Travel Abroad with Advance Parole

Advance Parole is issued to non-citizens in the United States wishing to travel abroad. A person seeks Advance Parole when his or her current immigration status makes re-entry into the United States precarious. Rather than face the uncertainty of being able to re-enter the United States, a person granted Advanced Parole may re-enter successfully after leaving the United States with the Advance Parole document in hand.

The Advance Parole document is a single sheet of paper that lists the noncitizen’s name, the expiration date, and the number of times it can be used. It is common for an advance parole document to state it is valid for 1 day only, which means that it is valid for one entry only, not for 1 day of travel. The length of travel is determined by the expiration date listed on the advance parole document.

For example, if the document lists the expiration date of June 30, 2024, then a person must return to the United States before the expiration date. Upon return, the advance parole document will be valid for one entry only if it states that it is valid for one day. Some advance parole documents are valid for multiple entries, but most are valid for just one entry.

In practical terms, advance parole is commonly used by non-citizens with a pending Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, non-citizens with Temporary Protected Status wishing to return to their country of origin, and noncitizens with DACA.

Advance parole waives the need for a valid visa upon return. However, it does not waiver other grounds of inadmissibility. Therefore, if a non-citizen has a criminal conviction or removal order, that may affect a person’s ability to return to the United States. Customs and Border Protection have the discretion to deny entry to a person who has an outstanding removal order or a serious criminal conviction that was not previously disclosed.