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When you're in your visa or green card process it's not uncommon to be advised not to travel out of the country...

Yep. You're kind of in jail.

It doesn't mean that you cannot, it just means that it might complicate your already complicated application. So if a family member dies, maybe... But that's it

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I've known people who left for a brief period during the GC process on emergency basis and then were put into a literal jail on their return to the USA.

>> put into a literal jail on their return to the USA.

You'd be lucky today if that literal jail was IN the USA.

If you end up in “jail” for leaving the country on a green card then clearly you made a mistake.

The process is very straightforward - without advanced parole or a valid visa you can’t come back in.

Or if you’ve violated immigration or criminal law you run the risk of being detained.

But that’s how the system is supposed to work.

This is true. But you might be conflating two different issues: having to apply for a greencard from outside the country, and being restricted in traveling outside the US during the (potentially very lengthy) pendency of that application.

No, I'm aware of the difference. I just wanted to write this down as 'being told you cannot do something' is not something the typical American likes. Yet, when going through immigration, it's common...

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