Filing AP I-131 after filing I-485 and doing biometrics

[ozraiel 0]

Hello guys and gals,

I hope someone can help me with this question. Would the processing time of three months for I-131 be reduced if it was filed after biometrics.

My situation is as follows:

I am an American citizen, and my wife is adjusting from F1. Submitted the paperwork for I-485, I-756, and I-130 on June 13, 2014.

At the time, because I was under the mistaken impression that we needed to fill in the trip date at time of filing, and since we did not anticipate the need to leave the country for at lease a year, we did not file form I-131 for Advance Parole.

My wife already did her biometrics, and our case is in the "interview and testing" step.

Looking at our local office's case load, I am guessing that our interview will be scheduled for around November.

When we got married, we just did a civil marriage, followed by a small ceremony with a couple of friends in a restaurant. Our plan was that next spring, we will go to China and have an "official" wedding ceremony. However, the plans changed, and due to factors outside our control, my wife has finish her PhD defense and graduate this year. Which means that she will hopefully be employed early next year, and she will not be able to ask for a vacation for at least another year.

For this reason, we decided to go ahead and have the official ceremony this coming November. As soon as we realized that, I filed the I-131 with USCIS, and on 08/12/2014, I received an update that my application is in the "Initial Review" step.

So far we booked the flights, hotels, the hotel banquet, and wedding planner. So, if we cannot leave the US because of lack of AP, we would lose thousands of dollars.

Now, with the "normal" processing time of 3 months, my Advanced Parole should be approved and sent before my travel date of 11/25/2014. However, waiting until then would not give me enough time to get an "Info Pass" appointment.

Do you think it is worth it and that the situation warrants trying to get an expedited I-131?

Sorry, for the long post, and thank you for your help.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

No biometrics needed for AP. Processing time is 3 months. They will not expedite it for a fancy wedding outside the US. Plenty people have tried. Sorry.

Edited August 15, 2014 by Harpa Timsah

[ozraiel 0]

Thanks for the reply.

[ozraiel 0]

Just an update.

My case status for the AP just changed to "Post Decision Activity" with the message "we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I131 APPLICATION FOR USCIS TRAVEL DOCUMENT".

It appears that, at least in my case, the fact that I-131 was filed after biometrics and while I-765 is still pending sped up the approval process. Either that or I got the status update in error

[Pitaya 2,577]

Just an update.

My case status for the AP just changed to "Post Decision Activity" with the message "we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I131 APPLICATION FOR USCIS TRAVEL DOCUMENT".

It appears that, at least in my case, the fact that I-131 was filed after biometrics and while I-765 is still pending sped up the approval process. Either that or I got the status update in error

[angelboo31 5]

Just an update.

My case status for the AP just changed to "Post Decision Activity" with the message "we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I131 APPLICATION FOR USCIS TRAVEL DOCUMENT".

It appears that, at least in my case, the fact that I-131 was filed after biometrics and while I-765 is still pending sped up the approval process. Either that or I got the status update in error

Given your interview date, you may not even need to use the AP. All the best!

Edited August 29, 2014 by angelboo31

[ozraiel 0]

Given your interview date, you may not even need to use the AP. All the best!

I hope so. But, unfortunately, my wife is Chinese, and her parents pretty much forced her to join the communist party in college, which we had to disclose on the I-485. So, I am pretty much ready for a long wait following the interview in what is known as "Administrative Processing", and may even have to file for a waiver.

[orlyreine 0]

Hi there,

My husband and I sent in a I-131 about a month after sending in the I-485, and he just had his biometrics last week (before we sent in the I-131). We'll need to travel by late June. So I'm very interested in your situation. Did I understand correctly that you're saying here that you got the AP approved in less than a month? Is this possible? And you received it within 3 months and your wife was able to leave the country?

Thanks!