AP Serves No Purpose Very Upset

[nobbie 105]

first time no, the bloke just stamped me in as an LPR, next 2 times yes, in secondary for 10-15 mins. I think it's more normal to go in to secondary, I just got lucky the first time.

[Lise+Michael 13]

I used my combo card a few years ago to attend my daughter's graduation in Canada. I was returning from the Vancouver airport and pulled through to secondary screening. I spoke to 3 agents who did not know about the combo card and finally the fourth was familiar with it. To me it seemed like going through my initial POE. The agent did tell me that every time I traveled with the card I would be pulled through secondary screening. You just need to make sure you give yourself enough time. The next time I traveled was via a car to Canada with my conditional greencard and what a difference that made! I was told "Welcome Home" - no looking through the trunk or anything.

[espared12 52]

An adjustment applicant applying for AP does not have to answer any questions about why they want AP. No reason is ever needed to be given, and you can also put Unknown for the date and length of travel. Can you point out where on the form you need to provide a reason you desire AP?

OP, sounds like you ran into some folks on the border with a power trip. They are also pretty ignorant of their jobs if they do not know what an EAD/AP combo card is. They have been issuing them for over 3 years now. Of course she should be using AP to enter the US. That is the whole point of it.

This post is people giving details of their AP experiences. The first one is about entering from MX > http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/345637-entering-the-us-with-an-i-512-advance-parole/

~ Moved from AOS from Family Based Visas to Working & Traveling During US Immigration - topic is travel ~

Thank you, I have reviewed the forum. Sounds like everyone has different experiences. From what I read it looks like CBP is supposed to give you an I-94 and stamp passport again. Please correct me if I'm wrong. At this point I am not sure what the CBP officers did last night. I asked for permission to go inside with my wife and the CBP officer asked me is she not capable of answering for herself, and I told him she is but she does not understand the process we did. Initially as soon as we drove in the 2nd inspection space he started asking her how she obtained the card. I had to interrupt him because she was telling him she got the card by mail. I explained the process and he asked such dumb questions. He asked me how the papers got filled out. I told him I had filled them out. Then he asked how the package was sent in, I told him I had mailed it in. My wife got nervous, he told her to grab her stuff and follow him. I told him can I go in with her and he turns around and tells me is she not capable of answering for herself. I told him she is but she does not understand the process that we followed. My wife said they did not stamp or keep any of her papers. She did say someone inside got on the computer and looked her up and thats when she was told either you stay in Mexico or the US. I am going to call Immigration today to see if they are able to see if anything was documented or call CBP. My wife is so afraid of going to Mexico now.

[Boiler 45,519]

I used AP to go on holiday, to Mexico.

Twice.

Nothing wrong with that.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Boiler

[espared12 52]

I used AP to go on holiday, to Mexico.

Twice.

Nothing wrong with that./

Did you travel by plane or by land?

[nobbie 105]

Thank you, I have reviewed the forum. Sounds like everyone has different experiences. From what I read it looks like CBP is supposed to give you an I-94 and stamp passport again. Please correct me if I'm wrong. At this point I am not sure what the CBP officers did last night. I asked for permission to go inside with my wife and the CBP officer asked me is she not capable of answering for herself, and I told him she is but she does not understand the process we did. Initially as soon as we drove in the 2nd inspection space he started asking her how she obtained the card. I had to interrupt him because she was telling him she got the card by mail. I explained the process and he asked such dumb questions. He asked me how the papers got filled out. I told him I had filled them out. Then he asked how the package was sent in, I told him I had mailed it in. My wife got nervous, he told her to grab her stuff and follow him. I told him can I go in with her and he turns around and tells me is she not capable of answering for herself. I told him she is but she does not understand the process that we followed. My wife said they did not stamp or keep any of her papers. She did say someone inside got on the computer and looked her up and thats when she was told either you stay in Mexico or the US. I am going to call Immigration today to see if they are able to see if anything was documented or call CBP. My wife is so afraid of going to Mexico now.

You dont get another I 94, you just get stamped in until your current immigration runs out which is the expiry of the combo card.

[Boiler 45,519]

Did you travel by plane or by land?

Plane.

[augusta23 8]

just fly everything will be very different.

[espared12 52]

You dont get another I 94, you just get stamped in until your current immigration runs out which is the expiry of the combo card.

