residence permit travel document

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USCIS I-131A Application for Travel Document Fee

Before you start the payment process, eligibility.

Anyone can pay the I-131A filing fee from anywhere in the world. Whoever pays the fee must use a credit or debit card or U.S. bank account.

The current filing fee is $575.00

You must submit your filing fee before going to a U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate to file your Form I-131A. You must bring evidence of payment with you when you appear in person at your nearest U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate to file Form I-131A.

Refund Policy

USCIS does not refund fees, regardless of any action we take on your application, petition or request, or how long USCIS takes to reach a decision.

By continuing this transaction, you acknowledge that you must submit fees in the exact amount and that you are paying the fees for a government service.

Please refer to the instructions for the form(s) you are filing for additional information or you may call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283. For TTY (deaf or hard of hearing) 800-767-1833.

Information You May Need

To pay the fee, you will need the correct first and last names, date of birth, and A-Number as they appear on the lawful permanent resident's (LPR's) Green Card or Reentry Permit.

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Travel documents for foreign citizens returning to the U.S.

If you are a citizen of another country and have been living in the U.S., you may need special documents if you leave the U.S. and then return.

Travel documents for permanent and conditional permanent residents

If you are outside the u.s. for less than one year.

If you are a permanent or conditional permanent resident who has been away from the U.S. for less than one year, you will only need to show your Green Card upon re-entry to the U.S.

If you are outside the U.S. for one year or longer

If you are a permanent or conditional permanent resident who has been outside the U.S. for one year or longer, apply for a re-entry permit before you travel. Use Form I-131 - Application for Travel Document .

• For permanent residents, the re-entry permit is valid for two years from the date of issue.
• For conditional permanent residents, the re-entry permit is valid for two years after the date of issue. Or it is valid up until the date you must apply for removal of the conditions on your status , whichever date comes first.

Travel documents for other foreign citizens living in the U.S.

If you are a foreign citizen re-entering the U.S., the documentation you need may depend on your immigration status:

• Advance parole - You may use advance parole to re-enter the U.S. without applying for a visa. It is commonly used for re-entry by people in the process of applying for permanent residence, applying for a status adjustment, or applying for asylum.
• Refugee travel document - You may be able to use this document to re-enter the U.S. if you have refugee or asylum status.

If you need help, contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) .

LAST UPDATED: December 6, 2023

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• Advance Parole, Reentry Permits and Travel Documents (Form I-131)

What is a Reentry Permit?

Home » What is a Reentry Permit?

July 5, 2021

It’s a multiple use travel document, meaning that it can be used several times (during the valid period) to reenter the United States.

File Form I-131, Application for Travel Document , from within the United States to apply for a permit.

How a Reentry Permit Helps

A Reentry Permit has two basic functions:

• The travel document allows a U.S. permanent resident to reenter the United States after traveling abroad for longer than one year but less than two years.
• It also can serve like a passport for a U.S. permanent resident who has no passport and cannot obtain one from their country of nationality.

Without a Reentry Permit, permanent residents who are outside the country for more than a year will likely be denied reentry into the U.S. on the grounds that they have abandoned their permanent resident status. After a one year absence from the United States, a green card is not valid for reentry. The permit is intended to prevent this problem.

RECOMMENDED: Benefits of a Reentry Permit for Permanent Residents

Application for Reentry Permit

To obtain a Reentry Permit, the applicant should file Form I-131 . You must file Form I-131 while you are physically present in the United States. It will generally take at least 90 days for USCIS to approve the request. Expedited processing may be available for certain applicants.

Mistakes on your Form I-131 can cause costly delays or a denial.

Period of validity for a permit.

In most cases, USCIS will issue a Reentry Permit that’s valid for a period of two years. However, if you have been outside the United States for more than four of the last five years since becoming a permanent resident the permit will be limited to one year, except that a permit with a validity of two years may be issued to the following:

• a permanent resident whose travel is on the order of the U.S. government, other than an exclusion, deportation, removal, or rescission order;
• a permanent resident employed by a public international organization of which the United States is a member by treaty or statute; or
• a permanent resident who is a professional athlete and regularly competes in the United States and worldwide.

For permanent residents, excessive time spent outside the United States can lead to questions about residency. Without strong ties to the U.S., permanent residents can risk abandonment of permanent resident status.

Permits for Conditional Residents

A Reentry Permit issued to a conditional resident is valid for two years from the date of issuance, or to the date the conditional resident must apply for removal of the conditions on his or her status, whichever date comes first.

