Asylum Based i-485

[flando]

Hey there, would appreciate it if anyone could share experience traveling to a third country ( not country of origin ) with a green card ( obtained through asylum) and the original passport? I've been waiting for my RTD since last year but have to travel urgently for educational purposes for a few months, I still have my old passport which is valid, so I was wondering if I am allowed to use it to travel or not? What could be potentially negative consequences of doing that ? Any advice will be highly appreciated, thanks in advace !!

[Himalaya]

Hey there, would appreciate it if anyone could share experience traveling to a third country ( not country of origin ) with a green card ( obtained through asylum) and the original passport? I've been waiting for my RTD since last year but have to travel urgently for educational purposes for a few months, I still have my old passport which is valid, so I was wondering if I am allowed to use it to travel or not? What could be potentially negative consequences of doing that ? Any advice will be highly appreciated, thanks in advace !!

[whereismygc]

Flando, Himalaya - it could be some problem on my end but I can’t see your messages , your posts appear to be empty for some reason

[flando]

Flando, Himalaya - it could be some problem on my end but I can’t see your messages , your posts appear to be empty for some reason

I think the site removed external links.

You can do a Google search

"asylumist Traveling With Your Passport When You Have Asylum"

and refer to Jason's May 2022 article.

[Ad_darji]

How long does they take to approve case after rfe submission?

[maratathi]

Looks like others got their i-485 approved except me.

People don't comment much here any more.

I am still waiting patiently. It has been 40 months since I put in my I-485 application in April 2019.

I have contacted my congressman who has been following up with USCIS & hoping soon my application will be processed.

[asylumvn]

Looks like others got their i-485 approved except me.

People don't comment much here any more.

I am still waiting patiently. It has been 40 months since I put in my I-485 application in April 2019.

I have contacted my congressman who has been following up with USCIS & hoping soon my application will be processed.

I've been waiting since Oct 2020 and I know a lot of people filed in 2019 and 2020 still waiting, meanwhile applicants in 2021 and 2022 got processed faster.
I don't want to disappoint you but USCIS see congressman just like a civilian. They will issue a generic response to the congressman just as they tell you when you ask for it. The only party can help you is the federal court or the supreme court.

[flando]

I've been waiting since Oct 2020 and I know a lot of people filed in 2019 and 2020 still waiting, meanwhile applicants in 2021 and 2022 got processed faster.
I don't want to disappoint you but USCIS see congressman just like a civilian. They will issue a generic response to the congressman just as they tell you when you ask for it. The only party can help you is the federal court or the supreme court.

If you believe those applicants in 2021 and 2022 "got processed faster" you can always withdraw your old case and file a new one.

As to the congressman inquery, it all depends on why you need them to followup with your case. Generally speaking, unless the congressman made a personal inquery or you have a strong reason, they won't expedite your case as there are many like you who are waiting in line.

that said, it won't hurt neither. You should try, but knowing most likely it would have no effect on your case.

Lastly, as to the 2019 case, it's very close to the case processing time posted, generally that means your case should be processed within the next 6-12 months. Like I always say and you have did for the last 3 years, just wait. you are much better off than most immigrants. Not sure how you will survive like the Indians who need to wait 10+ years to get their green cards and during those years they have no flexible work authorization .

[MrAnonymous]

Is Kendal Field Office known to be very slow? I had sent in my RFE about two months ago and have heard nothing other than they response that my RFE has been received.

[Sunbelt]

Hello fellow waiters, End of waiting for another family after 2.5 years. Let this be a reminder for you that your time will come no matter how complex and late your case be. Thanks for all your supports. Like they always said all case is different but have faith your time will come too.

[flando]

Hello fellow waiters, End of waiting for another family after 2.5 years. Let this be a reminder for you that your time will come no matter how complex and late your case be. Thanks for all your supports. Like they always said all case is different but have faith your time will come too.

Congrats and that's exactly right.

The less you worry about it the faster that day will come.

[mmbt]

Also to your question -

That sucks. Mine is also stuck in the same queue as yours, though I don't have a particular need to have one and applied just to get a feel for how things are nowadays.

However you have to understand that USCIS is currently prioritizing its resources to process more pressing cases, such as AOS, family, asylum and employment based (before numbers run out in this FY), EADs, etc. Travel document is not something of a particular critical benefits that USCIS need to act immediately..

