Refuge Travel Document

O

OleksiiNovikov

Registered Users (C)
Hi my name is Oleksii. My wife got Asylum status 2 month ago here in the US.Originally we are from Ukraine. One month ago she left US to Russia,Moscow due to medical conditions and she did not apply for Travel Document before she left because we innocently did not know about and did not understand requirements. I told it to our lawyer and she said we should apply before she left, but we really did not know about.Customs employers did not say about when she was leaving from the airport.But only reason she left because she had some heart and kidney problems and she did not have any medical insurance and lost her job,so we decided she can go to Russia because she is russian language speaker and medical treatment there is not expansive, because here it would cost us thousands of dollars, we do not have so much money .Now she is Moscow finishing her treatment.She has medical reports from doctors that she is really there on medical treatment. Question is, can she come back with no Travel Document due to this situation. Lawyer says that she has to apply for this document while abroad but it takes time and she is almost finished and ready to return.What are options in this situation?Thanks.
 
Sorry to hear about your wife's medical conditions, wishing her the best. She will have to apply for a RTD and receive it before she can get back to the US. She can apply from abroad and on the form I 131, she will have to check the box that says she wants the documents delivered in an overseas address (US embassy/consulate in Moscow). Keep in mind that it might take a longer period before she get’s approved, but since she had an emergent medical condition and has papers to back that up, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try to expedite it.
 
I don't know how this works. She has to contact CIS or the embassy in Moscow as fingerprinting is required. She might be deemed to have abandoned her status since she left without an RTD.
 
Yes she is already fingerprinted in Moscow and we are going to apply for RTD abroad to Italy office and submit application with fingerprints,because Moscow does not issue RTD,only Rome,Italy can do that. And I figured out that some people left US as asylee with no RTD because they innocently did not know requirements like we did, US custom does not control leaving process from airports and I think it should be considered as a reason why she did not apply for RTD before she left.And I wonder if her medical reason and innocent ignorance of requirements are going to satisfy the director of USCIS in Italy who is going to make a decision for issuance RTD? Also I have heard that some people have returned to the US in the same situation with no RTD just had hard examination in port of entry,they only made sure airlines can let them fly to the US with no RTD,just passport and white(asylum) card.Is it possible?
 
Never heard that you can fly back to the US just with a white asylum card,sounds unrealistic to me.Concerning issuring TRD,a friend of mine flew to Ghana and her RTD expired while she was in Ghana,she had to reapply for a new RTD.It took so long because she had to be fingerprinted at the US embassy in Accra and the results sent to italy to be proceessed.Bottom line,he finally recieved his RTD after a very long wait.BTW,her RTD was expired just for 2 days prior to her return,she showed up at the airport,but was not allowed to travel.
 
Hmm, interesting. Good to know this can be done abroad. The white card could be the I94 with the stamp stating that asylum is granted indefinitely?
 
yes,I the white card referenced above should be the I-94,I seriously doubt that can be used to travel back to the US.
 
So what do you think the procedure is?If for some reason RTD is not going to be issued (I hope it is going to be issued because documented reasons) and she is staying in neutral country(Russia) and cannot come back to Ukraine because of fear of past prosecution, somehow she has to get back.And all conditions apply she did not travel to her country and innocently did not know about RTD,and reason traveling to Russia is medical reason.She just got asylum status 2 month ago and it is obvious that she could know about procedure for RTD. What she has to do?
 
No I think transportation letters are only for permanent residents. The CIS office in Italy may well be able to issue her something. Let us know what happens.
 
I don't think she qualifies for a boarding letter.I think her best short is to apply right away for a RTD,or contact a lawyer.
 
It is of critical importance to file the I-131 before the filing window closes AND submit the correct fee in an acceptable payment form.

SEE: http://www.uscis.gov/err/I2 - Appli...ecisions_Issued_in_2009/Aug102009_01I2223.pdf (Final AAO Decision in this case.)

http://www.uscis.gov/err/I2 - Appli...ecisions_Issued_in_2009/Mar042009_01I2223.pdf (same case, earlier AAO Decision)

A different case: http://www.uscis.gov/err/I2 - Appli...ecisions_Issued_in_2009/Feb242009_02I2223.pdf (This one deals with abandonment of status and fraud.)
 
You mean before the filling window closes is no later than one year after departure?
I am just worried the situation that all her medical documents and statements of explaining this situation are going to satisfy the director of USCIS in Italy and he is going to give her permission for getting RTD abroad.Yes and we want to do that right way,that is why I contacted our Immigration lawyer and she is going to apply for my wife for RTD from US to Italy office, because we do not want make mistakes anymore. I hope everything is going to go smoothly.Thanks everyone.
 
Does anyone know if expedite how long it takes to get TRD abroad?
I doubt if anyone can guess.Normally,you expedite a RTD to travel abroad,now you want to expedite it to return to the US.Having said that,a regular expedited request,if granted takes an average of 4 weeks.
 
Hey Oleksii, how is it going? I am curious to know what the immigration people in Rome had to say about your wife's case? Any luck?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top