Not a Cure All

RECOMMENDED: Green Card Abandonment: Risks of Travel Abroad

Even with a Reentry Permit, a permanent resident’s absence of more than 180 days from the United States may disrupt the 5-year continuous residence requirement for naturalization . Instead, some permanent residents may be eligible to file Form N-470, Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes . Use this form if you are a lawful permanent resident who must leave the United States for a period of one year or longer for certain employment purposes and you want to preserve your status as an immigrant in order to pursue naturalization.

Urgent Travel

As a permanent resident of the United States you may travel abroad for periods of less than one year and reenter the U.S. with only a valid, unexpired green card. However, you may need to apply for a Reentry Permit in certain situations. There are some things you should know prior to travel after Reentry Permit application.

Although you can have the Reentry Permit mailed to a U.S. consulate office or DHS office overseas, this can be counterintuitively slow. Many attorneys recommend having USCIS mail the travel document to another family member in the United States. That trusted family member can forward it to the applicant outside the United States.

When you file your Form I-131 to obtain a Reentry Permit, USCIS will notify you when to appear for your biometrics appointment. The biometrics appointment must be conducted in the United States. If you leave the United States before you provide your biometrics, USCIS may deny your application.

If you have an extraordinary situation that requires urgent travel, USCIS may grant  expedited processing  in certain situations.

Immigration Form Guides Form I-90       Form I-129F       Form I-130       Form I-131       Form I-131A       Form I-134       Form I-485       Form I-751       Form I-765       Form I-821D       Form I-864       Form N-400       Form N-565       Form N-600

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Returning Resident Visas

Overview - about returning resident visas, step 1 - qualifying for returning resident status, applying for a returning resident visa, required documentation, required fees, step 2 - immigrant visa application and documentation, if your application to determine returning resident status is not approved, about international travel and permanent residents.

A permanent resident (called lawful permanent resident or LPR) or conditional resident (CR) who has remained outside the United States for longer than one year, or beyond the validity period of a Re-entry Permit, will require a new immigrant visa to enter the United States and resume permanent residence. A provision exists under U.S. visa law for the issuance of a returning resident special immigrant visa to an LPR who remained outside the United States due to circumstances beyond his/her control. This webpage is about Returning Resident Visas. If you are an LPR unable to return to the United States within the travel validity period of the green card (1 year) or the validity of the Re-entry Permit (2 years), you may be eligible and can apply at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa.

If your application for returning resident status is approved, this eliminates the requirement that an immigrant visa petition be filed on your behalf with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). You will need to be interviewed for both your application for returning resident status, and usually later for the immigrant visa. An SB-1 applicant is required to establish eligibility for an immigrant visa and have a medical examination. Therefore, this involves paying both visa processing fees and medical fees.

Spouse or Child of a Member of the U.S. Armed Forces or Civilian Employee of the U.S. Government Stationed Abroad  - If you are the spouse or child of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or of a civilian employee of the U.S. government stationed abroad on official orders, you may use your Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551, to enter the United States even if it has expired. Therefore, you would not need a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa, as long as you:

• Have not abandoned your LPR status; and
• Your spouse or parent is returning to the United States.

Under provisions of immigration law, to qualify for returning resident status, you will need to prove to the Consular Officer that you:

• Had the status of a lawful permanent resident at the time of departure from the United States;
• Departed from the United States with the intention of returning and have not abandoned this intention; and
• Are returning to the United States from a temporary visit abroad and, if the stay abroad was protracted, this was caused by reasons beyond your control and for which you were not responsible.

If you wish to apply for a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa, you should contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate in advance of your intended travel (at least three months in advance, if possible) to permit sufficient time for visa processing. As part of the visa application process, an interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate is required. Review country-specific instructions and information by reviewing the  U.S. Embassy or Consulate website  where you will apply.

When applying for a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa, you should submit the following forms and documents to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you will apply:

• A completed Application to Determine Returning Resident Status, Form DS-117
• Your Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551
• Your Re-entry Permit, if available

You must also submit supporting documents that show the following:

• Dates of travel outside of the United States (Examples: airline tickets, passport stamps, etc.)
• Proof of your ties to the United States and your intention to return (Examples: tax returns, and evidence of economic, family, and social ties to the United States)
• Proof that your protracted stay outside of the United States was for reasons beyond your control (Examples: medical incapacitation, employment with a U.S. company, etc.)

A consular officer will review your application and supporting documents to determine whether you meet the criteria for Returning Resident (SB-1) status. If you do, you must be eligible for the immigrant visa in all other respects in order to be issued a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa.

The following are the required fees:

• Application to Determine Returning Resident Status, Form DS-117. Select  Fees  for current Department of State fees.

