Advance Parole

I am writing as DACA recipient who was recently approved for Advance Parole (AP). I live in Seattle, Washington and my grandmother lives in Guadalajara, Mexico.

I submitted my AP application in November, 2016 after learning that my grandmother in Guadalajara, Mexico had open heart surgery and was really ill. I was approved for AP in March, 2017; however, I received my two original copies of the AP travel documents in April 01, 2017 which allowed me to be out of the U.S. from 04/01/2017 to 05/01/2017. For clarification purposes, that means that I had to be back from Mexico before 05/01/2017.

I booked my flight via Volaris Airline as it was a direct flight from Seattle, WA to Guadalajara, Mexico. I paid $520 for a roundtrip ticket, which is inexpensive compared to other airlines. I chose to be out of the U.S. for two weeks because of the risk involved with being outside of the U.S. and something terribly wrong happening; I was also fearful that the Trump administration might suddenly decide to eliminate DACA and getting “stuck” outside of the U.S.

Prior to leaving the U.S. I made sure to have my EAD card, both AP travel documents, and Mexican passport. I also scanned a copy of all my immigration documents and email them to myself and family relatives (just in case anything were to go missing).

Flying into Mexico was the easiest part of my trip as I have a Mexican passport and no questions were asked by any of the airport officers about my visit.

However, on my way back into the U.S. I was questioned by airport officers (as expected) and asked to provide my EAD card, both original AP travel documents, and Mexican passport. The officer took my fingerprints and took photograph of my face for security purposes and it’s apparently protocol. I was then told to follow a different officer into a room and was told to wait until my name was called for “interview”. I waited for about 15 minutes until an officer called my name and asked me the following questions:

1. When did you first arrive to the U.S.?
2. Do you live in the U.S.?
3. Why did you move to the U.S.?
4. Why did you recently leave the U.S.?
5. What do you do for a living?

I was nervous when I was being questioned, but I managed to remain calm and answered all of his questions. The officer then told me to wait in the room and returned with my stamped AP travel document (he kept the other original AP travel document as he is supposed to). He then handed back my Mexican passport, which he stamped with the word “Paroled” on it. I was then allowed to leave the room.

It felt like an eternity because of the uncertainty of what could happen; however, it was worth it as I was able to see my grandmother again before she passed away.

I consulted with an immigration attorney prior to applying for advance parole. I did not hire an immigration attorney to work on my AP case because I don’t have any criminal record and I was able to answer all the questions listed on the application packet, as well as collect all the proofs necessary to apply for advance parole.

I chose to write about my AP experience because I found this website to be helpful when I first decided that I was going to take the risk of traveling with AP. I will try my best to answer any questions you may have about my AP experience. Best of luck.