PORT of ENTRY- AP EXPERIENCES


sanath_UK

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Hello,

I know an Advaced parole is an Advanced parole all the time.

But, There has been lot of EAD and AP approvals recently and we plan to India for a long-awaited vacation after receiving them. If anybody who was postponing their trip due to VISA expiry(& fear of H1B stamping) DID used this AP document to re-enter the U.S with out the need of a H1 visa, recently may be in the last 2-3 months, Please post your PORT OF ENTRY EXPERIENCES here. Others, thank you for reading this. I know using AP at the port of entry FOR the FIRST time would be little scary. I am planning a trip...thats why this POST. Thanks again.

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At most PoEs, when entering on AP, you would do the following:

1. Go to the Citizens/PR line

2. Show ur AP documents

3. You would be taken for a secondary inspection by the immigration officer after ur fingerprints are taken. No need to panic here, it happens to almost everybody entering on AP.

4. Depending on the lines at the secondary inspection area, it may take anywhere between 15 to 45 minutes for you get ur passport back with the I94. I entered on AP twice at newark, NJ. Once it took me < 10 minutes and another time, it took me more than 30 minutes. Usually if there is no problem with ur admissibility, there would be no questions.

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After I got down from air plane, I stood in line. Initial officer took my finger prints and send me to secondary inspection room. There were 5-8 cases ahead of me with different visa scenarios.

My name was called and went in room. The officer asked basic questions like employer, duration of trip. He then stamped my I94 and let me in.

The basic difference is in visa/green card, after finger printing officer stamps I94 and person goes to collect luggage, but in AP there is additional inspection in separate area. Depends on how many cases ahead of you, be prepared to spending extra time in que. Hope this helps.

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Entry with AP is nothing to worry about. Yes it might require you to go to secondary inspection/interview but thats usually to check all the paperwork is in order or if you have overstayed earlier or if you have been arrested or other scenarios. If you have maintained your status continuously earlier you should be fine.

My own experience, my wife and I had to travel separately on our way back to the US. my wife was not even asked to go thru to the secondary immi screening. I, on the other hand had to spend an hour waiting for my turn with the officer. my case did not have any issues, the lady in front of me in the line at the secondary inspection had overstayed earlier and she was being deported back. It took the officer just 5 mins with me, regular Q&A, stamped my i94. I was on my way.

Hope this helps

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I have been on AP for four years and travel about 5-7 times a year. There is nothing to be worried about. Initial inspection, depending on which line is shorter (citizen or visitors), secondary inspection - Wait time 10mns to 2 hrs. Name will be called - 50% of the time no questions. Most common questions - Mothers maiden name, fathers name, SSN, employer name, what do you do for a living. Sometimes i have talked my way into getting in front of the line. My argument is that i am pending 485 and travel on business and have a connecting flight. Works 50% of the time, depending on situation.

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Can you take the Citizens/PR line if you have AP!!?? I didn't know that. Could some one please confirm. Thank you.

Visitor's line. BTW there is no such Citizens/PR line. US Citizen's have different line, Green Card holders have different line and then there are visitors line. There is a officer standing at entry of each of these lines, who will also tell you to go to visitors line if you have AP.

Yes what I have seen previously is when Citizens line have lesser people waiting and visitors line grow too much then they send people from visitors line to Citizens immigration counter.

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Visitor's line. BTW there is no such Citizens/PR line. US Citizen's have different line, Green Card holders have different line and then there are visitors line. There is a officer standing at entry of each of these lines, who will also tell you to go to visitors line if you have AP.

Yes what I have seen previously is when Citizens line have lesser people waiting and visitors line grow too much then they send people from visitors line to Citizens immigration counter.

Atleast in San Francisco airport there is no separate line for Citizens and PRs. It is one line for the citizens and PR and then the other line is for visitors. But I am not sure whether AP holders go to citizen/PR line. When I was traveling with AP, I went to visitor line.

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  • 2 weeks later...

One more question: I am using my advanced parole\EAD combo card to travel and my H1B stamping is expired on my passport. So, while going to India from the US, Do I need to get a transit visa of the country where my flight will be landing for a stopover? Like France, Germany etc..

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One more question: I am using my advanced parole\EAD combo card to travel and my H1B stamping is expired on my passport. So, while going to India from the US, Do I need to get a transit visa of the country where my flight will be landing for a stopover? Like France, Germany etc..

Advance Parole is NOT a valid US visa and hence you will require the transit visa for many European countries. You will find some online discussions about this stating some consulates are recognizing the AP as visa whereas some do not. I wouldn't risk it. So better travel from middle east, or Swiss. For Indian citizens, transiting through Swiss do not need the transit visa.

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