Form I-131: Complete Guide to USCIS Travel Documents

Anyone living in the United States in a status other than U.S. citizen must plan international travel carefully. A poorly planned trip can invalidate a green card, jeopardize a pending adjustment of status application, or prevent a refugee or asylee from returning to the country. Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, is the central tool for navigating these risks and covers several distinct scenarios under a single application.

Form I-131 is filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to request a reentry permit, refugee travel document, advance parole, or advance permission to travel for long-term residents of the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Each document serves a specific profile, requires its own set of supporting evidence, and carries a different filing fee. Understanding which one applies to your situation is the first step toward protecting your immigration status.

Reentry Permit for Permanent Residents

The reentry permit is designed for green card holders — both conditional and lawful permanent residents — who intend to remain outside the United States for more than one year. Without it, extended absences may be interpreted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection as abandonment of permanent residence, which would require the holder to obtain a returning resident visa (SB-1) at a U.S. consulate before being allowed back in.

The document allows reentry for up to two years from the date of issuance and also protects residents whose daily life has temporarily shifted to another country, provided their ties to the United States are maintained. There is no renewal: once the reentry permit expires, the resident must return to U.S. territory and file a new application.

The petitioner must be physically present in the United States at the time of filing Form I-131 and should ideally submit the application at least 60 days before departure, because USCIS mandates a biometrics appointment at an Application Support Center (ASC). After completing biometrics, the applicant may leave the country while the application remains under review; the approved document can be mailed to an overseas address or to a U.S. consulate of the petitioner’s choosing.

Required Documents

• Copy of a government-issued photo ID, such as a green card or passport;
• Evidence of permanent residence, typically a front-and-back copy of the Permanent Resident Card;
• Two passport-style photos taken within the last 30 days;
• Copy of Form I-797 if the green card is being replaced.

Refugee Travel Document

Refugees and asylees who have not yet obtained a green card need a refugee travel document to travel abroad and lawfully return to the United States. This document serves as a substitute for the passport of their country of origin, whose use is generally incompatible with the protection status granted by the United States. Permanent residents who received their green card through refugee or asylum proceedings may also apply for a refugee travel document instead of a reentry permit and pay a reduced fee.

The document is valid for one year, and the holder must present it to the Department of Homeland Security officer at the port of entry upon return. Traveling to the country of origin with a refugee travel document may, in theory, signal possible re-establishment of protection in that country, which USCIS may scrutinize during status reviews. Any such trip should be preceded by a careful analysis of its impact on the case.

Required Documents

• Copy of a government-issued photo ID;
• Proof of refugee or asylee status, typically the I-94 or an immigration judge’s order;
• Two passport-style photos taken within the last 30 days;
• A written statement explaining any affirmative answers to questions in Part 6 of the form.

Advance Parole for Applicants Inside the United States

Advance parole authorizes foreign nationals already present in the United States to travel abroad and return while an adjustment of status application (Form I-485) is pending. Leaving the country without this document results in automatic abandonment of the I-485, except for limited exceptions applicable to holders of H-1, H-4, L-1, L-2, K-3, K-4, V-1, V-2, and V-3 status, who may return using their valid visas.

Advance parole is discretionary: the Department of Homeland Security grants it based on humanitarian, educational, professional, or public interest reasons, and may revoke it at any time — including while the applicant is outside the United States. For this reason, immigration specialists strongly advise against non-essential travel while the I-485 is pending.

Required Documents

• Copy of a government-issued photo ID;
• Two passport-style photos taken within the last 30 days;
• Evidence of current immigration status in the United States;
• Evidence of the purpose of travel (employer letter, proof of medical treatment, academic documents);
• A written statement explaining the need to travel;
• Copy of the USCIS receipt notice confirming that Form I-485 has been filed, when applicable.

Advance Parole for Applicants Outside the United States

Advance parole may also be granted to foreign nationals outside the United States in exceptional circumstances involving significant humanitarian emergencies or significant public benefit. Such grants are rare and require robust documentation, including a completed Form I-134 (Declaration of Financial Support) signed by a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, along with proof that the applicant is unable to obtain a regular visa or an inadmissibility waiver.

Advance Permission to Travel for CNMI Long-Term Residents

Long-term residents of the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands whose status restricts movement to the rest of U.S. territory must obtain advance permission to travel before visiting other parts of the United States without losing their status. The trip must be temporary and for a legitimate purpose, and permission must be secured before departure.

Updated Fees and Fee Waivers

The USCIS fee schedule effective April 1, 2024, simplified and reduced several I-131 fee categories. The fees in effect for 2026 are as follows:

When a reentry permit or advance parole application requires biometrics, an additional $30 biometric services fee applies for most applicants over the age of 14. USCIS may waive part or all of the fees upon submission of Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, with proof of financial hardship or receipt of qualifying federal benefits.

Processing Times in 2026

I-131 processing times vary by category, service center, and seasonal volume. In 2026, data from the USCIS Processing Times Tool indicates an average processing window of five to twelve months for reentry permits and advance parole; refugee travel documents tend toward the lower end of that range. Applications filed online, when available, generally move more predictably than paper submissions.

Common errors that cause delays include non-compliant photos, missing signatures in the required fields, omission of a copy of the I-485 receipt notice when applicable, and missing certified translations. Documents in languages other than English must include a certified English translation with a statement from the translator attesting to their competence and the accuracy of the translation.

Reentry Permit vs. Advance Parole

Confusion between a reentry permit and advance parole is common, but the distinction is clear-cut. The reentry permit is the tool for those who already hold a green card and plan to be absent for an extended period; advance parole protects those who are still in the process of obtaining a green card and need to travel before the final approval of their adjustment of status. Mixing up the two can lead to abandonment of a pending application or invalidation of permanent residence.

Class of Admission and Form-Specific Details

In the biographical section of the form, the class of admission field asks for the category under which the foreign national was admitted to the United States — such as conditional permanent resident, permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or TPS. The information must match what is recorded on the most recent I-94 or on the green card. Discrepancies here generate Requests for Evidence (RFEs) and slow processing.

For those who travel while an I-131 is pending, two practical rules apply. First: attend the biometrics appointment before departure, or the application will be considered abandoned. Second: keep digital copies of all filed documents while abroad, because RFE notices with short response deadlines may arrive while the applicant is outside the country.

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

Leading journalism and editorial content at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps make immigration topics clear, trustworthy, and easy to understand. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.