Urgent travel before green card has been received

[NikLR 13,227]

The green card should only take 2-3 days to be mailed. Have you tracked it?

[Dave&Roza 748]

Wait and see if the GC shows up. I really doubt they will issue you an I-551 stamp with an approved GC. You have AP so there are no issues. You can use AP to get on the airplane--the hardest part about traveling internationally is being allowed onto the plane to enter the US by the airlines--once at your POE the CBP will look up your file and see you have a GC and may ask about why you are travelling without it. They will decide to either allow you to enter as a LPR or parole you in using the GC. Or they may not and just parole you into the US.

The AP expires on the date stated on the card. Most people who have a GC stop using it and begin using the GC because it is much easier to enter the US using the GC verses the AP. It does not majically become invalid once the GC is issued. As I stated above, the airlines will want to see some form of documentation that shows you are allowed to enter the US. The AP does this and they do not know you have been issued a GC. The only thing they know is the expiration date. You deal with GC being issued but you do not have it yet at the POE with the CBP.

Have a safe trip,

Dave

[emeraldrainbow 4]

I dont know where in NY you live but try the Long Island office. I think its in Hicksvile but not sure. I have been there several times in the past and walk ins are no problem. Not a very busy office. You can make an info pass on line with them as well..Much more pleasant people than NYC.

Thank you so much for this advice - I will try this on Monday if there is still no green card in the mail

The green card should only take 2-3 days to be mailed. Have you tracked it?

I haven't got a tracking number unfortunately :/ The last status update just tells me that they ordered my card to be produced and will mail it soon.

_{You may actually get it in time! We got our notification on the 9th and then on the 15th we got the notice saying it had been mailed and we had it in hand on the 16th. I couldn't believe that it was delivered that fast!}

Thank you for your positivity! I received the welcome notice in the mail today, so that gives me hope the green card may come soon

[emeraldrainbow 4]

Wait and see if the GC shows up. I really doubt they will issue you an I-551 stamp with an approved GC. You have AP so there are no issues. You can use AP to get on the airplane--the hardest part about traveling internationally is being allowed onto the plane to enter the US by the airlines--once at your POE the CBP will look up your file and see you have a GC and may ask about why you are travelling without it. They will decide to either allow you to enter as a LPR or parole you in using the GC. Or they may not and just parole you into the US.

The AP expires on the date stated on the card. Most people who have a GC stop using it and begin using the GC because it is much easier to enter the US using the GC verses the AP. It does not majically become invalid once the GC is issued. As I stated above, the airlines will want to see some form of documentation that shows you are allowed to enter the US. The AP does this and they do not know you have been issued a GC. The only thing they know is the expiration date. You deal with GC being issued but you do not have it yet at the POE with the CBP.

Have a safe trip,

Dave

Hi Dave, thank you very much for this very detailed and helpful advice. It does make sense what you say about the airlines. I'm just worried about the POE part. Do you happen to know of any legislation that says you can continue using the AP after being approved for the green card? it seems like a really grey area!

[TBoneTX 45,304]

I took Mrs. T-B. on a day-trip to Mexico, with use of her AP. Upon re-entry at POE, little did we (or CBP) know that her green card was in the mail to her at that very time. That was her first and only use of the AP document.

In fact, I remember asking the CBP agent whether he could see any status update on the green card. He said, "We can't see that."

Until you have your green card in hand, I recommend that you carry a copy of your marriage certificate with you, to show to CBP along with your AP. We had ours during the above trip, and it helped greatly at POE during the processing of Mrs. T-B.'s AP re-entry. The CBP agent knew what the AP was, but he had never actually processed one before. The marriage certificate was one piece of reassuring information for him during a rather flustering process.

The short answer is: don't sweat your situation.

Edited December 19, 2014 by TBoneTX

[Dave&Roza 748]

Hi Dave, thank you very much for this very detailed and helpful advice. It does make sense what you say about the airlines. I'm just worried about the POE part. Do you happen to know of any legislation that says you can continue using the AP after being approved for the green card? it seems like a really grey area!

I have done a search on the CFR (code of Federal regulation or the laws of the US) and where it talks about the AP document it states no where that once the GC is issued the AP becomes null and void. The AP is a valid document until it expires. As T-Bone states, the CBP person had never processed one. So if you have a valid AP card and a GC, which document would you use to re-enter the US? If you do not have the GC in your hands but have to travel, which document would you use to re-enter the US? CBP see the GC al lthe time. Some have seen the AP and know how to handle it. Others do not. Just expect a bit more time clearing the CBP check point when you arrive in teh US and if you are using your AP instead of the GC. The CBP cannot revoke your GC nor your AP, only an IJ can do that. The worse they can do is detain you while you wait to go before the IJ. To be brutally honest, that can happen to any LPR returning to the US, but will the CBP do that without a good reason--no.

