Travel concerns prior to green card/travel auth?

[Crazy Cat 41,888]

4 hours ago, Destin said:

I will check with USCIS and the cruise agents to verify checks coming back off the boat and will not go unless 100% sure it is safe as of course I agree it's not worth the risk.

Be careful.  USCIS and CBP don't always give accurate information.  We see it quite frequently around here.  All things come in due time.  Patience is the key for relationships to survive the immigration process.    

[Rocio0010 5,579]

5 hours ago, Destin said:

All the advice to cancel the cruise is good advice, so thank you.

I will check with USCIS and the cruise agents to verify checks coming back off the boat and will not go unless 100% sure it is safe as of course I agree it's not worth the risk. We are probably no where near the AP yet only 2 months in so likely will not be going now.

The main concern as far as etiquette goes was already addressed, and for others the concern is just realizing that while most of you have seen this before (and I'm thankful for and is why I post here), it's obviously my first time dealing with this. Recognizing that in a post goes a long ways, and I'm sorry if I missed locating this prior as I do try and find things usually before posting. So by all means don't stop answering as I won't be scared off, and I don't want anyone else to be discouraged from answering either. We aren't a customer service organization, but it is a sensitive matter and is causing family problems already, so I apologize if I seem a little sensitive.

DO NOT TRUST THE USCIS “INFORMATION” LINE! 
I have a personal experience that might help you see how uninformed they are. I applied for my AOS in October 2019. In January 2020 I decided to call and check about my case status, and a very hopeful, yet naive officer said “your case looks good, everything is 100% ok and it is en route to the local FO for an interview”. Well, I kid you not: five days later I was hit by a RFE. 

My anecdote is small and had no serious consequences for me other than a two- week setback until I responded to the RFE. Yours can be much serious.

VJ is a great place to learn and the people that have already replied to you are one of the most experienced, knowledgeable members. They were not being rude by any means. If you think they’re rude, wait until you meet a CBP officer who will not let your loved one back in.

Hopefully that will not happen because you would have cancelled the trip and decided to go somewhere else. There are beautiful places to visit inland too.
 

[Carpe Vinum 2,327]

17 hours ago, Destin said:

Ok first, some of you are plain rude. Good advice, but come on...

Next, thanks for letting me know before we leave so I can get this corrected and avoid any issues. Obviously now we won't go if we can't get permission first.

So now... Permission. If we get approved parole, would it be good for two trips, or only one? (i.e. cruise and Vietnam). We'd only do VN obviously if we need a 2nd.
Also when do we get the approved trip? Shouldn't it come before the green card? Once we get the green card it's not a big deal to travel as much right?

Thanks for the help. Despite the attitude, I don't really care as long as I get the right answers and know what to do.

Welcome to VJ)) (PS don't get on that ship😆)

[JeanneAdil 6,511]

for future info  to others 

a Brazilian couple  on our cruise had a B2 tourist visa to sail out from Miami with family from there

they also planned to stay in Florida after the cruise for a month  /when  the couple interviewed in Brazil they  told the CO all this

when our cruise came back into port CBP would not let them back into the US saying they had 2 entries in  a short time and they had to fly back to Brazil 

and his rules say he can't allow it on B2 visa

[Southern_Belle07 146]

3 hours ago, JeanneAdil said:

for future info  to others 

a Brazilian couple  on our cruise had a B2 tourist visa to sail out from Miami with family from there

they also planned to stay in Florida after the cruise for a month  /when  the couple interviewed in Brazil they  told the CO all this

when our cruise came back into port CBP would not let them back into the US saying they had 2 entries in  a short time and they had to fly back to Brazil 

and his rules say he can't allow it on B2 visa

This is why we always need immigration documents like an extension letter and the expired green card with folks doing the I-751. No other way to enter back the states unless there's a current green card present, an advanced parole for immigrants. Unless of course one is a US citizen already. 

[VisaDonnie 54]

On 4/22/2022 at 1:59 PM, Destin said:

Hi,

We are still pending green card status updates, and filed the travel authorization too. Biometrics done.

The concern is we have a cruise planned to Alaska, but it has one day spent in Canada. Should we work to get a visa for her (from Vietnam) to Canada? Or should we stay on the boat that day as this could cause issues with the green card status/travel authorization later on? Or worse yet is the whole cruise a potential problem?

Thanks!

 

Since we are in the same position and just went on a cruise to the Bahamas two weeks ago, I will give you our recent experience.

 

First if you do not have an approval for I-512 Advance Parole do not leave the country. My wife received a card in the mail that has dual purpose, 1) is an I-766 card which is an Employment Authorization card which allows her to work for 2yrs while waiting for your Green Card interview &  2) it  also acts as an I-512 Advanced Parole card. (I-131 is the application for the Advanced Parole).

 

Even with this card we were a bit hesitant to travel because it clearly states in the Advanced Parole paperwork the following:

 

1) Take your passport and the Advanced Parole document with you when you leave the USA.

2) You cannot use the Advanced Parole card in place of a Passport.

3) Parole into the USA is not a guarantee, I ALL cases a CBP officer must still inspect you at a port of entry to determine whether you are eligible to come into the USA according to the terms of the advanced parole. Even though USCIS approved your advance parole, CBP may still refuse to parole you in the USA.

4) Parole into the USA is not an admission into the USA. If you have a pending I-485 and we deny it, you may be subject to removal proceedings for being inadmissible to the USA.

5) Unlawful Presence: If you leave the USA after being unlawfully present in the USA, you may be barred from admission even if you obtained advanced parole.If you were unlawfully present in the USA for more then 180 days but less then 1yr and you leave the USA voluntarily before the start of removal proceedings, you are inadmissible for 3yrs. If you were unlawfully present for 1yr or more, you are inadmissible for 10yrs.

 

So we docked in Nassau for 1 day, I was a bit worried, but when you leave the ship you leave with the ships credentials hanging around your neck and so when we went to re-board the ship, nobody asked for a passport, only to see what was hanging around our neck from the ship.

 

This was on Norwegian Cruise Lines so our experience may not be the same as yours but with the Approved Advance Parole you should be okay on a cruise ship. But use your own judgement. If your really worried don't get off the boat, we actually thought about that as well.

 

Edited April 25, 2022 by VisaDonnie
Additional info.

[Ontarkie 14,227]

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