destone

My situation is such that I departed the U.S. on 6/23 as an L1 and my GC (AoS I-485) just got approved yesterday (6/28) as per USCIS. I intend to travel back to the U.S. on 7/3 but I still haven’t heard back from the U.S. Embassy in London regarding my submitted NIE request. Can I attempt to board a flight with a valid L1 visa without an approved NIE given that technically I am already a PR, just not in possession of the card itself?

lansbury

You can always make the attempt, but without the correct paper work in your hand I doubt you would succeed.

If things haven't changed too much since I worked at Heathrow, the airline might be persuaded to contact the USCIS staff at the airport and have them check your GC status. If they do that the USCIS staff might give you clearance to fly. To use those famous words, "Do you feel lucky"

tht

Same happened to me 10 years ago. I called and was told to email London CBP at a .state.gov email address, first they mentioned a transportation letter, then they asked how long my AP was valid and finally told me to travel on my L1, CBP @ EWR would not even look up that I was a PR, and stamped me back in as L1… I then popped back to London for a couple of days later that week after picking up the card. Sounds like with the travel ban/NIE etc you may need a transportation letter assuming you can’t wait and have someone courier the card to you.

P.s. congrats on being “greened”

destone

Thanks!

I sent the Embassy a message regarding the Transportation Letter.

I also have a valid I-131 on me, perhaps staff @ Heathrow can have that get checked with USCIS? (As the A number effectively identifies me as a PR.)

tht

You say your card was only approved yesterday 6/28, the system back when I became a PR would update to say it was produced / mailed etc and then it arrived 4 or 5 days later. I assume that’s why you can’t wait to have it couriered, because it could still be a week or 2 ?

destone

According to USCIS, the AoS was approved 6/28 and the card was produced even before then on 6/25. Unfortunately, no one other than me has access to the mailbox key in Los Angeles where the actual document will arrive from USCIS. I'll try my luck (LHR to LAX) on Saturday using the AP I-131 if I don't receive the NIE by then, and will share my experience here. If I do receive the NIE I'll just enter on the L-1A as normal.

destone

I never heard back from the U.S. Embassy in London regarding my NIE request. 6 business days have passed. In January, February and March it took them 3-4 business days.

And so I mustered all my courage and, with dread, I attempted to board my flight (AA 87 LHR to ORD) on Sat 7/3 with these in my hand:

• Passport
• Valid L-1A visa
• EAD/AP combined card (I-512 Advance Parole)
• Printout of my attorney’s scanned copy of the I-485 Approval Notice (the original, including my card, awaits me at my home in LA)

The CBP-affiliated (don’t know for sure what government body they work for) officers wear grey suits and there’s a separate line at the T5 American Airlines check-in counter if you don’t hold a U.S. Passport or Green Card.

The first CBP officer (alongside with an AA staff member) looked at my EAD/AP card and said “no”. Then he catered for a larger group of family. It took a long while to get that family processed, and as luck would have it, a second CBP officer came over to me. He looked at my passport, the EAD/AP card and I showed him the printout approval notice, and explained that I just became a PR while on my UK trip. He inputted something into his phone (either my passport number or EAD/AP card number or my Green Card number from the printout). He then told me I am good to go.

Upon landing, Global Entry of course did not work and got the cross. I saw an officer who redirected me to Secondary Inspection (he held onto my passport and EAD/AP). About 30 mins later I was good to go. My I-94 record shows “DA” for class of admission and my stay is valid for 1 year.

I intend to do a day-trip to Mexico in the coming weeks and re-enter the U.S. with my Green Card.

Nutmegger

Why do you have to go to Mexico? Once you receive your GC, it doesn’t have to be “activated.”

tht

according to this that means the admitted you on advance parole:

https://www.dshs.wa.gov/sites/default/files/ESA/eaz-manual/USCIS%20I-94%20Table.pdf

Your employer should update your I-9 as well now. You can just show them the I-551 card now you are an LPR.