Experience entering

W

wantmygcnow

Volunteer Moderator
I entered through Philadelphia yesterday. I woulnd't label my experience as horrible but it wasn't anything like a walk in the park either. The officer at first drilled me as to "Why I applied for a Travel Document" and insisted that I have a NP. Another officer behind him told him that asylees can't renew NPs. At that point, the officer changed his tune about NP and asked if I renewed it or went back to my COP.

He asked me one million and one ways if I went to COP. Including, do I have any relatives there and where is my family..my parents etc. He asked me How I came to the United States and how long I have been here for. What I did here and what I was doing in Germany.

After he stamped my customs form, we became more cordial and he was telling me stories about when he was at my COP. I asked if about LPR's being FP'd and he said that "The rule in effect is that if we have a question about your identity, we can fp you, however that was always the case, it won't become mandatory until Jan 01, 2007"

Ofcourse he put a identifier on my customs form so I was taken out of the line again and the officer looked at my RTD/GC and asked me the same questions "When was the last time I went to my COP" and then turned to what I was bringing. He asked me "Without going into your pockets, how much money do you think you have?", I told him "1500 dollars" and then he said "Any alcohol or cigarettes?", I said 'No'.

So in summary, I think going to COP & having a NP really matters for IO's. Maybe having a RTD was a red flag, maybe it wasn't. I do not know. Maybe having a NP would've made my expereience better but maybe not?

This is not to scare anyone but it is a big deal for IO's if you renew your NP or visit your cop. I think it also depends on the officer because one said it was ok and one corrected him.
 
wantmygcnow said:
I entered through Philadelphia yesterday. I woulnd't label my experience as horrible but it wasn't anything like a walk in the park either. The officer at first drilled me as to "Why I applied for a Travel Document" and insisted that I have a NP. Another officer behind him told him that asylees can't renew NPs. At that point, the officer changed his tune about NP and asked if I renewed it or went back to my COP.

He asked me one million and one ways if I went to COP. Including, do I have any relatives there and where is my family..my parents etc. He asked me How I came to the United States and how long I have been here for. What I did here and what I was doing in Germany.

After he stamped my customs form, we became more cordial and he was telling me stories about when he was at my COP. I asked if about LPR's being FP'd and he said that "The rule in effect is that if we have a question about your identity, we can fp you, however that was always the case, it won't become mandatory until Jan 01, 2007"

Ofcourse he put a identifier on my customs form so I was taken out of the line again and the officer looked at my RTD/GC and asked me the same questions "When was the last time I went to my COP" and then turned to what I was bringing. He asked me "Without going into your pockets, how much money do you think you have?", I told him "1500 dollars" and then he said "Any alcohol or cigarettes?", I said 'No'.

So in summary, I think going to COP & having a NP really matters for IO's. Maybe having a RTD was a red flag, maybe it wasn't. I do not know. Maybe having a NP would've made my expereience better but maybe not?

This is not to scare anyone but it is a big deal for IO's if you renew your NP or visit your cop. I think it also depends on the officer because one said it was ok and one corrected him.
Click to expand...

I wonder if my experience is going to be any similar to yours. I am going to Austria with a Shengen visa in my RTD and GC. I have a national passport which I obtained when I was here on a F-1. I got my asylum via I-730 as a derivative asylee and then NPT since when I adjusted I was over 21. So I am wondering if I am going to be asked the same questions... We will see...
 
wantmygcnow said:
I entered through Philadelphia yesterday. I woulnd't label my experience as horrible but it wasn't anything like a walk in the park either. The officer at first drilled me as to "Why I applied for a Travel Document" and insisted that I have a NP. Another officer behind him told him that asylees can't renew NPs. At that point, the officer changed his tune about NP and asked if I renewed it or went back to my COP.

He asked me one million and one ways if I went to COP. Including, do I have any relatives there and where is my family..my parents etc. He asked me How I came to the United States and how long I have been here for. What I did here and what I was doing in Germany.

After he stamped my customs form, we became more cordial and he was telling me stories about when he was at my COP. I asked if about LPR's being FP'd and he said that "The rule in effect is that if we have a question about your identity, we can fp you, however that was always the case, it won't become mandatory until Jan 01, 2007"

Ofcourse he put a identifier on my customs form so I was taken out of the line again and the officer looked at my RTD/GC and asked me the same questions "When was the last time I went to my COP" and then turned to what I was bringing. He asked me "Without going into your pockets, how much money do you think you have?", I told him "1500 dollars" and then he said "Any alcohol or cigarettes?", I said 'No'.

So in summary, I think going to COP & having a NP really matters for IO's. Maybe having a RTD was a red flag, maybe it wasn't. I do not know. Maybe having a NP would've made my expereience better but maybe not?

This is not to scare anyone but it is a big deal for IO's if you renew your NP or visit your cop. I think it also depends on the officer because one said it was ok and one corrected him.
Click to expand...

Good to have you back.
Going through all these steps is like operation procedure (even harder).
They are probably feeling good about this matter since every one of their employees (I/O) are telling customers (us) (travelers) something different and since they have the power the scare the s**t out of us every time they will keep doing it. Even when you are not in trouble since you are not out of the airport, you feel kind of something is going to happen anyway.
The way they approach to the problem, in 5 years from now they would ask you to go to some rooms and take all your cloths off and walk 1 miles nude and then they will give them back to you when your plan is departing.

I am sorry for your experience and sorry for myself because in the next three weeks, all I am going to deal with is the same kind of experience.

WANT, I always asked you this question. I am asking you again since my stomack got some butterflies and they are running around.
I have one more year to apply for the Citizenship, to bring my wife here do I have to do anything special? Like for instance how long would it take to her to come here? Do you know anything about the procedure. Please advice me.

