How to Travel Outside the U.S. After Applying for a Green Card

Once you have made an application for U.S. Permanent Residency (commonly known as a "Green Card"), international travel is only allowed with official permission. The processing period for a Green Card typically lasts between six months and two years. If you wish to travel outside the U.S. during this processing period, you must apply for and receive a travel permission, typically called Advance Parole. Without an approved Advance Parole status, you may be denied re-entry into the U.S., and your application for a Green Card could be considered abandoned. Therefore, it is important to get your Advance Parole status in place before any possible international travel.

Instructions

1

Download the form I-131 ("Application for Travel Document") from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website. Make sure that you access the most recent version of the form.

2

Download the instructions for completing Form I-131 from the USCIS website.

3

Fill in Form I-131, according to the official instructions.

4

Determine whether you need to pay a biometric fee with the Form I-131. As of April 2010, the biometric fee applies to applicants between the ages of 14 and 79.

5

Write a single check, payable to Department of Homeland Security or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The amount of the check will be $385 if you need to include the biometric fee, or $305 otherwise (amounts current as of April 2010).

6

Mail the completed Form I-131, together with your check, to the USCIS Service Center that covers the area you live in. A list of Service Centers is included in the I-131 instructions.

7

Wait to receive travel permission before traveling outside of the U.S. It can take several months, or longer, for Advance Parole to be processed and approved.

8

Inform USCIS of any changes to your residential or mailing address immediately. The Advance Parole document allowing you to travel will be mailed to you.

9

Apply to renew your Advance Parole document no more than 120 days before your current Advance Parole document expires.