Reentry issue for Green Card Holders

[powerpuff 6,683]

10 minutes ago, manyfudge said:

@Mike E, are you suggesting that people buy their one way from Doha to JFK after they leave Pakistan?

 

Not to have the itinerary show up at the check in in Pakistan?

I was just thinking that. I think it’ll be safer to buy it once in Qatar.

 

4 minutes ago, Saadiah said:

Does UAE follow CBP like Qatar? Asking as with Etihad airlines they will be facing the US immigration in the UAE and not here (Washington DC). Which one is the better option?

We have been suggesting Doha for a reason. Do not use pre-clearance, they can easily turn away GC holders. They need to face immigration on US soil. 
 

1 minute ago, Saadiah said:

Would it be possible for them, being Pakistani citizens, to get ticket to travel from Qatar to USA? 

Airlines do not care where you’re from as long as you pay for the ticket. I don’t see why it wouldn’t be possible.

Edited September 19, 2023 by powerpuff

[manyfudge 285]

3 minutes ago, Saadiah said:

Pakistani citizens, to get ticket to travel from Qatar to USA? 

Yes.  They enter their green card info on Qatar airline’s website when checking in.

 

The issue is Pakistan.

[manyfudge 285]

3 hours ago, Mike E said:

DoS and USCIS are also in a war with CBP in terms of influencing airlines to not board LPRs.

Interesting.  What evidence is there of the war?

[Cathi 5,746]

4 hours ago, Saadiah said:

Yes it now seems like a big mess. Do I need to backup with an immigration in case of issue at port of entry? Also what about their exiting airport that check their stay outside the US before putt8ng them on plane?

It's a big mess because they were green card holders who were not living in the U.S., and blaming it on COVID and other non-issues is ridiculous. This all could have been avoided if you had waited until they were ready to move here before applying for them. Sorry for being blunt, but it's the truth.

 

[Mike E 11,739]

58 minutes ago, manyfudge said:

 

 

@Mike E, are you suggesting that people buy their one way from Doha to JFK after they leave Pakistan?

 

Yes: 

6 hours ago, Mike E said:

book a round trip to Doha, enter Qatar, book a flight to JFK.

Pakistani immigration could determine they have a flight to the U.S. booked. 

6 hours ago, Mike E said:

 

 

52 minutes ago, Saadiah said:

Does UAE follow CBP like Qatar? Asking as with Etihad airlines they will be facing the US immigration in the UAE and not here (Washington DC). Which one is the better option?

Doing pre-clearance in Abu Dhabi is dangerous.

 

Flying to any where but JFK or SFO is dangerous.

 

Entering by land from Mexico is dangerous. 
 

People have at no issues at some land ports from Canada. 

50 minutes ago, Saadiah said:

Would it be possible for them, being Pakistani citizens, to get ticket to travel from Qatar to USA? 

Why not? Qatar is a business? 

33 minutes ago, manyfudge said:

Interesting.  What evidence is there of the war?

CBP’s memo reminding airlines to board LPRs, DoS holding classes in Pakistan that instruct Pakistani in immigration to ignore that memo, and USCIS’s I-134a page wanting LPRs that airlines might require a boarding foil even if they have valid documents for boarding.
 

It’s as if DoS and USCIS want CBP to not control the border.  

[Saadiah 0]

9 hours ago, Mike E said:

Yes: 

Pakistani immigration could determine they have a flight to the U.S. booked. 

 

Doing pre-clearance in Abu Dhabi is dangerous.

 

Flying to any where but JFK or SFO is dangerous.

 

Entering by land from Mexico is dangerous. 
 

People have at no issues at some land ports from Canada. 

Why not? Qatar is a business? 

CBP’s memo reminding airlines to board LPRs, DoS holding classes in Pakistan that instruct Pakistani in immigration to ignore that memo, and USCIS’s I-134a page wanting LPRs that airlines might require a boarding foil even if they have valid documents for boarding.
 

It’s as if DoS and USCIS want CBP to not control the border.  

So you mean it's dangerous to land at Dulles Airport too? Any specific reasons? 

