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VJ:
I don\'t know who told you that the New Orleans office only does emergency APs. Their web-site says nothing of the sort. You can check for yourself at:
http://www.ins.gov/graphics/fieldoffices/neworleans/ABOUTUS.HTM#anchor155614
Here is an excerpt from the above web-page:
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Advance Parole:
For certain non-citizens already in the United States wishing or needing to travel abroad prior to the final adjudication of a particular immigration petition, advanced permission is needed to ensure that they will be permitted to return to the United States. This permission may be granted at the discretion of the District Director. This permission should be sought by, but not limited to, asylees, parolees, people with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), certain intending immigrants with an Adjustment of Status (INS Form I-485) applications filed and pending with INS and some others already in the U.S.
Filing Instructions: To apply for Advance Parole, please submit INS Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, addressed U.S. Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Room T8001, New Orleans, LA 70113. We need this information at least 30 days before you intend to travel. For information on emergency travel authorization, please contact an Information Officer at 1-800-375-5283 from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Friday.
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As you can see, they accept applications for both regular and emergency APs. What is surprising though is that they say that you should apply 30 days before intended date of travel where as the web-page for the Philadelphia office (which is where I applied) says 7 days. Maybe they are much busier in New Orleans. Or they just say that, but process the paperwork much faster. Maybe you should go and talk to them again. And while you are there, you can also find out if your grand-mother is considered a blood relative and if you can qualify for an emergency AP on that basis.
Best of luck.
Amar