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pdfApplication for Travel Documents, Parole Documents,
and Arrival/Departure Records
Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
USCIS
Form I-131
OMB No. 1615-0013
Expires 02/28/2027
What Is the Purpose of Form I-131?
Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records, is used to apply
for the following documents: Reentry Permits, Refugee Travel Documents, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Travel
Authorization Documents, Advance Parole Documents, initial Parole Documents for noncitizens outside the United States,
and Arrival/Departure Records for parole in place and re-parole for noncitizens inside the United States.
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What Types of Documents Can I Apply For on Form I-131?
Reentry Permits
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may issue a Reentry Permit to a lawful permanent resident or a
conditional permanent resident, which allows them to apply for admission to the United States upon returning from abroad
during the permit’s validity without the need to obtain a returning resident visa from a U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate. If
we approve Form I-131, filed by a lawful permanent resident or conditional permanent resident seeking a Reentry Permit,
we will issue a Reentry Permit.
Refugee Travel Documents
DHS may issue a Refugee Travel Document to a noncitizen in valid refugee or asylee status, or to a lawful permanent
resident who obtained such status as a direct result of refugee or asylee status in the United States, so that they may seek
admission upon their return from a trip abroad. In addition, noncitizens who hold asylee or refugee status and are not
lawful permanent residents must have a Refugee Travel Document to reenter the United States after traveling abroad
unless they possess an Advance Parole Document. If we approve a Form I-131 filed by a noncitizen in valid refugee or
asylee status (or a lawful permanent resident who obtained such status as a direct result of refugee or asylee status) to
obtain a Refugee Travel Document, we will issue a Refugee Travel Document which authorizes them to seek admission
upon their return from a trip abroad.
A DHS officer at the Port of Entry will determine the noncitizen’s admissibility when they present their Refugee Travel
Document upon return from their trip abroad.
Travel Authorization Documents for TPS Beneficiaries Inside the United States
DHS may grant discretionary travel authorization to noncitizens who have been granted TPS. If we approve Form I-131
for a TPS beneficiary seeking travel authorization, we will issue Form I-512T, Authorization for Travel by a Noncitizen
to the United States, to serve as evidence of DHS’s prior consent to their travel outside the United States under the
Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA) section 244(f)(3). DHS will determine at inspection whether you may be
admitted into TPS. If you travel and return in accordance with your TPS travel authorization and your TPS remains
valid, you will be admitted into TPS as long as you are not inadmissible for certain criminal or security grounds that are
mandatory ineligibility grounds for TPS.
Form I-131 Instructions 04/01/24
Page 1 of 30
Advance Parole Document for Noncitizens Who Are Currently Inside the United States and Advance Permission to
Travel for CNMI Long-Term Residents
DHS may, as a matter of discretion, issue an Advance Parole Document under the general parole authority of INA section
212(d)(5)(A) to a noncitizen who is inside the United States and who seeks to be able to request parole under INA section
212(d)(5)(A) upon return from a trip abroad. If we approve Form I-131 for a noncitizen inside the United States seeking
an Advance Parole Document, we will issue a Form I-512/I-512L, Advance Parole Document, which authorizes the
noncitizen to present themselves at a Port of Entry to seek parole into the United States under INA section 212(d)(5)(A)
temporarily for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.
DHS may, in its discretion, grant advance permission to travel for CNMI long-term residents, who are otherwise not
permitted to travel to the rest of the United States. If we approve Form I-131 for a CNMI long-term resident, USCIS will
issue an Advance Parole Document as evidence of advance permission to travel for CNMI long-term residents, which
allows them to travel to any other part of the United States for temporary and legitimate purposes without automatically
terminating their CNMI long-term resident status. CNMI long-term residents must obtain advance permission before
departing the CNMI to travel to any other part of the United States (including Guam). Any travel in violation of these
restrictions will result in the automatic termination of status. Travel to or from a foreign place through a direct transit in
Guam does not require advance permission.
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A transportation company may accept Advance Parole Documents in place of a visa as an authorization to travel to the
United States.
WARNINGS FOR ADVANCE PAROLE DOCUMENTS:
•
An Advance Parole Document is not issued to serve in place of any required passport. An Advance Parole Document
cannot be used solely to circumvent normal visa issuance procedures and is not a means to bypass delays in visa
issuance.
•
An Advance Parole Document issued to a noncitizen while they are inside the United States does not entitle that
noncitizen to be paroled into the United States upon their return from a trip abroad. A separate discretionary decision
on their request for parole into the United States under INA section 212(d)(5)(A) will be made when they arrive at a
Port of Entry and apply for admission to the United States upon their return.
•
DHS may revoke or terminate an Advance Parole Document at any time, including while the noncitizen is outside the
United States, in which event the noncitizen may be unable to return to the United States unless they have a valid visa
or other document that allows them to travel to the United States and seek admission.
•
If the noncitizen is applying for an Advance Parole Document based on their immigration status, being granted
deferred action, or being covered under Deferred Enforced Departure (DED), and they leave the United States without
first obtaining an Advance Parole Document, they may no longer be eligible for that immigration status, deferred
action, or being covered under DED and may not be permitted to return to the United States.
•
If the noncitizen is applying for an Advance Parole Document based on being a parolee under INA section 212(d)
(5)(A), even if they obtain an Advance Parole Document before they leave the United States, their parole will
automatically terminate when they leave the United States.
Consequences of Failure to Obtain Advance Parole Document for Certain Noncitizens Who Are Currently Inside the
United States
If a noncitizen is inside the United States and has filed Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or
Adjust Status, we generally will consider their Form I-485 abandoned if they leave the United States without first
obtaining an Advance Parole Document.
Generally, we will not consider the Form I-485 as abandoned, even if the noncitizen does not obtain an Advance Parole
Document before traveling abroad while their application is pending, if they are in one of the following classifications and
remain eligible for and would be admissible in one of the following categories upon applying for admission at a Port of
Entry:
1. An H-1 nonimmigrant temporary worker, or H-4 spouse or child of an H-1;
Form I-131 Instructions 04/01/24
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2. An L-1 nonimmigrant intracompany transferee, or L-2 spouse or child of an L-1;
3. A K-3 nonimmigrant spouse, or K-4 nonimmigrant child of a U.S. citizen; or
4. A V-1 nonimmigrant spouse, or V-2/V-3 nonimmigrant child of a lawful permanent resident.
NOTE: Upon returning to the United States, such noncitizens must present a valid H, L, K, or V nonimmigrant visa and
must be otherwise admissible to avoid their adjustment of status application being considered abandoned. If the noncitizen
does not have an approved advance parole travel document, nor a valid or unexpired H, L, K, or V nonimmigrant visa,
then they generally need to obtain an H, L, K, or V nonimmigrant visa at a U.S. Department of State (DOS) visa issuing
post or obtain an Advance Parole Document to avoid their adjustment of status application being deemed abandoned.
CNMI Long-Term Residents Travel Outside the United States
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The statute establishing the CNMI long-term resident status authorizes travel between the CNMI and foreign places.
CNMI long-term residents are not required to obtain a grant of advance permission before traveling to a foreign country.
Traveling to a foreign country without obtaining a grant of advance permission will not result in abandonment of Form
I-485.
Upon returning to the United States, CNMI Long-Term Residents can only be admitted to the CNMI, except that a direct
transit between the CNMI and a foreign place through Guam is allowed. Travel to any other part of the United States
(including Guam) requires advance permission to travel.
Initial Parole Document for Noncitizens Who Are Outside the United States
DHS may, in its discretion, issue a Parole Document under the general parole authority of INA section 212(d)(5)(A), to a
noncitizen outside the United States on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.
If we approve Form I-131 for a noncitizen outside the United States seeking a Parole Document, we will issue a Parole
Document, which authorizes the noncitizen to appear at a Port of Entry to seek parole into the United States under INA
section 212(d)(5)(A) temporarily for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.
A transportation company may accept the Parole Document in place of a visa as authorization to travel to the United
States.
NOTE: Form I-131 may not be used for initial Central American Minors (CAM) Program applications on behalf of
individuals who have never been paroled into the United States under the CAM Program. Information on initial CAM
Program applications and program eligibility can be found at www.uscis.gov/CAM.
WARNING: A Parole Document issued to a noncitizen does not entitle them to be paroled into the United States. A
separate discretionary decision on the request for parole into the United States under INA section 212(d)(5)(A) will be
made when the noncitizen arrives at a Port of Entry.
Arrival/Departure Record for Parole in Place for Noncitizens Who Are Inside the United States
DHS, in its discretion, may grant parole in place on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant
public benefit to noncitizens who are present in the United States without inspection and admission. If we approve Form
I-131 filed for a noncitizen seeking parole in place, the noncitizen will receive a Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record,
which is evidence of their parole in place.
Noncitizens inside the United States previously granted parole in place may request a new period of parole, also known as
re-parole. Please refer to the Arrival/Departure Record for Re-parole section below for additional information.
Arrival/Departure Record for Re-parole (New Period of Parole for Parolees Who Are Inside the United States)
DHS may, in its discretion, grant a new period of parole, also known as re-parole, to noncitizens inside the United States
who were previously paroled into the United States under INA section 212(d)(5)(A) for urgent humanitarian reasons or for
significant public benefit. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may require noncitizens seeking re-parole
to submit biometrics, appear for an interview, or complete an immigration medical examination and submit the results to
USCIS.
If we approve Form I-131 for a noncitizen seeking re-parole, we will issue a Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, which
is evidence of their re-parole.
Form I-131 Instructions 04/01/24
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Who May File Form I-131?
A separate Form I-131 must be filed for each noncitizen seeking a travel document, Parole Document, or Arrival/
Departure Record.
Do not file Form I-131 if the noncitizen is seeking release via parole from immigration custody. The noncitizen should
contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about the request.
ICE generally has jurisdiction over Form I-131 requests when the noncitizen applicant or beneficiary is in exclusion,
deportation, or removal proceedings, is subject to an administratively final exclusion, deportation, or removal order, or has
previously been ordered excluded, deported, or removed from the United States.
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Duplicate Form I-131 Requests
Do not file duplicate Form I-131 requests of the same application type for the same beneficiary. We may reject, deny,
administratively close, or terminate a duplicate Form I-131 if a previously submitted Form I-131 with the same applicant
or petitioner and beneficiary is pending with that same application type.
1. Reentry Permit
A. Applying for a Reentry Permit
Lawful permanent residents and conditional permanent residents may apply for a Reentry Permit. The noncitizen must
be physically present in the United States when they file the Reentry Permit application and complete the biometric
services requirement. After filing the application for a Reentry Permit, USCIS will inform the noncitizen in writing
when to go to their local Application Support Center (ASC) for their biometric services appointment. (See Item 9.
Biometrics Services Requirement in the Required Evidence section of these Instructions.)
