cafeconleche
Registered Users (C)
If it won't affect your physical presence total, then yes.
VISA Information for Countries
- Thread starter wantmygcnow
- Start date
busydoingnothin
Active Member
It won’t. I have 4.5 years accumulated of physical presence in the US
Reporting on my recent trip to Europe. I flew to Amsterdam with United. I couldn't check in online as their app tries to scan your passport and it doesn't recognize the RTD. So I had to stop by the United desk at the airport. The agent was familiar with the document, but couldn't exactly remember how to check for visa requirements. I had a print out of an email from the Dutch embassy saying that a visa wasn't required for I-571 holders. It took about 15 min, but eventually she figured it out and gave me my boarding passes.
At AMS Schipol Airport, the immigration agent wasn't very familiar with the document. He asked me if that was the only document I had. I said, yes, it's a refugee travel document. He made a call to someone to verify, then stamped it. Didn't ask where I was going, where I was staying, for how long, nothing. Whole thing must have taken 2-3 minutes.
I spent 1 day in Amsterdam, then flew to Munich for a few days, then Berlin for a few days more. I took one day trip from Munich to Salzburg, Austria, by train. Didn't run into any border controls or random checks.
My flight back to the US was with Aer Lingus. You can actually check in online (the app) with Aer Lingus by entering your RTD "passport" number and your A# after selecting you're a resident. Leaving the Schengen Zone at Berlin Tegel airport, the officer was a bit confused by the RTD and kept looking and flipping through the pages. He checked something on his computer, found the AMS stamp, and stamped me out, must have taken 1-2 minutes. Since Dublin isn't part of the Schengen Zone, the gate agent checked my passport when she scanned my boarding pass. She was also a bit taken back by the document, and asked if I had a green card. I said, "not yet, but I'm a permanent asylee in the US." She took one more look at the RTD, I'm guessing to verify validity, and then waved me through.
Landing in Dublin, they actually have a very good system for connecting passengers. You'll eventually make it to this door where an agent will be asking everyone where they're connecting and sending you off in different directions. For US-bound passengers, they sent us back outside and onto a bus. Once everyone was on the bus, it took off for a different part of terminal 2. We get off the bus, follow the signs, and eventually come to a little passport control area. I hand my RTD to the officer, he looked a little confused, asked a different guy in the same booth, looked at it again, and waved me through. No stamp or questions asked, I guess this is where they check you can legally transit through Ireland without a visa.
Now on to the interesting part. Dublin airport in Ireland is one of those airports with US CBP pre-clearance facilities. This means you go through immigration at that airport, and when you land in the US, it's like a domestic flight. For more information on this you can visit this link.
So of course first you have to go through security AGAIN. That's right, shoes off, belt off, liquids out, laptops out, you know the drill. Then you get on the immigration line. At this particular airport they had Global entry kiosks/machines and a dedicated line just for US citizens. I didn't see anything for LPRs or other permanent residents. Everyone else had to use the regular lane.
I finally make it to one of the officers. He knows exactly what the RTD is, flips through it, takes my pic and fingerprints, and takes me to secondary inspection. No biggie, I was expecting this. We walk into the room, and hands my RTD and EAD to a different agent, a girl, and I have a seat. About 10 min later the girl and someone else call my name and I approach the desk. They have NO IDEA what an RTD is or how it works. They said I needed a re-entry permit or advance parole.
"I" have to explain to them what an RTD is, how it works, why I use it, and how it's the only thing I need to travel back to the US. After a bit of back and forth, the girl asks why I have asylee status. I give her the brief summary and basis of my case. Then she asks where I traveled, for how long, and why. I answer. She asks me to go back to the waiting area. I waited for another 15-20 minutes, I think. She again calls my name, hands me back my RTD and EAD, and wishes me safe travels. Phew!!! I made it to my flight back to the US right as the last zone was boarding.
