Application for Travel Document (I-131)

Официальная страница анкеты на сайте USCIS

http://www.uscis.gov/i-131

Re-Entry Permit

Lawful permanent residents (Green Card holders, including conditional residents) should always take their I-551 forms with them when they travel abroad. Having the Form I-551 can help them when they return to a port of entry by providing verification that they actually have been granted LPR status.

A Form I-551, however, is generally valid only if the person has not been absent for more than 1 year. LPRs may use reentry permits to seek to reenter the United States if they have been absent for 1 year or more. A reentry permit allows a permanent resident or conditional resident to apply for admission to the United States upon returning from abroad during the permit’s validity, without having to obtain a returning resident visa from the U.S. Embassy or consulate.

For LPRs returning to the United States, reentry permits are generally valid for 2 years from the date the reentry permit was issued. The LPR should apply for this benefit before leaving the United States.

A reentry permit can also be issued to a lawful permanent resident who, prior to departing a country abroad, applied to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) office abroad for a duplicate Form I-551 or for a visa waiver under section 211(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (the Act), but who, because of emergent conditions, must depart before action can be completed on their application.

Please note that a reentry permit does not guarantee admission into the United States. Aliens with reentry permits are still subject to inspection at the port of entry and may be denied admission if they are inadmissible. It is also important to note that travel outside of the United States for more than 1 year under most circumstances will break the continuous residence requirement for later naturalization purposes. Travel for more than 6 months also may break the continuous residence requirement. See Section 316 (b) of the Act.

How to File For a Re-Entry Permit
If the alien is a permanent resident or conditional resident, he or she must submit with the Form I-131:

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      A copy of the alien registration receipt card; or
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      If the individual has not yet received an alien registration receipt card, a copy of the biographic page of his or her passport and the passport page indicating initial admission as a permanent resident, or other evidence that the alien is a permanent resident; or
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      A copy of the approval notice of a separate application for replacement of the alien registration receipt card or temporary evidence of permanent resident status.

An alien who files a Form I-131 to obtain a reentry permit must pay the filing fee of $305, plus a biometric fee of $80 (for applicants ages 14 through 79). The $305 filing fee cannot be waived, but the applicant may seek a waiver of the $80 biometrics fee.