Emergency Travel with Emergency Advance Parole (EAP )while Green Card Application is Pending .
If you are an immigrant with pending Green Card Application in the US, who all of a sudden need to travel due to an emergency but do not have a travel visa or permit, this article is for you. I had to deal with this situation very recently. I hope my experience can help someone in need. (Sample Photo of EAP at the end)
After many many many many.. did I mention MANY, years later my priority date became current and I was able to apply for Adjustment of Status I-485 within the same month. I felt on top of the world as my green card application has moved from stage 1 to stage 2 after 10 years. Yes a decade, if you are an H1-B (Eb2/Eb3) from India or China you can relate. [Fun Fact: 5 years ago my priority date became current and by the time I could finish my Medical and gather all the documents it retrogressed, I still have that sealed Medical with me to this date]
My application I-485, I-131 (Advance Parole for Travel), I-765(EAD) was sent to a lockbox. God and Immigration both were very kind and I even received my receipts with a priority date of early Oct. I was thrilled to have moved on from one addiction to another one, checking the Visa bulletin daily to now Case Status on usics.gov.
Two weeks ago, My immediate family members in India were hospitalized and I needed to travel as I didn’t want to miss my chance to see them or help them out. I had no idea what to do except just leave and abandon my job, my H1B Status ( I didn’t have a current visa stamp).
So I started calling USICS 800 number ( (800) 375–5283) and just answering Emergency, Emergency all the way until the machine can not understand me and transfer me to a human being. On my third time doing the same, the machine confirmed my phone and email as I had to unwillingly say “Emergency Travel”, and as soon as she heard Travel I was being instructed to find everything online but in the end, the machine found it’s heart and forwarded me to an agent ( Only cuz I was still screaming the word “Emergency”). I explained my situation to the agent. She was very nice but told me that she can not give me an Emergency Parole appointment in the NYC center as I didn’t have my biometrics done yet. She said she will put me for an Emergency Biometrics Appointment and they will send me my appointment through email within 48 hours.
The almost-magic email of Biometrics showed up after 24 hours in my email and the appointment was for a day later. I was hoping that I will be sent to the center where they can do biometrics as well as give me the Parole document but that was not the case. My appointment was at USCIS Manhattan Office on Varick Street at 9 am. There was no line at that time and I walked in straight to the main window. I had to show my passport and all the receipt numbers. there and I was out in 10 mins.
I didn’t know what to do next? So I had only one option, start calling the 800 number again and figure out how to defeat the machine again and get to a human being. It took 5/6 calls until I got to a representative. The representative understood my situation and explained to me all the details (listed below) and said she has put my application on Expedite request. They will contact me within 14 working days. I was like What, No way?? Time to lipsync for my LIFEEEE Again!!!!
I called again in 24 hours and after my 6th call, I told the representative that I need an emergency parole appointment at the center as I need to travel ASAP otherwise I will lose a family member and I will never be able to forgive myself and the situation. I plead with her, She told me she can see the expedited request and can’t do anything more for me and I will receive the details in an email. I had no choice but to wait
Luckily, The email with the subject “EAP” showed up within 24 hours. My Appointment was at Federal Plaza, NYC. Following are the documents that the consular requested to see at the appointment:
- New filled and signed I-131 form, They will abandon already filed with 485 one later.
- Proof of Residence and all the pending case receipts
- Proof of Medical Emergency
- Proof of Relationship
( Birth Certificate but please make sure both Father’s and mother’s name is listed clearly in English. In my birth certificate, my father’s name was mentioned under the husband of Mother, and the officer wasn’t convinced that it means that he is my father ( only if she knew that Indians are married for 7 lives) which is understandable, I had to show my passport biographic page to ensure her. Also please be very proactive in showing documents, you got only 4 mins till the decision is made.
5. Visa stamp or Document used for the last entry to the US: I didn’t know that I had to carry this as it was not listed anywhere and she said this document is very important. Luckily, I had a copy in my binder.
6. Two Recent passport-style photographs ( Got them at the CVS)
7. I-131 has NO Fees.
At the appointment, be ready to talk as I had to convince the consular why it’s an emergency on top of the Proof of Emergency document as she right away said it’s not an Emergency. I assume it’s a standard first response, After describing to her why, She finally understood my situation and asked me to wait for 20 mins, after going through all my documents. She called my name after 20/25 mins and asked me to proofread my name, Date of Birth, etc. Once I confirmed all the details are correct, she put a seal on my picture and handed me the EAP. It’s valid for Multiple paroles and has a validity of a year.
Good luck to anyone who is in this situation and I hope you get your EAP too.