There are couple of options if you get stuck in this:

1. defer travel, if it's vacation or leisure;

2. You don't have to send in your old RTD when you apply for new ones. According to the procedure, USCIS will issue RFE when they are ready to adjudicate https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/policy-manual-afm/afm53-external.pdf

3. If you face urgent need, such as medical emergency or urgent business need, you can request expedited processing using things like letters from employer.

Hey Flando, the link you posted doesn't seem to work. Wondering how you know you don't need to send the old or current RTD when requesting a new one? Literally a few months ago you told me the opposite, and to read the instructions, and it says there that unfortunately, you do need to send it when requesting a new one.

[flando]

Hey Flando, the link you posted doesn't seem to work. Wondering how you know you don't need to send the old or current RTD when requesting a new one? Literally a few months ago you told me the opposite, and to read the instructions, and it says there that unfortunately, you do need to send it when requesting a new one.

I don't recall what exactly what I said back then. If I said you have to submit it when you submit your I-131, I misspoke.

but if I ask you to read the instructions, then that's not wrong. Nowhere (as far as I can tell) does it say you have to submit it WHEN you submit the application. However, they will not issue new RTD until you returned the old (but valid) one when they adjudicate.

What that means is that, they **generally** (i.e. not guaranteed) will issue RFE for your old document, if it's still valid. If you don't mind that, you don't have to submit your old RTD along with I-131.

Chances are when they are ready to adjudicate, your RTD already expired so no RFE is needed.

Lastly as for the link, it's valid. Whatever this forum did broke it. You need to copy the URL text and try. Under (12) and I quote "If a previously issued RTD was not surrendered by the applicant, you should request the alien return it or explain in detail the reason he/she cannot.". Basically it says, if RTD was not submitted with application, issue RFE.

Edit -

Ok I find the original post - I stated correctly as follows -

"You can renewal anytime, just that you either need to send in your original travel doc when you renew or has to send in response of RFE if it's still valid. They will not issue you new ones unless you send in the original one that is still valid. "

Two options -
1) send in when you apply or
2) send in only when they request it.

[mmbt]

I don't recall what exactly what I said back then. If I said you have to submit it when you submit your I-131, I misspoke.

but if I ask you to read the instructions, then that's not wrong. Nowhere (as far as I can tell) does it say you have to submit it WHEN you submit the application. However, they will not issue new RTD until you returned the old (but valid) one when they adjudicate.

What that means is that, they **generally** (i.e. not guaranteed) will issue RFE for your old document, if it's still valid. If you don't mind that, you don't have to submit your old RTD along with I-131.

Chances are when they are ready to adjudicate, your RTD already expired so no RFE is needed.

Lastly as for the link, it's valid. Whatever this forum did broke it. You need to copy the URL text and try. Under (12) and I quote "If a previously issued RTD was not surrendered by the applicant, you should request the alien return it or explain in detail the reason he/she cannot.". Basically it says, if RTD was not submitted with application, issue RFE.

Edit -

Ok I find the original post - I stated correctly as follows -

"You can renewal anytime, just that you either need to send in your original travel doc when you renew or has to send in response of RFE if it's still valid. They will not issue you new ones unless you send in the original one that is still valid. "

Two options -
1) send in when you apply or
2) send in only when they request it.

Oh my, thank you so much! I wasn't going to send a new application because I thought it would get rejected if I didn't send the current RTD that's still valid, but by the time they actually get to the case I don't mind a RFE or like you say, it will probably be expired anyways. Thank you, really. I've been thinking so much about this and trying to figure out a way to travel in October of next year if my current RTD expires in July 2023.

[flando]

Oh my, thank you so much! I wasn't going to send a new application because I thought it would get rejected if I didn't send the current RTD that's still valid, but by the time they actually get to the case I don't mind a RFE or like you say, it will probably be expired anyways. Thank you, really. I've been thinking so much about this and trying to figure out a way to travel in October of next year if my current RTD expires in July 2023.

Well, there is always a chance your application will be wrongfully rejected.

Chances are very low, and you won't loose anything (other than the shipping cost maybe).

Considering the current processing time of almost 1 year, you should for sure send it in now.