AngelaS

Hello All -

My husband & I are planning a trip to Italy for 2 weeks from the end of May thru June. We just got married and as he is not American we have just filed his green card papers & are waiting on the travel authorization which will take ~ 2 months to get - so we are thinking of waiting to buy a ticket until we get this - about beg-mid April. Do you think ticket prices will be too high then? We're probably going to be flying into Rome. Thanks!!

RufusTFirefly

What do you consider too high? I think they are too high now.

AngelaS

I would love to pay ~$600 but I'm not sure if this is realisitic - so no more than $800??? I'm afraid if we wait until mid April the prices could jump?

Margaretlb

Angela, I do not want to alarm you in any way but I believe your expectation of the travel documents in 2 months may not be realistic. My husband also has a green card and uses the Homeland Security Travel Document to travel. The last time he received this document was in May 2004 and it took 18 months from the date of the recipt of the application. Now, it is true that this was the at the time when Immigration and Naturalization (INS) merged into the Department of Homeland Security so there would have been some inevitable delays due to that. But I can also relate that his two documents previous to that (the INS document called a Reentry Permit) took 6 months and 4 months, respectively. If you've been told that this document will take only 2 months, just be sure you have a very reliable source (like someone at Homeland Security directly)and are not depending on heresay. Whatever tickets you do purchase, just be sure they are flexible should you have to change your dates. Believe me, I know what it's like to be in limbo awaiting the documenent and I do hope that Homeland Security has really gotten the process down to two month wait.

Barkinpark

I agree with all the previous posts: the process may take far longer than 2 months, depending on the number of applications processed at the same time.

Also, airfares are sky high now--even $8xx is considered "cheap".

Gardyloo

Kinda depends if you're flying to Rome from New York or Honolulu, doesn't it?

Want to clue us in?

ira

Hi A,

I hate going to Italy in the hot months.

Could you postone your visit for Mid-Sept to Mid-Oct?

The grapes and olives are harvested then and the Porcini mushrooms are in season.

Also, airfares are lower after Labor day.

AngelaS

We will be flying out of Chicago. We cannot change our dates - as I checked I don't think it will be that hot at this time - maybe at the warmest 80F??

As for the travel authorization - my husband met with an INS official that told them it would take 2 months - this is only a paper allowing him to leave the country, not the actual green card. His brother went thru the same thing & it only took him 1 month to receive the document.

I do appreciate all your advice!!

julies

I also hate to disillusion you, but I think he had better apply for the parole for travel immediately. My son and daughter-in-law have been married a year now, and she is hoping to get her green card this spring. Have yu had your interview yet? My DIL had her interview Sept. 1, and they finally got their first communication, but not the green card, from the government in mid-Dec.

They want to go to Europe to her home this summer and have decided that she will wait until April 1, and then if she still doesn't have the green card, she will spend the money and apply for the travel parole.

Back to the original question. Air tickets are sky high this year. I just bought some that were very reasonable but it is because theya re for next month which is dead season. And, these were a last minute sale.

Margaretlb

Angela, please check with the Italian consulate to be sure what Italy will accept for entry. Although a green card holder can always enter the USA with only the card (or in this case the accepted piece of paper mentioned by INS), EU contries require a travel document. We normally fly into France and France requires the Homeland Security Travel Document which looks like a green passport. Maybe Italy won't require this but both France and Italy are part of the Schenegen Treaty (sorry, I know this is spelled wrong)and may require the same document. It would be a shame to be denied entry into Italy.

Margaretlb

PS. If the Italian Consulate says you don't need a Travel Document make sure you get that in writing and carry that with you.

Margaretlb

Sorry to keep posting but I have a further thought. My husband requires this document because he has no passport from any country. He is classified as 'stateless". Perhaps your DH can travel on his original country's passport and the letter from INS will allow him to reenter. If that's so, be sure he has something very specific in writing from the INS guy.

henneth

Angela,
If you have filed all the papers including the Application for Advance Parole already, then the DHS advise it will take 60 to 90 days. If by then your husband has not received his Travel Document then book an infopass appointment and have a chat at your local office. Sometimes they can issue one there and then if there has been some delay via the usual route, although it would be in your favour if the journey out of the US was for medical or business reasons, however a two week vacation shouldn't pose a problem.
I think you'll be ready to leave for Italy in May if the forms were filed in January. As for the prices I can't help you on that, I just suggest checking and re-checking the websites.

AngelaS

All the green card papers have already been filed, including pmt for the travel authorization, so I'm not really worried about it b/c INS told him directly it would only take 2 months to receive. They said this is the only document he needs to go to Europe. All else fails & we don't get it in time, we'll go to Brazil - where he's from.

I'm more concerned about finding a cheap ticket to Europe!!

Intrepid1

www.onetravel.com

www.itasoftware.com

knoxvillecouple

Try kayak.com

I put in dummy dates for late May return mid June and got $821. Since I only learned about kayak.com yesterday and have never used it, I don't know if that includes any taxes or fees.

KC

Vera

I've been looking for a reasonable fare to Italy for May, also. I just tried Kayak this evening (Tucson-Rome, Venice to Tucson) and it showed $965 by United/Lufthansa. However when it sent me to the Untied site, their fare came up at $1200. (BTW, the KAYAK site says that their prices include taxes and fees). So I'm waiting.
Vera

AngelaS

I know kayak.com is pretty reliable. I guess I'll just have to wait & see what happens with prices. The flights to Brazil are about the same price as the flights to Europe...