Rejected at Airport without EAD today --help needed !!

[MusicKoala415]

Hi everyone,

I am suppose to fly to france today from US but I was rejected at the counter when I tried to check in. I know it was my bad to forget to take EAD card with me but I showed the I797 form to the airline representative and they told me that was not valid to travel abroad. My original plan was to go to France and let my husband to mail the EAD card to me. but now looks like I could not even exit the country.. Now i am stay in the hotel and wait for my EAD card to come.

My question is -
1. is it normal that the airport check EAD card and also refuse to take my i797?
2. I have rescheduled my flight to later this week. Is there anything else I should prepare before check in ?
3. Anything I should be aware of ??

Many many thanks..

Confused Musickoala

[yellowings]

You need EAD/AP

You have to have EAD/AP (Advance Parole) card.

1. It is very normal they refuse to take i797. It doesn't do anything except "letting you know USCIS office received your applications." (It does not include any decision. Just well "delivered.")
2. Once you get your EAD/AP card, you can enter US without hassle.
3. Please read the description and instructions of i797 and other forms for avoiding future mistakes. Also, it is not good going outside of US during pending status.

[newacct]

Hi everyone,

I am suppose to fly to france today from US but I was rejected at the counter when I tried to check in. I know it was my bad to forget to take EAD card with me but I showed the I797 form to the airline representative and they told me that was not valid to travel abroad. My original plan was to go to France and let my husband to mail the EAD card to me. but now looks like I could not even exit the country.. Now i am stay in the hotel and wait for my EAD card to come.

My question is -
1. is it normal that the airport check EAD card and also refuse to take my i797?
2. I have rescheduled my flight to later this week. Is there anything else I should prepare before check in ?
3. Anything I should be aware of ??

Many many thanks..

Confused Musickoala

Umm... this makes zero sense. The US has no exit checks. Anybody can leave the US at any time they like. People who have been here illegally forever can leave the US freely without any problems. Airlines do not check your status in the US on leaving (they don't even expect you to turn in an I-94 because these days I-94s are electronic) -- they only check your ability to enter the destination country. If you didn't have Advance Parole prior to leaving, you might be abandoning your AOS (depending on your status), but that does not mean you cannot leave.

If they told you you didn't have a valid travel document, that probably means you don't have a valid passport to enter France.

[NettieL]

Wait....are you still in the US? I misunderstood that you are trying to come back and are stuck in France. If you are planning to leave without your authorization to return, you are running a huge risk.

[inadmissible]

Nettie, that's still not Air France's check in staff's problem, is it?

[NettieL]

Yes, I agree that the airline staff doesn't have that authority. However I know that the UK Border Control screens travellers for people travelling to- and connecting at Heathrow and Chadwick. They will check that you have both your UK plus the correct end destination travel documents. They pick random people for screening because apparently some people think it's more above-board to enter the US from the UK, rather than from their country of origin.

The OP does not make sense, because the above also doesn't apply.