have my AOS interview on Mar. 14 2006. I want to travel to Peru (my home country) on Mar. 16. I will probably not have received my green card before I depart. Will I still be able to re-enter the US with my advance parole document when I return on approximately April 23?

[Cassie 8]

If you are approved after your interview, you should have your passport stamped indicating that you are now a permanent resident. This stamp acts as your green card until you have your green card in hand.

If you are not approved right away (this happened to me, I had to wait until some paperwork was found by the district office staff), you can use your AP papers, not a problem. Your AOS approval letter will also act as your stamp/green card until you get the green card (or, if you know that your service centre is working slowly at sending out the green cards, you can make an INFO PASS appointment to go to your district office and get the stamp in your passport if you are scared of losing the approval letter).

I explain it a bit better in my AOS interview thread -- it's linked in my signature below.

[Kez/JWolf 6]

I just read my approval letter it says "This copy may not be used in lieu of offical notification to demonstrate the filing or processing action taken on this case." " THIS FORM IS NOT A VISA NOR MAY IT BE USED IN PLACE OF A VISA."

The only things that can be used to travel/work is the Greencard or the I-551 stamp in your passport... Not the approval letter...

When you have your interview and are approved tell them you are traveling in the next 2 weeks and ask for the I-551 stamp...

Good Luck

Kezzie

Edited January 29, 2006 by Kezzie

[kc456 0]

If you are approved, don't leave the office unless you have the stamp in the passport. The officer would most likely take the AP away, and (as I understand) AP would no longer be valid after approval anyway.

If you are not approved right away, it's okay to continue to use AP.

[daisy16 0]

This is why I am keeping 1 copy of my AP - in case I don't get the stamp and they take 1 copy of the AP.

Doodle reported last week that they are discontinuing the stamping of the passport. so you may not be able to count on that

[tdegrenier 1]

Actually, they asked for my wife's AP, both copies!

If they approve you, they will stamp your passport. If they don't approve right away, just tell them you will be traveling. I would much prefer having everything they ask for rather than holding up the approval if you don't.

Good Luck at the interview!!!

[kc456 0]

This is why I am keeping 1 copy of my AP - in case I don't get the stamp and they take 1 copy of the AP.

Doodle reported last week that they are discontinuing the stamping of the passport. so you may not be able to count on that

Even if you manage to keep a copy of AP, it is my understanding that you cannot any longer use AP for travel anyway (if approved, but no stamp in passport). It will no longer be valid.

Is this correct?

[Cassie 8]

The only things that can be used to travel/work is the Greencard or the I-551 stamp in your passport... Not the approval letter...

I just relayed what was told to me by the Adjudicating Officer when I asked him that same question after my interview was over. I was very concerned about this, as my mother was going through chemotherapy at the time and I wanted to make sure I could travel at a moment's notice if need be. He told me what I typed in my previous post, and in my AOS interview experience. That's all I can say.

[Kajikit 65]

If you tell them that you're travelling overseas in the next few days, they'll have to stamp your passport for you... they don't usually do it any more, but if you have a good reason I'm sure there won't be a problem.