NOTE: A Reentry Permit may be sent to a U.S. Embassy, U.S. Consulate, or USCIS international field office abroad
for the noncitizen to pick up, if they make such a request when they file their application. Please note that a noncitizen
may not be able to pick up their Reentry Permit at all U.S. Embassies and U.S. Consulates, as available services may
be limited at some locations.
If a noncitizen possesses a valid Reentry Permit, we will not consider them to have abandoned their status as a lawful
permanent resident or conditional permanent resident based solely on the duration of their absences from the United
States while the permit is valid. Nonetheless, a Reentry Permit does not exempt a noncitizen from compliance with
any of the requirements of U.S. immigration laws; only a returning resident visa obtained abroad from a U.S. Embassy
or U.S. Consulate provides exemption from such compliance.
An absence from the United States for 1 year or more will generally break the continuity of a noncitizen’s required
continuous residence for the purpose of naturalization. If a noncitizen intends to remain outside the United States for 1
year or more, they may be eligible to file Form N-470, Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes.
For more information, call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833). The USCIS Contact
Center provides information in English and Spanish.
B. Validity of Reentry Permit
(1) Generally, a Reentry Permit issued to a lawful permanent resident is valid for 2 years from the date of
issuance. See 8 CFR section 223.3(a)(1). However, if the noncitizen has been outside the United States for
more than 4 of the last 5 years since becoming a lawful permanent resident, we will limit the permit to 1 year.
As an exception, we may issue a permit with a validity of 2 years to:
(a) A lawful permanent resident whose travel is on the order of the U.S. Government, other than an exclusion,
deportation, removal, or rescission order;
(b) A lawful permanent resident employed by a public international organization of which the United States
is a member by treaty or statute; or
(c) A lawful permanent resident who is a professional athlete and regularly competes in the United States and
worldwide.
Form I-131 Instructions 04/01/24
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(2) A Reentry Permit issued to a conditional permanent resident may be valid until the dated the conditional
resident status will expire, not to exceed 2 years.
(3) USCIS will not extend the validity of a Reentry Permit.
C. We will not issue a Reentry Permit to a noncitizen if:
(1) The noncitizen has already been issued such a document, and it is still valid, unless the prior document has
been returned to USCIS or the noncitizen can demonstrate that it was lost; or
(2) A notice was published in the Federal Register that precludes the issuance of such a document for travel to the
area where the noncitizen intends to go.
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Notice to lawful permanent residents or conditional permanent residents concerning possible abandonment
of status: If the noncitizen does not obtain a Reentry Permit, lengthy or frequent absences from the United States
could be factors supporting a conclusion that the noncitizen has abandoned their lawful permanent resident or
conditional permanent resident status. If DHS determines, upon their return to the United States, that the noncitizen
has abandoned their lawful permanent resident or conditional permanent resident status, the noncitizen may challenge
that determination if they are placed in removal proceedings.
2. Refugee Travel Document
A. If the noncitizen is in the United States and (1) in valid refugee or asylee status based on INA sections 207 or
208 or (2) if the noncitizen is a lawful permanent resident as a direct result of their refugee or asylee status in the
United States, they may apply for a Refugee Travel Document. The noncitizen must apply BEFORE they leave
the United States. If we require biometrics, the noncitizen must appear for any required biometric services
appointment BEFORE they leave the United States. If they fail to appear for biometrics collection, we may
deny their application.
When filing for a refugee travel document, applicants are advised to carefully review the filing instructions
provided at www.uscis.gov/i-131-addresses, and ensure that the application is sent to the correct filing location
or office. Misfiled applications will result in delays in processing and may result in denial or rejection of the
application for a refugee travel document.
After filing the application, USCIS will inform the noncitizen in writing when to go to their local USCIS ASC
for their biometric services appointment. Unless they have other appropriate documentation, such as a Permanent
Resident Card (commonly known as a Green Card) and passport, the noncitizen must have a Refugee Travel
Document to return to the United States after temporary travel abroad.
B. If the noncitizen is outside of the United States and (1) has valid refugee or asylee status or (2) the noncitizen
is a lawful permanent resident as a direct result of their refugee or asylee status in the United States, then, we may
allow the noncitizen, in our discretion, to file Form I-131 and apply for a Refugee Travel Document. USCIS will
make the decision whether to accept the application.
The noncitizen must file their application within 1 year of their last departure from the United States and should
include an explanation of why they failed to apply for a Refugee Travel Document before they departed from the
United States.
Travel Warning Regarding Voluntary Re-availment
WARNING to asylees who travel to the country of claimed persecution: If a noncitizen applied for asylum on
or after April 1, 1997, their asylum status may be terminated if it is determined that they have voluntarily availed
themselves of the protection of their country of nationality or, if stateless, country of last habitual residence. See
INA section 208(c)(2)(D), 8 U.S.C. 1158(c)(2)(D).
C. Validity of Refugee Travel Document
(1) A Refugee Travel Document is valid for 1 year.
(2) The validity date of a Refugee a Travel Document cannot be extended.
Form I-131 Instructions 04/01/24
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D. A Refugee Travel Document may not be issued to a noncitizen if:
(1) The noncitizen has already been issued such a document and it is still valid, unless the prior document has
been returned to USCIS or the noncitizen can demonstrate that it was lost or destroyed; or
(2) A notice was published in the Federal Register that precludes the issuance of such a document for travel to the
area where the noncitizen intends to go.
NOTE: The noncitizen should apply for a Refugee Travel Document before they leave the United States. However,
we can send a Refugee Travel Document to a U.S. Embassy, U.S. Consulate, or USCIS international field office for
the noncitizen to pick up, if the noncitizen makes such a request when they file their application. Please note that the
noncitizen may not be able to pick up their Refugee Travel Document at all U.S. Embassies and U.S. Consulates, as
available services may be limited at some locations. Departing from the United States before we make a decision on
the application usually does not affect the decision. However, if we require biometrics and the noncitizen departs the
United States before biometrics are collected, we may deny the application.
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Notice to lawful permanent residents who obtain permanent residence as a result of their refugee or asylee
status: If the noncitizen does not obtain a Reentry Permit (see Item 1. Reentry Permit above) and remains outside
the United States, lengthy or frequent absences from the United States could be factors supporting a conclusion
that the noncitizen has abandoned their lawful permanent resident status. With the exception of having to obtain
a returning resident visa abroad, a Reentry Permit does not exempt a noncitizen from complying with any U.S.
immigration laws. If the noncitizen possesses a valid, unexpired Reentry Permit, we will not consider them to have
abandoned their status as a lawful permanent resident or conditional permanent resident based solely on the duration
of their absences from the United States while the permit is valid.
Notice to lawful permanent residents applying for naturalization: An absence from the United States for 1 year or
more will generally break the continuity of a noncitizen’s required continuous residence for purpose of naturalization.
If the noncitizen intends to remain outside the United States for 1 year or more, they may be eligible to file Form
N-470, Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes. For more information, call the USCIS Contact
Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833).
Abandonment of lawful permanent residence: If DHS determines, upon the noncitizen’s return to the United States,
that the noncitizen has abandoned their lawful permanent resident status, they may challenge that determination if
the noncitizen is placed in removal proceedings, and seeks a determination whether the noncitizen may retain asylum
status even if they cannot retain lawful permanent resident status.
3. Travel Authorization Related to Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
A. Travel Authorization for TPS Beneficiaries
If the noncitizen is a current TPS beneficiary, they should select Part 1., Item Number 4. of the application to
request TPS travel authorization under INA section 244(f)(3).
If a noncitizen has TPS and returns to the United States with DHS’s prior travel authorization, DHS will
determine upon inspection whether the noncitizen may be admitted into TPS. If the noncitizen travels and returns
in accordance with TPS travel authorization, the noncitizen will be admitted in the same immigration status they
had at the time of departure if their TPS is still valid and unless they are determined to be inadmissible under
certain criminal or security grounds that are also mandatory grounds of ineligibility for TPS. In such a case, the
noncitizen may be placed in removal proceedings, and TPS may be withdrawn. See Section 304(c)(1) of the
Miscellaneous and Technical Immigration and Naturalization Amendments of 1991 (MTINA), Pub. L. 102-232,
105 Stat. 1733, 1749, as amended (8 U.S.C. 1254a note).
Form I-131 Instructions 04/01/24
Page 6 of 30
B. General Notes Relating to Travel
Travel abroad by a noncitizen granted TPS who has an outstanding order of removal or is in removal proceedings
may have legal consequences with respect to the removal order or proceedings. If you are under removal
proceedings, which includes an unexecuted final order of removal before you leave the United States on your
TPS-related travel document, then you return subject to such proceedings and, if applicable, any such removal
order. A noncitizen may wish to obtain independent legal advice before leaving the United States if they are in this
situation.
If a noncitizen has a pending re-registration application for TPS and they leave the United States, they may miss
important notices from USCIS regarding their application, including requests for additional evidence. If the
noncitizen does not respond timely to these notices, USCIS may deem their application abandoned and deny
the application. Their TPS may also be withdrawn. It is very important that the noncitizen makes appropriate
arrangements to ensure that they do not miss any such important notices, including creating an account at
https://my.uscis.gov if they have not already done so. A noncitizen can use their USCIS online account to send
secure messages, check the status of their cases, respond to Requests for Evidence (RFEs), verify their identity,
and receive details on decisions for their case. Instructions for creating an online account can be found at
https://www.uscis.gov/file-online/how-to-create-a-uscis-online-account.
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C. Abandonment of TPS-Related Application for Travel Authorization
If the noncitizen leaves the United States while their request for a travel authorization document is pending, their
Form I-131 will be deemed abandoned unless they possess a travel authorization document or Advance Parole
Document that is valid for the entire time they are outside of the United States. They also may not be permitted to
reenter the United States, depending on the DHS inspector’s decision at the U.S. Port of Entry.
4. Advance Parole Document for Individuals Who Are Inside the United States
A noncitizen inside the United States should select the appropriate box in Part 1., Item Number 5. of the
application if any of the items listed under Item A. below apply.
A. Advance Parole Document Filing Population
If the noncitizen is inside the United States and seeks an Advance Parole Document authorizing them to
seek parole at a Port of Entry for urgent humanitarian reasons or a significant public benefit upon their
return from a trip abroad, they may apply for an Advance Parole Document if:
(1) The noncitizen has a pending Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status;
(2) The noncitizen has a pending affirmative Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of
Removal;
(3) The noncitizen has a pending initial Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status (TPS);
(4) The noncitizen is covered under Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) and DHS provided discretionary travel
authorization as a benefit of DED for their country; or
(5) The noncitizen has been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) (Form I-821D) pursuant
to the regulations at 8 CFR 236.21-236.23. USCIS may, in its discretion, issue an Advance Parole Document
if the noncitizen is traveling outside the United States for educational purposes, employment purposes, or
humanitarian purposes.
