The complete story of the AP...

T

thot

Registered Users (C)
Here is the complete story of our nightmare:

(dates are important)

Ok, this AP should have been issued at least the 1st of December, but we are still waiting for it.

We have tickets to go back to France tomorrow, we bought those tickets as part of a round trip, which is compulsory as you know when you want to come to the US.
These tickets are valid until 10th of January.

Last thursday, 12/12/02 we called the INS, and a gentle officer told us that we should not have bought those tickets.
We explained gently why it was so.
He told us he would do something.

Friday 12/13/02, a polite officer - after saying we should not have bought the tickets - told us that the case has been asigned to an officer as of 12/12/02. So we felt more confident.

Monday 12/16/02, another officer - asking why bought these tickets - told us that the case was assigned as of 12/16/02. We began to feel less confident about the process...

Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday: different officers told us the same damn things about the tickets and told us more or less politely to wait more.
Some of them promised to help us and to transmit our thought to the officer in charge of the case.

And today... a new one announced us that the case was not assigned at all.
And was pretty assured that our matter was the concern of the airplane company, and not the INS.
To finish this nightmare, he cut the communication while we were trying to get more information...

As of tonight, we manage to open the tickets until next week. But since everyday the officers give us a new version, what can be trusted?
Is there really someone who is looking at this case?

We asked our attorney if we can go to the INS in SF (where we are assigned), and he told us that the case is handled in Laguna Niguel in Orange County, and that the SF office cannot deliver us this permit.

Ok, nobody is dead, but it is really a pain not to be able to have this vacations with our familly. I am loosing one week of vacation, $125 to move the tickets, and who knows when we will be able to come back...

Any advice is very very very welcome.

And happy christmas for all of you.

To be continued...
 
I dont understand why you did not try in the nearest INS office or district office? Say you have to visit somebody instead of talking about vacation. As the word suggests it is parole- which means relief to take care of urgent business, not a leisure travel...
You should have taken this calling INS thing 20 days ago...

If you have the attitude that you are entitled to get an AP for your vacation, then you should take steps to get AP. INS is not a credit card company which will consider your calling frequently as a sign of losing a customer and will become more eager to serve you. My opinion is that you are spoiling your chances by calling INS daily (every call is recorded in your file)...
 
Several details that I should give:

1) INS officers told us to call back in order to inquire about what is going on. Our lawyer too told us to call back and insist.

2) We did not mention the word vacation in our calls. We said that we were about to loose the tickets to see our family.

3) Our lawyer discouraged us from trying in the local district office, which is San Francisco for Berkeley.
They do not deliver travel permit, unless it is in emergency (in case of urgent pb, with certificates, etc...).

Why would it be a pb to inquire about a status when it concerns loss of money and time, and when it is done politely?
Except the last two officers, the previous ones were helpful.

And we do not consider the INS as a "credit card company"...
 
Always apply AP and EAD 4 months advance, many don’t care to apply in advance and even I have seen the cases that they don’t extend H4 visa for spouse on time, they suffer like you, it is INS and I don’t think that any friend can help you to expedite your AP case ,talk to lawyer and wait for AP.
 
thot, do try going to your local INS even though they try to discourage you from doing so. I got my AP on a walk-in basis from my local INS (nowhere in California) as I had to travel on business. No great emergency though. Go early and local office may be accomodating as they were to me.
 
Emergency Travel Permit Possibility?

Hi Sheila000

Thank you for your previous answer.

I need some details about the process of Emergency Travel Permit, can you help?

1) I would like to know if you had to pay the fees ($110) again, and give the photos, forms, etc...

2) Did you ask directly for the Emergency Permit, or did you go to the INS to check your status, and asked for your travel document?

3) What are the range dates of an Emergency travel? Can someone stay abroad for more than a month? Did you need to provide the return tickets, or anything else?

4) Did you have a "proof" of this business purpose? I mean a paper, an invitation, or anything else.

Thank you very much for your help.

Thomas
 
I forgot to add...

Sorry,

I forgot to ask: do they withdraw the fee even if the emergency permit is denied?
Do you know where I can find informations about that?

Regards,

Thomas
 
I filled out a new AP form and submitted pictures. I was ready to pay the $110 fee again but the official in the Baltimore office saw on the system that I already had an AP pending and did not charge me again. They put in the fee box of the receipt notice "fee previously paid". She did ask why I was applying again and I said I need to travel urgently and Vermont is delayed. I had a letter from my company saying that I needed to travel on business. No tickets or itinerary or anything. bear in mind that other local offices may require more proof and compelling reasons for travel. check out other peoples' experiences at your local INS on this website - there was someone at SF I believe some time ago.
 
One more thing - I got an AP of validity of only 6 months and not 1 year , maybe because it was issued locally. you can stay out of the country as long as you re-enter before the AP expires so more than a month should be fine. don't know if they will issue refund if application is denied. I did not call INS (VSC) but went to Baltimore directly, I did try calling but its impossible to get through to Vermont.
 
and finally... approved!

This case has been approved. On December 30, 2002, an approval notice was mailed. If 14 days have passed and you have not received this notice, you may wish to verify or update your address. To update your address, please speak to an Immigration Information Officer during business hours.

Thank you for your support!
And good luck to you all.
We are flying at the end of the week.

Thot
 
Receipt date: September 25th
Notice Date: October 1st
Approval date: December 30th
Center: Laguna Niguel
 
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