[Verrou 1,962]

42 minutes ago, Saadiah said:

So you mean it's dangerous to land at Dulles Airport too? Any specific reasons? 

because in SFO and JFK u can use mobile passport control kiosk...therefore = NO human interaction with CBP officer. after parents enter USA from overseas, they can travel domestically within US without encounter CBP agent

Edited September 19, 2023 by Verrou

[Demise 1,277]

19 hours ago, Saadiah said:

         My parents had gotten their Green Card through me, at that time my father was almost ending his job in Saudi Arabia so they spent very little time in the US. After that, COVID struck and they couldn't travel to the US. My father tried contacting the US Embassy (now they were in their home country Pakistan) but everything was closed. Once the embassies opened they both visited the US Embassy in Islamabad with their doctor's letter and all proof of previous attempts of correspondence. But the officer denied them entry as they didn't have strong ties with the US. 

         They still have their valid Green Cards. They were asked to re-apply for immigration. We started I-130 and it got approved and now we are asked to submit form I-824 as they are outside the US. Now at this step, we came to know that we received an approval notice for just my father, and upon checking we came to know that we only submitted a single I-130 for my father. 

         Now, before proceeding further I want to make sure we are on the right track and not making any further mistakes. Please guide what should be done.

Thanks 

Have them fly back in, via a third country if necessary, fly to Canada or Mexico and show up at a border crossing if all else fails. CBP can then do one of three things:

1. Admit them as LPRs - they're good to go.

2. Parole them as arriving aliens for removal proceedings - bad, however still acceptable, see below.

3. Pressure them to sign an I-407, for which your parents should refuse until CBP relents and does either of the above.

 

Basically in removal proceedings an LPR can simply re-adjust, since you're a US Citizen the question of whether they abandoned their permanent residency becomes moot since you can just file a new I-130 with USCIS, then I-485 with the court, and have them re-adjust. This will restart all the associated clocks (naturalization, eligibility for waivers or cancellation of removal should they become deportable later) but that's small potatoes.

Edited September 19, 2023 by Demise

[Mike E 11,739]

1 hour ago, Saadiah said:

So you mean it's dangerous to land at Dulles Airport too? Any specific reasons? 

I have know of no success stories for IAD. Nor failures.

 

Whereas there is plenty of data for JFK and SFO.

[Boiler 45,445]

I came across one for Houston.

[manyfudge 285]

2 hours ago, Verrou said:

efore = NO human interaction with CBP officer.

It's not true that there is NO human interaction.  You download the MPC app, and go through and there is minimal interaction with CBP.  Certainly better

than waiting hours in line, being tired and being asked questions by an officer in a booth.  Sometimes the officer just stands at the end of the MPC line and scans,

and waves you through.  

 

Depending on your financial resources, this is what I would do.

1) You buy parents round trip to Qatar - remember that you are NOT using the return portion - so you can make it a 1 week trip or whatever.

2) Book them a refundable hotel reservation in Qatar - remember they are going on vacation.

3) Once they are on that plane to Qatar - have them text you when on plane, you buy them the 1 way ticket to JFK.  Don't risk any other airport.  

4) YOU (I presume you are a US citizen) fly to Qatar to meet them there.

5) YOU return with them to JFK.  You download the MPC too.  And when you walk through the MPC line, you carefully put their passports inside YOUR US passport.

 

Good luck.

 

 

 

[manyfudge 285]

1 hour ago, Boiler said:

Houston

Just saw a failure on VJ last week.  Someone got an NTA through Houston, despite ASKING and ASKING on here and everyone suggesting JFK.

Some kid who'd been out for a while and starting a new job in Houston.

And presumably even worse situation as he has likely aged out of a quick family-based process.

[manyfudge 285]

12 hours ago, Mike E said:

DoS holding classes in Pakistan that instruct Pakistani in immigration to ignore that mem

Where did you see/read/hear this?

[Boiler 45,445]

3 minutes ago, manyfudge said:

Just saw a failure on VJ last week.  Someone got an NTA through Houston, despite ASKING and ASKING on here and everyone suggesting JFK.

Some kid who'd been out for a while and starting a new job in Houston.

And presumably even worse situation as he has likely aged out of a quick family-based process.

I forget where I saw it, I remember thinking there did not seem anybody who could do an immediate I 485.

 

Just confirms that whilst it may be common for their not to be an issue, certainly not a guarantee.

 

I also wondered if it would be practical to take the L and try entering somewhere else?

[manyfudge 285]

2 minutes ago, Boiler said:

L and try entering somewhere else?

What do you mean by that? 

 

As in for that kid who has an NTA soon to leave and re-enter through JFK?