NEW: File Form I-131 Application for Travel Document Online

Oftentimes green card holders and other immigrants need to travel outside of the United States. Some individuals can now file Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, online. Individuals requesting parole based on urgent humanitarian reasons such as family reunification or significant public benefit may be eligible to file Form I-131 online. Eligible applicants must first create a USCIS online account.

Who Is Eligible To File Form I-131 Online?

• Individuals who are outside the United States and are requesting parole based on urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit, but are not seeking parole through a USCIS family reunification program (such as the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program, the Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program, or the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Program).
• Individuals who are already paroled in the United States and are requesting a new period of parole, or re-parole, to remain in the United States.

It is important that ONLY eligible applicants file their I-131 online. According to the USCIS announcement,

“If you file Form I-131 online, but are not eligible to file online, we will deny your application and will not refund the fee you paid.”

If an immigrant leaves the U.S. without applying for Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, they may be denied entry back into the US. This is because they will not have the proper documentation to show that they are authorized to travel outside of the US and return.

Some of the consequences of leaving the US without a travel document are:

• You may be denied entry back into the US.
• You may be banned from entering the US for a certain period of time.
• You may lose your immigration status.

What is Form I-131 Application for Travel Document?

Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, is a US immigration form that allows certain non-US citizens to apply for a travel document that will allow them to return to the United States after traveling abroad. The type of travel document that you can apply for depends on your immigration status and the purpose of your travel.

Here are the different types of travel documents that you can apply for with Form I-131:

• Reentry permit:
  This is a document that allows permanent residents to travel outside of the United States for up to two years and return without having to apply for a new visa.
• Refugee travel document:
  This is a document that allows refugees to travel outside of the United States for up to one year and return without having to apply for a new visa.
• TPS/DACA travel authorization document:
  This is a document that allows certain individuals who are granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or DACA (Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals) to travel outside of the United States for up to 18 months and return without having to apply for a new visa.
• Advance parole document:
  This is a document that allows certain individuals who are not in removal proceedings to travel outside of the United States for a specific purpose and return without having to apply for a new visa.

Learn More:

• How Long Can Green Card Holders Travel Outside the U.S.?

Do You Need To Travel Outside the US? Talk To An Immigration Lawyer

The increasingly complex rules governing legal admission to and naturalization in the United States have made the immigration process difficult to understand. With experience in many immigration cases, the experienced immigration attorneys at the Godoy Law Office assess your situation and advise you on your best options.

Call Godoy Law Office immigration lawyers at 630-912-0322 to discuss your situation.

We help clients in all 50 states.