Advance Parole, also called Form I-131, is a crucial travel document for people whose applications are pending at immigration here in the U.S.
Such applicants can leave the U.S. temporarily but shall not abandon their application and need not have to reapply for a visa to stay in the country.
If you're an immigrant, be it simply adjusting your status to obtain a green card or a DACA or TPS holder, Advance Parole may be your only chance to travel outside the U.S.
Advance Parole eligibility is determined by your immigration status and the immigrant status benefits you are applying for. Most applicants currently in the U.S. are in the process of obtaining approval. It includes an adjustment of status, asylum application, or any other application.
Their departure risks displacing them in line if they leave the country without Advance Parole. The most significant categories of eligible individuals for Advance Parole are as follows:
Green Card Applicants (Adjustment of Status)
People applying for a change of status to get a green card must apply for Advance Parole when they need to or want to leave the United States.
Suppose a green card applicant travels out of the country without this Advance Parole document. In that case, USCIS can claim that the application is abandoned, and they will have to go through the whole process once again if they return to the United States.
Many current green card applicants are in the U.S. on a nonimmigrant visa, such as an F-1 student visa, a B-1 business visitor visa, an H-1B work visa, or another of the dozens of temporary visa categories.
Once they file for an adjustment of status on Form I-485, they must not rely on their visa to return to the United States when they leave. That is why Advance Parole is essential during that time when you leave.
Refugees and Asylees
Refugees and asylees are another category of aliens who require Advance Parole to depart from or enter the United States.
If you are an asylee or refugee, you might have to leave the U.S. after you obtain such status. Therefore, if you obtain Advance Parole before leaving the U.S., your legal status in the U.S. may be positively impacted.
It will be significant to the refugees or asylees who plan to travel to another country so that they may apply for an immigrant visa. The Advance Parole must be secured by refugees and asylees before traveling to avoid problems in their return and to make them eligible for U.S. immigration benefits.
DACA Recipients
DACA registrants who require travel outside the United States may seek Advance Parole. Three humanitarian, educational, or employment-related reasons allow the U.S. government to authorize the traveling of DACA recipients abroad include:
Humanitarian grounds : Traveling to sick relatives, performing funeral rites, or receiving medical attention, among others.
Educational purposes : Participating in study abroad programs, Academic research or scholarly activities, or presentation of research work at an academic conference.
Employment purposes : To attend a work-related meeting, job interview, overseas assignment, or professional conference.
Advance Parole recipients must document the purpose of their travel and ensure that the same falls within one of the above categories while applying for advance parole.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Holders
Like DACA recipients, TPS holders must apply for Advance Parole before leaving the country. They have been provided with temporary immigration status in the United States because there are unsafe conditions in their homeland due to war, natural disasters, or any other extraordinary circumstances.
If a TPS holder leaves the United States without Advance Parole, they may be prevented from re-entry to the United States and, in turn, could lose their TPS status.
An application for Advance Parole requires you to file Form I-131 with USCIS, along with supporting documents and the cost of filing. Here's what you need to do to obtain Advance Parole.
Step 1: Gather Required Documents
You must attach a package of documents with your Advance Parole application that you submit to USCIS. It must include the following documents.
Step 2: File Form I-131
Once you gather the necessary documents, it is time to prepare and submit Form I-131, the actual application for Advance Parole. Be prepared to include information about yourself, your immigration status, and the reason for your trip.
That may incur additional fees; while some situations allow you to have the fee waived, look at USCIS's current fee schedule by link from resources for this article below.
You can submit your application online or by mail, whichever you prefer. Just follow instructions carefully and ensure all documents are notarized before submitting them.
Step 3: Wait for USCIS Processing
Advanced parole processing usually takes place within the 90 to 150-day timeframe, but in some cases, USCIS may require longer processing time for your application.
Filing for Advance Parole well before the travel date is always advisable to avoid these last-minute delays.
You can check the status of your application online by entering the receipt number on the USCIS website.
Once you secure the Advance Parole, you can travel outside of the U.S. while your Advance Parole is valid. However, some guidelines must be known before and during your trip, and these may badly hurt your immigration status.
Travel Restrictions and Re-Entry
Advance Parole does not guarantee a person's automatic readmission into the U.S. Even when your Advance Parole is valid, you are not assured entry into the U.S. at the border.
The CBP officers can deny you entry into the country, declaring you inadmissible under U.S. law.
You will be declared inadmissible if it was found that you had been previously caught on immigration violations, had criminal records, or if you stayed for a more extended period than indicated on your previous visa.
One other important thing is to prepare all your traveling papers, like Advance Parole documents, passport, and other significant immigration forms, to go back to the U.S.
Expiration of Advance Parole
Advance Parole is typically valid for one year, but if you intend to stay abroad significantly longer, you should have an advance parole renewed.
Check in when your current document expires so you can file your renewal at least 120 days before it expires. You may end up flying abroad with no means to return to the U.S. and end up a while longer outside the country because you failed to renew the Advance Parole in time.
Impact on Pending Immigration Applications
Traveling with Advance Parole should generally not be detrimental to your green card application or any other immigration process, provided that you return to the U.S. before the advance parole expires.
