Advance Parole experience through LAX - Page 2

Originally Posted by YouMaySayImADreamer

Interesting, I was paroled back in on Aug 22, 2013 and I did receive a paper i-94. I'm an overstay though, and still have my original i-94 from when I first entered the country. Doubt that has anything to do with it though...

Originally Posted by MitchAPalooza23

Hey man (admittedly I'm being lazy) but do you mind quickly going over your experience when you entered the port of entry? I've seen many stories of EWIs yet this is the first visa overstay I've seen on this thread. I have to go overseas in a few months work work related purposes and I'm a little hesitant at applying for AP due my visa overstay.

I've always figured whenever I reached the port of entry, my overstay might be a problem. Would love to hear your experience. Thanks.

Originally Posted by YouMaySayImADreamer

Sorry for the time it took to post this, I have typed it out out twice and accidentally hit delete. Ugh!

Anyway, the process to enter the country was soooo smooth! I arrived at Miami Int’l Airport with my USC sister. They had two separate lines, one for USC and one for GC holders/visitors. They told me I could not go into the USC line with my sister, but she could come with me which is what she did. The line we were on was taking forever and I started to notice a lot of the people at the window were being escorted away so I decided to switch to another line that was going much faster (and the officer seemed to be letting everyone go). When it was our turn my sister gave the officer her American passport and then I handed my Brazilian passport and AP letter. The officer was REALLY NICE and asked how come I didn’t have a green card if my sister was a citizen. I told him I was waiting for my parents to become citizens which should be next year. He made small talk about Hawaii and we told him we thought about moving to Miami at some point. He told me he had to send me to the back room but not to worry, that this was standard procedure just so they could check my paperwork, etc. When a new officer came to escort us away he told them: “Be nice to them. They are thinking about moving to Miami and I want to make sure they get here”. Awesome!

I’m pretty sure the waiting room they took me to was not the same room they take tourists to be “interrogated”. From observing people and listening to their conversations, I am under the impression that everyone in there had some sort of temporary status, or at least were granted AP for one reason or another.
They made me wait for close to an hour when a lady called me. I left my sister waiting in the waiting room and went with her into her office (which I noticed had those one way mirrors on every wall – so maybe they do interrogate people there). This lady was also VERY nice and said she was still working on my paperwork but called me just to keep her company and so I wouldn’t worry that it was taking so long. She made small talk, asked about DACA and how it felt to get that, whether or not I knew I was undocumented growing up, etc. It didn’t feel like I was being interrogated at all, though I’m sure I would get in trouble if I answered something really wrong. She shared her own stories, including how she felt as a 19 year old immigrant from Colombia. She never asked what I went to Brazil for, for how long, or anything like that. She only asked me how it felt. She seemed genuinely interested in my story. I couldn’t have felt more at ease.

At some point she was telling me that I was only her second DACA case. Another officer came in to see if she wanted coffee and she asked him if he had gotten many DACA cases. He said yes and that she should process us as TPS. After he left she said she would double check, but she didn’t think that that was right. She left and by the time she came back she already had her stamps with her. She asked for both copies of the AP letter (which I thought was interesting because I was sure the airline was supposed to have kept that), and stamped that along with my passport and i94. The stamp says "Paroled until Aug 19, 2014" though my AP is only valid until Sept 6, 2013. With that, she told me I was free to go.

To anyone in doubt about using their AP, I'd say go for it. Of course first make sure you don’t have any grounds of inadmissibility. But if you don’t, it is so worth it. I know how hard it was for me to make the decision. Even after receiving the AP in the mail and even booking my ticket, I still wasn’t sure if I’d be able to go through with it. Now, am I glad I did. Seeing my family after 12 years, and being in my hometown too… It just lit a huge fire under my butt to be the person my family always knew I could be. Being there was bittersweet for me. In a way it made me nostalgic for my childhood and being around so many people that love me unconditionally. But at the same time, it made me appreciate all the opportunities I am given in this country and I came back more determined to kick butt in school then ever!! I am even looking into a future semester abroad (which is also a testament to how comfortable I would feel going through customs with an AP again). I had a bit of an awakening while I was there and even changed my major.

Anyway, if you guys have any more questions or if you need help with anything regarding this or anything else, please don’t hesitate to ask. Best of luck to us all!

Originally Posted by pootie tang

Hey guys I just got back to Los Angeles from Guadalajara using advance parole and wanted to share the experience for those with doubts or questions.
I applied for advance parole at the end of October, they approved me mid December. My reason was for work, I had to meet with a client, I had my boss write a letter saying that I had to meet with a client in Monterrey. I ended up not going to Monterrey and went to Guadalajara instead since I have family there. I went for 4 days and got back in yesterday.

I was a bit nervous about what questions they would ask me and what I would say (especially since i didn't go to Monterrey, although the AP document doesn't say what specific place you said you were going to go to on the AP application). When I arrived at LAX I was the very first one to get off the plane (since I got a free upgrade to first class/business which was AWESOME) so when I got to customs there was literally no one in line, I mean no one it was empty, I walked up to the "cubicle" or desk whatever you want to call it, I presented my Mexican passport and AP documents along with my approval noticed for deferred action and work permit (I did NOT have my EAD card and they did not ask for it). The lady just asked me how long I was away for and i told her 4 days, she asked if I had a pending application to adjust status (I think she only asked that because most AP users leave while having a pending application) I told her no so she seemed a bit confused and asked how I got the AP document, I told her through DACA and she asked what my current status was, again I told her my case was deferred. She said "ok" they will need to verify the documents so just sit "over there" and wait for the officer to call my name and just pointed to a seating area (the seating area was in the same place just off to the side, it was not a separate room like others have described at other airports). The few questions that she did ask me seemed more out of curiosity than actual "questioning" and I never felt like she was doubting me or being suspicious or anything like that.

While waiting in that seating area I was wondering what questions the officer would ask me and what I would answer 25 minutes went by and no one called my name, finally an officer walks by with my documents, hands them over to me and says "you're good to go" and I walked out with no problems and my AP document stamped. They never asked me why I went, who i went with or where I went (although they knew the flight had just landed from Guadalajara). I did not feel at all that I was questioned "interrogated", again the few questions from the first lady seemed more out of curiosity.

I should note that I came in without inspection at 3 years old and I'm 25 now so I have accumulated unlawful presence and am subject to the 10 year ban, but I felt pretty confident leaving after speaking with a lawyer and reading up on the Matter of Arrabally and Yerrabelly case. If you guys have any questions feel free to ask.

Originally Posted by mbello

Congrats! Are you now going to apply for adjustment of status? If so, we are on the same boat.