Travelling out of US whilst on K1

[ZoeUK1989 35]

It looks like they are really behind on processing AOS cases. I filed back in may/June last year. 

I'l

[Californiansunset 336]

6 minutes ago, ZoeUK1989 said:

It looks like they are really behind on processing AOS cases. I filed back in may/June last year. 

I'l

Depends on your field office but if you’re a K1 adjuster and you get your interview waived it’s been taking a little longer in the last two years. 

Other than that average still seems to be 8-12months so you’re still within the time frame. That’s why the AP is so important. 

[NYCruiser 423]

7 hours ago, ZoeUK1989 said:

Hey, can anyone tell me their experience if they have been in the US on K1, have their advance parole and have visited family back in their home country.

 

Is this possible if it's not an emergency?

Any issues when returning? 

No he did not have an issue. We had gone to Canada (twice) with he AP. At the airport, of course it is immediate secondary, but was quick. At the land crossing back from Montreal, not so good. Long wait, then a overly suspicious CPB agent. 

In summary, be prepared to have a L O N G wait at the border depending.

[visaqueries 111]

My husband traveled with AP back to Egypt for two months. While it was 2014, he had no problems with the return.

 

The only time he was stopped for further questioning by US border patrol was when we traveled in our own car to Canada for 3 days in 2016.   By that time he had already received his green card.  

[Dashinka 24,871]

14 hours ago, Alabamak1 said:

Advance Parole

 

Due to recent changes to U.S. immigration law, travel outside of the United States may have severe consequences for aliens who are in the process of adjusting their status or applying for an immigrant visa (refugees and asylees). Upon return, these aliens may be found inadmissible, their applications may be denied, or both. It is important that the alien obtain the proper documentation before leaving the United States.

Aliens who have pending applications for certain immigration benefits need Advance Parole to re-enter the U.S. after traveling abroad.

Aliens applying for advance parole on the basis of a pending application for adjustment of status must be approved for advance parole prior to leaving the United States in order to avoid the termination of their pending application for adjustment. Note: this does not apply to aliens who have applied to adjust to permanent resident status and who maintain H-1B (Specialty Worker) or L-1 (Intracompany Transferee) status, or their dependents, who have applied to adjust to permanent resident status and who have valid H-1B or L status and valid visas, V nonimmigrants who have a valid V nonimmigrant visa, are in valid V nonimmigrant status and have or obtain a valid V nonimmigrant visa before applying for readmission to the US, and K-3/4 nonimmigrants who have applied to adjust to permanent resident status and who have a valid K-3/4 nonimmigrant visa, are in valid K-3/4 nonimmigrant status and have or obtain a valid K-3/4 nonimmigrant visa before applying for readmission to the US.

 

i dont get anything from making stuff up.....this is copy and paste from USCIS 

 

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/advance-parole

 

advance parole does give a permit to leave and come back, but it is also up to the immigration officers discretion to let you in

I think you are confusing the advice folks here on VJ would give if someone was considering leaving the country without an approved AP after entering on a K1 and getting married.  The USCIS verbiage you are quoting does not say anything regarding using AP for emergencies only, or recommending waiting for a GC.  As others have stated, entry to the US for anyone that is not a citizen is discretionary, but with the AP, the traveler does have proper documentation to board a US Bound flight and request access to the country.

Edited March 26, 2018 by Bill & Katya

[JohnE 57]

Here is my first hand experience.   Back in the day when my wife had the Combo card which includes AP we flew to Mexico City for a week.  The problem we had was the airline.  When we checked in at the Atlanta airport the ticket agent had no idea what a combo card was and was not going to check in my wife.  I had to educate the ticket agent and after the agent made a phone call to some manager she was finally going to check in my wife...well at that point there was no place in her airline computer to enter the combo card data.  One more phone call and finally was able to check in.  Glad we arrived three hours before the flight!  Mind you I am talking about a major airline.  I was concerned about the flight back so I contacted the airline and got the station manager's name in Mexico City, phone number, and airline person's name in the US.  The airline assured us there would be no future problems and there were not.  

 

  It would not hurt to make a phone call to your airline to confirm they understand AP and the combo card.  Hey you are only out a few minutes for a phone call and peace of mind.  

 

  Oh and what some of the other people said is true that only US citizens are guaranteed reentry to the US.  

 

God bless

 

[ShanghaiSurfer 135]

Had no real issues. Had to go to secondary. I was gone for 5 weeks. Never questioned why I was out of country. They just stamped passport with Parole date one year later. Plan to make a few more trips this year. I’m not worried. 

[Californiansunset 336]

7 hours ago, JohnE said:

Here is my first hand experience.   Back in the day when my wife had the Combo card which includes AP we flew to Mexico City for a week.  The problem we had was the airline.  When we checked in at the Atlanta airport the ticket agent had no idea what a combo card was and was not going to check in my wife.  I had to educate the ticket agent and after the agent made a phone call to some manager she was finally going to check in my wife...well at that point there was no place in her airline computer to enter the combo card data.  One more phone call and finally was able to check in.  Glad we arrived three hours before the flight!  Mind you I am talking about a major airline.  I was concerned about the flight back so I contacted the airline and got the station manager's name in Mexico City, phone number, and airline person's name in the US.  The airline assured us there would be no future problems and there were not.  

 

  It would not hurt to make a phone call to your airline to confirm they understand AP and the combo card.  Hey you are only out a few minutes for a phone call and peace of mind.  

 

  Oh and what some of the other people said is true that only US citizens are guaranteed reentry to the US.  

 

God bless

 

True I had a somewhat similar experience coming back one time from Germany. When I was told to show proof of being allowed to enter the U.S. (ESTA, visa, Greencard etc.) to the airline assistant at the check-in he also had problems with the card. When I asked him whether he wants to see the approval AP document he just said "Nah I just need to figure out how to enter this in the system". After talking to multiple other people it seems like he didn't end up entering anything though. I went back to sit down in the waiting area and after a while another airline assistant came and asked to see the card. It was fine, they still let me board and stuff. I wasn't too worried about it though. In the end you can show them on the official USCIS website what the AP card is. 

For reference this was at the Frankfurt airport with the German airline Condor (they just recently started flying to the U.S. so could be just a rookie mistake not knowing what to do with the card).