Take note of attending USCIS appointments, such as biometrics or interviews, while out of the country.
Advance Parole for Multiple Trips
If you anticipate traveling abroad several times before a decision is made regarding your immigrant application, you can apply for a multiple-entry Advance Parole.
Multiple-entry Advance Parole allows you to travel abroad as many times as you want without petitioning a new document each time. Make sure you indicate a multiple-entry Advance Parole requirement while submitting Form I-131.
USCIS may speed up your Advance Parole in case of emergencies. Expedited Advance Parole is granted only when there is a real need to travel for a family's medical emergency or even in case of death in the family.
How to Request Expedited Processing
You need to prove your emergency to file for expedited Advance Parole.
The filed documents may include:
No one is guaranteed their Advance Parole will be expedited, and USCIS does this only in extreme circumstances. Obtain Advance Parole as soon as you can to avoid the necessity of such a process in the first place.
The "average" processing times for all Advanced Parole or I-131 applications vary significantly from a few months to a few years, depending on your specific case (if you're looking for a Travel Document while in the United States or a Re-entry Permit from abroad) and pending type of your immigration application (for example Family/Marriage or Employment-based immigrant visa or Asylum/Refugees/TPS holders), as well as which USCIS center will go to process your I-131 document request and their current caseload for Advance Parole applications.
The official processing times from USCIS data as of February 2026, based on I-131 cases processed recently, show that 80% of Advance Parole cases were processed in 17.5 months across different Service Center Operations (SCOPS).
You will attract significant penalties if you leave the U.S. without Advance Parole.
When the green card applicant leaves the country without advance parole, you would be considered to have abandoned your application. You might need to start the entire immigration process from scratch in extreme cases.
In the case of DACA and TPS holders, failure to obtain Advance Parole before a trip out of the country means a possible denial into the U.S. upon entry, with a real risk of loss of status entirely. Failure to obtain Advance Parole before leaving the country as a refugee or asylee could endanger your right to legal re-entry.
Staying Informed About Your Immigration Case
Prepare beforehand for receiving any USCIS notices while outside the country. You must complete an appointment or take the necessary action during such an appointment to ensure your case is successful.
Many immigrants ask about how advanced parole works, how to apply, and whether it is necessary. The most often asked questions about Advance Parole are the following:
Will Advance Parole Guarantee Re-Entry to the U.S.?
No, Advance Parole does not guarantee a return to the United States. When armed with a valid Advance Parole document, you are still subject to inspection by CBP officers at the port of entry.
They may deny entry if they conclude that you are inadmissible under U.S. immigration law. Advance Parole will increase the chances of being admitted to return to the U.S. without harming your already-pending immigration status.
Can I Use Advance Parole for Multiple Trips?
Advanced parole has a single-entry or multiple-entry classification. If you travel out of the country more than once, you should request multiple-entry Advance Parole when submitting your Form I-131.
You will then be allowed entry into the United States multiple times for each trip without having to apply for a new Advance Parole document each time.
How Does Advance Parole Affect My Pending Green Card Application?
Travel outside the United States on Advance Parole - Generally, traveling abroad on advance parole does not impact your green card application, provided you return to the United States before the advance parole document expires.
Be sure to attend USCIS appointments such as biometrics and interviews when outside the country. Monitor how your case status is being scheduled so that you do not have interruptions in that process.
Can I Travel Without Advance Parole If I Have a Valid Visa?
Traveling on an H-1B or L-1 visa without an Advance Parole - You may not need an Advance Parole if you hold a valid passport with a current U.S. visa, such as an H-1B or L-1. Still, you must ensure it is current and, if applicable, that you can use it to return to the United States. If in doubt, contact USCIS.
It is worth noting further that having a valid visa while traveling does not, however, exempt someone from re-entry review since U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers can scrutinize you in full upon return, so it is wise that if you are traveling while adjusting your status you should weigh the risks against the benefits.
Travel with Advance Parole requires an assessment of one's position and a close understanding of the inherent danger. Advance Parole can allow readmission into the country without the requirement to file for a new visa. It is not a guarantee of readmission.
It may expose an individual to the risk that the CBP may deny their entry upon issuance of the immigration status issues. If one has overstayed a visa or had unlawful presence, which is considered an immigration violation, traveling can trigger a ban from re-entry.
So, in the best and wisest approach, such factors should be factored into one's preparation to avoid unnecessary hassle at the border.
Bar to Re-Entry for Individuals With Unlawful Presence
Even with Advance Parole, you may still face additional hurdles to reobtain your rights in the United States if, while previously here in the United States, you have accumulated unlawful presence.
Suppose you entered the United States without authorization or overstayed your visa. In that case, you will be ineligible to return to the United States for three or ten years, depending on the amount of time you spent in unlawful status.
Other Travel Considerations
Before departing, make arrangements to have mail forwarded or otherwise receive any USCIS notices while you are outside of the United States.
Warning: This article on a specific legal topic is provided for general informational purposes only and cannot be used as a substitute for legal advice. If you need legal advice for your particular situation, please consult an immigration attorney.