NOTE: Travel for vacation is not a valid purpose. For purposes of requests for advance parole by DACA
recipients:
(a) Educational purposes include, but are not limited to, semester abroad programs or academic research;
(b) Employment purposes include, but are not limited to, overseas assignments, interviews, conferences,
training, or meetings with clients; and
(c) Humanitarian purposes include, but are not limited to, travel to obtain medical treatment, attend funeral
services for a family member, or visit an ailing relative.
Form I-131 Instructions 04/01/24
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(6) The noncitizen has been granted T or U nonimmigrant status (Form I-914 or Form I-918);
(7) The noncitizen is currently paroled in the United States under INA section 212(d)(5)(A);
(8) USCIS has granted the noncitizen’s Application for Family Unity Benefits (Form I-817);
(9) The noncitizen has a pending application for temporary resident status pursuant to INA section 245A
(Form I-687);
(10) The noncitizen has been granted V nonimmigrant status (per the Immigration Family Equity (LIFE) Act) in
the United States;
(11) The noncitizen has been granted Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) long-term resident
status AND they seek to travel to any other part of the United States (including Guam), except to travel in
direct transit between the CNMI and a foreign place through Guam; or
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(a) If the noncitizen has been granted CNMI long-term resident status pursuant to Public Law 116-24,
Northern Mariana Islands Long-Term Legal Residents Relief Act (48 U.S.C. 1806(e)(6)), they may apply
for advance permission to travel;
(b) If the noncitizen is in the CNMI and they have been granted CNMI long-term resident status, they must
obtain advance permission to travel before departing the CNMI to travel to any other part of the United
States (including Guam). Travel between the CNMI and a foreign place through a direct transit in Guam
does not require advance permission;
(c) To request advance permission to travel, the noncitizen must file Form I-131, in accordance with the filing
instructions contained in this document.
(d) Along with their completed Form I-131, and proof of CNMI long-term resident status, the noncitizen
must also include a statement describing:
•
The purpose(s) of the intended travel;
•
The specific dates of the trip; and
•
Travel destination(s).
The noncitizen should include any supporting documentation they wish USCIS to consider in deciding their
request in their statement.
Generally, the approval will not exceed six months. Advance permission to travel may be valid for one entry, or
multiple entries, depending on the stated purpose(s).
(12) The noncitizen does not fall under any of the categories above, but is applying for an Advance Parole
Document based on guidance provided by DHS or USCIS. The noncitizen will select “Other” on the
application and provide proof of eligibility to apply for an Advance Parole Document based on DHS or
USCIS guidance. The noncitizen must also include a statement describing:
(a) The purpose(s) of the intended travel;
(b) The specific dates of the trip; and
(c) Travel destination(s).
The noncitizen also should include any supporting documentation they wish USCIS to consider in deciding their
request.
Important: If the noncitizen has an application pending with USCIS and they leave the United States after obtaining
an Advance Parole Document, they may miss important notices from USCIS regarding their application, including
requests for additional evidence. If the noncitizen does not respond timely to these notices, USCIS may deem their
application abandoned and, in that event, they will not receive the benefit they seek. It is very important that the
noncitizen makes appropriate arrangements to ensure that they do not miss any such important notices.
Form I-131 Instructions 04/01/24
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B. Travel Warning
Before a noncitizen applies for an Advance Parole Document from inside the United States, they should
read the following travel warning carefully.
Regardless of the basis for obtaining an Advance Parole Document:
(1) Leaving the United States, even after obtaining an Advance Parole Document, may affect the noncitizen’s
ability to return to the United States;
(2) If a noncitizen presents an Advance Parole Document to DHS at a Port of Entry in the United States, the
noncitizen will be treated as an applicant for admission;
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(3) As an applicant for admission, the noncitizen will be subject to inspection at a Port of Entry under INA
section 235 or any other provision of U.S. law. If DHS determines that the noncitizen is inadmissible under
INA section 212(a), they may be subject to expedited removal proceedings or to removal proceedings before
an immigration judge, as authorized by law and regulations;
(4) The issuance of an Advance Parole Document does NOT entitle a noncitizen to parole and does not guarantee
that DHS will parole the noncitizen into the United States upon their return;
(5) As noted above, DHS will make a separate discretionary decision whether to parole the noncitizen into the
United States each time they present an Advance Parole Document to DHS to request parole into the United
States;
(6) If, upon the noncitizen’s return, they are paroled into the United States, they will remain an applicant for
admission;
(7) As noted above, DHS may revoke or terminate an Advance Parole Document at any time, including while a
noncitizen is outside the United States. Even if the noncitizen had previously been paroled, upon their return
to the United States, DHS may also revoke or terminate their parole in accordance with 8 CFR 212.5.
If the noncitizen is outside the United States, revoking or terminating their Advance Parole Document may
prevent them from returning to the United States unless they have a valid visa or other document that allows
them to travel to the United States and seek admission; and
(8) If a noncitizen is paroled into the United States and DHS revokes or terminates their parole, they will be
an unparoled applicant for admission, and may be subject to removal as an applicant for admission who is
inadmissible under INA section 212(a), rather than as a noncitizen in and admitted to the United States who
is deportable under INA section 237. In addition to the above, if the noncitizen received deferred action
under DACA, they should also be aware of the following:
(a) Even after USCIS has deferred action in their case under DACA, if the noncitizen travels outside the
United States without obtaining an Advance Parole Document, USCIS may terminate deferred action in
their case, in its discretion and following a Notice of Intent to Terminate with an opportunity to respond,
and their ability to renew DACA may be adversely impacted;
(b) If a noncitizen obtains an Advance Parole Document in connection with a decision to defer removal in
their case under DACA and if, upon their return, they are paroled into the United States, action on their
case will generally continue to be deferred. The deferral will continue until the date specified by USCIS
or ICE in the deferral notice given to them or until the decision to defer removal action in their case has
been terminated, whichever is earlier; and
(c) If the noncitizen has been ordered excluded, deported, or removed, and they are departing from the
United States without having had their exclusion, deportation, or removal proceedings reopened and
administratively closed or terminated, departing the United States will result in their being considered
excluded, deported, or removed, even if USCIS or ICE has deferred action in their case under DACA and
they have been granted advance parole.
Form I-131 Instructions 04/01/24
Page 9 of 30
C. Travel Warnings for CNMI Long Term-Residents
If the noncitizen travels to Guam (not in direct transit between the CNMI and a foreign place) or elsewhere in the
United States without advance permission, their status will be automatically terminated and they may be subject
to removal from the United States.
If the noncitizen travels to Guam (not in direct transit between the CNMI and a foreign place) or elsewhere in the
United States in violation of any other restrictions regarding the dates, destination(s), or purpose(s) of their travel,
their status will be automatically terminated and they may be subject to removal from the United States.
D. If the noncitizen is inside the United States and seeks an Advance Parole Document, we may not issue it to
the noncitizen if:
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(1) The noncitizen holds or held a nonimmigrant status, such as J-1, that is subject to the 2-year foreign residence
requirement under INA section 212(e) as a result of that status. Exception: If the noncitizen is subject to
the 2-year foreign residence requirement, but is eligible to apply for adjustment of status to that of a lawful
permanent resident because they obtained a waiver of the 2-year foreign residence requirement or they are no
longer subject to the requirement because they resided in their country of nationality for an aggregate period
of at least 2 years after leaving the United States, we may consider their application for an Advance Parole
Document; or
(2) They are in exclusion, deportation, removal, or rescission proceedings (that is, those proceedings are
pending or the noncitizen is subject to an administratively final unexecuted order of exclusion, deportation,
or removal). If the noncitizen is in exclusion, deportation, removal, or rescission proceedings and they seek
an Advance Parole Document so that they can seek parole upon their return to the United States, USCIS
generally will not approve their Form I-131 or issue them an Advance Parole Document.
5. Initial Parole Document for Individuals Outside the United States
A. If the individual is applying for a parole document for themselves and they are outside the United States, or
the individual is applying for someone else who is outside the United States, for the first time under one of the
following specific programs or processes, they may request an initial parole document.
(1) Filipino WWII Veterans Parole (FWVP) Program
Under the FWVP program, USCIS offers certain beneficiaries of family-based immigrant petitions, approved
on or before the date the request for parole is filed, an opportunity to seek, on a case-by-case basis, a
discretionary grant of parole into the United States before their immigrant visas become available, rather than
remain in another country awaiting availability of their immigrant visas. An invitation is not needed to apply
for parole under this program. Beneficiaries may be required to provide biometrics, an interview, or medical
exam results.
NOTE: A derivative beneficiary can only receive benefits if the principal beneficiary receives benefits. A
separate application and fee for each individual principal and derivative beneficiary is required. Applications
for a principal beneficiary and any of his or her derivative beneficiaries must be submitted in one package
when mailed to USCIS.
An individual may apply for parole on behalf of their family members under this program if:
(a) The individual is living in the United States and is either a Filipino World War II veteran, as defined by
section 405 of IMMACT 90, as amended, or the surviving spouse of such individual;
(b) The individual has filed Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, for a family member whose visa is not
yet available (as indicated in the Application Final Action Dates chart in the Department of State’s Visa
Bulletin), and whose Form I-130 petition was approved on or before the date their request for parole
under the FWVP program is filed; and
(c) The individual’s qualifying relationship with their family member existed on or before May 9, 2016.
Form I-131 Instructions 04/01/24
Page 10 of 30
NOTE: If the individual is the surviving spouse of a Filipino World War II veteran, they may only apply for
parole under the FWVP program on behalf of a child, son, or daughter who is also the child, son, or daughter
of the Filipino World War II veteran. They may apply for parole under the FWVP program on behalf of such
individuals, even if the approved Form I-130 on which they are beneficiaries had been filed by the deceased
veteran, as long as that Form I-130 was reinstated by USCIS.
NOTE: If the Filipino World War II veteran and his or her spouse are both deceased, certain beneficiaries of an
approved Form I-130 that was automatically revoked and which USCIS reinstated, may apply for parole under
this program on their own behalf.
NOTE: Additional information regarding eligibility under the terms of the FWVP program is described under
“Filipino WWII Veterans Parole Program” at www.uscis.gov/FWVP.
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(2) Immigrant Military Members and Veterans Initiative (IMMVI)
Certain current and former military members and qualifying family members of the military member who are
outside of the United States may be eligible to seek, on a case-by-case basis, a discretionary grant of parole
in order to avail themselves of certain rights and protections afforded to current and former service members.
Applicants must select Part 1., Item Number 6.
NOTE: Applicants who are eligible to apply for naturalization may file Form N-400, Application for
Naturalization, together with Form I-131. On Form N-400, applicants should write “IMMVI” at the top of the
form. On Form I-131, applicants should select Part 1., Item Number 6.