So it is entirely possible to transit through Ireland using only your RTD. However, the time allotted between connecting flights isn't enough to go through US immigration in Ireland. My first flight into Dublin was 20 min early, so I had about 3.5 hours to deplane, get on the bus, get through Irish passport control, then through security, then through US immigration, then through secondary inspection, and it still wasn't enough. If it hadn't been for those 20 min early, I don't think I would have made my 2nd flight. Since I can't technically stay in Ireland overnight with just the RTD, I'm not sure what would have happened if I had missed my flight. So, unless you're traveling with an RTD/Green Card combo, I would not recommend transiting through Ireland when flying BACK into the US. Using Dublin on your way out should be OK though. To see if your nationality qualifies for visa-free transit, check this website.
At AMS Schipol Airport, the immigration agent wasn't very familiar with the document. He asked me if that was the only document I had. I said, yes, it's a refugee travel document. He made a call to someone to verify, then stamped it. Didn't ask where I was going, where I was staying, for how long, nothing. Whole thing must have taken 2-3 minutes.
I spent 1 day in Amsterdam, then flew to Munich for a few days, then Berlin for a few days more. I took one day trip from Munich to Salzburg, Austria, by train. Didn't run into any border controls or random checks.
My flight back to the US was with Aer Lingus. You can actually check in online (the app) with Aer Lingus by entering your RTD "passport" number and your A# after selecting you're a resident. Leaving the Schengen Zone at Berlin Tegel airport, the officer was a bit confused by the RTD and kept looking and flipping through the pages. He checked something on his computer, found the AMS stamp, and stamped me out, must have taken 1-2 minutes. Since Dublin isn't part of the Schengen Zone, the gate agent checked my passport when she scanned my boarding pass. She was also a bit taken back by the document, and asked if I had a green card. I said, "not yet, but I'm a permanent asylee in the US." She took one more look at the RTD, I'm guessing to verify validity, and then waved me through.
Landing in Dublin, they actually have a very good system for connecting passengers. You'll eventually make it to this door where an agent will be asking everyone where they're connecting and sending you off in different directions. For US-bound passengers, they sent us back outside and onto a bus. Once everyone was on the bus, it took off for a different part of terminal 2. We get off the bus, follow the signs, and eventually come to a little passport control area. I hand my RTD to the officer, he looked a little confused, asked a different guy in the same booth, looked at it again, and waved me through. No stamp or questions asked, I guess this is where they check you can legally transit through Ireland without a visa.
Now on to the interesting part. Dublin airport in Ireland is one of those airports with US CBP pre-clearance facilities. This means you go through immigration at that airport, and when you land in the US, it's like a domestic flight. For more information on this you can visit this link.
So of course first you have to go through security AGAIN. That's right, shoes off, belt off, liquids out, laptops out, you know the drill. Then you get on the immigration line. At this particular airport they had Global entry kiosks/machines and a dedicated line just for US citizens. I didn't see anything for LPRs or other permanent residents. Everyone else had to use the regular lane.
I finally make it to one of the officers. He knows exactly what the RTD is, flips through it, takes my pic and fingerprints, and takes me to secondary inspection. No biggie, I was expecting this. We walk into the room, and hands my RTD and EAD to a different agent, a girl, and I have a seat. About 10 min later the girl and someone else call my name and I approach the desk. They have NO IDEA what an RTD is or how it works. They said I needed a re-entry permit or advance parole.
"I" have to explain to them what an RTD is, how it works, why I use it, and how it's the only thing I need to travel back to the US. After a bit of back and forth, the girl asks why I have asylee status. I give her the brief summary and basis of my case. Then she asks where I traveled, for how long, and why. I answer. She asks me to go back to the waiting area. I waited for another 15-20 minutes, I think. She again calls my name, hands me back my RTD and EAD, and wishes me safe travels. Phew!!! I made it to my flight back to the US right as the last zone was boarding. So it is entirely possible to transit through Ireland using only your RTD. However, the time allotted between connecting flights isn't enough to go through US immigration in Ireland. My first flight into Dublin was 20 min early, so I had about 3.5 hours to deplane, get on the bus, get through Irish passport control, then through security, then through US immigration, then through secondary inspection, and it still wasn't enough. If it hadn't been for those 20 min early, I don't think I would have made my 2nd flight. Since I can't technically stay in Ireland overnight with just the RTD, I'm not sure what would have happened if I had missed my flight. So, unless you're traveling with an RTD/Green Card combo, I would not recommend transiting through Ireland when flying BACK into the US. Using Dublin on your way out should be OK though. To see if your nationality qualifies for visa-free transit, check this website.
