I-131, Application for Travel Document
Alert for DACA Recipients: USCIS will only grant advance parole for travel outside the United States to DACA recipients pursuant to the new guidance, which provides for a determination that parole of the alien is for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit in keeping with the governing statute. The agency will not rescind any previously granted advance parole documents unless there is another legal reason to do so. However, as has always been the case, parole into the United States is not guaranteed. In all cases, aliens are still subject to immigration inspection at a port-of-entry to determine whether they are eligible to come into the United States.
The determination whether to grant advance parole to an alien is entirely within the discretion of USCIS and must be made on a case-by-case basis. USCIS will review all the factors presented in individual cases before determining whether to approve advance parole for a DACA recipient based on the new guidance. Some examples of circumstances that may warrant approval include, but are not limited to, situations such as:
- Travel to support the national security interests of the United States;
- Travel to support U.S. federal law enforcement interests;
- Travel to obtain life-sustaining medical treatment that is not otherwise available to the alien in the United States; or
- Travel needed to support the immediate safety, wellbeing, or care of an immediate relative, particularly minor children of the alien.
Even if a requestor establishes that their situation meets one of the examples above, USCIS may still deny the request for advance parole in discretion under the totality of the circumstances.
Please see the announcement and memorandum issued by Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf. Please also see the memorandum (PDF, 1.7 MB) issued by USCIS Deputy Director for Policy Joseph Edlow.
DACA recipients who wish to apply for an advance parole document may submit their Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, to the address specified on the Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-131 webpage. DACA-related requests for advance parole that are not submitted to the appropriate direct filing address for DACA may experience delays in being processed.
USCIS will consider all Form I-131 applications received at the direct filing address as an application for advance parole based on the recent DHS and USCIS DACA guidance and process the required fee. If, in the exercise of discretion, USCIS determines that the DACA recipient does not warrant advance parole, USCIS will deny the Form I-131 without refunding the processing fees.
Note: Any Form I-131 applications that were filed based on DACA before the issuance of the new USCIS guidance on advance parole for DACA recipients will be rejected and the fees returned or refunded. Those DACA recipients may refile their Form I-131 applications consistent with the new guidance.
CAUTION: If you travel outside the United States on or after Aug. 15, 2012, without first receiving advance parole, your departure automatically terminates your deferred action under DACA.
Use this form to apply for a re-entry permit, refugee travel document, or advance parole travel document, to include parole into the U.S. for humanitarian reasons.
If you file Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, to request an advance parole document and depart the United States without having an advance parole document that is valid for the entire time you are abroad, we will consider your Form I-131 abandoned.
What This Form Can Help You Do
Form Details
Dates are listed in mm/dd/yy format.
Please check the Filing Addresses for Form I-131 for information on where to mail your application.
Filing Tips for Form I-131, Application for Travel Document
Complete all sections of the form. We will reject the form if these fields are missing:
- Part 1 – Information About You
- Family Name
- Physical Address
- Date of Birth
- Part 2 – Application Type
- 1.a. – 1.f.
- Family Name (If 1.f. selected)
- Physical Address (If 1.f. selected)
We recommend reading our Lockbox Filing Tips.
Don’t forget to sign your form! We will reject any unsigned form.
| I am applying for a re-entry permit (Application Type A) and I am: | Form Fee | Biometric Services | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 or younger | $575 | $0 | $575 |
| 14 to 79 | $575 | $85 | $660 |
| 80 or older | $575 | $0 | $575 |
| I am applying for a refugee travel document (Application Types B and C) and I am: | Form Fee | Biometric Services | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 or younger | $105 | $0 | $105 |
| 14 or 15 | $105 | $85 | $190 |
| 16 to 79 | $135 | $85 | $220 |
| 80 or older | $135 | $0 | $135 |
| I am applying for an advance parole document (Application Types D, E, and F): | Form Fee | Biometric Services | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advance Parole - Type D (pending Form I-485 or Form I-821) | $575 | $0 | $575 |
| Advance Parole – Type E (humanitarian parole) | $575 | $0 | $575 |
| Advance Parole – Type F (humanitarian parole) | $575 | $0 | $575 |
When you send a payment, you agree to pay for a government service. Filing and biometric service fees are final and non-refundable, regardless of any action we take on your application, petition, or request, or if you withdraw your request.
If you file at a USCIS Lockbox or service center: Pay the fee with a money order, personal check, cashier’s check, or by credit card using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions. If you pay by check, you must make your check payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Please note that service centers are not able to process credit card payments. Use our Fee Calculator to help determine your fee.
