Got my Emergency AP approved today.

M

mygcwaiter100

Registered Users (C)
Hello all,

I got my emergency AP approved today from BCIS local office. They didnt give it to me on the spot but they prepared all the things and put it in the envelope and said it will be out in todays mail.

I was happy until she took the I485 receipt from me thou. Dont know if that is good or bad if I dont have the original receipt (I have a copy thou). I asked her I need that back but she said that AP is the only thing I would need at the POE.

I filled in the AP form gave her 2 pics 110 dollar bank check and she asked for 485 receipt.


Any opnions???
 
Gresat news

I need your help here. What was the reason you gave for the emergency AP? What did the officer ask you ? Pls share this as I am going on Thursday to get an emergency AP

Any advice would be welcome, what papers did you show

Btw how long is the AP valid?

Pls let me know.
 
I've said this before, and will say it again.

If asked for any receipt, produce a photocopy. You can worry about originals only of they insist on it.
 
mygcwaiter100,

Congratulations on the Emergency AP, I wish you hadn't given the orignal 485 receipt though! :(

There is probably no way you can get that back, and can only get a new copy from INS, though it is not that important to have a 485 receipt when you enter the country you never know when someone might ask you to show them the original receipt, e.g. when applying for a new job on EAD, etc.

Regardless have a safe trip!
 
Guys Pls tell me if they took my original 485 receipt. Is that good or bad ? Coz i dont want trouble at the port of entry and make it look like I have adandoned my 485 application.

Now the whole scoop....

I went to local BCIS office very late last friday (2:30PM) they close at 3:00PM. I only had my expired AP, my passport. I had no idea how to even fill the AP form and what documents were needed. so I went totally clueless over there. No excuse prepared no docs.

When my turn came (after 15 mins of wait). I went to the counter and put my passport, expired AP and valid EAD on the counter. IIO asked what is that for. I said I need to travel to my coutry since my grandfather is in ECU and wants to see me (btw my granddaddy died 4 yrs back and i dont wanna kill anyone else in my family.). While I was saying all this i had dull face like someone really died.

I had beard growing for 3 days due to lazyness but guess she thout I am really tensed up. Then she said where is your AP form and pics. I said I dont have that. She gave me the form I filled it then. The time got over as i got there very late plus i didnt have pics with me and the bank check.

So monday morning i reached there about 9:00 and there were already freaking 20 ppl ahead of me....I had to wait 1 hr to get my number.

I went there again same lady came up on the counter and this time i had shaved and was dressed properly.

Me: Good morning.
IIo: Good morning.
Me: I came here very late on friday and couldnt get my AP.
IIO: Yes I know.
Me: How are you doing?
IIO: No response ( must be doing great I think on monday morning)


I put down the entire stack of papers in front of her (AP form, pics, check passport, expired AP)
She took everything but my passport. Wrote something on the AP form and asked for my 485 receipt. I gave the receipt and waited while she was writing something. Then she took my pics and put them on the AP paper and then wrote bunch of stuff and then stamped it. She gave me a envelope and said fill out your address we will post you there. She put the AP in that form. Took my expired AP and shreded it. Then my 485 receipt she attached to the AP application form and kept it.

I asked slowly can i have the receipt pls She said no coz you wont need that I have already attached that to your AP application. I got kinda worried. I said what if at the POE they asked for it. She said they will only ask for AP. Then said thanks for her and left.

She gave me AP till 14 Sept 2004. (I live in east coast).

Now I have mixed feeling I think it all happened good but why the hell she kept my 485 receipt.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
mygcwaiter100,

Technically, it does not mean much if they take your 485 receipt. When you enter the country on AP they don't ask to see your 485!

But taking away of the 485 precludes your ever entering the country on H1 if you ever want to do that! Also, it is always better to have original documents with you.

I truly wish you had taken a few photocopies and handed that over to her instead. But I guess when someone is front of the high priests of INS, it is difficult to think straight. :(

Now what is done is done! I wouldn't spend too much time thinking about it. Talk to your lawyer and it might be possible for him to apply for a duplicate receipt.
 
How long will it take to get the 485 receipt from INS now ?

Is that a big issue? I have just mailed my lawyer.

let say if my wife wants to get her H-4 stamped. Would she have any problems due to this. I am maintaining valid H1 status with AP?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
pceefan,
isn't your AP approved already? didn't you have a plan of walking into the INS office with a photocopy of online approved message to obtain the AP document?
 
nimatramatra01


I did have the plan, executed it but was told to take a walk out of the local SJ office!

Reason given was that the National Service center had not yet closed my case, it's something like a missing person case!

So the office said yes, we know the AP approval has been lost, but the BCIS center says that the post office did not send it back so it is still to be treated as somewhere in trnasit as opposed to lost in transit!

So the only thing my ;awyer suggested was that I apply for anotehr AP at the national service center and then go the local office for a emergency AP.

Phew!
 
a question:- my last AP, EAD etc were all filed at NSC. When I went to SJ local office for iEAD, I was told to apply at NSC 1st and then wait for atleast 9i0 days then come to SJ office. Is this true for AP also? My last AP expired 2 years back. Will there be any problem if I want to renew it?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top