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KimchiLumpia

Sharing First Time Experience Using AP Card (Canada) - Also Have A Question About AP & Travel

By KimchiLumpia in Working & Traveling During US Immigration

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KimchiLumpia Collaborator

KimchiLumpia   315

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted (edited)

My wife (Canadian citizen) and I drove up to Vancouver BC from Seattle, WA over the weekend to use her AP/EAD combo card for the first time to visit her family.  It had been about 6 months since she came to the US on K1 Visa.

We came prepared with all her NOAs regarding her AOS that is still being processed, her completed biometrics appointment, a copy of our marriage certificate, and all pertinent paperwork regarding our marriage and AOS.

We drove back this past Sunday via the Blaine truck crossing.   We handed the border agent my US passport, my wife's Canadian passport with K1 Visa in it, and her AP/EAD combo card.  The officer asked about 3-4 questions: how long we stayed, who we visited, what my wife's status was in the US.  The border agent was stern, yet, very friendly.

After a 3-4 minutes, he welcomed us back to the US and we were on our way.  No secondary inspection.  No request for additional papers or information.  

With that being said, we will still bring our NOAs and adjustment of status paperwork when visiting Canada again.  I think its all up to the discretion of the border agent.  You could get a laid back agent, or an agent that is more stringent.

Now my question - Can your AP card be used to return to the US from a country other than your spouse's country of origin?  For example - my wife came to the US on K1 Visa from Canada.  Can we take a vacation to say Mexico, and use her AP to return to the US?  Or can the AP only be used to return to the US from the foreign spouse's country of origin?  In our case Canada.  

Edited by KimchiLumpia

K-1 Visa Journey

11/14/2016: K1 Visa Application Mailed To Dallas Lock Box

11/17/2016: K1 Visa Application Received Date

11/22/2016: Check Cashed By US Dept of Homeland Security

11/22/2016: Received NOA1 Text and Email - USCIS California Service Center

11/23/2016: Received NOA1 Hard Copy In The Mail

02/07/2017: Received NOA2 Approval Online - 77 Days From NOA1 Date

02/11/2017: Received NOA2 Hard Copy In The Mail

03/03/2017: Case Received By NVC

03/08/2017: Called NVC And Received Case # and Invoice # - CEAC Website Shows Case Is "Ready"

03/09/2017: Downloaded Packet 3 From Canadian Consulate Website - Emailed Packet 3 at 12:30am PST

03/09/2017: Received Return Email Packet 4 at 1pm PST

03/09/2017: Scheduled Interview Per Packet 4 Instructions

04/19/2017: K1 Visa Interview At Montreal US Embassy - Visa Approved - 148 Days From NOA1 Date

04/26/2017: CEAC Status Changed From "Administrative Processing" To "Issued"

04/28/2017: Visa In Hand

05/28/2017: POE Peace Arch Crossing - Blaine, WA USA - Experience Was Very Friendly And Welcoming

07/14/2017: Wedding Day

AOS Journey

08/19/2017: AOS, EAD, AP Mailed To Chicago Lock Box

08/29/2017: Check Cashed By US Dept of Homeland Security

08/30/2017: Received NOA1 Text and Email For AOS, EAD, AP

09/05/2017: Received NOA1 Hard Copies In The Mail For AOS, EAD, AP

09/19/2017: Biometrics Completed

09/26/2017: USCIS Website Shows "Interview Ready To Be Scheduled By USCIS"

11/20/2017: Received EAD and AP Approval Letters

12/04/2017: Received EAD/AP Combo Card

12/07/2018: Received Text notification AOS interview has been scheduled

01/09/2019: AOS Interview Date - Approved

01/17/2019: Green Card In Hand

ROC Journey

10/11/2020: Petition For ROC Window Opens

10/17/2020: Petition For ROC Mailed To USCIS Phoenix

10/20/2020: Petition For ROC Delivered To USCIS Phoenix

11/04/2020: Check Cashed By US Dept of Homeland Security

11/04/2020: Received NOA 1 Text and Email

11/10/2020: Received NOA1 Hard Copy In The Mail For ROC

11/12/2020: Online - Case Was Updated To Show Fingerprints Were Taken

06/22/2021: Online - ROC Approved

07/02/2021: 10 Year Green Card In Hand

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ColoradoBeauty Collaborator

ColoradoBeauty   79

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: Indonesia
 Timeline
Posted

Thank you for sharing! Glad it was a breeze!

Yes, it doesn't have to be foreigner's country of origin. 

Spoiler

Aug 2011 - Arrived on F1 visa

09/06/2015 Started exchanging messages

10/13/2015 We met in person

07/01/2017 We got engaged!

10/31/2017 We got married!

