Advance Parole Travel Document (Form I-131)
If you filed for a green card inside the US and need to travel, leaving without advance parole usually means abandoning your application. We prepare Form I-131, file it with USCIS and follow the case until you get the document. Our fee is $350. The USCIS fee is paid separately.
Need to leave the US while your case is pending? Message us and we'll tell you whether and how you can travel.
We reply in your messenger within one business day.
What we do for your advance parole
Advance parole is a USCIS document that lets you travel abroad and return without abandoning a case pending inside the US. Most often, people who filed Form I-485 for a green card need it. You apply for it with Form I-131.
You must have the document before you leave. If you travel earlier, USCIS usually treats your green card application as abandoned. So we file early and check whether the trip creates any risk for your status.
We review your basis (pending I-485, TPS, parole), your history in the US and any past violations. We tell you whether the trip is safe and which fee applies.
We complete the application, choose the right document type, describe the purpose and dates of your trip, and prepare photos and copies.
We file online through your USCIS account if your category allows it, or by mail. It can be filed together with Forms I-485 and I-765.
We track the case, explain USCIS notices, prepare a response to a request for evidence (a separate service for $250) and tell you what to take on the trip.
Who needs advance parole
Below are common cases. Whether yours fits, we confirm at the consultation.
Common cases
The most common case. While your I-485 is pending, leaving without advance parole usually means abandoning it. The exception is people who maintain H-1B or L-1 status (and their families), who can return on their visa.
To travel with TPS, you file the same Form I-131 for a separate document, the TPS travel authorization. The fee is the same as for advance parole.
You can also request advance parole with parole, a pending asylum case and in some other situations. Here it is important to assess the risks in advance: a separate $1,050 fee may apply when you return.
How to get advance parole
USCIS processing times change every month. Check the current ones on the USCIS processing times page. In urgent cases, such as a relative's serious illness, you can ask the USCIS Contact Center for an appointment at your local field office.
Advance parole does not guarantee entry: CBP makes the decision at the border. That is why we check your documents and history before the trip.
Risks we check before the trip
With advance parole, mistakes usually happen in planning the trip, not in the form. This is what we discuss in advance.
If you are applying for a green card inside the US, Form I-131 can be filed together with I-485 as part of our adjustment of status package.
Want to travel and return without risking your case?
Discuss your situation with an immigration lawyer.
ReLocate is a team of immigration lawyers. For almost 20 years we have supported clients in immigration matters and assisted with complex visa applications. We specialize in immigration law, passport and visa regulations, and border control procedures.
A team of lawyers will work on your case
Advance parole cost
Our fee for Form I-131 for advance parole is $350. You pay the USCIS fees directly. See all our fees on the prices page and other US services in the US section.
Official fees are paid separately
| USCIS fee for advance parole with a pending I-485 (paper; online - 580 USD) | 630 USD |
| Advance parole if your I-485 was filed with a fee before 04/01/2024 | 0 USD |
| Advance parole on other bases, such as parole (paper) | 630 USD |
| CBP fee on entry with parole (does not apply to green card applicants) | 1050 USD |
* Per applicant, per the USCIS fee schedule (G-1055) as of 10.2026. The $1,050 fee is collected by CBP on entry with parole and cannot be waived, except for exceptions in the law (including green card applicants). Fees change, so we check them again before filing.
Why our services are not expenses, but an investment
Ready to discuss your situation?
Our lawyers are available. Leave a request and get a consultation.