Additionally, if you are approved for Returning Resident (SB-1) status, the following fees will be required based on the immigrant visa processing explained below:

• Form DS-260 application processing fee
• Medical exam and vaccination fees

The U.S. Embassy or Consulate will provide you with specific instructions for the remainder of the processing for your Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa. While exact instructions may vary by embassy or consulate, these instructions will include:

Before your interview:

• Instructions for your medical examination, including a list of required vaccinations

Instructions for your interview, including the following documentation to bring:

• Preview a  sample  DS-260 (6.4MB).
• Original passport;
• Two photographs, meeting  Photograph Requirements
• A list of civil documents to bring to your immigrant visa interview, as requested by the embassy or consulate

Review country-specific instructions and further information by reviewing the  U.S. Embassy or Consulate  website where you will apply.

If, after reviewing your Application to Determine Returning Resident Status, Form DS-117, and supporting documents, the consular officer determines that you do not meet the criteria for a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa on the grounds that you have abandoned or relinquished your residence in the United States, it may or may not be possible to obtain a nonimmigrant visa depending on whether you have established a residence abroad to which you will return. If you cannot submit convincing evidence of compelling ties abroad, you may have to apply for an immigrant visa on the same basis and under the same category by which you immigrated originally.

As a permanent resident, before you depart the United States for temporary travel abroad and then seek to return to the United States, you should review important information on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) websites. Learn about  Travel Documents , including Re-Entry Permits and  Form I-131, Application for Travel Document , on the USCIS website. For information for permanent residents returning to the United States from travel abroad, review the  CBP website .

Returning Legal Permanent Residents Who Obtained Such Status Based on Asylum Status - Asylum applicants, asylees, and lawful permanent residents who obtained such status based on their asylum status are subject to special rules with regard to traveling outside the United States. For more information on obtaining proper documentation before you depart the United States, see  Benefits and Responsibilities of Asylees  on the USCIS website.

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Travelling with a residence permit and a return visa

You have a residence permit and want to travel abroad. You need a valid residence permit, a travel document and in some cases also a visa. School children can be placed on a List of Travellers for school trips within the EU. 

Documents for a trip abroad

Return visa (tkv), list of travellers for school trips.

You are going on a trip abroad. You need the following documents:

• A valid travel document For example, a passport or an identity card. This can also be an foreign national’s passport or refugee’s passport. The residence permit is not a travel document. 
• A valid residence permit You need the residence permit to travel back to the Netherlands. Using the residence permit, you can show that you are allowed to be in the Netherlands.
• A visa  There are a few countries that require a visa. Always find out if you need a visa before you leave. You must apply for a visa to the embassy or consulate of the country you want to visit.

Travelling within the Schengen Area

Do you have a valid Dutch residence permit and a valid travel document? Then you do not need a visa for travel within the Schengen Area . 

Travelling but no passport

Do you not have a (valid) passport? You can apply for a passport at the embassy or consulate of your country of origin.

Alien's passport

Are you not able to get a passport from the country of your nationality? Or do you have an asylum residence permit? In some situations you can get an alien's passport. You apply for this passport at your municipality. With this passport you can travel to all countries, but not your country of origin. For many countries you do still need a visa.  

Are you of a nationality that requires a visa for short stay to travel to the Netherlands? And are you going on a trip abroad, but your residence permit is temporarily no longer valid? Or does your residence permit expires during your trip? Then you need a return visa to travel back to the Netherlands. With the return visa, you show that you are allowed to be in the Netherlands. Find out more about the return visa .

The List of Travellers is a visa replacement document for pupils (all school years) that are going to make a school trip within the EU. The List of Travellers is meant for pupils from outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland with a nationality who require a visa for travel. With the List of Travellers they are allowed to travel without a visa. They do have to meet any national entry requirements of the country they will visit with the school trip. The List of Travellers also replaces the passport if a pupil does not have one. 

Apply for a List of Travellers

The List of Travellers can only be issued to a school teacher at the IND Desk. The school teacher certifies the List of Travellers at the IND desk and pays the fees. Then the IND stamps the List of Travellers.

Call the IND for an appointment for List of Travellers

Documents that are required

The following documents are required for the List of Travellers:

• A mandate from the director of the school concerned. This should state the name of the teacher who will visit the IND Desk and accompany the pupils on the trip.
• Copy of the school director's identity card.
• Detailed description of the school trip. The contests of which are form free.
• The names of the pupils that should be on the List of Travellers. And the names of the teachers who are going on the trip.
• A colour photocopy of the front and back of the valid residence permit and/or passport for each pupil on the list.
• Recent colour passport photo (only for the pupils that do not have a valid passport or valid identity card with photo).
• Stamp of the school.
• Valid identity card of the teacher coming to the appointment.