Provide:
•
Documentation that supports military service such as the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active
Duty (DD Form 214), National Guard Report of Separation and Record of Service (NGB Form 22), or
other official service or discharge document;
•
Evidence of urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit; and
•
Evidence of any additional favorable discretionary factors that you want considered.
Qualifying members include:
•
A current spouse, child (as defined in INA section 101(b)), or unmarried son or daughter (as well as the
unmarried son’s or daughter’s unmarried children who are under 21 years of age) of a current or former
service member; and
•
Any current legal guardian or surrogate of a current or former service member when the guardian or
surrogate files Form I-131 to request parole concurrently with the service member’s Form N-400,
Application for Naturalization.
For additional information see
www.uscis.gov/military/discretionary-options-for-military-members-enlistees-and-their-families.
(3) Intergovernmental Parole Referral
USCIS allows Executive Branch departments and agencies to make referrals requesting consideration of a
discretionary grant of parole for certain individuals on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons
or significant public benefit. Agencies submitting referrals must complete Form I-131 and must also provide
a Letter of Support documenting the reasons for the referral and submit Form I-134, Declaration of Financial
Support, completed as directed in the Form I-134 Instructions. Agencies submitting referrals must also
provide a .gov or .mil email address. If USCIS cannot verify the referral was made on behalf of the stated
referring agency, then USCIS may consider the Form I-131 as a non-agency referral or USCIS may deny the
request.
Form I-131 Instructions 04/01/24
Page 11 of 30
(4) Family Reunification Task Force (FRTF) Process
The FRTF Process is available to certain family members who were previously separated at
the border and who have registered with the Family Reunification Task Force. Applicants must
select Part 1., Item Number 6. and add their FRTF Registration Number that is provided by
the Family Reunification Task Force after their registration. If filing for a Parole Document
under the FRTF process, please refer to tailored filing instructions on the DHS webpage:
www.dhs.gov/publication/family-reunification-task-force-filing-guides-and-cover-letters.
(5) Other
When applying for an initial Parole Document under a specific program or process (Part 1., Item Number
6.), it is necessary to select a program or process. Failure to select a program or process may result in the
rejection, delay, or denial of the application. If you do not see your program or process listed, select “Other.”
If you select “Other,” specify the program or process that you are applying for in the available field and
include any additional supporting documents you wish USCIS to consider in deciding your request based on
guidance provided by DHS or USCIS. Additional guidance on available parole programs or processes may be
found at www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/humanitarian_parole.
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NOTE: Form I-131 may not be used for initial Central American Minors (CAM) Program applications filed
on behalf of individuals who have never been paroled into the United States under the CAM Program.
B. If a noncitizen is applying for an initial parole document for themselves and they are outside the United States, or
an individual is applying for someone else who is outside the United States, for the first time, but NOT under a
specific program or process:
(1) A noncitizen may request parole if they cannot obtain the necessary visa and any required waiver of
inadmissibility or consent to reapply for admission. We may, in our discretion, issue a Parole Document on a
case-by-case basis for a temporary period of time, according to any conditions that may be placed on parole;
(2) The individual completing the application must complete Part 2. Information About You. If an individual is
applying for someone else who is outside the United States, then the individual must also complete Part 2.,
Item Numbers 16. - 27. of the application with information about themselves;
(3) If a noncitizen was paroled into the United States and needs to remain in the United States beyond the
approved parole period, they must file a new Form I-131 with all supporting documentation to request a new
parole approval (also called re-parole). If this applies, refer to instructions related to requests for re-parole;
(4) If a noncitizen is outside of the United States and has previously been ordered excluded, deported, or
removed, USCIS will send the Form I-131 to ICE to adjudicate, if necessary; and
(5) A noncitizen may apply for parole if they are the child of a parent or parent of a child granted cancellation of
removal and subsequent adjustment of status under INA section 240A(b)(2) (special rule for battered spouse
or child).
C. Travel Warning
Before you apply for Parole, read the following travel warning carefully.
(1) Issuance of a Parole Document does NOT entitle a noncitizen to parole and does not guarantee that DHS will
parole the noncitizen into the United States at a Port of Entry.
(2) If a noncitizen presents a Parole Document to DHS at a Port of Entry in the United States, the noncitizen will
be treated as an “applicant for admission.” If the noncitizen is paroled into the United States, the noncitizen
will remain an applicant for admission throughout the period of parole.
(3) DHS will make a separate discretionary decision whether to parole the noncitizen each time they use a Parole
Document to request parole into the United States.
(4) DHS may revoke or terminate a Parole Document at any time as a matter of discretion, including while the
noncitizen is in the United States in accordance with 8 CFR section 212.5.
Form I-131 Instructions 04/01/24
Page 12 of 30
6. Initial Requests for Parole in Place (for individuals who are inside the United States)
A. Military Parole in Place
A noncitizen may apply for military parole in place if they are present in the United States, are an applicant for
admission, and are:
(1) An active-duty member of the U.S. armed forces;
(2) An individual in the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve;
(3) An individual who previously served on active duty or in the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve and was
not dishonorably discharged; or
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(4) The spouse, widow(er), parent, son, or daughter of an active-duty member of the U.S. armed forces,
individual in the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve, or individual who previously served on active duty
or in the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve and was not dishonorably discharged.
If a noncitizen is applying for military parole in place as the parent of a current or former service member of the
U.S. armed forces, they must provide evidence the current or former service member supports the application for
parole.
To request military parole in place, select Part 1., Item Number 8. and complete Parts 2. - 4. and Part 8.
Provide the following documentation (where applicable):
•
Evidence of the family relationship, such as:
◦
Marriage certificate;
◦
Documentation of termination of previous marriage;
◦
Son’s or daughter’s birth certificate;
◦
Current or former service member’s birth certificate with parent’s name; or
◦
Proof of enrollment in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS);
•
Evidence that the noncitizen’s family member is a current or former member of the U.S. armed forces, such as
a photocopy of the front and back of the service member’s military identification card or DD Form 214;
•
For parents of current and former service members of the U.S. armed forces, evidence the current or former
service member supports the application for parole in place;
•
Two identical, color passport-style photographs; and
•
Evidence of any additional favorable discretionary factors that the noncitizen would like us to consider.
If the noncitizen was previously granted military parole in place and is requesting an additional parole period, also
known as re-parole, refer to additional instructions on re-parole.
NOTE: If the noncitizen was admitted to the United States (that is, with a nonimmigrant visa), they are not
eligible for parole in place because they are not an applicant for admission, even if they overstayed their
nonimmigrant admission or are otherwise in the United States past their authorized period of stay.
See www.uscis.gov/military/discretionary-options-for-military-members-enlistees-and-their-families for
additional information.
B. Family Reunification Task Force (FRTF) Parole in Place
The FRTF Process is available to certain family members who were previously separated at the border and
who have registered with the Family Reunification Task Force. If you are in the United States and filing for
Parole in Place under the FRTF process, please refer to tailored filing instructions on the DHS webpage:
www.dhs.gov/publication/family-reunification-task-force-filing-guides-and-cover-letters.
Form I-131 Instructions 04/01/24
Page 13 of 30
If the noncitizen was previously granted FRTF parole in place and is requesting an additional parole period, refer
to additional instructions on re-parole discussed below.
NOTE: If the noncitizen was admitted to the United States (that is, with a nonimmigrant visa), but overstayed
their nonimmigrant admission (or are otherwise in the United States past their period of stay authorized), they are
not eligible for parole in place because they are not an applicant for admission.
C. Other Parole in Place
If a noncitizen is present in the United States without inspection and admission, and is not applying for parole
in place under Items A. and B. above, then they may apply for other parole in place by selecting Part 1., Item
Number 8. or 9. and completing Parts 2. - 4. and Part 8.
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If the noncitizen was previously granted other parole in place and is requesting an additional period of parole, also
referred to as re-parole, please refer to instructions related to re-parole.
NOTE: If the noncitizen was admitted to the United States (that is, with a nonimmigrant visa), but overstayed
their nonimmigrant admission (or are otherwise in the United States past their period of stay authorized), they are
not eligible for parole in place because they are not an applicant for admission.
7. Re-parole For Noncitizens Requesting a New Period of Parole From Inside the United States
A. Re-parole Under a Program or Process
If the noncitizen was initially paroled into the United States or granted parole in place under INA section
212(d)(5)(A) under one of the following programs or processes, or if an individual is applying for a new period
of parole on behalf of someone else who was initially paroled into the United States under one of the following
programs or processes, they may apply for re-parole. If this applies, they must select the basis for re-parole
under Part 1., Item Numbers 10. or 11. Additionally, they must complete Parts 2. - 4. and Part 8. They may
also complete Part 9. They will need to provide their class of admission (COA) as it appears on their Form I-94,
the most recent parole expiration date as it appears on their Form I-94, and any evidence to support re-parole,
including an explanation and supporting documents demonstrating why they need an additional approved parole
period.
(1) Family Reunification Parole Process. A noncitizen may be able to apply for re-parole if they were
previously paroled into the United States under one of the family reunification parole processes and they have
not yet been able to adjust status to that of a lawful permanent resident. Please refer to specific instructions
on re-parole found at www.uscis.gov/FRP for a comprehensive explanation of the documentation and
information required to establish eligibility for re-parole under a Family Reunification Parole Process.
(2) Certain Afghans Paroled Into the United States between July 31, 2021 and September 30, 2023.
A noncitizen may be able to apply for re-parole if they are an Afghan national previously paroled
into the United States between July 31, 2021 and September 30, 2023 and they have an “OAR” or
“PAR” class of admission on their Form I-94. Refer to the Re-Parole Process for Certain Afghans at
www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/information-for-afghan-nationals/re-parole-process-for-certain-afghans
for additional filing instructions.
(3) Uniting for Ukraine (U4U). A noncitizen may be able to apply for re-parole if they were previously paroled
into the United States under U4U. Please refer to specific instructions on re-parole found at www.uscis.
gov/Ukraine for a comprehensive explanation of the documentation and information required to establish
eligibility for re-parole under the U4U process.
(4) FWVP Program. A noncitizen may be able to apply for re-parole if they were previously paroled into the
United States under the FWVP program and they have not yet been able to adjust status to that of a lawful
permanent resident.
(5) Immigrant Military Members and Veterans Initiative (IMMVI). A noncitizen may be able to apply for
re-parole if they were previously paroled under the IMMVI process and they have not yet naturalized.