So relax. Wait for your GC to arrive. If it does use it to re-enter the US. If not, use the AP to re-enter the US, but expect a few hiccups and a bit longer processing for the AP. Just to give you an idea of how hit and miss the whole returning process is. I arrive in Denver from Frankfurt and all passengers are waved thru the customs check point. My wife arrives 3 weeks later and she has to go thru the inspection and have her bags x-rayed and all that. She claims it was because she did not have a US passport or one from the EU as it appeared that all those people were just waved thru. It took her an hour and a half to get thru the whole entry process with most of that time in the line for the x-ray machine.

Enjoy your trip and stop stressing,

Dave

Edited December 19, 2014 by Dave&Roza

[emeraldrainbow 4]

I took Mrs. T-B. on a day-trip to Mexico, with use of her AP. Upon re-entry at POE, little did we (or CBP) know that her green card was in the mail to her at that very time. That was her first and only use of the AP document.

In fact, I remember asking the CBP agent whether he could see any status update on the green card. He said, "We can't see that."

Until you have your green card in hand, I recommend that you carry a copy of your marriage certificate with you, to show to CBP along with your AP. We had ours during the above trip, and it helped greatly at POE during the processing of Mrs. T-B.'s AP re-entry. The CBP agent knew what the AP was, but he had never actually processed one before. The marriage certificate was one piece of reassuring information for him during a rather flustering process.

The short answer is: don't sweat your situation.

I have done a search on the CFR (code of Federal regulation or the laws of the US) and where it talks about the AP document it states no where that once the GC is issued the AP becomes null and void. The AP is a valid document until it expires. As T-Bone states, the CBP person had never processed one. So if you have a valid AP card and a GC, which document would you use to re-enter the US? If you do not have the GC in your hands but have to travel, which document would you use to re-enter the US? CBP see the GC al lthe time. Some have seen the AP and know how to handle it. Others do not. Just expect a bit more time clearing the CBP check point when you arrive in teh US and if you are using your AP instead of the GC. The CBP cannot revoke your GC nor your AP, only an IJ can do that. The worse they can do is detain you while you wait to go before the IJ. To be brutally honest, that can happen to any LPR returning to the US, but will the CBP do that without a good reason--no.

So relax. Wait for your GC to arrive. If it does use it to re-enter the US. If not, use the AP to re-enter the US, but expect a few hiccups and a bit longer processing for the AP. Just to give you an idea of how hit and miss the whole returning process is. I arrive in Denver from Frankfurt and all passengers are waved thru the customs check point. My wife arrives 3 weeks later and she has to go thru the inspection and have her bags x-rayed and all that. She claims it was because she did not have a US passport or one from the EU as it appeared that all those people were just waved thru. It took her an hour and a half to get thru the whole entry process with most of that time in the line for the x-ray machine.

Enjoy your trip and stop stressing,

Dave

Thank you both for your advice and reassurance, it is really appreciated.

I received my Welcome notice in the mail on Thursday 12/18, and on Friday 12/19 my online case status changed to "My card was mailed" - but still no tracking number. I'm praying that it will arrive on Monday or Tuesday 12/23 before I leave as I would feel much better about traveling with green card in hand!

[TBoneTX 45,304]

I hope that it arrives. If it doesn't, simply print out your case status and carry that with your AP, if it makes you feel better.

Keep us apprised!

Edited December 21, 2014 by TBoneTX

[NikeS 49]

You'll get your card on Monday ? now you can relax and prepare for your trip.

[emeraldrainbow 4]

I just wanted to post an update on the outcome of my situation and to thank you all once again for your advice, positivity and words of support. I was due to fly to Europe on the 23rd of December (pm). On the 22nd of December I called the USCIS helpline to see if they could give me a tracking number for my green card. After a long wait, a very kind and efficient tier 2 agent gave me a tracking number. It seems my green card was mailed on the 19th and got stuck in Jamaica, NY sorting office for 3 days. I crossed my fingers it would arrive in the mail on the 23rd Dec. on time for my flight that night, and..... IT DID! So I traveled with green card in hand and had a very peaceful holiday. I arrived back in the U.S. today

It would be so helpful if there was a clear answer for what people should do if they need to travel urgently before they receive their green card in the mail - be that setting up a system to make emergency infopass appointments available or making 100% clear whether the advance parole is still valid to travel once i-485 approval has been received. I imagine I am not alone in encountering stress due to such a situation

However, as many of you reassured me, all's well that ends well!

Happy new year to all and best of luck!

[TBoneTX 45,304]

That's great news! Thanks for returning with your update.

[NikeS 49]

Great. Glad everything worked out.

[NikLR 13,227]

Thanks for the update! Glad everything worked out for you!