Costs List of Travellers

The List of Travellers costs € 30,00 and € 1,00 for each child on the list.

Brexit and the List of Travellers

The United Kingdom is not a member state of the EU. That is why you cannot use the List of Travellers in the UK. Please contact the British embassy in The Hague for information on travelling to the United Kingdom. 

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Apply for a Home Office travel document

How to apply, before you apply.

If you have less than 6 months’ permission to stay in the UK (known as ‘leave to remain’), you need to extend it before you apply for a travel document.

If you have a biometric residence permit ( BRP ) , make sure it has not expired and all the details are correct before you apply for a travel document.

You’ll need to:

• apply for a replacement BRP if yours has expired
• contact the team that issued your BRP if your details are not correct (their contact information will be on your letter or email notification)

The type of travel document you can apply for depends on what kind of permission to stay you have - for example, if you have refugee status or are recognised as stateless.

You can find what kind of permission to stay you have on your BRP or your Home Office decision letter.

If you apply for the wrong type of travel document, your application will be refused and you will not get a refund. You’ll have to submit a new application and pay the fee if you want to apply again.

To apply for a travel document you need to:

• complete the online form
• send supporting documents by post

You can get help with completing the online form if you:

• do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device
• do not have internet access

You cannot get immigration advice through this service.

Send supporting documents by post

You’ll be told in the online application:

• which documents to send
• where to send them

You’ll need to send original documents.

Do not send your BRP - you’ll need to keep this as proof of identity.

Do not send any documents you have not been told to send. They will not be returned.

If you urgently need a travel document for compassionate reasons

You’ll need to send additional supporting evidence by email if you urgently need a travel document for compassionate reasons.

Compassionate reasons for travelling include:

• you are seriously ill
• a family member or friend is seriously ill or has died
• you - or someone you care for - need to travel abroad for medical treatment that is not available in the UK and cannot be delayed

Attach a scan or photo of a letter confirming the reason for your travel. The letter must:

• be from a doctor or hospital
• be on headed paper
• be in English, or be accompanied by a certified translation
• include your name
• include, where relevant, the name of the sick or dead person and their relationship to you

You can send a death certificate but it must be accompanied by the letter confirming the reason for your travel.

Where to send your supporting email

Send your email with supporting evidence to the Home Office travel document enquiries team.

Put ‘New application enquiry – urgent compassionate case’ and your name in the subject line.

Home Office travel document enquiries [email protected]

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Information About Your Immigration Document

Welcome to the United States! You are part of a long tradition of immigrants who have come to the United States and contributed to a strong and vibrant nation.

Please see the links below for information about your immigration documents and benefits, travel, and employment. This information will help you get settled in the United States and provide you and your family with information and resources needed for life in the United States.

• Green Cards
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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What kinds of immigration documents does USCIS issue? A:  USCIS issues many types of immigration documents , including: Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card (Green Card); Form I-766, Employment Authorization Document; Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record; and Form I-797, Notice of Action.

Q: What if the information on my new card is incorrect? A: If any information is missing or incorrect, please call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 or check our website for instructions. You can also submit an electronic request to fix any typographical error. For Green Cards, please file Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) , if there’s an error.

Q: Do I need to always carry my document with me? A:  If you are 18 years of age or older, you must always carry your Employment Authorization Document (EAD), Green Card, or other proof of alien registration in the United States with you.

Q: What do I do if my document is lost or stolen or becomes damaged? A: If your document is lost or stolen or becomes damaged, or if your name or other information shown on your card changes, use Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) , for a new Green Card, or Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization , for a new EAD. Please call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 or check our website for instructions.

Q: Why does my EAD say, “SERVES AS I-512 ADVANCE PAROLE?” A:  Most EADs have the statement “NOT VALID FOR REENTRY TO U.S.” at the bottom of the card. However, if you received a card that instead has the statement “SERVES AS I-512 ADVANCE PAROLE,” this is a Combination Employment Authorization and Advance Parole Card (combo card). The combo card serves as both an EAD and an Advance Parole Document. The combo card is only available for certain applicants who have a pending Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status . If you travel outside the United States, you may present the combo card, in addition to other documents, at a port of entry to seek parole upon your return. Additionally, U.S. immigration law requires passengers to present evidence of authorization to apply for admission or to otherwise seek lawful entry into the United States before they may board a vessel or aircraft destined for the United States. Presenting a valid combo card will authorize a transportation carrier to accept you on board for travel to the United States, provided you return to the United States on or before the expiration date on the card. The card is valid for multiple applications for parole into the United States until the expiration date.