A Reentry Permit is a travel document that allows a green card holder to reenter the United States. Lawful permanent residents (green card holders) or conditional permanent residents who plan to travel outside the United States for more than one year, but less than two years, may apply for a Reentry Permit.
A Reentry Permit is a multiple-use travel document, and it can be used several times during its valid period to reenter the United States. Form I-131, Application for Travel Document is the application for a Reentry Permit from within the United States to apply for a permit.
A Reentry Permit is generally used when a lawful permanent resident knows he or she will be present outside the United States for more than a year and does not intend to give up his or her status. Form I-131, Application for Travel Document is the application for a Reentry Permit and must be filed while you are within the United States.
Without a Reentry Permit, a permanent resident that is outside the country for more than a year will most likely be placed in removal proceedings on the ground that he/she has abandoned his or her permanent resident status. The permit is intended to prevent this problem.
Here are some additional things to keep in mind about filing Form I-131:
If you are a green card holder and plan to apply for citizenship, and will be traveling outside of the United States, it is smart to consult an experienced immigration attorney BEFORE you travel.
It is important to consult with an experienced immigration and citizenship attorney as early as possible. A citizenship attorney can help you ensure that you meet all of the requirements for naturalization and that your application is processed smoothly. The immigration attorneys at Godoy Law Office work with you to evaluate your immigration status and guide you in your journey to becoming a U.S. citizen. If you need help with a Reentry Permit or other immigration issue, please contact our office at 630-912-0322.
We help clients in all 50 states.
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.