Need help, special registration and AP

M

maliki

Registered Users (C)
Hello All,

I am planning to leave US from San Francisco next week and am subject to special registration (done at SJ begining of this year) so have to report to the INS designated port of departure. I plan to use AP for re-entry. I would appreciate any info on what to take and what kind of questions can I expect. I would appreicate it if somebody who has done this in the past can help me out

Thanks
maliki
 
Maliki,
You have to go to the SFO international arrival terminal for departure registration.Call before you go to find out their hours. My flight was too early, so I coudn't register at SFO . I think their office is open from 8am .I ended up registering at LA airport. Fortunately I had a 2 hour wait at LA . The officer took pictures and fingerprint and stamped the passport.
Take your AP,EAD and other supporting documents. I recommend arrive at least 2-3 hours early to get the registration done.
I reentered using AP last week without any problem except the officer at LA POE was very rude and asked too many unneccesary questions. Anyways you should be fine just make sure that you have all your documents with you.Hope this helps.
 
Thanks Gc_hopefully

Thanks for your response. I found out that SFO office is open till midnight so it should be ok. I was wondering if the LA office checked the advanced parole while you were leaving
 
If you have AP, you MAY NOT need to register at the port of entry. I return from Bangladesh on Jan 20, 2003 and that time they just added Bangladesh to registry list. But I did not have to register at the port of entry. But they may have changed the rule. Make sure you talk to your lawyer about this.

I had the following documents with me:
1. Letter from my manager
2. My own and my manager's bussiness card
3. My lawyers' contact
4. My work batch
 
Maliki

Yes, LA INSAPSS office did check my passport, AP and EAD for departure registration.Have all the documents ready but they might or might not ask for it as it depends on the officer.
You have to go through the departure registration even though you will be coming back using AP.
After you come back this time using AP then you don't have to go for special registration again as you are paroled in the country not admittted.
 
My AP and SR experience

Hi All,

First of all thanks to Ray S. and Priya for their help. I picked up Vancouver Airport based on Ray. S post in the forum

Here is the experience:

Travel from Sanfrancisco to YVR (Vancouver)

- I am a Special Registrant with US
- Went to Air Canada checkin counter
- Lady said , she needs my I-94 as I am a special registrant
(surprise to me ! )
- I said I dont wana give and want to use Automatic revalidation,
Airline lady told me to go to INS office and take their advise
- I reported to INS office for EXIT registration . Officer told me to give my I-94 card to Airline before leaving so I gave my I94 to
Air canada

- I was given Custom declaration and SARS form in plane
- After landing at YVR , I went to Resident line

Following questions were asked:

- Landed Immigrant?
Yes

- Are you coming back from USA?
Yes.

- Did you go to any other country ?
No

- Did you buy anything and what are you carrying?
Nothing. Just my laptop

- Did you buy your computer from Canada?
Yes.

- He stamped my custom declaration and asked me to go
ahead

hardly one-min to get cleared. Canadian officer didn't look into passport


- I filed my application next day

While coming back to USA

- A very very big queue at US immigration
- I went to US immigration counter
- I showed him my Advance Parole , officer asked me to go to Secondary inspection to process the parole.
- I told officer , I ALSO HAVE H1B approval and since I came just one day back , I want to use automatic revalidation

- Officer replied . No , You travelled on 512 , can't use your H1

- I didn't understand what exactly he said. But I just proceeded for secondary inspection.

- I gave my AP to secondary inspector and told him , Sir ! I have a question ?

- He said , Yes?
- I showed him my H1B extension approval and requested him to use H1 and automatic revalidation and issue me a new I94 as I have surrendered old one at SFO airport.

- He said, No you have AP , you can't use your H1, we have given you AP to use it as you have a pending 485.

- Another surprise to me!!! (I knew he is incorrect).

- I told him , I am also a NSEER registrant and wanna do my Special registration , as I am obligated to do it volunteerily at every ENTRANCE/EXIT . He said , AP is exempted . I told him but I already have a FIN# and I registeretd already so I am obligated. He called the immmigration supervisor to take his advise. Supervisor came and said , we are now exempting APs and you shouldn't register. He also added , should someone enter on H1 , he should must register on both entry and exit, and only APs, GCs and citizens are exempted.

- Then officer processed my AP and gave me a I94 with one-year validity

- Then officer asked , well I am curious why you want to use your H1 and not AP?? (he was now very polite).

- I told him , Sir , my attorney told me that in case 485 is refused , H1 is always a backup for me :) .

- He said , why do I feel my 485 will be refused? He said , dont listen to your attorney , attorney wants your money and we want you people.

(Well, i was sad . Officer didn't allow me to use 30 days revalidation as my H1 stamp was expired).

- Finally officer told me , if I travel to Canada again. I need to posses a Valid AP and I shouldn't give my I94 to airline or INS in USA when exiting . While going back from Canada , I can just showup my I94 to immigration officer and I need not to go through secondary inspection again.

Auto-matic revalidation didn't work for me.

hope my experience is useful for someone

thx
khi_boy
 
Thanks gc_hopefully and khi boy

Thanks gc_hopefully and khi boy for sharing your experience

rgds
Maliki
 
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