Using AP (NOT Combo card) for the first time

[Adam D 32]

Hi,

 

Just wanted to share my experience of using my AP for the first time. As the title of the post says this is not a combo card, as I applied for AP separately from my EAD (which I also have). 

 

I was issued with 2 identical I-512L forms, neither of which were stamped. Having read other forum posts I realized this was normal and that when I arrived back in the US, they would take one and leave me with one. 

 

When I got to Heathrow in London, we had checked in on line but when I tried to get my boarding pass on the machine it wouldn't process my passport and I was told to see  someone at the check-in desk. She had to see my AP before I could travel. Although I had it with me, I was surprised that they checked it in England before leaving. 

 

We (I travelled with my mother-in-law and brother-in-law - my husband was on a separate flight as he had travelled with work) arrived in Baltimore (BWI) and I asked which line to join. I was told to join the visitors line, and when I got to the officer he went off to check what he had to do with my AP form. He came back and walked me to secondary processing, as I expected. He asked me when I met my wife, I corrected him and said 'husband'. He then asked how we met and where we got married. He said congratulations. Then I was in the secondary processing room. I was the only one in there and the officer who processed my forms didn't engage with me at all. He was just sighing as he processed everything! After about 5 minutes he motioned for me to come forward, gave me my one remaining AP form (not stamped) and said that was all. I just want to know from others who have used their I-512L forms whether it is normal to get the second one back un-stamped, and what happens the next time you fly?

 

All in all it was a very painless experience and it puts me at ease for when I fly home at Christmas, although I do want to know what will happen when I return with my one remaining AP form. I anticipate getting my I-485 interview around May next year (looking at local processing times in Baltimore) so I don't know if this means I can't travel again after Christmas. Will they take my one remaining form off me? Do I have to apply for AP again? 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

44 minutes ago, Adam D said:

I just want to know from others who have used their I-512L forms whether it is normal to get the second one back un-stamped, and what happens the next time you fly?

 

Back when I was going through this part of immigration, everybody got paper AP documents. It was pre-combocard days. What everybody reported was for your second trip make a photocopy of your AP and turn that in. Keep your remaining original to continue to make photocopies for each additional trip. You can show the original but keep it. It worked then, so should be the same process now. 

[Adam D 32]

1 minute ago, Wuozopo said:

 

Back when I was going through this part of immigration, everybody got paper AP documents. It was pre-combocard days. What everybody reported was for your second trip make a photocopy of your AP and turn that in. Keep your remaining original to continue to make photocopies for each additional trip. You can show the original but keep it. It worked then, so should be the same process now. 

Thanks, that's very helpful. I will definitely do that :-)

[Adam D 32]

As an update, I came back into the US after Christmas with the family (the first one with my husband, it was awesome!) and used my second and final remaining AP form. As others have already said, it is just  case of them stamping it and returning it to you. I had mentioned to the initial passport officer that I had brought photocopies but he just shrugged and said "ok". No one asked to see them. They made their own copy and stamped it with the seal and also the new date stamp (a year rather than 3 months). So if I travel outside the US again before I get my GC I will just keep taking this stamped one with me. 

 

All very simple.