Travel abroad on EAD combo card - visa info for airlines

[EllisAndRenz 196]

1 hour ago, justmarriedusciti said:

Hi Guys, 

 

So I am back from the UK after a few weeks abroad. Here are my experiences: 

 

1. Before my flight out from JFK, while I was checking in at the airport, the airlines staff seemed a little confused because I had put the number of my EAD card in the visa section on their website. Other than that, nothing major happened. I guess I had to put it in the GC box instead. 

2. Nobody within TSA asked me anything about the EAD, they scanned it and sent me onwards

3. On the flight back, the CBP officer took my passport and EAD, scanned them and sent me to secondary inspection. I sat there for probably 15 minutes while they took their notes and then cleared me. No questions asked at either end. Very smooth experience. However, this was probably due to me being from the UK. There were a lot of non Europeans, most visibly Indians, who were being held up in secondary inspection for a much longer time. I asked the two on my either side if they had an EAD or visa, and one of them had an EAD. Both had been in secondary for over an hour. I wonder how long the others behind and in front of me had been there for. 

My wife is from the Philippines, and she was in secondary for 5 hours (LAX)

 

[Cornflake 108]

17 hours ago, EllisAndRenz said:

My wife is from the Philippines, and she was in secondary for 5 hours (LAX)

 

What questions did they ask her? That's a long wait!

[EllisAndRenz 196]

1 hour ago, Cornflake said:

What questions did they ask her? That's a long wait!

That's exactly the thing.  They didn't ask her anything.  After 5 hours they rubber stamped her and off she went.  (After we missed our flight and needed a hotel)

 

[justmarriedusciti 7]

6 hours ago, EllisAndRenz said:

That's exactly the thing.  They didn't ask her anything.  After 5 hours they rubber stamped her and off she went.  (After we missed our flight and needed a hotel)

 

Sorry to learn your wife went through that. I don't think the CBP officers delay some arrivals at secondary screening due to any ulterior motives. From what I have read and seen, some countries like India just have way LOT more people wanting to get into the US, and so their entire immigration process is getting held up, all the way to the port of entry. Statistically speaking, these airports probably have seen more fraud cases from these high number countries and so they might process their cases with a lot of caution. 

[EllisAndRenz 196]

On 3/14/2020 at 2:42 AM, justmarriedusciti said:

Sorry to learn your wife went through that. I don't think the CBP officers delay some arrivals at secondary screening due to any ulterior motives. From what I have read and seen, some countries like India just have way LOT more people wanting to get into the US, and so their entire immigration process is getting held up, all the way to the port of entry. Statistically speaking, these airports probably have seen more fraud cases from these high number countries and so they might process their cases with a lot of caution. 

I mean the worst part of it was they separated us ... so for five hours I had absolutely ZERO contact with her.  I was worried she was going to be deported.  Communication would have been good.  Or at the very least, why couldn't I simply wait with her?

We absolutely are NOT leaving the country again until she gets her green card.