DREAM Act Portal Forum - Ewi-aos: Advance parole thru daca for aos

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Ewi-aos: Advance parole thru daca for aos

Hey everyone!

I wanted to make this thread to have a place to discuss experiences with obtaining Advance Parole with DACA approval. I hope to be able to adjust status soon. Here's some deets about me:

I'm 30 years old, EWI by my parents at age 4 through Mexico with the help of a coyote. I grew up here, and know of no other home. I didn't know the full scope of being without a status until I was 16. Somehow, my parents were able to pay someone to get me a legitimate social security card and a driver's license. My SS however, reads "Valid for work with INS authorization only". I got a driver's permit, and did the whole test at the DMV to get my license. Until the Bush Administration enacted the many homeland security laws after 9/11, including the requirement of showing proof of legal status, I somehow by good graces was able to use my SS # to get a good job (it wasn't easy and took a lot of hard work!) and pay taxes and even get yearly refunds. I've paid my taxes every year. My parents lived here for almost 25 years and because of their lack of status and inability to qualify for any amnesty, they had no choice but to move back home to Korea. My brother is married and he has a green card because he found a way to go back to the country is wife is from and apply from there. My dad worked hard everyday of his life and I wouldn't have what I have if he hadn't worked so hard. He's 73 and he's living a simple life back home. He saved as much money as he could but it wasn't enough to secure a future here without a legal status. It breaks my heart sometimes. He sacrificed so much so I could live here and try and make the "American Dream" come true. He asked me to maybe go back with him because he thought with my skill, I could live comfortably in Korea. I probably could. But I've never known life anywhere else, and I consider America as my home. I've grown up here and built my life here. I love what I do but I've never been able to shake the "I have to try something different" bug. With the lack of legal status however, because I don't have a green card, I always felt stuck, since if I quit my steady job, I would have no way of getting a new one to support myself. So I've stuck with it for over 10 years. Over the years, I met my husband. We've been together for 8 years and married for 2. He is my rock. He's been so wonderful and supportive since the day I told him about my situation. Without him I might've lost my mind and myself. I'm sure you know the stresses that come with being undocumented and growing up in a place that you feel is home, but its government considers you an alien- an "illegal" one, at that. To feel like you can't live up to your full potential because of the land's laws and broken immigration system. My husband is a US citizen, born here. I feel fortunate that I was even able to get a job, and a license that's legit. I even bought a car. I'm thankful because I know there are so many that haven't even been able to get a good job despite being university educated/qualified. When DACA was first introduced, I didn't apply for it because I was afraid to expose myself and I didn't want to shake anything up since I felt like it wasn't going to help me much. That was until I googled around a bunch, looking for ways to adjust status. and came upon the Arrabelly and Yerrabelly case.

Here is the original link I found: http://www.justice.gov/eoir/vll/intd...%20(final).pdf

I also found this page and read the different threads! It looked hopeful that maybe there would be a way to adjust my status after all. My brother referred me to a lawyer who helped a couple he knew get an adjustment of status. After speaking with my lawyer, it seems there was some hope! That's when I decided to come out of the shadows, and apply for DACA. It was encouraging to read everyone's experiences here as well. So as of now:

-DACA approved Dec. 2014
-applied for AP on Mar. 16 2015 based on humanitarian reason (my grandmother is 91 and sick- I haven't seen her in over 15 years.)
-Receipt notice received Mar. 19, now awaiting my biometrics appointment notice. (Yes, you still have to do biometrics again for AP, you just don't have to pay for it if you're applying for AP thru DACA.)

Hopefully if all goes well and I'm approved, I'll be able to see my grandmother as well as my dad in South Korea and come back with inspection and have that stamp on my AP document so I can apply for an adjustment of status! My goal is to receive that, then eventually apply for citizenship so I can live my life to the fullest here, and have the ability to vote and have a voice for change to help those who find ourselves in situations not of our own choosing! So many choose not to vote despite having the privilege and that is why the ones who hate us now have congressional power, and the ones who want to help us, can't, or won't.

Please use this thread to share your own stories and experiences regarding AP application wait times, travel/airport experiences, and AOS application issues and interviews. It helps to read while playing the waiting game and maybe we can also inform and encourage other fellow DREAMERS. :) I'll update my case as it comes along! Thanks!