So they did not stamp anything. They had no idea what was going on. They asked for her passport and focused more on the K1 visa inside. They kept on saying k1 is only for one entry. We showed them the AP approval letter we received, and showed them the i-797 for the pending i-485, and even showed them our marriage certificate. This has become such a nightmare because her grandmother is sick and depressed. Yesterday the whole time we were in Mexico her grandmother looked so much better and was smiling, and it was a wonderful experience for all of us. Then this happened at the border and now we are so afraid that if we go again that she might not be let back in. Nothing was stamped, I have no idea what CBP did because they did not allow me to enter. Now I am afraid that they documented something that will show up at all bridges and she will run the risk of losing everything. I have no idea what to do now or how to find out what happened last night. I'm sorry I am just venting, I really appreciate your help.

just fly everything will be very different.

we live in El Paso, TX, it borders Juarez, Chihuahua, which is why its easy for us to jump the border to see her sick grandmother.

[Darnell 8,478]

I dunno - North and South border crossings with the combo EAD/AP card seem troublesome,

we've had reports of folk crossing the Canadian border with the exact same problems, but being turned away at the Canadian Side when trying to go north. K-1 visa holders, IIRC, land crossings.

Not read about folk having issues at the airport.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Darnell

[wavj 26]

Did you guys enter by the Paso del Norte POE? or the other one by Louetta?..don't remember well the name but it is on the east side of town and it used to be a lot less crowded your wife must know which one I am talking about. I am from Chihuahua and I know very well how extremely rude the IO are at this particular PUENTE, some IO literally terrorize people and I've seen it with my own eyes, it is very traumatizing. We never had a problem crossing by either POE showing my visa. I am so sorry your wife went thru this, it brought back memories of those experiences I've witness and they make you feel your life is in their hands. It should not be like this, they applied for this job and they agreed to deal with thousands of people a day who deserve the minimum respect like every human being.

Edited July 10, 2014 by wavj

[espared12 52]

It was the Paso del Norte bridge. I feel awful, I told my wife everything was going to be ok and then this happens. The visit made a world's difference to her grandmother's health and she cried herself to sleep because she said she felt belittled by CBP and they had no right to do this to her.

Did you guys enter by the Paso del Norte POE? or the other one by Louetta?..don't remember well the name but it is on the east side of town and it used to be a lot less crowded your wife must know which one I am talking about. I am from Chihuahua and I know very well how extremely rude the IO are at this particular PUENTE, some IO literally terrorize people and I've seen it with my own eyes, it is very traumatizing. We never had a problem crossing by either POE showing my visa. I am so sorry your wife went thru this, it brought back memories of those experiences I've witness and they make you feel your life is in their hands. It should not be like this, they applied for this job and they agreed to deal with thousands of people a day who deserve the minimum respect like every human being.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Sorry this happened espared!

I am sure she feels bad, but she did nothing wrong, she just got a bad officer who didn't know things. I have never heard of anything like this when using AP.

The good news is that she was allowed in and she did see her grandma.

[wavj 26]

It was the Paso del Norte bridge. I feel awful, I told my wife everything was going to be ok and then this happens. The visit made a world's difference to her grandmother's health and she cried herself to sleep because she said she felt belittled by CBP and they had no right to do this to her.

I remember you can walk to the POE offices from within El Paso without crossing the border by the left hand side as you face the bridge and have Juarez in front of you, well not really into the office because right there is an IO checking visas for the people who cross walking, you the USC could walk to that point and bring your wife's AP card and ask the officer if your wife is safe to use it again given the particular circumstances ( explain your reasons to constantly going back to Juarez and the way this other IO treated your wife, and because of that she is scared to cross again) it won't hurt to try. Not all IO are immigrants haters, some actually do their job just fine.

[Dave&Roza 748]

Next time you cross the border, either with the AP or GC, notice the CBP name tag and other information and make mental notes of what is going on and then if it is an experience like this one, write to the CBP supervisor at that location and to the main office in Washington D.C. These people need to remember that they work for US and this kind of treatment will not be tolerated. I would still write a LETTER to some one at the POE station you went thru and also see about the CBP main office. This ####### really needs to stop. Too many LEO just big heads and think they can intimidate the average person. This is a small segment of the LEO population, but it gives the rest that do their jobs and respect the people they deal with a big black eye.

REPORT THIS to the CBP ASAP!!!

Dave