Fillable Form I-131 USCIS (2019)

What is Form I-131?

• Form I-131 is a travel document that allows someone living in the United States while awaiting their Green Card to travel abroad without nullifying their Green Card application.
• Form I-131 collects details about your planned trip, your foreign travel since becoming a Green Card holder and whether you’ve been properly filing U.S. tax returns.
• Form I-131 can be used to apply for a Re-entry Permit, Refugee Travel Document, or Advance Parole Travel Document.

Re-entry Permit: enables a lawful permanent resident or conditional permanent resident to apply to be admitted in the United States, after traveling abroad, without the need to obtain a returning visa from a U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate.

Refugee Travel Document: can be allotted to an individual in refugee or asylee status, or to a lawful permanent resident who obtained refugee or asylee status in the United States.

• Individuals who hold asylee or refugee status and are not lawful permanent residents must have a Refugee Travel Document to return to the United States after travel abroad unless they possess an Advance Parole Document.
• Apply for a Refugee Travel Document before you leave the United States.

Advance Parole Travel Document: allows you to physically enter into the United States for a specific purpose without applying for a visa.

Who should apply for Form I-131?

Most Non-U.S. citizens must file for Form I-131 with U.S. citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in order to obtain proper travel documents before traveling abroad.

Why should Non-U.S. citizens apply for Form I-131?

Non-U.S. citizens must file for Form I-131 with USCIS to obtain a travel document before traveling abroad to protect their ability to reenter the United States.

Reenter Permit: helpful for lawful permanent residents that expect to spend significant time outside the United States but intend to return to the United States.

Refugee Travel Document: a person with refugee or asylum status who wishes to travel outside of the United States needs a Refugee Travel Document in order to return to the United States. The Refugee Travel Document acts as a passport.

Advance Parole: certain people in other immigration statuses can use Advance Patrol as permission to reenter the United States after traveling abroad.

Where should I file Form I-131?

• E-filing: you may submit Form I-131 online to USCIS.
• Paper filing: visit www.uscis.gov/i-131-addresses to view the direct filing address for Form I-131. The list of direct filing addresses include:

1. Abused spouses, children, or parents
2. Applicants of pending form I-485
3. Haitian Family Members
4. Cuban Family Members
5. Consideration for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
6. Relations of a Filipino war veteran
7. Humanitarian Parole Applicants
8. T or U visa holders
9. Refugee Travel Document Applicants
10. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) applicants
11. United States Military family members
12. Correcting a USCIS error on travel documents
13. All other applicants

When should I file my Form I-131?

You should file your Form I-131 no further than 60 days before you intend to travel abroad.

The USCIS does not specify an average processing time for review and acceptance of Form I-131. However, USCIS processes forms in the order in which they are filed, so the sooner you submit your form, the faster it will be approved.

How to accomplish Form I-131?

Ways to fill out Form I-131:

• Fill it out on a computer

Download and view on a PDF viewer

• Print and fill out the paper form

Form I-131 is split into 9 parts, namely:

1. Information About You
2. Application Type
3. Processing Information
4. Information About Your Proposed Travel
5. Complete Only if Applying for a Reentry Permit
6. Complete Only if Applying for a Refugee Travel Document
7. Complete Only if Applying for Advance Parole
8. Signature of Applicant
9. Information about Person Who Prepared This Application, If Other Than the Applicant

Start with Part 1; do not fill out the box labeled “For USCIS Use Only.”

• Type or print legibly in black ink.
• If extra space is needed to complete any item, attach a separate sheet and type or print your name and Alien Registration Number (A-Number) (if any), at the top of each sheet of paper; indicate the Part and Item Numbers to which your answer refers; and date and sign each sheet.
• Answer all questions fully and accurately. If an item is not applicable or the answer is none, print or type N/A.

Note that a Reentry Permit, a Refugee Travel Document, and an Advance Parole Document have different filing fees.

Reentry Permit: $575

Refugee Travel Document:

Under 16 years-old: $105
Over 16 years-old: $135

Advance Parole Document: $575

Supporting documents and information

1. Application with the filing fee
2. A copy of an official photo identity document showing your photo, name, and date of birth
3. Biometrics Services (fee for Reentry and Refugee Travel Document applicants aged 14-79 differ).