Traveling outside the United States can be tricky if you have immigration applications pending or if you are a permanent resident. Two important tools help protect your status when you travel: re-entry permits and advance parole.
But what’s the difference? And which one should you use? In this blog, we break it down in simple terms so you can travel with confidence.
👉 Call Godoy Law Office at 630-345-4164 if you want help deciding which travel document is best for your situation.
A re-entry permit lets lawful permanent residents (Green Card holders) travel outside the United States for an extended time — usually up to two years — without losing their permanent resident status.
Normally, permanent residents must live in the U.S. and not stay too long outside the country. If you stay outside the U.S. for more than six months, USCIS might think you abandoned your resident status. A re-entry permit protects you from this problem.
To apply, you file Form I-131 with USCIS before you leave the United States. Once approved, the re-entry permit shows immigration officers that you intend to return and keep your permanent residency.
👉 Call Godoy Law Office at 630-345-4164 if you are planning long travel and want legal advice before applying.
Advance parole is not the same as a re-entry permit. It is for non-permanent residents or people with pending applications, such as:
Advance parole is also requested with Form I-131. It allows you to leave the United States and come back lawfully without abandoning your pending application.
Without advance parole, leaving the U.S. while certain immigration applications are pending can cause the application to be denied automatically.
👉 Reach out to Godoy Law Office at 630-345-4164 if you have a pending application and want to travel safely.
| Feature | Re-Entry Permit | Advance Parole |
| Best for | Permanent residents (Green Card holders) | Non-permanent residents with a pending application |
| Purpose | Travel up to 2 years outside the U.S. | Travel and re-entry while an application is pending |
| Applies to | Green Card holders | Adjustment of status, TPS, DACA, humanitarian cases |
| Risk of abandonment | Prevents abandonment of permanent residency | Protects pending applications from denial |
Here’s a simple way to think about it: A re-entry permit protects your permanent residency.
Advance parole protects your pending immigration application.
Both require careful planning and filing before you travel.
Traveling without the right permission can cause serious problems:
This is why choosing the correct travel document is so important.
👉 Call Godoy Law Office at 630-345-4164 before making travel plans that could affect your immigration status.
Q1. Can a Green Card holder use advance parole instead of a re-entry permit?
Yes, in some cases. But using advance parole instead of a re-entry permit may not protect your permanent residency if you stay outside the U.S. for a long time.
Q2. How long does it take to get a re-entry permit or advance parole?
Processing times vary. You should apply as early as possible — often months before you plan to travel — because USCIS needs time to review Form I-131.
Q3. Can I travel while my application is pending?
You can travel with advance parole if you have a pending application and USCIS approved your document before departure. Without it, leaving the U.S. can cause your application to be denied.
Traveling outside the United States while you are waiting on an immigration case — or as a permanent resident — can be risky without the right document.
At Godoy Law Office, our immigration attorneys can help you:
📞 Call us today at 630-345-4164 to schedule a consultation and protect your travel plans and immigration status.
🌐 Serving clients from 8 office locations: Oak Brook • Waukegan • Elgin • Orland Park • Berwyn • Aurora • Joliet • Chicago (Beverly)
Immigration Attorney Mario Godoy has years of experience guiding clients with immigration issues through the immigration process along with guiding clients through the criminal case. Godoy focuses on family-based immigration law, business immigration law, removal defense, and criminal defense representation of immigrants. A criminal charge or conviction can be devastating to your immigration case. With over a decade of immigration law experience and memories of family members who were deported due to bad legal advice, Godoy is committed to helping other immigrant families receive the legal justice they deserve. As a legal entrepreneur who practices immigration law, criminal law, estate and probate law, and running two successful law firms, Mario Godoy understands the importance of keeping families together and making a home and future in America.
