EXTREMELY URGENT - Traveling on AP - PLEASE HELP

M

mavishka

Registered Users (C)
My father passed away on 3/29/03. I'm planning to leave for Mumbai, India on 4/4/03. I have a valid AP. I'm planning to fly British Airways. Do I need a transit visa to go via Heathrow?

Also, people who have travelled to India and back recently, could you kindly tell me your experience at POE. What are the documents that I need to carry?

I'm planning to carry my original passport, a copy of the 485 Receipt Notice, Original Advance Parole document (3 nos.), copies of my previous non-immigrant (H) approval notices, original EAD card, and an employment letter. BTW, I'm a derivative applicant and I'll be traveling alone.

Would appreciate your prompt input. Thanks in advance.
 
No problem whatsoever

Hi,

Sorry to hear about your father. God Bless.

My wife travelled on AP in October and returned back on Dec25. I don't know of any new rules since than but it's always better to check.

It's a little different routine check for AP than for H1b/H4's but there were no major problems for her.

Good Luck
Deepesh J
 
Returned yesterday

Hello Mavishka,

Sorry to hear about your father.

My husband and I returned yesterday from London. As far as I could tell no transit visa is necessary for UK.

We entered the US on 3/30 at Houston. The Officer was really nice. No questions. We gave her our passports and AP (all three copies). She verified that they were valid for Multiple entry and not expired and then stamped a copy and our I-94. She said she had to keep all extra copies and returned only 1 copy to us. (Last year, I had travelled twice on my AP and they basically only annotate one copy, marking each trip on the same AP document - so I know having only one document is no big deal)

No questions about employment, who the primary was, our 485 application. Why we lived in Hosuton, but our application was at Vermont, etc...The whole process took maybe 5 minutes.

Don't worry. You should be fine.
 
Thank you very much for your prompt replies. Would appreciate more such experiences from other people out there.
 
Advance Parole is the way to go

Sorry to hear about your father. May his soul rest in peace.
Last year I travelled along with wife on AP. While coming back it was absolutely peaceful. I would say that travelling on AP is more safer than H1 visa if you have been in status throughout your presence in USA. It's definitely a good idea to keep the docs you mentioned but in reality you just need your APs and valid passport. That's what was checked in our case. I travelled out of Mumbai and good thing is the folks in Mumbai are very much familiar with AP.
So don't worry at all.
Take care.
 
Sorry to hear about your father's demise.

It's sufficient to carry all the documents mentioned by you. You dont need transit visa since you will be in the airport only.

Also, when i travelled on AP, the officer took one, stamped it and the passport and returned it.
 
above docs are fine. Keep some photocopies of your AP . YOu might have to give one at airlines counter in india and if u have a copy the officer at POE will keep the copy and return you all the originals. Do not give the any original to any airlines counter.I used AP recetnly when i flew in from Delhi to LAX.

Sorry about ur Dad.
 
Mavishka & Rgg

Rgg, it may be different if you were actually visiting UK and had a valid UK (or EU) visa -- in which case you will not need a transit visa. You haven't stated that clearly.
Mavishka, if I were you, I would just call/email the UK consulates here and in India. I had the surprise of receiving conflicting stories from NY consul and Chennai consul regarding transit visa for Germany. I went ahead and got it anyhow.

Originally posted by rggcard
Hello Mavishka,

Sorry to hear about your father.

My husband and I returned yesterday from London. As far as I could tell no transit visa is necessary for UK.

We entered the US on 3/30 at Houston. The Officer was really nice. No questions. We gave her our passports and AP (all three copies). She verified that they were valid for Multiple entry and not expired and then stamped a copy and our I-94. She said she had to keep all extra copies and returned only 1 copy to us. (Last year, I had travelled twice on my AP and they basically only annotate one copy, marking each trip on the same AP document - so I know having only one document is no big deal)

No questions about employment, who the primary was, our 485 application. Why we lived in Hosuton, but our application was at Vermont, etc...The whole process took maybe 5 minutes.

Don't worry. You should be fine.
Click to expand...
 
WheresMahGreen:

Thanks for your response. Here's what British Airways (via email) had to say:

If you stay within the airport terminal, please be informed that you would not require a transit visa at London Heathrow during your trip to Mumbai.

Thank you for contacting us.

Manish
British Airways

Next time you have a question, simply go to http://www.ba.com/askba
 
Mavishka,

Sorry to hear about your Father. May his soul rest in peace and May GOD give you strength to bear this loss.

My parents and we travelled most of the time with British Airways from Boston to Delhi via Heathrow, London. I think, and as you confirmed from British Airways, you don't require a transit visa unless you are going out of the Airport. The documents you have mentioned are more than enough and the employment letter will help (just in case). You can also keep the print out of the email from British Airways.
 
Mavishka

Cool. Just confirm with the UK consulate also...Manish could just as easily claim ignorance.
Also, I should have done this earlier, but please accept my condolences


Originally posted by mavishka
WheresMahGreen:

Thanks for your response. Here's what British Airways (via email) had to say:

If you stay within the airport terminal, please be informed that you would not require a transit visa at London Heathrow during your trip to Mumbai.

Thank you for contacting us.

Manish
British Airways

Next time you have a question, simply go to http://www.ba.com/askba
Click to expand...
 
Mavishka:

Sorry to hear about your Father.

We (me and my wife) travelled to India couple of times on Parole (recent one was in Dec2002)... at POE the guy just asked us for parole paper and passport then sent us to some room. we had to wait their for 5-10 mins , they put the arriaval stamp thats it ... collected the stuff and we out from there...


so basically there wont be any problem travelling on AP.

and you dont need any transit visa in Heathrow... cause when we got out the plane ... the guy gave us some card .. it says Transit Visa (I asked him whethere I can go out of the Airport ... they said yes) ... and we gave them back before we got in to the plane ...
 
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