Travel

How to Get I-94 Number Under Electronic Form I-94 Process

by

Form I-94 is the Arrival/Departure Record issued to foreign visitors when they enter the United States. Form I-94 used to be in paper format, stapled to a visitor’s passport by a Customs and Border Protection(CBP) officer. Since April of 2013, however, CBP has implemented the electronic I-94 process across the nation’s ports of entry. Most … Read more

Travel Between U.S. and China for Senior Citizens

by

Over the past ten years, my parents have visited us six or seven times. Every time they fly between China and the U.S., however, my anxiety level would skyrocket for the duration of their entire trip. I keep telling myself they’ve done it so many times without a glitch, but mentally just can’t help it. … Read more

Visit Alaska – Trip Planning

by

Alaska GlacierWe visited Alaska from July 16 to 24, 2011. Although we planned early, we couldn’t start making reservations until early May because of some uncertainties in my parents’ visa application, and that turned out to be a bit late for many things. If you are planning to visit Alaska this summer, I recommend that you start looking around as soon as possible. This way you will have more choices with regard to hotels, rental cars, etc. In addition, you will have better chances to score those “coupon-only” deals if you book early.

Alaska Coupon Books

Even if you are not a typical “coupon clipper,” don’t overlook the Alaska Coupon Books. They can easily save you hundreds of dollars. The one I bought is called Alaska TourSaver, priced at $99.95 on Amazon. Despite the high price, I’m glad I bought it since the first two coupons I used already recouped the book cost. If your plans include train tours, glacier cruises, flightseeing, river rafting…your savings could quickly add up with those buy-one-get-one coupons.

Some places, especially hotels, accept only a limited number of coupons per day. So again, book early if possible. The TourSaver’s website lists all the coupons in the book. You can find out beforehand if a particular activity offers a coupon, and whether there are validation or other limitations. Do not tear off the coupons just yet; many places require the entire book, with the coupon still attached, to honor the discount. Alaska Railroad, on the other hand, asked me to mail the coupons to them, which was interesting.

Other than the Tour Saver, another coupon book called Northern Lights is also quite popular. Although there are overlaps, the two books do offer different coupons. Another tip, if you’re planning a trip for later in the summer, you can probably grab a lightly used coupon book off eBay for half the price.

Best Time to Visit Alaska

Alaska is open to tourists all year round, but obviously the majority of people go during the summer. Alaska’s travel season is usually May 15 through September 15, peaking from mid-June to mid-August.

Read more

Visit National Parks for Free in 2012

by

There are nearly 400 national parks in the United States. Many of them are not only spectacular, but also suitable for family vacations. In fact, visiting a national park has been our top choice for vacation trips ever since my kids were old enough to enjoy travelling. The National Park Service (NPS), in my opinion, … Read more

EAD/AP Combo Card Update: DOS Sent Formal Notification to Beijing

by

USCIS’ Beijing Office responded to our inquiry today with regard to the new EAD/AP combo card being rejected as valid travel document by Beijing Entry/Exit Inspection. The email explained that the United States Embassy has officially notified Chinese authorities of the validity of the new card. So hopefully the issue will be resolved soon and … Read more

Travel Alert: EAD/AP Combo Card Rejected at Beijing Airport

by

Recently we were alerted to some travelers’ experience at the Beijing International Airport: They were denied boarding on their way back to the U.S. because their EAD and AP combo cards were not yet officially recognized by the Beijing Station of Exit and Entry Inspection. I called the Beijing station (8610-58105400) and a gentleman answering … Read more

Don’t Leave a Child in Hot Car

by

With summer just around the corner, it is worth a post to remind everyone that leaving a child inside a hot car can be deadly. Last year at least 49 children died of heatstroke while trapped in a vehicle. According to a recent article from AAA, on a 90-degree day, the temperature inside a vehicle … Read more

What is “Class of Admission” on Form I-131

by

We have talked about Class of Admission on Form I-90, so in this post we’ll discuss Form I-131, Application for Travel Document. Form I-131 can be used to apply for either a Reentry Permit or Advance Parole (AP), for which the “Class of Admission” requires different information. If you are using I-131 to apply for … Read more