11/08/2017 AOS Package (I-130, I-485, I-765, I-131) sent via USPS - Chicago Lockbox

                      (Priority Mail - USPS autocorrected zipcode to 60680-4187)

11/12/2017 Package delivered (Delayed due to USPS mistakenly took it to 60624 and Veteran's Day) 

11/13/2017 Received Date (Priority Date)

11/21/2017 Received 4 e-mails & 4 text notifications (01:30 AM EST); checks cashed

11/28/2017 Received 4 NOA1 hard copies

12/09/2017 Received Biometrics Appointment Letter (for i-485 and i-765)

12/21/2017 Biometrics Appointment

01/08/2018 **I-765 and I-131 Approved** (61 days)

01/16/2018 %%Received combo card%% (tracking shows USCIS sent it on Jan 11 from MO, then Jan 15 USPS closed for MLK day) 

01/20/2018 Received approval letters for EAD and AP

09/20/2018 Received text 'Interview was scheduled' and interview notice will be mailed

09/27/2018 Received Interview notice by mail

10/25/2018 Interview day

10/26/2018 I-485 case status updated to "We ordered your new card"

10/29/2018 Case Status updated to "We approved your Form I-485"

10/31/2018 Case Status updated to "We mailed your new card"

11/01/2018 My card was picked up by the USPS with tracking number assigned

11/05/2018 Green Card Received 

 

Side note: I turned my maiden name into second middle name. In the combo card, my given name is First Firstmiddleinitial, however on the back of the card, they attempted to list my second middle name. 

 

My application package:

Interview Experience:

 

 

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Dashinka Grand Master

Dashinka   24,513

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Russia
 Timeline
Posted

You can use the AP anytime your wife is re-entering the US from any country.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience, it is always good to get a variety of feedback from those using things like APs, extension letters, etc.

 

Good Luck!

Visa Received : 2014-04-04 (K1 - see timeline for details)

US Entry : 2014-09-12

POE: Detroit

Marriage : 2014-09-27

I-765 Approved: 2015-01-09

I-485 Interview: 2015-03-11

I-485 Approved: 2015-03-13

Green Card Received: 2015-03-24 Yeah!!!

I-751 ROC Submitted: 2016-12-20

I-751 NOA Received:  2016-12-29

I-751 Biometrics Appt.:  2017-01-26

I-751 Interview:  2018-04-10

I-751 Approved:  2018-05-04

N400 Filed:  2018-01-13

N400 Biometrics:  2018-02-22

N400 Interview:  2018-04-10

N400 Approved:  2018-04-10

Oath Ceremony:  2018-06-11 - DONE!!!!!!!

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KimchiLumpia Collaborator

KimchiLumpia   315

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted

Thank you @Bill & Katya and @ColoradoBeauty for your responses!  

K-1 Visa Journey

11/14/2016: K1 Visa Application Mailed To Dallas Lock Box

11/17/2016: K1 Visa Application Received Date

11/22/2016: Check Cashed By US Dept of Homeland Security

11/22/2016: Received NOA1 Text and Email - USCIS California Service Center

11/23/2016: Received NOA1 Hard Copy In The Mail

02/07/2017: Received NOA2 Approval Online - 77 Days From NOA1 Date

02/11/2017: Received NOA2 Hard Copy In The Mail

03/03/2017: Case Received By NVC

03/08/2017: Called NVC And Received Case # and Invoice # - CEAC Website Shows Case Is "Ready"

03/09/2017: Downloaded Packet 3 From Canadian Consulate Website - Emailed Packet 3 at 12:30am PST

03/09/2017: Received Return Email Packet 4 at 1pm PST

03/09/2017: Scheduled Interview Per Packet 4 Instructions

04/19/2017: K1 Visa Interview At Montreal US Embassy - Visa Approved - 148 Days From NOA1 Date

04/26/2017: CEAC Status Changed From "Administrative Processing" To "Issued"

04/28/2017: Visa In Hand

05/28/2017: POE Peace Arch Crossing - Blaine, WA USA - Experience Was Very Friendly And Welcoming

07/14/2017: Wedding Day

AOS Journey

08/19/2017: AOS, EAD, AP Mailed To Chicago Lock Box

08/29/2017: Check Cashed By US Dept of Homeland Security

08/30/2017: Received NOA1 Text and Email For AOS, EAD, AP

09/05/2017: Received NOA1 Hard Copies In The Mail For AOS, EAD, AP

09/19/2017: Biometrics Completed

09/26/2017: USCIS Website Shows "Interview Ready To Be Scheduled By USCIS"

11/20/2017: Received EAD and AP Approval Letters

12/04/2017: Received EAD/AP Combo Card

12/07/2018: Received Text notification AOS interview has been scheduled

01/09/2019: AOS Interview Date - Approved

01/17/2019: Green Card In Hand

ROC Journey

10/11/2020: Petition For ROC Window Opens

10/17/2020: Petition For ROC Mailed To USCIS Phoenix

10/20/2020: Petition For ROC Delivered To USCIS Phoenix

11/04/2020: Check Cashed By US Dept of Homeland Security

11/04/2020: Received NOA 1 Text and Email

11/10/2020: Received NOA1 Hard Copy In The Mail For ROC

11/12/2020: Online - Case Was Updated To Show Fingerprints Were Taken

06/22/2021: Online - ROC Approved

07/02/2021: 10 Year Green Card In Hand

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