Form I-131 Instructions 04/01/24
Page 14 of 30
(6) Central American Minors (CAM) Program. USCIS and DOS allow U.S.-based qualifying parents or
legal guardians to request a refugee interview for their unmarried children who are under 21 years of age
and nationals of El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras. The parent or legal guardian can also include other
qualifying relatives present in the qualifying child’s home country. If an applicant receives access to the
program, but is found ineligible for refugee status, USCIS will consider on a case-by-case basis whether to
parole the applicant into the United States, outside of the Form I-131 process.
If a noncitizen was previously paroled into the United States under the CAM Program, they may apply for a
new parole approval using this application. If they are currently in the United States, select the CAM Program
name under Part 1., Item Number 10. of the application. If they are currently outside of the United States,
but were previously paroled into the United States under the CAM Program and they did not apply for a new
parole approval due to the previous termination of the CAM Program or they did apply but were denied,
they may apply now. Select Part 1., Item Number 6. and Other. They should include an explanation about
why they did not submit the parole application earlier and any other evidence that they would like USCIS to
consider.
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(7) Family Reunification Task Force (FRTF) Process. A noncitizen may be able to apply for re-parole if they
were previously paroled into the United States or granted parole in place under the FRTF process. Please
follow tailored instructions on www.dhs.gov/publication/family-reunification-task-force-filing-guidesand-cover-letters.
(8) Military Parole in Place. A noncitizen may be able to apply for re-parole if they were previously granted
parole in place as a current or former service member OR the family member of a current or former service
member and they continue to meet military parole in place requirements. To request re-parole, they must
submit a completed Form I-131, ensuring Part 1., Item Numbers 10. and 12., Parts 2. - 4., and Part 8. are
complete. In addition to Form I-131, they must also submit:
(a) Evidence they were previously granted parole in place;
(b) Evidence of the claimed family relationship, if applicable;
(c) Evidence they or their claimed family member is a current or former member of the U.S. armed forces;
(d) Evidence the current or former service member of the U.S. armed forces filed Form I-130, Petition for
Alien Relative, on behalf of the applicant, if eligible; OR if the applicant is a surviving spouse, parent, son
or daughter of a deceased former service member, evidence that the applicant filed Form I-360, Petition
for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant;
(e) For parents of current and former service members of the U.S. armed forces, evidence the current or
former service member supports the application for re-parole; and
(f) Evidence of any additional favorable discretionary factors that they would like USCIS to consider.
(9) Other. When applying for Re-parole (Part 1., Item Number 10.), it is necessary to select a program or
process. A failure to select a program or process may result in the rejection, delay, or denial of the application.
If a noncitizen does not see their program or process listed, select “Other.” If they select “Other,” they
need to specify the program or process that they are applying for in the available field and include any
additional supporting documents they wish USCIS to consider in deciding their request based on guidance
provided by DHS or USCIS. Additional guidance on available parole programs or processes may be found at
www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/humanitarian_parole.
Form I-131 Instructions 04/01/24
Page 15 of 30
B. Re-parole Not under a Specific Program or Process
If a noncitizen was initially paroled into the United States or granted parole in place under INA section
212(d)(5)(A) and they are requesting a new period of parole but not under a specific program or process, or
an individual is requesting a new period of parole on behalf of someone else who was initially paroled into the
United States or granted parole in place, but not under a specific program or process, they may apply for re-parole
by selecting Part 1., Item Number 11. Additionally, they must complete Part 1., Item Number 12., Parts 2. - 4.,
and Part 8.
C. If the noncitizen has previously been ordered excluded, deported, or removed, or they are currently in exclusion,
deportation, or removal proceedings, USCIS may refer the request to ICE.
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D. If the noncitizen or someone else was previously paroled into the United States AND they are currently located
outside the United States, they are not eligible for re-parole and their request may be rejected or denied. Instead,
refer to Initial Parole Documents for Individuals Outside the United States for eligibility requirements and filing
guidance and complete Part 1., Item 6. (for noncitizens who are currently outside the United States).
NOTE: USCIS may require different supporting documents depending upon the basis for re-parole. Such
information may include (but is not limited to) continued eligibility for parole, evidence the noncitizen has
complied with previously imposed conditions, or other documentation as identified by the specific program or
process. Refer to USCIS filing guidance for up-to-date information on filing requirements.
E. Warning
Before applying for re-parole, read the following warning carefully.
DHS may revoke or terminate a Parole Document at any time, including while the noncitizen is in the United
States in accordance with 8 CFR section 212.5.
8. Employment Authorization for Noncitizens Seeking a New Period of Parole (Re-Parole)
Applicants who were previously paroled into the United States and are applying for a new period of parole may
request initial or renewed employment authorization and an employment authorization document (EAD) based on the
new period of parole by selecting “Yes” or “No” in Part 9., Item Number 1. The EAD will not be issued until the
new period of parole is approved and will not be issued at all if the new parole period is denied. Re-parole applicants
who request employment authorization as part of Form I-131 are not required to file Form I-765, Application for
Employment Authorization. Applicants who have not been issued a social security number previously but wish to
request a social security number and/or a social security card must contact the Social Security Administration.
General Instructions
We provide free forms through the USCIS website. To view, print, or complete our forms, you should use the latest
version of Adobe Reader, which you can download for free at http://get.adobe.com/reader/. If you do not have internet
access, you may call the USCIS Contact Center and ask that we mail a form to you.
Signature. You (or your signing authority) must properly complete your application. USCIS will not accept a
stamped or typewritten name in place of any signature on this application. If you are under 14 years of age, your
parent or legal guardian may sign the application on your behalf. A legal guardian may also sign for a mentally
incompetent person. If your application is not signed, or if the signature is not valid, we will reject your application.
See 8 CFR 103.2(a)(7)(ii)(A). If USCIS accepts a request for adjudication and determines that it has a deficient signature,
USCIS may deny the request.
Validity of Signatures. USCIS will consider a photocopied, faxed, or scanned copy of an original handwritten signature
as valid for filing purposes. The photocopy, fax, or scan must be of the original document containing the handwritten ink
signature.
Filing Fee. See Form G-1055, available at www.uscis.gov/forms, for specific information about the fees applicable to this
form.
Form I-131 Instructions 04/01/24
Page 16 of 30
Evidence. When you file your application, you must submit all evidence and supporting documents listed in the Required
Evidence and Specific Instructions sections of these Instructions.
Biometric Services Appointment. USCIS may require you to appear for an interview or provide biometrics (fingerprints,
photograph, and/or signature) at any time to verify your identity, obtain additional information, and conduct background
and security checks, including a check of criminal history records maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI), before making a decision on your application or petition. If we determine that a biometric services appointment
is necessary, we will send you an appointment notice with the date, time, and location of your appointment. If you are
currently overseas, your notice will instruct you to contact a U.S. Embassy, U.S. Consulate, or USCIS office outside the
United States to schedule an appointment.
At your biometrics appointment, you must sign an oath reaffirming that:
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1. You provided or authorized all information in the application;
2. You reviewed and understood all of the information contained in, and submitted with, your application; and
3. All of this information was complete, true, and correct at the time of filing.
If you do not attend your biometric services appointment, we may deny your application.
Copies. You should submit legible photocopies of requested documents unless the Instructions specifically instruct you to
submit an original document. USCIS may request an original document at any time during our process. If we request an
original document from you, we will return it to you after USCIS determines it no longer needs the original.
NOTE: If you submit original documents when they are not required or requested, USCIS may destroy them in
accordance with Federal Regulations and applicable general or agency-specific records schedules. USCIS will not
automatically return them to you.
Translations. If you submit a document with information in a foreign language, you must also submit a full English
translation. The translator must sign a certification that the English language translation is complete and accurate, and that
they are competent to translate from the foreign language into English. The certification must also include their signature,
printed name, the signature date, and their contact information.
USCIS Contact Center. For additional information on the application and Instructions about where to file, change of
address, and other questions, visit the USCIS Contact Center at www.uscis.gov/contactcenter or call at 800-375-5283
(TTY 800-767-1833). The USCIS Contact Center provides information in English and Spanish.
Disability Accommodations/Modifications. To request a disability accommodation/modification, follow the instructions
on your appointment notice or at www.uscis.gov/accommodationsinfo.
How To Complete Form I-131
1. Type or print legibly in black ink.
2. If you need extra space to complete any item within this application, use the space provided in Part 13. Additional
Information or attach a separate sheet of paper. Type or print your name and Alien Registration Number (A-Number)
(if any) at the top of each sheet; indicate the Page Number, Part Number, and Item Number to which your answer
refers; and sign and date each sheet.
3. Answer all questions fully and accurately. If a question does not apply to you (for example, if you have never been
married and the question asks, “Provide the name of your current spouse”), type or print “N/A” unless otherwise
directed. If your answer to a question which requires a numeric response is zero or none (for example, “How many
children do you have” or “How many times have you departed the United States”), type or print “None” unless
otherwise directed.
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Specific Instructions
This application is divided into 13 parts.
Part 1. Application Type
Item Numbers 1. - 4. Select the appropriate box to indicate whether you are applying for a Reentry Permit, Refugee
Travel Document as an asylee or refugee (or an individual who is an LPR based on being granted asylum or admitted as a
refugee), or Travel Authorization Document as an individual who currently is in temporary protected status.
Item Number 5. Advance Parole Document (for noncitizens who are inside the United States) and Advance
Permission to Travel for CNMI Long-Term Residents. Please select the appropriate box that reflects the category under
which you are applying for an Advance Parole Document. If the category you are applying for is not reflected in the list of
categories noted on the application, but USCIS has announced eligibility for an Advance Parole Document for a specific
category via the USCIS website, select the box for “Other” and include the appropriate code or designation listed on the
USCIS website in the text field (for example, “XTUV” as the acronym for a specific parole process or “QRS Applicant”).
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Item Number 6. Initial Parole Document (for noncitizens who are currently outside the United States). Please select
the appropriate box if you are:
1. Outside of the United States or applying for parole on behalf of someone who is outside the United States;
2. Applying for parole for yourself or on behalf of someone else for the first time (initial parole); and
3. You are applying under a specific program or process such as the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole (FWVP)
Program, the Immigrant Military Members and Veterans Initiative (IMMVI), the Family Reunification Task Force
(FRTF) process, or as an Intergovernmental Parole Referral by a U.S. Government Agency.
If the category you are applying for is not reflected in the list of categories noted on the application, but USCIS has
announced eligibility for an Initial Parole Document for a specific category via the USCIS website, please select the
box for “Other” and include the appropriate code or designation listed on the USCIS website in the text field (for
example, “XTUV” as the acronym for a specific parole process or “QRS Applicant”).
Item Number 7. Initial Parole Document for Individuals Currently Outside the United States (not under specific
parole program or process). If you are outside of the United States, or you are applying for parole on behalf of someone
who is outside the United States; and you are applying for parole for yourself or on behalf of someone else for the first
time (initial parole), but not under any special process or program, please select the box under this section.
