Back in US after travelling with Advance Parole with deferred action - Page 49

Hola Maria.

You will need your Certificado de Votacion. I think I got this in Consejo Nacional Electoral ( I think) but you can always ask where to get this. Basically what you are doing is you are paying your pentalty for not voting since voting is a requirement for every Ecuadorian citizen. I asked this at the Ecuadorian Embassy when I got my passport for my trip. Didn't have an issue at all. Private message me if you still need help

Hello,

I have been a long time lurker on this thread.
I'm a 24 year old and have had DACA for 3 years now.
I applied for advance parole at the beginning of June. My reason for requesting AP was that I had business meetings in Tokyo, Japan. I requested for 3 weeks ( needed 2 weeks )which would begin on July 13.
About month later after sending in paperwork for AP, I was approved for 4 weeks ( nice of them! ) Their website updates on my case weren't always accurate nor updated regularly and so I was worried about the process.
Time came for the 13+ hour flight from Chicago NRD to Narita, Japan.
Arrived in Japan. The experience there was amazing. DREAM LIKE!
2 weeks went by and the final showdown in the States side awaited me.
First, I had to go thru Japan's airport check-in and what not. I showed AP papers to the check-in person after he had asked if I had a VISA or green card, which of course I have neither. He stepped away with AP papers and went up to one of the automatic check in machines for some reason. Came back and sent me on my way to my gate.
Boarded the plane without issues.
I was quite nervous, even more so as soon as the plane landed back in Chicago. Armpits were excessively transpiring. I knew the risks and was afraid of them.
Inside the airport I lined up at the visitors lane and was then directed to an immigration official who took fingerprints and face picture and asked the usual questions . As with other DACA-AP recipients, I was then led to THE ROOM!!!!!
3 other people waiting there, AMERICAN TELEVISION WAS ON. TRUMP WAS GIVING A SPEECH... this was not helping me stay calm and confident about what was going on. I took out a piece of Japanese gum I brought back with me and started chewing to calm down. Despite being the last person to enter THE ROOM, I was called on 1st.
Unlike most other officials in the room, the guy that took my case was amicable. He proceeded to ask why I had visited japan and for how long. I answered those questions and a few others, and he then stated " IT IS SO RARE TO SEE A DACA PERSON COMING FROM JAPAN WITH AP" . I agreed and mentioned that at Japan airport, they had no idea what AP papers were. He then explained that my passport would be getting stamped ( SUCH RELIEF AND JOY!!!!!!!! ) and that the stamp would look a bit weird on my passport because it will say DACA/PAROLED or something like that, and then also added " AND THEN YOU'LL BE BACK HERE ON THE LIMBO AGAIN DOING YOUR THING"... I am assuming he was well knowledgeable about my DACA situation and such.

I am quite relieved to be back in the States as well as being able to see my family once again.
I do wonder if I am the 1st Mexican ( Mexico city) to successfully travel from USA to JAPAN and back thru AP. :P

Thanks for sharing your story! Welcome back.

Where was your application processed? My cousin has been waiting for an approval since June 6th. Her application is at NSC.

I submitted to Chicago office and then it was sent over to NSC as well. Took maybe a couple days after a month for me to receive approval documents.

Were you expedited? Not sure why some people take a month and others 2.

Hello, i have a question for you all
has any of you applied for AP more than once?
i am planning on applying again to go see my sick grandpa again. My DACA expires next year on May. not sure if its a risk applying again and going out of the US (if approved) a few months before my DACA expires?
i would really appreciate is someone can reply.

Hi guys,

Just used AP so am here to share deets:

I applied for AP sending the usual documents and received my 2 AP documents 2 months later.

Then, I went to Morelia, MX to visit my uncle, later that same month, which was the end of July. We took Volaris from LAX. Going out, all you need is your passport (of home country) and your boarding pass. On the plane, they will give you some immigration forms to fill out. You just have to fill them out with your information as it just asks your personal information, flight information, reason for travel, etc. No big deal. All passengers must fill it out.

Once you land at your destination, you will go through customs. You will need to give them the questionnaire you fill out on the plane, your passport, and your DACA. This is likely the first time you will use it. At the airport I landed (in Morelia) they seemed to know what it was and just entered information in their computer off it. They will ask why you are there and then stamp your passport. Then you may or may not get your luggage checked (it's supposed to be random). Pack according to TSA regulations and you'll be fine.

Then you go where you're going. At your destination, you're likely to only need your DL as identification for whatever; like purchases.

Coming back, you'll go up to the airline counter (still in home country/not USA), to be checked in. Have your boarding pass, passport, and AP ready. When they ask for your US passport or Visa, give them those 3 things. The lady who checked me in did not ask anything and again just took info from the AP papers and said we were good to go.

Before boarding the plane, you will show your AP document to the immigration official again. Same thing, have passport and AP; they'll take your info and let you go. Then go hop on the plane.

Throughout all of this, no one asked me a question about what my paper meant. I think they know by now.

Back in the good old USA, have your onboarding pass, passport; and AP ready. I went through the visitor's line with my husband. When you get up to the counter, show them the papers when they ask for documentation. They ask a couple of questions, like that your relationship to the person you are with is, where you went, and how long you were out. They will take photos and fingerprints. They will also keep your documents and escort you to the CBP room. They did not allow my husband to go with me. They were also EXTREMELY RUDE.

In the room, I waited for like 1 hour to be called. I was mostly with Asian people on visas. When they called me up, I was just asked if my name was X. I said yes and she gave me back my stamped passport. She said they had to keep both stamped AP documents as they are only good for one exit. I did not know this and got a bit worried, so I asked her for a copy. She gave me one and I left.

Fin.

I will say though that the officer next to her was SUPER EXTREMELY RUDE. Right as I got there, a guy got called up by her. He seemed to have AP (I didn't look). She asked him a LOT of questions, like what is your name, where did you go, why did you go, how was the person they visited, what he does her in the states, where he lives, how he sustains himself financially, etc. ... When he asked her for a copy, she said no! She was just unpleasant so really your experience will depend on the officer you get.

Overall it was easy. I advise you that if you are in SoCal, to spend the extra bucks and go with John Way Airport. LAX can be nerve wracking.

Sorry for all the typos. I am writing on my phone. I have copies of all letters I sent in for AP in case anyone needs help. Good luck!

Forgot to add: If they take both AP and do not give you a copy, don't sweat it. Just make sure your passport is stamped and leave. With that stamp and the I-97 form you can download later, you are set to prove legal entry. Don't make a fuss with them or be nervous, you'll be ok!

Thanks for sharing your experience. Welcome back!

Did anyone travel on AP while their DACA renewal is pending? I searched a lot and all I could find was you cannot apply for AP while your DACA is pending. I have DACA and AP but I also have DACA renewal pending. I am planning to travel this week and come back before end of this month. When I come back I will have approximately 40 days remaining on my current DACA. Do you people think it's ok to travel right now or should I wait for renewed DACA and then apply for AP again.