Form I-131 is used mostly to apply for three different kinds of travel documents, which are used for people with different types of immigration status. The documents are:
- A reentry permit
- A refugee travel document
- An advance parole document
- Who can use Form I-131? What are the requirements?
Form I-131 can be used by people with the following statuses to get a travel document from the USCIS:
- Permanent residents (Green Card holders)
- Conditional permanent residents (such as Green Card holders who got their Green Cards through marriage or investment)
- Refugees and asylees
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients
- Other, rarer statuses
What are the government fees to apply for a Travel Document?
The following is a breakdown of the government fees typically associated with Form I-131:
Re-entry Permit:
USCIS Fee: $575
Biometrics fee: $85
Refugee Travel Document:
USCIS fee (age 16 and older): $135
USCIS fee (younger than 16): $105
Biometrics fee: $85
Advance Parole Document:
USCIS fee: $575
Form I-131 – Application for a Travel Document
The Application for a Travel Document, Form I-131 is used mostly by non-citizen residents of the United States to request permission to leave the U.S. and return.
The form is used as a placeholder for a non-citizen’s right to reside in the U.S. and is an important part of planning for international travel.
Travel Document Requirements
Requirements for filing Form I-131 include the ability to attend a biometrics appointment with the USCIS and supporting documentation that should be submitted along with the application form.
Supporting documentation for the Application for a Travel Document differs depending on a person’s immigration status and what kind of document they apply for. Remember that the USCIS only requires copies of supporting documentation and not the originals. The following is a sampling of required documentation:
- Form I-551 or Form I-797 for a reentry permit
- A document that shows refugee or asylee status for a refugee travel document
For an advance parole document, you will need to send in a copy of a document that shows your current status such as a copy of Form I-485 or I-821D.
Note: it is important to read the form instructions carefully when putting together your supporting documentation as everyone’s case is different.
What is the process? How long does it take?
The process of applying for a travel document is similar to submitting other applications to the USCIS and follows this basic pattern:
- File your Form I-131 with supporting document to the appropriate USCIS office.
- Attend the biometrics (fingerprinting) interview at the USCIS.
- Based on the information provided, the USCIS will decide whether or not you will get a travel document in a process called “adjudication.”
The application time can take three months from the time of sending your application in to receiving your travel document.