AP good for one trip or multiple?

[debbiedoo 2,339]

We are a stupid amount of time away from it but im trying to learn about the AOS process and what will be needed / etc

 

good lord, this makes the K1 look easy lol

 

Anyways, to my understanding, it seems you can file for AP when you file your AOS/EAD. You do not need specific travel dates for the AP. (if im wrong stop me right here lol)

 

Is the AP good for only one trip or for more than one?

[bad4tatt 168]

13 minutes ago, debbiedoo said:

We are a stupid amount of time away from it but im trying to learn about the AOS process and what will be needed / etc

 

good lord, this makes the K1 look easy lol

 

Anyways, to my understanding, it seems you can file for AP when you file your AOS/EAD. You do not need specific travel dates for the AP. (if im wrong stop me right here lol)

 

Is the AP good for only one trip or for more than one?

Some are issued for 1 trip, some multiple. Based on AOS it would most likely be good for multiple trips.

[debbiedoo 2,339]

13 minutes ago, bad4tatt said:

Some are issued for 1 trip, some multiple. Based on AOS it would most likely be good for multiple trips.

 

Thanks! my concern wasnt for fun trips, but he has 2 sons in college, an elderly father with health issues, etc

[debbiedoo 2,339]

Just now, Dee elle said:

As said. Based on AOS it will be multiple. Yes concurrent filing , no specific plans needed

Thank you so much

[Sarah&Facundo 599]

Related to this, do you need to file anything when you are leaving with AP? Or can you just go and show your card upon return without documenting anything of your travels?

[Sarah&Facundo 599]

Is there any limit to the amount of time we can leave? what if we wanted to travel for 1- 2 months with AP? 

[Orangesapples 1,954]

6 hours ago, Dee elle said:

Nope. Just travel and show the AP and your passport on re entry. 

Actually, when I was crossing the border I was told to only show the AP. I showed my passport and my EAD/AP combo card and the officer was confused and sent me to get a permit (uh?) and pay a fee for an i-94. Eventually we talked to a supervisor and he refunded us the fee and told us I don't need any permit and that the first officer was confused because I showed her my passport instead of just the card. I have no idea if he was right but that was my experience. When I crossed the border recently (a different POE) I just showed the officers my green card, they never asked for a passport. 

[Orangesapples 1,954]

2 minutes ago, Dee elle said:

Correct....  technically the AP or GC is all that is needed but routinely I am asked by the customs officer for my passport    after I have already successfully cleared immigration at the automated gate 

I didn't know that. From reading VJ I assumed that I'm supposed to always show them my passport. 

[Sarah&Facundo 599]

15 hours ago, Dee elle said:

Yes,  there are implictions of being out of the country.. but not the time you are thinking of..

 

Anything up to 6 months is usually not even commented on by CBP on entry.. unless it is long trips often.. then they remind you the GC is for living here not visiting..

 

6 to 12 months usually prompts strong comments and reminders...

 

over 12 months but less than 2 years will likely be interpreted as abandoning the residency and can lead to being brought before an immigration judge to determine if you did abandon LPR status..

 

over 2 years will cause you to lose the LPR status and have to apply all over again..

 

there are some exceptions to these timeframes of course.. but best to stay well away from the cliff edge! .

So if we went there for Christmas for about 2 months, we would be okay re-entering on AP?

[moosy 139]

Please note that having an AP does not give you the right to travel, only the possibility. They have the right to refuse you upon entry, for no reason if they so choose. A friend of mine is an immigration lawyer in CA and she has to deal with quite a lot of these refusals for no clear reason; she notified me that it is has been going up in the current climate, regardless of where you are from or what you look like (if you catch my sad drift).

You don't hear about these often it seems, because a lot of people are having successful trips on an AP, but remember that this AP does not give you any rights.

 

So if you are taking some of these trips for fun, I would suggest postponing those until you have at least your greencard. Only travel on an AP if you truly need to.

I am not traveling outside of the US without it being an emergency, and have postponed or cancelled anything else (had a fun trip to my home country planned this summer, which I cancelled). 

I figure I would rather do this without the possibility to be detained always in my head, so it can wait.

[debbiedoo 2,339]

10 minutes ago, moosy said:

Please note that having an AP does not give you the right to travel, only the possibility. They have the right to refuse you upon entry, for no reason if they so choose......

So if you are taking some of these trips for fun, I would suggest postponing those until you have at least your greencard. Only travel on an AP if you truly need to.

 

I absolutely agree with this! As I said, our thought was what if something happened to his boys, or dad or even ex (who is mentally unstable and in many peoples opinions, borderline suicidal). While, hopefully, nothing happens REQUIRING us to cross the border, if something DOES, it would/will be nice to be able to go and deal with whatever the situation is.