CONFUSING......SERVES AS ADVANCE PAROLE?

[MissingHerSo 10]

I dont understand from what I'm reading on the internet. My wife recieved her EAD card with text saying serves as advance parole, Is this the same as form I-131? On USCIS website its confusing, Its says you can travel abroad and enter the US. But when you show your EAD combo card, Its up to the Immigrations officer to grant you in the US?

Please help me to understand, My wife and I want to take a cruise, But it is so not worth not knowing if it will be trouble.

[Fan_Dancer 171]

My wife recieved her EAD card with text saying serves as advance parole, Is this the same as form I-131?

Yes.

Its says you can travel abroad and enter the US. But when you show your EAD combo card, Its up to the Immigrations officer to grant you in the US?

Yes. It says that about every type of visa, only being a citizen guarantees you entrance to the US. But generally people are not denied if they have all the papers in order.

My wife and I want to take a cruise, But it is so not worth not knowing if it will be trouble.

Has she overstayed her 90 days before you sent the AOS? If there were more than 180 that she was out of status, then she should wait for her green card.

Also, most ships only offer seats for US and American residents, which she is not yet.

Thirdly. make sure her passport doesn't need any visa for the countries on the cruise.

ps - I lived in the New Orleans and toyed with the idea of a cruise, can I ask which one you are considering?

[Darnell 8,479]

I dont understand from what I'm reading on the internet. My wife recieved her EAD card with text saying serves as advance parole, Is this the same as form I-131? On USCIS website its confusing, Its says you can travel abroad and enter the US. But when you show your EAD combo card, Its up to the Immigrations officer to grant you in the US? Please help me to understand, My wife and I want to take a cruise, But it is so not worth not knowing if it will be trouble.

Most folk adjusting status from a K-1 can use that combo card to gain entry into the USA.

However - most ocean cruise lines know about permanent residents and USCitizens - your spouse is neither, at the moment.

Since she's neither - you'll have to research about VISAS for the countries where you will get off the boat. AP only works coming back into the USA - doesn't work for a Malaysian Passport holder in most places (except the USA) to get off the boat.

If possible - I advise that you wait till she has a greencard - as her travel options open up considerably.

[agrabs 241]

yes, the EAD/ AP combo card serves as your work permit and your advance parole card for travel. While AP doesn't guarantee re-entry, she should not have trouble using it unless she has overstayed a visa in the past. My husband was actually one of the unlucky travelers who had a problem using the AP card. The problem happened when we checked in for our return flight. Frontier Airlines in Mexico was not familiar with the combo card and wanted to see "papers" . They refused to give him a boarding pass and stated that the combo card was no good. Once we finally got to US immigration - it was no problem at all. The immigration officer told us the airline was wrong and we should not have experienced any problems. I have no idea how this works for a cruise, but, if they are unfamiliar with the combo card you could have the same problem- so I would make sure they know what the AP card is and if she can travel to the countries your cruise ship will be visiting.

[MissingHerSo 10]

Yes, Carnival cruise lines in new orleans. Probally to Mexico, and Belize. But the hell with it if I cant get my wife back to USA after. Thats crazy.....They give you the text on bottom of EAD card that says "valid for Advanced Parole" but its really up to them and might not accept that?????
Thats crazy. Plus, still her I-131 on USCIS case status still in intial review???

[MissingHerSo 10]

Oh I forgot...my wife entered US December 9, 2013 , we married Febuary 14,2014 before her "PETITION' expired. We sent off AOS before her VISA expired

[Fan_Dancer 171]

Yes, Carnival cruise lines in new orleans. Probally to Mexico, and Belize. But the hell with it if I cant get my wife back to USA after. Thats crazy.....They give you the text on bottom of EAD card that says "valid for Advanced Parole" but its really up to them and might not accept that?????

Thats crazy. Plus, still her I-131 on USCIS case status still in intial review???

They can deny you access even with a Green Card.

The New Orleans office is SUPER lazy, just to give you a heads up on that.

Like I said, she might need visa in her passport for Mexico and Belize, so I would look into that.

You can do it without Green Card, that's for sure, just needs more planning and papers. I used the card to travel home and back, but I waited on the green card to go to Canada (would have needed a visa otherwise).

Edited June 16, 2014 by Fan_Dancer

[Ontarkie 14,419]

~~Moved to Working & Traveling During US Immigration, from General Immigration-Related Discussion~~