Thanks man.

Nas
 
and germany entrance

hi there :)

I should be going to Berlin for a few days next month. would you describe how easy/hard your entry to G was, any better with a GC then without? any and all info is appreciated.
thanks
ian
 
Nas,

Well I just posted this experience because I think lot of people have the misconception that after having a GC, you are free to go to your COP. It really depends on the officer what he makes of it.

When you become a USC, it will take 6 months to get your wife in. Now they have started a new process where they do a background check on the principal. So they will do a background check on you to make sur eyou are not a criminal. Lots of USC would sponsor and then abuse their "wives" when they were in U.S. So now they will check your criminal history..

REad this:

http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/publicaffairs/statements/IMBRA_061306PN.pdf
 
ianyu said:
hi there :)

I should be going to Berlin for a few days next month. would you describe how easy/hard your entry to G was, any better with a GC then without? any and all info is appreciated.
thanks
ian
Click to expand...

German Police do not care about Green Cards. When I entered Frankfurt, he took my passport, flipped through the visa pages and asked me If I had been in Germany before, I said Yes 10 times at least..last time being last december. He then asked for the reason for my visit. I pulled out my GC and I said "I have a GC also"..to which he said "I dont need it" and stamped it.
 
This does not seem like too smooth for a GC holder. Sometimes it feels like you cannot win. If you have passport you would be in trouble and if you don't then again problem. I think it wouldn't go away until you become a citizen (maybe by then they would have two citizenship lines: line1: born citizens , line2: naturalized citizens.... :D

whole immigration thing is becoming a bitch in this country..... :mad:
 
Lazerthegreat
Sometimes it feels like you cannot win. If you have passport you would be in trouble and if you don't then again problem.
To me it looks like they are creating an incentive for GC holders though asylum to apply for citizenship. :D
 
Folks,
Now I have a question for you about my situation and I am hoping someone could give some advice. I was a derivative asylee and because a principal asylee through the NPT process. I have my green card and will travel to Austria (not my COP) for a visit. Do you think they will question me the same way they question principal asylees upon return to the US?
 
Morning said:
Lazerthegreat
Sometimes it feels like you cannot win. If you have passport you would be in trouble and if you don't then again problem.
To me it looks like they are creating an incentive for GC holders though asylum to apply for citizenship. :D
Click to expand...


I don't think that having a RTD without a passport will create any kind of problem with immigration. Of course there are some officers (a lot of officers) who don't know what they are doing and ask wrong questions. The bottom line is: Use RTD only, try not to renew NP and if you did do not show it to immigration.
 
Well, I've returned two weeks ago from England. I had no problems whatsoever: no provocative questions asked, no suspicious looks, just "Welcome back..." - this paradise called JFK airport:) Well, the only thing instead "Asylum status granted ..." IO stamped my I-94 with "Admitted as a refugee...". He told me he couldn't find the right stamp?! In a 15 min of search he found the right one and just stamped on a top of other one.
 
Dude,

I somehow believe it is only because you are a derivative...

I entered JFK from England with GC and the guy looked at me and asked several questions with poker face:

"Did you renewed your NP?"

"Did you go to COP?"

"Did you vote in any local or federal election?"

After I said all "no", he smiled and said "welcome back...."
 
"I somehow believe it is only because you are a derivative..." - I'm not quite sure about that; I don't recall any specific notes in my RTD stating that I'm derivative.
 
opinion said:
"I somehow believe it is only because you are a derivative..." - I'm not quite sure about that; I don't recall any specific notes in my RTD stating that I'm derivative.
Click to expand...

But didn't they swipe your RTD? I couldn't see what is pop up in their screen but at least I was tricked by that guy.
 
When I returned in May at JFK they swiped my card as well. I was also questioned about renewing the NP and visiting the COP. IO was pretty knowledged about this subject.
 
My exp

I just came back from COP with renewed NP and GC. No problem at all. the IO just asked me 3 questions:" Where did you go? How long did you go? What's your purpose of the trip?"

I answered all his questions in truth and he let me go.

Here is my situation: 1: I renewed my NP after GC since I also got my Canadian GC approved, and I can only use NP for landing.
2: The reason I went back to COP is because of family emergency.

I hope I won't have any trouble when I travel again. In my opinion, when a GC holder tries to go back to COP, to have a RP handy is safer. Because, when you apply RP, you will tell USCIS that you plan to go back to COP because of ****** and if you got your RP approved it also means USCIS pre-approves your trip to COP. In my case, I went back to COP without RP is because I really CAN'T WAIT because of family emergency.
 
surprise77 said:
I just came back from COP with renewed NP and GC. No problem at all. the IO just asked me 3 questions:" Where did you go? How long did you go? What's your purpose of the trip?"

I answered all his questions in truth and he let me go.

Here is my situation: 1: I renewed my NP after GC since I also got my Canadian GC approved, and I can only use NP for landing.
2: The reason I went back to COP is because of family emergency.

I hope I won't have any trouble when I travel again. In my opinion, when a GC holder tries to go back to COP, to have a RP handy is safer. Because, when you apply RP, you will tell USCIS that you plan to go back to COP because of ****** and if you got your RP approved it also means USCIS pre-approves your trip to COP. In my case, I went back to COP without RP is because I really CAN'T WAIT because of family emergency.
Click to expand...

What was your point of entry?
 
Today I called to line 1800 costumer service and asked talk to an IO. He told me there is not problem to come back to COP by using NP, and told me I can renevew my NP when I need.The same thing told me an IO last week when I got an infopass appointment.

Asylum granted: 11/01
I-485 sent: 12/02
Bio: 10/05
GC aproved:01/06 :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top