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After all the stress, I finally made it back to JFK ✌🏼
Hi everyone, I wanted to share my travel experience today. Let me start with Air Serbia. I flew from Istanbul with a layover in Belgrade before arriving at JFK in New York. At the Istanbul airport, I handed over all my documents. Since it was a connecting flight, they checked everything before issuing my boarding pass for the U.S.-bound leg. However, my passport kept getting denied both during online check-in and again at the airport. After several attempts, they told me to wait—which made me quite anxious since I had only about an hour left before my flight. But thankfully, the Air Serbia staff in Istanbul were incredibly kind and helpful. They explained that in their system, travelers can only be categorized as either a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, ESTA holder, or regular visa holder. Since there’s no specific category for Advance Parole (AP), they weren’t sure where to place me. Eventually, they figured it out and let me board the flight to Belgrade. Once I arrived in Belgrade—although I wasn’t required to—I went to the Air Serbia counter and explained the situation again. They checked the system and confirmed that everything was in order. I think they had more system access there. Before boarding the U.S. flight in Belgrade, there was one more document and luggage check at the gate. I showed my AP document, and the officer told me that since Advance Parole is an extension-type status, they usually categorize it under “Permanent Resident” in their system. He said I was good to go. Upon arrival at JFK, I handed over my AP document along with my passport. The officer asked how much cash I had and whether I had any tobacco or alcohol with me. Then, he turned on the yellow light, signaling that I needed to go through secondary inspection. Another officer escorted me to the secondary inspection room, where there were about 7–10 other travelers waiting. After about 7–10 minutes, my name was called. The officer simply asked for my U.S. address, then stamped my AP document, and I was free to go. Long story short, based on my overall experience and knowledge: 1. If your trip is around 3–4 weeks, it doesn’t raise any red flags. 2. If you don’t have a criminal record, there’s really nothing to worry about. 3. To minimize stress and confusion, choose reputable airlines or direct flights when possible. Hope this helps someone who might go through the same process!
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