I-131- Application for a Travel Document
If you are planning to leave the country for a year or more, speak with an experienced Glendale immigration attorney at (818) 550-1111 to ensure that you have the correct documentation to return.
Glendale Immigration Lawyer
Glendale Immigration Attorney Explains Reentry Permit and Advance Parole
If you are a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., you must be very careful about travel out of the United States. If you have a Green Card and leave the U.S. for a year or longer, your Green Card can become invalid. If you move to another country for even less than a year, your Green Card will be considered abandoned.
To safely travel outside the U.S., you must ensure you have a reentry permit, and have applied for the permit from within the U.S. before you leave. These permits are usually valid two years from the time they are issued. Need legal help? Contact Aratta Law Firm in Glendale at (818) 550-1111 before you plan to travel or need to live in another country for any length of time.
Do I Need a Reentry Permit?
To ensure you do not jeopardize your Green Card application, or a current Green Card, you must file form I-131, an “Application for a Travel Document.” This document is critical for any person who plans to leave the country for a year or longer, as when you try to return to the U.S., you will run into serious difficulties, as your legal permanent residency status will be considered abandoned and no longer valid.
How to File for an Application for Travel
If you are a lawful permanent resident of the United States who plans to travel outside the U.S. for a year or more, you must ensure you file form I-131 and apply for a reentry permit before leaving the country, since you cannot apply from another country, only from within the United States. Your application should be filed no less than sixty days from the time you plan to travel to another country. You will be required to appear at an Application Support Center for your biometrics appointment, which must be completed before you leave. If you leave the U.S. before your biometrics appointment, your application will likely be denied.
What Is Advance Parole?
Foreign nationals who do not yet have a valid immigrant visa can request Advance Parole to allow them to return to the U.S. while they await the adjustment of status, your Green Card. Others who may require this document include those who have been granted immigration status through the Family Unity Program, or those who have applied for Asylum status. It is strongly advised that if you are seeking Asylum in the U.S. that you do not return to the country from which you are seeking asylum for any reason.
Who Is Eligible for Advance Parole?
You need Advance Parole to travel outside the United States. If you are a DACA recipient, have Temporary Protected Status, asylum or refugee status, your Green Card application is pending, or some other circumstances. If you plan on leaving the U.S. while your Green Card application is pending, speak with an immigration attorney before making any travel plans, as you could jeopardize your application for Permanent Resident status.
Valid Reasons to Seek Advance Parole
You may seek Advance Parole for three reasons:
- Humanitarian reasons: To visit ill or aging relatives, for medical treatment, for a funeral, or other critical family-related reasons.
- Educational reasons: You will need Advance Parole to study abroad, to engage in academic research, or educationally related competitions or conferences.
- Employment: If your employment requires you to travel, for job interviews, professional conferences, training, or meetings, or business related travel, you must ensure you have all documents needed, including Advance Parole.
Advance Parole vs. Reentry Permit – The Difference
Advance Parole is the document you need to leave the country if you are not yet approved as a legal permanent resident. A Reentry Permit is issued to those who have legal status in the U.S. who plan to leave the country for a year or more.
Need Help with a Reentry Permit or Advance Parole? Contact Us.
If you are planning to travel out of the United States, ensure you have all the proper documentation in place before you buy airline tickets or make travel arrangements. It is critical that you protect your right to live and work in the U.S., and at Aratta Law Firm, we are here to serve the immigrant community with these important matters.
Contact a Glendale immigration attorney at Aratta Law Firm at (818) 550-1111 today for assistance with Reentry Permits and Advance Parole documents.