![\"\"](\"https:\/\/eaganimmigration.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/permiso-de-viaje-advanced-parole.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
By Natalie McQuilkin<\/strong><\/p>\n If you need to travel abroad but have a pending immigration status, you will want to apply for advance parole, a travel document that allows certain noncitizens to temporarily leave the U.S. and return legally. In today's post, we will break down the basics of advance parole, including who is eligible and how to apply.<\/strong><\/p>\n What is Advance Parole?<\/strong><\/p>\n Advance parole (formally known as Form I-512L) is a document that allows individuals with certain immigration statuses to travel outside the United States and re-enter the country without abandoning their pending immigration cases. In certain cases, advance parole allows travel for those who need to leave the country for urgent reasons.<\/p>\n Who can apply for advance parole?<\/strong><\/p>\n Non-citizens who can apply for an advance parole document, including the following:<\/p>\n You should be aware that some non-citizens\u2014such as asylum seekers, DACA recipients, and holders of certain humanitarian visas\u2014must provide a reason for leaving the United States with advance permission. Let\u2019s take a look at what this means for each of these immigration statuses.<\/p>\n Because advance permission, in some cases, requires specific explanations and documentation, it is essential that you work with a trusted immigration attorney\u2014such as our attorneys here at Eagan Immigration\u2014to ensure you have everything USCIS requires to travel outside the country. Even if your immigration status does not require you to provide a specific reason for traveling outside the United States, it is a good idea to discuss your plans with an immigration attorney before traveling outside the United States.<\/p>\n How do I apply for an advance permit?<\/strong><\/p>\n If you wish to travel outside the United States with advance permission, you must first apply for a travel authorization. You can do so by filing Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole, and Entry\/Exit Records, which costs $630. As mentioned in the previous section, you may be required to provide documentation justifying the reason for your departure from the country. Documentation for these cases may include medical records for an ill family member, a death certificate, a program acceptance letter, an enrollment letter, or a letter from an employer, just to name a few. Working with an immigration attorney ensures that you have the correct documentation and that your form is filled out correctly, minimizing errors that could prevent you from obtaining your advance permission. As of December 2024, USCIS takes an average of 12.6 months to process Form I-131. Because this is a long wait\u2014especially if you need to leave the country for urgent reasons\u2014you can file a request to expedite your pending application at least 45 days before you intend to leave the country, if possible.<\/p>\n If U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approves your Form I-131, they will issue you a Form I-512L, Authorization for Parole (or a Form I-512T if you are a TPS beneficiary). This document is important because it proves that you have permission from the Department of Homeland Security to travel abroad and re-enter the United States without losing your immigration status. If you are applying for advance parole with a pending application to adjust status, many times this Form I-512L is included as part of your Employment Authorization Document. If this is the case, it will state at the bottom of the card: \u201cServes as I-512 Advance Parole.\u201d Once you receive your Form I-512L, you must carry it with you when you travel. You will need to present it to board your return flight, or if you are traveling by car, you will need to present it to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers.<\/p>\n Risks of Traveling with Advance Parole<\/strong><\/p>\n Although advance parole can reduce your stress while traveling abroad, it is important to keep in mind that this travel document does not guarantee reentry into the United States. When you reenter the United States, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer has the ability to deny you reentry into the country. There is a possibility that he or she may determine that you are inadmissible, especially if you have a prior deportation order that you are unaware of. Because of this, you should speak with an immigration lawyer to determine if traveling with advance parole would be too risky regarding your specific case. Reentry into the country can be especially risky for certain noncitizens. DACA applicants may face risks while traveling outside the country because they have prior unlawful presence in the U.S. A CBP officer could consider this unlawful presence as inadmissible and<\/p>\n giving the DACA recipient a three- or ten-year ban from entering the U.S. If you have multiple previous entries as a DACA recipient, you could even face a permanent ban. The same goes for asylum seekers. These applicants may also run the risk of losing their asylum interview while outside the country. If you are waiting for your green card to be approved, there is a chance that your green card application could be denied while you are outside the country, leading to your advance parole no longer being valid. Therefore, you could be barred from re-entering the country.<\/p>\n\n
\n