B P
Aug 27, 2025
Real story: traveling on Advance Parole even with red flags
A lot of people wonder if they can really travel on Advance Parole when their immigration history isn’t perfect. Most of the time, people who share success stories don’t explain if they had a clean record or not. I want to share a true example to show that AP really can work — even with a ton of red flags.
Let’s call her Clara.
• Clara first married a U.S. citizen (let’s call her Maria). They filed for a green card together. At their marriage interview, Maria was pregnant by someone else — while they were applying as a same-sex couple. You can imagine the red flag this raised.
• USCIS scheduled another interview and even did home visits. When officers came, Clara didn’t open the door. Eventually, the marriage case was dropped.
• Later, Clara remarried, but that relationship also ended. She then applied for VAWA and filed Adjustment of Status.
• At this point, she had years of unlawful presence, two broken marriage cases, and a big history of USCIS scrutiny. Still, with her VAWA case pending, she was approved for Advance Parole.
Here’s what happened when she traveled:
1. First trip (to Europe for vacation):
Clara had been out of status for years before filing VAWA. Despite all her red flags, she took a trip to Europe on AP. When she came back, CBP pulled her into secondary inspection and grilled her for hours about her history. It was stressful, but at the end of the day, they let her back in. Advance Parole did its job.
2. Second trip (to her home country):
On her next trip, things changed. While Clara was abroad, USCIS denied her VAWA-based green card (I-485). The moment that denial was issued, her Advance Parole was automatically invalid. So even though she had the paper in her hand, she wasn’t allowed back in.
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Takeaways:
• The positive side: despite huge red flags — unlawful presence, failed marriages, suspicious interviews, home visits, and lots of scrutiny — Clara’s first trip on AP worked. She was questioned heavily but still admitted back into the U.S.
• The risk: AP is only valid as long as your I-485 is pending. If it gets denied while you’re abroad, the AP ends instantly, and you can’t return. That’s what happened on Clara’s second trip.
• Personally, my view is: if you travel once on AP and face a long interrogation but make it back, maybe hold off on a second trip until your green card is approved. But the important point is that Advance Parole is valid and works, even when your history isn’t “perfect.”
I’m not a lawyer, this isn’t legal advice — just sharing this story so others can see that AP isn’t automatically closed off to people with complicated cases.
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tired from waitinggAug 27, 2025
well idk what person is that but sounds super fraud but thanks for story yes its risky but it works i used onces and will do it again
Hopefully hopefulAug 27, 2025
AP is issued for the purpose of travel and no amount of fear mongering should discourage anyone from using it.
Favor MercyAug 27, 2025
why do I feel like her i485 got denied on purpose when she was out of the country so she won’t be able to come back in.
🙏 🙏Aug 27, 2025
@B P what is the denial reason???
Kings kayAug 27, 2025
you didn’t state if the vawa was already approved or pending. you only made mention of i485 being denied. was it denied because vawa was denied or was it denied after vawa was approved? again, are you saying that if the vawa was approved and i485 denied he would have been refused entry?
blessed & favoredAug 28, 2025
people with unlawful presence use AP to gain lawful entry so they are able to adjust status the problem comes in when in such a case the i-485 is denied when they are out of the country plus this Clara person had she not travelled outside the country she would have been able to claim the 10 year countinuous presence in the US which she can receive a waiver for. Most lawyers will ask their clients not to travel because of that, if you can prove you have continuously lived in the US for 10yrs you can still adjust your status you just need to fill out a waiver especially if you had a lawful entry but overstayed your visa.
B PAug 28, 2025
@Kings kay vawa was still pending
roberto gAug 28, 2025
@B P bro they can’t make decisions on i-485 since your vawa is still pending…so I believe this is not true
blessed & favoredAug 28, 2025
@roberto g they are now doing i-360 and i-485 interview together like they do with i-130 and i-485 interviews. If they approve one they approve both, if they deny one they automatically deny the other for those with both pending i-360 and i-485.
T BAug 28, 2025
@B P .. it is a nice story but USCIS can’t denied I-485 if Vawa was still pending.. something is missing 🙌
g sAug 30, 2025
even your i-485 is denied while you out of country you still have 30 days to come back and file apeal it's happened to my brother . the information you giving its wrong . i went out of country 6 times in 2 years at jfk officer never asked a single question .
