Advance of Parole: how long does it take?

[greedy 0]

Hi!

We applied for a K1 visa and are still waiting for NOA2 (witch is scheduled on January 15 2008) but I have a question:

As soon as I get the fiancée visa (it might be in March) I will travel to the US and get married as soon as possible to start the AOS.

We plan to organize a religious wedding in South of France on July 05 2008 because part of my family lives there. Do you think it will be too short to get the Advance of parole before beginning of July?

How long does it take to get that paper?

Many thanks to share your experience with me!

Stéphanie

[Kez/JWolf 6]

It can take 90+ days to get AP once you have filed for AOS.... it can also be delayed if you are sent a RFE... as you do not yet know when you will be entering the US and getting married and then of course filling for AOS you maybe would be better to plan your trip to France for your Wedding service later in the year.... or book thing provisionally so that if you need to change dates you will not lose out....

Kez

[greedy 0]

It can take 90+ days to get AP once you have filed for AOS.... it can also be delayed if you are sent a RFE... as you do not yet know when you will be entering the US and getting married and then of course filling for AOS you maybe would be better to plan your trip to France for your Wedding service later in the year.... or book thing provisionally so that if you need to change dates you will not lose out....

Kez

Thanks a lot for the advise!

[greedy 0]

It can take 90+ days to get AP once you have filed for AOS.... it can also be delayed if you are sent a RFE... as you do not yet know when you will be entering the US and getting married and then of course filling for AOS you maybe would be better to plan your trip to France for your Wedding service later in the year.... or book thing provisionally so that if you need to change dates you will not lose out....

Kez

Thanks a lot for the advise!

Me again!

I still have a question:

It is technically possible to leave the US without the AP in hand and re enter in the US once I receive it by express courrier from anyone who has access to our mailbox?

Or do I have to leave the US with the documents in hands because at one point they are stamped or wathever and at the POE they will need to see the stamps or something else on it?

Many thanks for to help me!

Stéphanie

[chris4336 3]

If you leave the US without AP approved you are considered to have abandoned your AOS application, and you will not be allowed back in even if somone brings it to you. The K1 visa can only be used once, so you wont be able to use that either.

Good luck

Christina

[Mags 112]

Moving to the forum that covers AP...

[Empress of Groovy 373]

In practical terms, it's entirely possible that you could leave the U.S. before you have the AP in hand, have someone send it to you overseas, and then re-enter the U.S. with it, and no one would be the wiser. This question has been raised more than a few times in various threads. The real question is whether it's worth the risk. I'm not sure about other airports, but in Phoenix and Newark, no one from immigration checks passports or documents on departure. And although this has never happened to my husband, it's possible that upon re-entry, the agent might ask how long you'd been away or ask to see documentation, and thus figure out from the date on the AP that you'd left before you had the document in hand. I do think this is unlikely, especially at the busier airports, but you never know.

To answer your question, you don't get anything stamped until you re-enter; there is no preliminary stamp on the way out. That said, I'd be pretty nervous about doing it that way. What if the AP arrived later than you expected, or got lost on its way to you?

I agree with Kez that being flexible w/ your wedding service plans is a good idea. The timeline you describe may be cutting it close, and any number of things can hold up an application. The entire process is pretty stressful. I know it's a drag to be a slave to your K-1/AOS applications, but save yourself the anxiety and wait for the AP.