If you file at a field office: You cannot pay fees with a money order or cashier’s check when filing at a field office. You can only pay with a personal check, debit card, credit card, or a reloadable prepaid credit/debit card.
You do not need to pay an additional fee for Form I-131 if:
- You are filing Form I-131 Application Type B or D;
- You filed a Form I-485 with a fee on/after July 30, 2007; and
- Your Form I-485 is still pending.
For refugee travel document applications filed from outside of the United States, you must pay the applicable fee(s) to the cashier at the U.S. embassy or consulate with jurisdiction over your location. Please see the website of the appropriate embassy or consulate to confirm acceptable forms of payment. Include the fee receipt from the U.S. embassy or consulate when you file your application package. Please do not mail cash, personal checks or traveler’s checks. If you do not include a fee receipt with your filing, we will reject your application.
Please do not submit this checklist with your Form I-131. It is an optional tool to use as you prepare your form, but does not replace statutory, regulatory, and form instruction requirements. We recommend that you review these requirements before completing and submitting your form. Do not send original documents unless specifically requested in the form instructions or applicable regulations.
If you submit any documents (copies or original documents, if requested) in a foreign language, you must include a full English translation along with a certification from the translator verifying that the translation is complete and accurate, and that they are competent to translate from the foreign language to English.
Did you provide the following?
- For a refugee travel document:
- A copy of an official photo identity document
- Proof of refugee or asylee status
- A statement explaining the reason for a “yes” response to any question in Part 6
- If outside the United States, submit:
- Two identical color passport-style photographs of yourself taken within 30 days of filing this application;
- Evidence of your last date of departure from the United States, if available (such as airline tickets, boarding passes, etc.);
- A statement explaining:
- The purpose of your trip outside the United States. Include documentary evidence to support your reasons for departure from the United States, if available;
- The reason you departed the United States without first applying for a refugee travel document;
- A description of where you have traveled since your departure from the United States;
- Your activities while outside the United States; and
- An explanation of whether you intended to abandon your refugee or asylum status at the time you left the United States; and
- Fee receipt as proof you have paid the applicable filing fee(s) for the application at the U.S. embassy or consulate with jurisdiction over your location abroad.
- For a reentry permit:
- A copy of an official photo identity document
- Evidence that you are a lawful permanent resident:
- A copy of the front and back of your Permanent Resident Card (also known as a Green Card or a Form I-551);
- A copy of the biographic pages of your passport and a copy of the visa page showing your initial admission as a lawful permanent resident;
- A copy of the Form I-797, Notice of Action, approval notice of your application to replace your Permanent Resident Card (also known as a Green Card or a Form I-551); or
- Temporary evidence of lawful permanent resident status.
- Certified English translations of non-English documents (if applicable)
- For an advance parole document for individuals who are currently in the United States:
- A copy of an official photo identity document
- Two identical passport-style photographs of yourself taken within 30 days of the filing of this application
- A copy of any document showing your current status in the United States
- Evidence that your trip is for educational, employment, or humanitarian purposes
- An explanation or other evidence showing the circumstances that warrant issuance of an advance parole document
- If you are an applicant for adjustment of status, a copy of a USCIS receipt as evidence that you filed the adjustment application
- If you are traveling to Canada to apply for an immigrant visa, a copy of the U.S. consular appointment letter
- For advance parole for someone outside the United States (for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit):
- A copy of a photo identity document for beneficiary, petitioner, and sponsor
- A copy of the beneficiary’s passport identity page
- A description of the urgent humanitarian or significant public benefit reason, including documentation of a need for expedited handling, and the length of time for which the beneficiary needs parole
- A completed Form I-134 with appropriate documentation as described in the form instructions
- A statement explaining why the beneficiary cannot obtain a U.S. visa (if applicable)
- A statement explaining why the beneficiary cannot obtain a waiver of inadmissibility (if applicable)
- A copy of any decision on immigrant/nonimmigrant applications or petitions
NOTE: Read more information about the types of evidence that may be relevant to specific parole requests on our Humanitarian Parole webpage.
To receive an e-Notification when we have received your Form I-131, complete Form G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance, and clip it to the front of your application.
Note: The new form edition has 2D barcode technology to help us collect information quickly and accurately. As you complete the form electronically, the barcode stores your information.
Depending on which internet browser you use, the barcode may not be visible when you open the form. We will process all forms with or without a barcode at the bottom of the page.