Item Numbers 8. - 9. Initial Request for Arrival/Departure Record for Parole In Place (for noncitizens who are
inside the United States). If you are inside of the United States and you are applying for parole in place (PIP) for yourself
or on behalf of someone else as a current or former service member of the military, or under the Family Reunification Task
Force (FRTF) or other specific PIP process announced by USCIS, please select the appropriate box in Item Number 8. If
you are applying for PIP for yourself or on behalf of someone else in the United States but not under any special process
or program, please select the box in Item Number 9.
Item Numbers 10. - 12. Arrival/Departure Records for Re-parole for Noncitizens Who Are Requesting a New
Period of Parole (from inside the United States). If you are inside of the United States and you are applying for reparole (a new period of parole) for yourself or on behalf of someone who was initially paroled into the United States
under a specific parole program or process (for example, OAW, U4U, CAM, FRTF, Military PIP), or other specific parole
process announced by USCIS, please select the appropriate box in Item Number 10. If you are applying for re-parole for
yourself or on behalf of someone else in the United States, but you, or the individual upon whose behalf you are applying
for re-parole, was not paroled initially into the United States under any special process or program, please select the box in
Item Number 11. If you selected Item Number 10. or 11., you must indicate the admit or paroled until date
(mm/dd/yyyy) as shown on your (or the individual’s) Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record in Item Number 12.
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Part 2. Information About You
Item Number 1. Your Full Name. Your current legal name is the name on your birth certificate unless it changed after
birth by a legal action such as a marriage or court order. Do not provide a nickname.
Item Number 2. Other Names Used. Provide all other names you have ever used, including aliases, maiden name, and
nicknames. For each name used, provide the date of birth used with that name. If you need extra space to complete this
section, use the space provided in Part 13. Additional Information.
Item Number 3. Current Mailing Address (Safe Address, if applicable). Provide the address where you would like to
receive written correspondence regarding your application.
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If you have a pending or approved petition or application for Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) benefits, as a human
trafficking victim (T nonimmigrant), or as a victim of qualifying criminal activity (U nonimmigrant), and you do not
feel safe receiving mail about this application at your physical address, provide a safe mailing address in this field. You
may provide a post office box (PO Box) or the address of a friend, your attorney, a community-based organization that is
helping you, or any other address where you can safely and timely receive mail.
NOTE: USCIS cannot mail a travel document to a foreign address. For some benefit requests, you may be directed to pick
up your travel document at a U.S. Embassy, U.S. Consulate, or USCIS international field office.
Item Number 4. Current Physical Address. Provide your physical address if it is different from your mailing address
(the address where you currently physically live).
Item Number 5. Alien Registration Number (A-Number) (if any). Provide your A-Number. A-Number refers to your
USCIS file number. We use your A-Number to identify your immigration records. It begins with an “A” and can be found
on correspondence you have received from DHS or USCIS. If you do not have an A-Number, type or print “N/A.” USCIS
will assign one to you.
Item Number 6. Country of Birth. Use the current name of the country. Do not use historical, ethnic, provincial, or other
local names.
Item Number 7. Country of Citizenship or Nationality. Provide the name of the country where you are a citizen and/
or national. This is not necessarily the country where you were born. If you do not have citizenship in any country, type or
print “stateless” and provide an explanation in Part 13. Additional Information. For more information on statelessness,
please see www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/statelessness.
Item Number 8. Gender. Indicate how you identify. Based on your selection, a gender of “M” (male), “F” (female), or
“X” (another gender identity) will be reflected on your secure documents if your application is approved.
Item Number 9. Date of Birth. Always use eight numbers to show your date of birth. Type or print the date in this order:
Month, Day, Year. For example, type or print May 1, 1958, as 05/01/1958. USCIS will reject your Form I-131 if you do
not provide a date of birth.
Item Number 10. U.S. Social Security Number (if any). Provide your U.S. Social Security number. If you do not have a
U.S. Social Security number, type or print “N/A.”
Item Number 11. USCIS Online Account Number (if any). You will only have a USCIS Online Account Number
(OAN) if you previously filed a form that has a receipt number that begins with IOE. If you filed the form online, you
can find your OAN in your account profile. If you mailed us the form, you can find your OAN at the top of the Account
Access Notice we sent you. If you do not have a receipt number that begins with IOE, you do not have an OAN. The OAN
is not the same as an A-Number.
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NOTE: For applicants seeking a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Travel Authorization Document, Advance Parole, a
renewed parole period, or parole in place, you will be required to complete Item Numbers 12. - 15. as instructed below.
Item Number 12. Class of Admission (COA) (if any). Please provide your code of admission as found on your Form
I-94, Arrival/Departure Record. For example, if your Form I-94 reads, “COA: PAR,” then you would enter “PAR” as your
class of admission.
NOTE: If CBP admitted, paroled, or permitted you to enter the United States at an airport or seaport after April 30, 2013,
they may have issued you an electronic Form I-94 instead of a paper Form I-94. You may visit the CBP website at www.
cbp.gov/i94 to obtain a paper version of your electronic Form I-94. CBP does not charge a fee for this service. Some
travelers may also be able to obtain a replacement Form I-94 from the CBP website for free if they were admitted to the
United States at a land border, airport, or seaport after April 30, 2013, with a passport or travel document and received a
paper Form I-94 from CBP. If you cannot obtain your Form I-94 from the CBP website, you may obtain it by filing Form
I-102, Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Record, with USCIS. We do charge a fee for
this service. See the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/i-102 for more information.
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Item Numbers 13. - 14. Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record (if any). If CBP or USCIS issued you a Form I-94,
Arrival/Departure Record, provide your Form I-94 number and date that your authorized period of stay expires or expired
(as shown on your Form I-94). The Form I-94 number also is known as the Departure Number on some versions of Form
I-94.
Item Number 15. eMedical US Parolee ID (USPID) (if any). Provide your eMedical USPID.
Item Numbers 16. - 27. Information About Them. If you completed Part 1., Item Numbers 6. - 11., and you are filing
for a document on behalf of another person, you must provide the individual’s full name, current mailing and physical
addresses, their most recent Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record Number, and their class of admission.
Part 3. Biographic Information. If you are applying for yourself, provide your biographic information or if you are
applying for someone else, complete the biographic information for the person you are applying on behalf of. Providing
this information as part of your application may reduce the time you spend at your USCIS ASC appointment as described
in the Biometric Services Appointment section of these Instructions.
Item Numbers 1. - 2. Ethnicity and Race. Select the boxes that best describe your ethnicity and race.
Categories and Definitions for Ethnicity and Race
1. Hispanic or Latino. A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture
or origin, regardless of race. (NOTE: This category is only included under Ethnicity in Part 3., Item Number 1.)
2. American Indian or Alaska Native. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South
America (including Central America), and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment.
3. Asian. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian
subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine
Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
4. Black or African American. A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
5. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam,
Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
6. White. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
Item Number 3. Height. Select the values that best match your height in feet and inches. For example, if you are five feet
and nine inches, select “5” for feet and “09” for inches. Do not enter your height in meters or centimeters.
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Item Number 4. Weight. Enter your weight in pounds. If you do not know your weight or need to enter a weight under
30 pounds or over 699 pounds, enter “000.” Do not enter your weight in kilograms.
Item Number 5. Eye Color. Select the box that best describes the color of your eyes.
Item Number 6. Hair Color. Select the box that best describes the color of your hair.
Part 4. Processing Information
Item Number 1. Indicate whether the person who will receive the parole document, travel document, or Form I-94,
Arrival/Departure Record, has ever been in proceedings before the immigration court.
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Item Numbers 2.a. - 6.b. Indicate whether you have previously been issued a Reentry Permit, Refugee Travel Document,
or Advance Parole Document and the date when the document was issued (mm/dd/yyyy). Indicate if you are seeking
to replace your document, and if so, select the reason. If you are requesting a correction, provide information on the
correction needed. For all types of replacement requests, provide the receipt number for the Form I-131 related to the
document you are seeking to replace. Return your document if you are requesting a replacement because it is damaged or
has incorrect information.
Replacing a Document That Was Issued But Never Received
If we determine you did not receive your Reentry Permit, Refugee Travel Document, Advance Parole Document, or TPS
Travel Authorization Document because of USCIS or United States Postal Service error, you will not have to submit a
new fee. If we determine you did not receive the document because of requestor error, you will need to submit a new fee.
Replacing a Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Document
If you are filing to replace a Reentry Permit, Refugee Travel Document, Advance Parole Document, or TPS Travel
Authorization Document that was lost, stolen, or damaged, a filing fee is required.
NOTE: Before requesting USCIS issue a new document, check your case status online at uscis.gov/casestatus or call the
USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) to determine if your document was returned to USCIS.
If you are seeking a Reentry Permit or Refugee Travel Document and wish for your document to be mailed to your U.S.
address, select Item Number 7.a. If you wish your travel document to be sent to a U.S. Embassy, U.S. Consulate, USCIS
international field office, or DHS office overseas, provide the appropriate address in Item Number 7.b. If you would like
to be notified when your travel document is ready for pick-up at the U.S. Embassy, U.S. Consulate, or DHS (USCIS)
international field office, please provide your mailing address, contact telephone number, and email address in Item
Numbers 9.a. - 9.c.
Part 5. Complete Only If Applying for a Reentry Permit (Part 1., Item Number 1.)
Item Number 1. Indicate the amount of time you have been physically outside of the United States since you became a
lawful permanent resident.
Part 6. Complete Only If Applying for a Refugee Travel Document (Part 1., Item Numbers 2. and 3.)
Item Numbers 1. - 2. Provide the country from which you are a refugee or asylee. List the country that was the basis
for approval of your status including if it was your country of last habitual residence, even if it was not your country for
former nationality or citizenship. Also indicate whether you intend to use the Refugee Travel Document to travel to the
country from which you sought refuge or asylum.
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Item Number 3.a. - 6.c. Indicate whether you have returned to the country from which you sought refuge and asylum
and indicate whether you have received any benefit (for example, health insurance), travel document, passport or reentry
permit since you were admitted as a refugee or granted asylum status. Also indicate whether you have acquired a new
nationality in a country other than your country of citizenship or nationality or the country of last habitual residence, or
whether you have been granted asylum status or admitted as a refugee in any other country other than the United States.
Part 7. Information About Your Proposed Travel (Complete only if you are applying for an Advance Parole
Document (Part 1., Item Number 5.).)
Item Numbers 1. - 3. Information About Proposed Travel. You must indicate when you intend to depart the United
States, the purpose for your trip, which countries you intend to visit while you are abroad, how many trips you intend to
use this document for, and the expected length of the trip in days.
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Part 8. Complete Only If Applying for an Initial Parole Document, Parole In Place, or Re-parole (Part 1., Item
Numbers 6. - 11.)
