Traveling while awaiting AOS/EAD/AP appoval

[Roxy&Ryan 72]

Will I be able to travel to Puerto Rico, Hawaii or US Virgin Island for vacation while i await my EAD/AP combo card? are any of these territories considered international travel for me? I am a Jamaican.

[JFH 12,190]

Yes you can. But beware of you are thinking of going a cruise that it may officially enter international waters. With flights be careful because if an emergency diversion becomes necessary the plan may have to land in another country (for example flying to Alaska and a passenger has a heart attack and the plane lands in Canada so that the passenger can be taken to a hospital). Depending on the country and the nature of the emergency you may have to stay overnight. 

[DaveAndAnastasia 2,092]

Though there are no diversion options for flights to Hawaii from the mainland US that are not in the mainland US or Hawaii, so I wouldn't worry about flying there (if your plane actually crashes into the Pacific, you have much more serious problems than immigration).

 

 

[Roxy&Ryan 72]

10 hours ago, JFH said:

Yes you can. But beware of you are thinking of going a cruise that it may officially enter international waters. With flights be careful because if an emergency diversion becomes necessary the plan may have to land in another country (for example flying to Alaska and a passenger has a heart attack and the plane lands in Canada so that the passenger can be taken to a hospital). Depending on the country and the nature of the emergency you may have to stay overnight. 

Thank you.

[Cornflake 108]

I flew to Hawaii two times, and ones to Alaska without AP - nobody asked anything. 

[Firebread 168]

Yes,  you can as long as you don't touch any international ports. Only U.S territories.

[Roxy&Ryan 72]

5 hours ago, Cornflake said:

I flew to Hawaii two times, and ones to Alaska without AP - nobody asked anything. 

Sounds good.

[Canerican 242]

16 hours ago, Cornflake said:

I flew to Hawaii two times, and ones to Alaska without AP - nobody asked anything. 

It’s not about being asked anything. They won’t ask questions because they don’t expect emergency issues, and it is the passengers responsibility to be informed of contingencies. If you land in an international airport or waters without AP kiss your residency goodbye. Not saying do not travel but be well informed before making a decision.
 

This is why @JFH cautioned the OP concerning  international airports/waters. 

[Cornflake 108]

4 hours ago, CDN(ON)-USA(VT) said:

It’s not about being asked anything. They won’t ask questions because they don’t expect emergency issues, and it is the passengers responsibility to be informed of contingencies. If you land in an international airport or waters without AP kiss your residency goodbye. Not saying do not travel but be well informed before making a decision.
 

This is why @JFH cautioned the OP concerning  international airports/waters. 

How is my post is not related? OMG! I just shared my experience! Everyone can read rules. I shared my personal experience. How many airplanes land into water every year? So you know the answer.

 

Life is a scary thing in general. If you feel it's better to be afraid of everything so stay home. Even if you have a green card there is a chance that you will not be allowed to enter the US. And do you know about departed veterans?

 

And you know what, for example, ICE can come even to your home, you don't even have to fly and have an emergency landing. Which is very, very, very rare thing to happen. 

 

Most likely shark will eat a person than you have an emergency landing somewhere in Canada. As @DaveAndAnastasiasaid you have a much more worse problem if your plane is crashes somewhere in Canada or Pacific Ocean. 

 

Enjoy your life! Alaska and Hawaii are stunning places! 

 

[Canerican 242]

26 minutes ago, Cornflake said:

How is my post is not related? OMG! I just shared my experience! Everyone can read rules. I shared my personal experience. How many airplanes land into water every year? So you know the answer.

 

Life is a scary thing in general. If you feel it's better to be afraid of everything so stay home. Even if you have a green card there is a chance that you will not be allowed to enter the US. And do you know about departed veterans?

 

And you know what, for example, ICE can come even to your home, you don't even have to fly and have an emergency landing. Which is very, very, very rare thing to happen. 

 

Most likely shark will eat a person than you have an emergency landing somewhere in Canada. As @DaveAndAnastasiasaid you have a much more worse problem if your plane is crashes somewhere in Canada or Pacific Ocean. 

 

Enjoy your life! Alaska and Hawaii are stunning places! 

 

Never did I say don’t travel. Actually I said, “Not saying don’t travel but be well informed before making a decision.” You may have travelled with your AP to Alaska without issue but if you would have landed in a foreign country what would have been your contingency? You would have had to start from the beginning as you had no proof that you were allowed to enter the US.
 

It would be better for OP to travel within the US than go where there is a risk of abandoning their status. I understand that it is taking a long time for AP but is it worth risking abandonment of status? That is the question that has to be answered by the OP. 
 

@Roxy&Ryan, I am in no way saying do not travel. @JFH and I are trying to inform you of possible risks. The decision is your choice. 

[JFH 12,190]

4 minutes ago, CDN(ON)-USA(VT) said:

Never did I say don’t travel. Actually I said, “Not saying don’t travel but be well informed before making a decision.” You may have travelled with your AP to Alaska without issue but if you would have landed in a foreign country what would have been your contingency? You would have had to start from the beginning as you had no proof that you were allowed to enter the US.
 

It would be better for OP to travel within the US than go where there is a risk of abandoning their status. I understand that it is taking a long time for AP but is it worth risking abandonment of status? That is the question that has to be answered by the OP. 
 

@Roxy&Ryan, I am in no way saying do not travel. @JFH and I are trying to inform you of possible risks. The decision is your choice. 

Indeed! We have both been here long enough to see that anything that can go wrong will eventually go wrong for at least one person. 
 

This is yet another pitfall of the K-1.  Yes you can travel domestically without AP but in a country this large and with the somewhat unique situation that to reach some parts requires flying over another country (such as getting to Alaska from any other state, getting to St Thomas or Puerto Rico, etc) flying to a far-flung part of the country does carry a risk. 
 

I have been on a flight that had to make an emergency landing in Canada to deplane a passenger who had a heart attack. We landed at a military airfield, not a commercial airport. We were fortunate that it went very quickly and we were soon on our way without all of us needing to get off the aircraft or change crew. But if the added stop is due to a technical malfunction and another plane must be found (for an emergency you will land on the nearest landing strip which may or may not be a commercial airport with spare planes sitting around), or the stop is going to end up over their permitted time and a new crew is needed or you end up having to overnight in a hotel.... is it worth it?

 

If the travel is that important, should have done a CR-1 so there will be no problems. 

[Roxy&Ryan 72]

On 8/15/2020 at 12:43 AM, Roxy&Ryan said:

Will I be able to travel to Puerto Rico, Hawaii or US Virgin Island for vacation while i await my EAD/AP combo card? are any of these territories considered international travel for me? I am a Jamaican.

Thanks everyone for the comments all will assist me to make a decision.