Traveling on AP my experience

M

mjakub76

Registered Users (C)
I would like to share my experience of traveling on AP, for everybody who may have doubts as I had.
It was a trip to Mexico; I’m not a Mexican citizen. I have H1-B until 2009, but not in the passport.
I landed in Houston, and waited over one hour in line – first tip, schedule your connecting flight (if any), at least 2 hours after your arrival to the POE.
I gave my:
Passport
AP
H1-B
I-94 form to the Immigration Officer.
I said: “I have a work visa, but since I don’t have it in my passport, I was advised by my lawyer to reenter using AP”,
She said: “Your lawyer is a smart man”, and smiled
She looked into papers and after one minute she called a person who took me to a room to a Parole Officer. He took my papers right away, and without a question after 3 minutes, he said “Have a nice day”, giving me my papers back. He stamped one AP and gave me back, he kept one copy.
Easy, no stress, no problems
Good luck with your trips.
My POE was Houston Int. Airport

P.S. I will travel for Xmas to Mexico again, this time by car, I will share my experience with entering USA in Laredo, TX

:)
 
Hi Mjakub76,
This information is helpful to may people who is travelling on AP. After you comeback, are you still working on H1 or Did you accept EAD?
 
My lawyer told me I can continue working on H1-B. I had some doubts about that, but I decided to listen to my lawyer, since her advice was always correct.
I'm planing to get married soon, and bring my wife to US on H-4, it will be a final answer if my H1-B is in "good condition" after traveling on AP.
I will keep you posted
 
mjakub76 said:
My lawyer told me I can continue working on H1-B. I had some doubts about that, but I decided to listen to my lawyer, since her advice was always correct.
I'm planing to get married soon, and bring my wife to US on H-4, it will be a final answer if my H1-B is in "good condition" after traveling on AP.
I will keep you posted
Click to expand...

After entering on AP (AOS pending status), how can you keep working on H1? I think, you have to use your EAD to work.
 
Maintaining H1B immediately upon entering with AP is a gray area that USCIS never gave a clear cut answer on. Technically you are in AOS, but you are legally allowed to extend your H1 because of its dual-intent nature. But in reality, many people have no problem keeping H1 as is after using AP.

You do not need AP to come back from Mexico if it is a short visit and you didn't apply for a visa while over there.
 
:)
Zgreen said:
You do not need AP to come back from Mexico if it is a short visit and you didn't apply for a visa while over there.
Click to expand...

what is a SHORT VISIT? a week, two weeks? Can I go to Mexico and from there everywhere on the world and come back within 7-14 days to USA thruough Mexico ?? Sounds strange to me, can you explain.

BTW, I'm so sick of this immigration mess, that I don't care anymore what THEY think about me traveling, using AP, working on H1-B etc. I just want to work, live normally, and pay taxes. If they have any problem with that, I will be more than happy to move back to Europe.
:)
 
Hi everyone
How are you doing in a new year?
As I promised, here comes my experience in entering the USA in Laredo, TX.
The line was looooooong, but the immigration process very smooth. The officer asked some questions about the purpose of my visit to Mexico, and about my work. He didn't ask for any other documents than passport and AP (stamped last month in Houston, TX). The car was not searched; the whole process was 5 minutes, nice and easy.
 
I just came back from India and used my AP to enter USA. My port of Entry was Newark, New Jersey.

I handed my papers to the immigration officer along with my AP documents. He then put all the papers in a plastic bag and asked me to follow him to a different room. In the other room there was another immigration officer who took my papers and asked me to take a seat. After couple to mins, he called me and gave my I-94 and said "Have a nice day" . No questions asked. They did that for all people who were travelling on AP.

Also my lawyer confirmed that I can maintain my H1 B status even after entering the country on AP. I need not switch to EAD.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top