Answering your questions
Hello 485F1,
I typed a big message for you guys yesterday and could not post it. Hopefully I would be able to post it completely today. I just came back from my India trip using my AP. I will answer your 3 question first.
The old I-94 is usually retained by airline agent at the time of issuing your boarding pass at the ticket counter. Sometimes the agent just staples it to the boarding pass and is retained by the air line agent at the gate. In my case thats what happened.
Now to answer your first question, yes your AP is valid for multiple entries duing the period of its validity.
Just like you I also had three copies of them two with the photos and one without the the photo. I made copies of one of the AP with the photo and kept it with just in case if the airline in India ask for a proof of my visa or any other document. I came via (Hyderabad, KL, Hong Kong and LAX) none of the places during the transition asked me show the AP or any other supporting document other than my valid passport. Same thing in my wifes case who boarded the flight in Bombay a week later.
You do have to fill I-94 form before you stand in the line at the immigration in the POE. Where they ask for visa issue date and place leave them blank.
In my case i stood in the line(regular non us citizens line) and the lady referred me to another line which handles AP cases. I went to this guy, who asked me politely "whether I happen to have my EAD with me" nothing else. He stamped on the right hand box and in the passport and on the I-94 reflecting the AOS status. Wanted to keep the original of the AP and giving me the copy. I said my lawyer wanted me to retain the original copy and he obliged and kept the copy and gave me the original. In my wife\'s case the officer kept the original and gave her a copy.
I dont think it matters as we all have an extra AP any way if we were to travel again in the same year(what are the chances of that happening). After one year we get new set of AP and EAD anyway. Better yet,hopefully we will all have our GCs by the time there is a need to travel to our respective homelands.
Hope I was able to answer all your questions. If you have any more questions let me know. Bye the way I am not a lawyer, I just am telling you all this based my experiences. Every experience is unique, so please take suggestions from your lawyer.
Cheers
kalyan