Item Number 1. Reason for Parole. You must explain how you qualify for parole, parole in place, or re-parole in
the space provided. If you need extra space to complete this section, use the space provided in Part 13. Additional
Information. Include copies of any supporting documents or evidence you wish considered. You must show, through
the parole request and supporting evidence, that you (or the person on whose behalf you are applying) qualify for parole
and merit a favorable exercise of discretion. Please explain the urgent humanitarian reason or significant public benefit
that supports your request. Examples of supporting evidence related to Initial Parole Document requests and Re-Parole
requests are listed at www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/humanitarian-parole/guidance-on-evidence-for-certain-types-ofhumanitarian-or-significant-public-benefit-parole-requests. Please see www.uscis.gov for more information.
Item Numbers 2. - 3.b. Indicate how long you (or the person on whose behalf you are filing for a travel document)
will stay in the United States, your or their intended date of arrival, and the U.S. Embassy, U.S. Consulate, or USCIS
international field office that you or they want us to notify.
Part 9. Employment Authorization for New Period of Parole (Re-Parole)
Item Number 1. If you were previously paroled into the United States and are requesting a new period of parole (reparole), you may request employment authorization as part of the Form I-131 filing. This option is not currently available
to noncitizens seeking an initial parole authorization.
Part 10. Applicant’s Statement, Contact Information, Certification, and Signature
Item Numbers 1. - 4. You must sign and date your application and, if applicable, provide your daytime telephone number,
mobile telephone number, and email address. The signature of a parent or legal guardian, if applicable, is acceptable. A
stamped or typewritten name in place of a signature is not acceptable.
Part 11. Interpreter’s Contact Information, Certification, and Signature
Item Numbers 1. - 6. If you used anyone as an interpreter to read the Instructions and questions on this application to you
in a language in which you are fluent, the interpreter must fill out this section and sign and date the application.
Part 12. Contact Information, Certification, and Signature of the Person Preparing this Application, if Other Than
the Applicant
Item Numbers 1. - 6. The person who completed your application, if other than the applicant, must sign this section. If
the same individual acted as your interpreter and your preparer, then that person should complete both Part 11. and
Part 12. A stamped or typewritten name in place of a signature is not acceptable.
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We recommend that you review your copy of your completed application before you go to your
biometric services appointment at a USCIS ASC. At your appointment, USCIS will allow you to complete the
application process only if you are able to confirm, under penalty of perjury, that all of the information in your
application is complete, true, and correct. If you are not able to make that attestation in good faith at that time, we will
require you to return for another appointment.
Required Evidence
Required Initial Evidence for All Document Categories
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1. Photo Identity Documnent
All applications must include a copy of an official photo identity document showing your photo, name,
and date of birth. (Examples: Your current Employment Authorization Document, if available; a valid
government-issued driver’s license; passport identity page; Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card; or any other
official identity document.) The copy must clearly show the photo and identity information. NOTE: Form I-94
Arrival-Departure Record is not acceptable as a photo identity document.
2. Required Evidence
You must file your application with all required evidence. Not submitting required evidence will delay the issuance
of the document you are requesting. USCIS may request additional information or evidence or may request that you
appear at a USCIS office for biometrics submission or an interview. (See Item 3. Biometric Services Requirement
below).
Specific Required Evidence By Document Category
1. Reentry Permit
You must attach a copy of the front and back of your Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card (also known as a Green
Card). If you have not yet received your Permanent Resident Card, you must attach a copy of:
A. The biographic pages of your passport and a copy of the visa page showing your initial admission as a lawful
permanent resident, or other evidence that you are a lawful permanent resident; or
B. A copy of the Form I-797, Notice of Action, approval notice for your application to replace your Permanent
Resident Card; or
C. Temporary evidence of lawful permanent resident status.
2. Refugee Travel Document
You must attach:
A. A copy of the document issued to you by USCIS showing your refugee or asylee status or an order from an
Immigration Judge granting you asylee status; and
B. Any other information you believe supports your eligibility for a Refugee Travel Document.
If you answered “No” to Part 6., Item Number 5. and are filing for a Refugee Travel Document from outside the
United States, you must establish that you meet the regulatory requirements for an overseas filing, which USCIS may
accept in its discretion. See 8 CFR section 223.2(b)(2)(ii). As an applicant located overseas, you need to establish that
you did not intend to abandon your refugee or asylum status at the time you left the United States, that you did not
engage in any activities while outside the United States that are inconsistent with continued refugee or asylum status,
and that you have been outside of the United States for less than one year since your last departure. Please attach a
complete statement explaining how you meet these requirements. Your statement should include:
A. A detailed description of why you left the United States without filing for a Refugee Travel Document;
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B. Whether you intended to abandon your refugee or asylum status at the time you left the United States;
C. A description of where you have traveled since your departure and the purpose of that travel;
D. Your activities while outside the United States;
E. Evidence establishing when you last departed the United States; and
F. Any other information you believe supports your eligibility for a Refugee Travel Document.
3. Travel Authorization for TPS Beneficiaries or Advance Parole Document for Individuals Who Are Currently
Inside the United States (Including DACA-Related Advance Parole Document)
If you are in the United States, you must attach a copy of any document issued to you by USCIS (for example, a Form
I-797, Notice of Action) showing your current status, if any, in the United States and one of the following:
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A. An explanation or other evidence showing the circumstances that warrant issuance of an Advance Parole
Document, unless you are filing your Form I-131 together with Form I-485;
B. A copy of a USCIS receipt notice as evidence that you filed the adjustment application (if you are an applicant for
adjustment of status) and you are filing your Form I-131 separately from adjustment of status application;
C. A copy of the U.S. Consular appointment letter (if you are traveling to Canada to apply for an immigrant visa);
D. If USCIS has granted you Temporary Protected Status (TPS), please provide evidence that USCIS approved your
initial or re-registration of Form I-821. If you have a pending initial TPS application, please provide evidence that
USCIS has received your Form I-821; or
E. If USCIS has deferred action in your case under DACA, you must include a copy of the Form I-797, Notice of
Action, showing that the decision on your Form I-821D was to defer action in your case. In addition, you must
complete Part 7. of the application indicating how your intended travel fits within 1 of the 3 purposes below
(Items A. - C.). You must also provide evidence of your reason for travel outside of the United States, including
the dates of travel, and the expected duration outside the United States. If your advance parole application is
approved, the validity dates of your Advance Parole Document will be for the duration of the documented need
for travel. Below are examples of acceptable evidence.
A. Educational Purposes
(1) A letter from a school employee acting in an official capacity describing the purpose of the travel and
explaining why travel is required or beneficial; or
(2) A document showing enrollment in an educational program requiring travel.
B. Employment Purposes
(1) A letter from your employer or a conference host describing the need for the travel.
C. Humanitarian Purposes
(1) A letter from your physician explaining the nature of your medical condition, the specific medical treatment
to be sought outside of the United States, and a brief explanation why travel outside the U.S. is medically
necessary; or
(2) Documentation of a family member’s serious illness or death and evidence to establish the familial
relationship.
4. Advance Permission to Travel for CNMI Long-Term Resident
If you are seeking advance permission to travel as a CNMI long-term resident, you must attach:
A. A copy of:
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(1) The front and back of your Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766) indicating CNMI long-term
resident status; or
(2) Your Form I-797, Notice of Action, indicating your CNMI long-term resident status has been approved (if you
have not yet received your Form I-766);
B. A statement describing the purpose(s) of your intended travel, including the specific dates of your trip and travel
destination(s); and
C. Any supporting documentation you wish USCIS to consider in deciding your request.
5. Parole Document for Individuals Outside the United States
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NOTE: If a civil document submitted in support of a request for a parole document has annotations on either the front
or the back of the document, copies of both sides of the document must be submitted.
A. If you are applying for a Parole Document for an individual who is outside the United States under the
FWVP Program, you must attach:
(1) A copy of the biographical page of the beneficiary’s passport or, if it is not available, an explanation why a
passport is not available and another government-issued identity document that establishes the beneficiary’s
citizenship;
(2) Copies of the petitioner’s official identity documents and, if applicable, evidence of their U.S. citizenship
or U.S. immigration status (such as a copy of a U.S. passport, lawful permanent resident card, or birth
certificate);
(3) A copy of your Form I-797, Notice of Action, indicating approval of your Form I-130, or printout from Case
Status Online, which shows an approved Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, filed by the Filipino veteran
or the surviving spouse, for your family member;
(4) Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support, completed as directed in the Form I-134 Instructions, including
the supporter’s official identity documents and, if applicable, evidence of their U.S. citizenship or U.S.
immigration status (such as a copy of a U.S. passport, lawful permanent resident card, or birth certificate);
(5) Evidence that the Filipino veteran’s World War II military service was previously recognized by the U.S.
Army as defined by section 405 of the Immigration Act of 1990, as amended; and
(6) If you are the surviving spouse of the Filipino World War II veteran, provide evidence of your marriage and a
copy of the veteran’s death certificate.
NOTE: If you wish to apply for a child who is the derivative beneficiary of an approved Form I-130 petition, they
must be under 21 years of age and unmarried on the date USCIS receives the FWVP program application you file on
his or her behalf and otherwise satisfy the definition of “child” as defined by INA section 201(b)(1). You may only
apply for a derivative beneficiary if you are also applying for the principal beneficiary on that same approved Form
I-130.
NOTE: If you are eligible to self-apply for parole under the FWVP program as described in the Who May File Form
I-131 section of these Instructions, you must complete documentation described above and also submit evidence
to establish a qualifying family relationship with the World War II veteran or his or her spouse and evidence of
reinstatement by USCIS of your Form I-130.
NOTE: Additional information regarding required documentation is described in “Filipino WWII Veterans Parole
Program” at www.uscis.gov/FWVP.
B. If you are applying for a Parole Document for an individual who is outside of the United States under
IMMVI, you must attach:
(1) Documentation that supports military service such as the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active
Duty (DD Form 214), National Guard Report of Separation and Record of Service (NGB Form 22), or other
official service or discharge document;
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(2) Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support, completed as directed in the Form I-134 Instructions;
(3) Evidence of urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit;
(4) If you are applying as the qualifying family member of the eligible service member, documentation that
supports your family member’s military service such as the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active
Duty (DD Form 214), National Guard Report of Separation and Record of Service (NGB Form 22), or other
official service or discharge document; and
(5) Evidence of the qualifying relationship.
NOTE: A legal guardian or surrogate may be eligible as the “family member” of the service member for IMMVIbased parole.
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NOTE: When possible, Form I-131 should be filed along with the military relative’s Form I-131. Failure to
submit forms for qualifying family members together could result in delays in processing.
