travelling on AP

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skusa

Registered Users (C)
I have valid H1b visa but donot have stamped on passport, have valid AP and EAD too. I will be travelling to India in oct via amsterdam with northwest airlines, is there any problem for the transit time(2-3hrs only) at the amsterdam airport for not having US visa on the passport? do I have to show them AP and H1b visa documents? pl post experiances.
thanks
 
I also flew Northwest via AMS on my trip to India earlier this month. I used my AP on my way back.

There was one thing though on my way back at AMS - the immigration officer (I dont know whether this was an airline or EU employee) asked me a number of questions regarding my AP, Green Card processing, and how long I had been in the US. I think he was trying to check if the AP document I was carrying was genuine. I think it had more to do with my race than the AP per se. But, that is just my opinion. Left a bad impression about AMS Schipol airport. On the other hand, under the present uncertain security conditions these things are to be expected.

Anyway, AP should be just fine while transiting thru Amsterdam. You do not need a transit visa - I called the Netherlands embassy to confirm.
 
thanks for the reply. I know those people at amsterdam airport are notorious compared to other european countries, I had experianced them earlier too, ask way too many questions.
while going, here I suppose we have to give old I-94 card right? is there any thing more they ask for? and what was your experiance at the port of entry, for me it will be detroit? was that the same for you too? pl tell about detroit immigration experiance
thanks again
 
I think they

are trying to be extra cautious if you are a browny.......cannot really blame them...
I aam myself flying out next week via AMS, but I have I-551 stamp.......
 
AP traveller

Can anyone tell me the India side experience of using AP, in my opinion India immigration people are a bigger nuisance than anyone else, some of them don't even know how to write correct spellings, probably most of them just get the job by 'sifarish' from some other corrupt politician, what do you have to say when coming back from India using AP, my experiene at AMS was not bad I had both AP/H1 last year but used H1 the person just saw my passport and that was it.
 
skusa,

Yes, the airline check-in agents took my I-94. I did show them my AP (I also had a photocopy handy just in case) but the person categorically told me that it was not necessary for my outbound flight.

On my return I had absolutely no questions asked by Indian immigration officials. Processing at my US port of entry (not Detroit) was a breeze. At the immigration counter the person put all my documents in a colored folder and asked me to go to secondary inspection office right next to the immigration counters. There they took my folder and asked me to wait. After a couple of minutes the officer called my name, asked how long I had been out of the country, my occupation in the US, and then returned my I-94 stamped "paroled until ..."

If I may add, at the airport in Amsterdam every Green Card, Passport, and of course my AP was examined very carefully. They even made some passengers traveling from Nigeria and Kenya wait while they verified their US Passports. I got off easy by those standards.

Anyway, carry all your documents and have a safe trip.
 
Thanks ardur for posting your experiance.
one more quick question, when you checkin at Indian airport counter for coming to US, do they know about AP? did you give them copy of AP too. yes I am planning on taking all the documents copies handy in the case if needed. anyone knows how things are at detriot port of entry?
I have two I-94, one previous of my J1 which is expired and current for H1b so I will have to give both the I-94?
thanks
 
Indian immigration officers definitely know very well about AP. After all which country sees as many people travelling on AP as India ? Daily hundreds of indians travel on AP, so don't worry. Contrary to what forum123 said, i think indian immigration experience will be hassle free compared to many other countries. Atleast you can get away by throwing some money, even if you are not having some documents :p
 
I will be travelling to India in the near future using AP in Air India flight via Paris. There is a 3 Hr wait in Paris airport. Will there be any problem at Paris airport?

Thanks
 
dsatish,

I was not criticizing the Indian immigration officials as such, most of them are very nice specially people who process the paper work when you arrive in India are very cordial but when you are coming back sometime you encounter an officer who is just looking for some person to screw someone.

I saw one senior officer (sardarji) at Delhi asking for money from a person who was going on student visa for the first time. The point he was making to that student was if you can afford to make this trip then you can afford to pay me, that was really disgusting, on the other hand same officer asked me nothing as he saw that I had H1, so this means they are smart and corrupt.
 
forum123,
I agree with you 100% about our immigration officers. Yes, they are smart and CORRUPT. Even i was asked for money when i first came to USA .
 
skusa,

dsatish is right, Indian immigration officials see APs all the time. Regarding your question - the airline check-in people are well aware of the AP document, after all it is actually a permission for the airline or carrier to bring the passenger who does not have a visa to the US.
 
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