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Hello everyone. This forum has been very helpful and helps me find information.
I already have a asylum . The lawyer wants for traveler’s document 300 (1200 only to send an application) dollars for each family member plus a fee for a document for 4 people, I think it’s very expensive for such work
Correctly I understand that when I apply for RTD I do not need to send pictures and copies of any documents? Only if in the case of USCIS ask about it?
Also, please tell me which country or several countries to indicate in the application, if I still do not know exactly where it will be more convenient to fly to meet with relatives? Of course , I exclude the country of persecution. Thanks in advance to everyone
I already have a asylum . The lawyer wants for traveler’s document 300 (1200 only to send an application) dollars for each family member plus a fee for a document for 4 people, I think it’s very expensive for such work
Correctly I understand that when I apply for RTD I do not need to send pictures and copies of any documents? Only if in the case of USCIS ask about it?
Also, please tell me which country or several countries to indicate in the application, if I still do not know exactly where it will be more convenient to fly to meet with relatives? Of course , I exclude the country of persecution. Thanks in advance to everyone
busydoingnothin
Active Member
You don’t need a lawyer to apply for RTD
It’s $220 per one. No pictures needed, they take them at the office.
Thank you so much. Yes, I understand that I can do everything myself and then the total price for my family will be 650 for 4 people including 2 children. Please tell me, if I can’t get biometrics at the appointed time due to my busy time, can I do biometrics at another time, is this not a problem?
busydoingnothin
Active Member
You can always reschedule them
Some people have been able to do walk-in biometrics at a different day/time that's convenient for them. However, whether they let you do this is completely up to the each individual location. Some people are also turned away and told to come back when they have their actual appointment. In your case, I probably wouldn't recommend trying to do a walk-in since it's 4 people. I don't think they would be able to accommodate you. If the first appointment doesn't work for you, you can "try" to do a walk and see if that works. If it doesn't, you'll have to follow the instructions on the notice to reschedule. However, there's no guarantee the next appointment day and time will be any better for you. It's all automatic depending on the service center's availability. So I would suggest you just take 2 hrs to go do this, otherwise your case could be delayed an extra month or two.
Also, this is the wrong thread to ask for RTD questions. Please find a different thread that specifically deals with RTD if you have further questions.
Nice! The site says the new RTD will replace both RTD's and RP. Since RP are issued for 2 years, I wonder if the new RTD will also be valid for 2 years?! I can't find any more information about them. I will be applying for a new one when I apply for my green card in February.
Today is day 51 since they got my application...if i'm getting it faster, about 34 days until I get it. Will update here...wondering on the validity also. I just hope they make it last 2 years...means less work for them. Two year validity will also be good for asylees/refugees...they wouldn't need to apply every year like I have been doing.
cafeconleche
Registered Users (C)
No, you misunderstand. The term travel document refers to a document that allows you to travel. A passport is also a travel document. If you look at the current RTD or RP (both travel documents), it states which one it is just above your photo. It will be the same for the new ones, so they are not getting rid of the RP.
If u have a pending gc application and applying RTD for the first time you dont need to pay anything.I just received my first RTD for me and my wife with a pending GC application and without paying any fees.so you do not need to even pay $220.
Good luck and enjoy
Did you get the new RTD? How long is it valid for...one year/two years? Today is 112 days since they started processing my RTD application.
MY RTD is only valid for a year