C. If you are applying for a Parole Document for an individual who is outside the United States (either for
yourself or another individual), other than under a specific parole program or process, you must attach:
(1) A copy of the biographical page of the beneficiary’s passport or, if it is not available, an explanation why a
passport is not available and another government-issued identity document that establishes the beneficiary’s
citizenship;
(2) Copies of the petitioner’s official identity documents and, if applicable, evidence of their citizenship or U.S.
immigration status (such as a copy of a U.S. passport, lawful permanent resident card, or birth certificate);
(3) A detailed description of the urgent humanitarian or significant public benefit reason for which a Parole
Document is requested, an explanation for the length of time for which parole is requested, and copies of
evidence that support the basis for your request;
(4) Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support, completed as directed in the Form I-134 Instructions, including
the supporter’s official identity documents and, if applicable, evidence of their citizenship or U.S. immigration
status (such as a copy of a U.S. passport, lawful permanent resident card, or birth certificate);
(5) A statement explaining why a U.S. visa cannot be obtained, including when and where attempts were made to
obtain a visa, or an explanation of why a visa was not sought to enter the United States;
(6) If applicable, a statement explaining why a waiver of inadmissibility cannot be obtained to allow issuance of
a visa, including when and where attempts were made to obtain a waiver, and a copy of any DHS decision on
the waiver request, or an explanation of why a waiver has not been sought;
(7) If applicable, a copy of any decision on an immigrant or non-immigrant petition or application filed for
an individual seeking to enter the United States, and evidence regarding any pending immigrant or nonimmigrant petition or application; and
(8) Additional information regarding types of evidence that may be relevant to specific types of parole requests is
described under “Humanitarian Parole” at www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/humanitarian-parole.
6. Arrival/Departure Record for Individuals Inside the United States Requesting a New Period of Parole (Reparole)
A. If you are applying for re-parole, a new period of parole for an individual (either you or someone else) who is
inside the United States, you must attach:
(1) Evidence you were previously paroled into the United States. This includes, but is not limited to, a copy of
your previously issued Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record;
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(2) A detailed description of the urgent humanitarian reason or significant public benefit for which a new period
of parole is requested, an explanation for the length of time for which parole is requested and why the
previously authorized time frame is not sufficient to accomplish the purpose of parole, and copies of evidence
that support the basis for your request; and
(3) A statement explaining why a U.S. visa or other immigration status cannot be obtained, including when and
where attempts were made to obtain a visa or request an immigration benefit.
NOTE: If a civil document submitted in support of a request for re-parole has annotations on either the front or the
back of the document, copies of both sides of the document must be submitted.
NOTE: Additional information regarding evidence that may be relevant to specific types of re-parole requests may be
included on the USCIS or DHS websites, or in other guidance provided by USCIS or DHS.
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7. Arrival/Departure Record for Parole in Place
A. If you are applying as a current or former service member, you must attach:
(1) Evidence that you are or were a member of the U.S. armed forces or in the Selected Reserve of the Ready
Reserve, such as a photocopy of the front and back of your military identification card or DD Form 214;
(2) If applying based on being a former service member, evidence that you have not received a dishonorable
discharge upon separation from military service; and
(3) Evidence of any additional favorable discretionary factors that you would like us to consider.
B. If you are applying as a family member of a current or former service member, you must attach:
(1) Evidence of the family relationship to the service member, such as:
(a) Marriage certificate;
(b) Documentation of termination of previous marriage;
(c) Your birth certificate with your parent’s name;
(d) Service member’s birth certificate with parent’s name; or
(e) Proof of enrollment in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS);
(2) Evidence that your family member is a current or former member of the U.S. armed forces or in the Selected
Reserve of the Ready Reserve, such as a photocopy of the front and back of the service member’s military
identification card or DD Form 214;
(3) If applying based on a former service member, evidence that your family member has not received a
dishonorable discharge upon separation from military service;
(4) For parents of current and former service members, evidence that the current or former service member
supports the application for parole in place;
(5) Evidence that granting the request would enable military family unity that would constitute a significant
public benefit; and
(6) Evidence you are the beneficiary of a Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, filed by the current or former
service member, or, if the former service member is deceased, you filed Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian,
Widow(er), or Special Immigrant, on your own behalf; and
(7) Evidence of any additional favorable discretionary factors that you would like us to consider.
C. If you are applying for parole in place and are NOT a current or former service member or family member
of a current or former service member, you must attach:
(1) Evidence of urgent humanitarian reason or significant public benefit; and
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(2) Evidence of any additional favorable discretionary factors that you would like us to consider.
8. Photographs
A. If you are outside the United States and filing for a Refugee Travel Document, or if you are in the United
States and filing for an Advance Parole Document or TPS Travel Authorization Document:
You must submit two identical color passport-style photographs of yourself taken recently. The photos must
have a white to off-white background, be printed on thin paper with a glossy finish, and be unmounted and
unretouched.
NOTE: Because of the current USCIS scanning process, if you submit a digital photo, it must be produced
from a high-resolution camera that has at least 3.5 mega pixels of resolution.
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The photos must be 2 by 2 inches with a full face, frontal view. Head height should measure 1 to 1 3/8 inches
from the top of your hair to the bottom of your chin, and eye height should measure between 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 inches
from the top of your eyes to the bottom of the photo. Your head must be bare unless you are wearing headwear
as required by your religious denomination. Use a pencil or felt pen to lightly print your name and A-Number (if
any) on the back of the photos.
9. Biometrics Service Requirement
A. All applicants between 14 and 79 years of age applying for a Refugee Travel Document, Re-parole, Parole in
Place, or a Reentry Permit may need to submit biometrics at a USCIS ASC. If applying for a Refugee Travel
Document or initial parole while outside of the United States, they may need to submit biometrics at a U.S.
Embassy, U.S. Consulate, or USCIS international office. Depending on their location, USCIS will advise the
individual of where to submit biometrics. After you have filed this application, USCIS will notify you in writing
of the time and location for your biometric services appointment. Failure to appear for biometrics submission may
result in us denying your application.
B. An individual outside of the United States who is seeking a Parole Document for urgent humanitarian reasons or
for significant public benefit, and who is between 14 and 79 years of age, must submit biometrics. Depending on
their location, USCIS or DOS will advise the individual of where to submit biometrics.
C. An individual in the United States who is seeking re-parole for urgent humanitarian reasons or for significant
public benefit, and who is between 14 and 79 years of age, must submit biometrics. Depending on their location,
either USCIS or DOS will advise the individual of where to submit biometrics.
D. An individual in the United States who is seeking parole in place, and who is between 14 and 79 years of age,
must submit biometrics. Depending on their location, USCIS will advise the individual of where to submit
biometrics.
10. Invalidation of Travel Document
Any travel document obtained by making a materially false representation or concealment in this application will be
invalid. Any travel document will also be invalid if you are ordered removed or deported from the United States.
In addition, a Refugee Travel Document will be invalid if the United Nations Convention of July 28, 1951, ceases to
apply or does not apply to you as provided in Articles 1C, D, E, or F of the Convention.
Where to File?
Please see our website at www.uscis.gov/I-131 for the most current information about where to file this application.
Please note that failure to file this application at the correct location may result in rejection, processing delays, or denial.
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Address Change
If you are not a U.S. citizen, you must notify USCIS of your new address within 10 days of moving from your previous
address. For information on changing your address, go to our website at www.uscis.gov/addresschange, or call the
USCIS Contact Center
NOTE: Do not submit a change of address request to the USCIS Lockbox.
Processing Information
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Initial Processing. Once USCIS accepts your application, we will check it for completeness. If you do not properly
complete this application, you will not establish a basis for your eligibility and we may reject or deny your application.
Requests for More Information. USCIS may request that you provide more information or evidence to support your
application. We may also request that you provide the originals of any copies you submit. If we request an original
document from you, we will return it to you after USCIS determines it is no longer needed.
Requests for Interview. We may request that you appear at a USCIS office for an interview based on your application.
During your interview, USCIS may require you to provide your biometrics to verify your identity and/or update
background and security checks.
Decision. The decision on Form I-131 involves a determination of whether you have established eligibility for the
immigration benefit you are seeking. USCIS will notify you of our decision in writing.
USCIS Forms and Information
To ensure you are using the latest version of this application, visit www.uscis.gov.
Penalties
If you knowingly and willfully falsify or conceal a material fact or submit a false document with your Form I-131, we will
deny your application and may deny any other immigration benefit. In addition, you will face severe penalties provided by
law and may be subject to criminal prosecution.
DHS Privacy Notice
AUTHORITIES: USCIS is collecting the information requested on this application, and the associated evidence, under
INA sections 103, 208(c)(1)(C), 211, 212(d)(5)(A), 215 and 8 CFR sections 211.1(a)(3-4), 212.5, and 223.1-223.3.
PURPOSE: The primary purpose for providing the requested information on this application is to apply for a Reentry
Permit, Refugee Travel Document, or Advance Parole Document, to include urgent humanitarian reasons or in furtherance
of a significant public benefit. DHS uses the information you provide to grant or deny the immigration benefit you are
seeking.
DISCLOSURE: The information you provide is voluntary. However, failure to provide the requested information,
including your Social Security number (if applicable), and any requested evidence, may delay a final decision or result in
USCIS denying your application.
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ROUTINE USES: DHS may, where allowable under relevant confidentiality provisions, share the information you
provide on this application and any additional requested evidence with other Federal, state, local, and foreign government
agencies and authorized organizations. DHS follows approved routine uses described in the associated published system
of records notices [DHS/USCIS/ICE/CBP-001 Alien File, Index, and National File Tracking System, DHS/USCIS-007
Benefits Information System, and DHS/USCIS-018 Immigration Biometric and Background Check] and the published
privacy impact assessments [DHS/USCIS/PIA-016(a) Computer Linked Application Information Management System and
Associated Systems and DHS/USCIS/PIA-051 Case and Activity Management for International Operations] which you can
find at www.dhs.gov/privacy. DHS may also share this information, as appropriate, for law enforcement purposes or in the
interest of national security.
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Paperwork Reduction Act
USCIS may not conduct or sponsor an information collection, and you are not required to respond to a collection of
information, unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The public
reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated at 2.917 hours per response, including the time for
reviewing instructions, gathering the required documentation and information, completing the application, preparing
statements, attaching necessary documentation, and submitting the application. The collection of biometrics is estimated
to require 1.17 hours. The collection of passport-style photographs is estimated at 0.50 hours. Send comments regarding
this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden,
to: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Office of Policy and Strategy, Regulatory Coordination Division, 5900
Capital Gateway Drive, Mail Stop #2140, Camp Springs, MD 20588-0009; OMB No. 1615-0013. Do not mail your
completed Form I-131 to this address.
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| File Type | application/pdf |
| File Title | Form I-131, Instructions for Application for Travel Document |
| Author | FMB |
| File Modified | 2024-04-25 |
| File Created | 2024-04-25 |