Form I-131

What Form I-131 is

Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records, is the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) form for requesting several kinds of travel and parole documents. This template is the 01/20/25 edition (OMB expiration 06/30/2027), 14 pages, which is the edition listed on the USCIS Form I-131 page as of October 3, 2026.

What it covers and who uses it

Part 1 of the form asks you to select one application type. According to USCIS, Form I-131 is used for:

• Reentry permits for lawful permanent residents and conditional permanent residents
• Refugee travel documents for people with refugee or asylee status, or permanent residents who obtained that status as a direct result of refugee or asylee status
• TPS travel authorization for Temporary Protected Status beneficiaries in the United States
• Advance Parole Documents for people inside the United States (for example, with a pending Form I-485, I-589, or initial I-821, or an approved DACA, T, or U case) and advance permission to travel for CNMI long-term residents
• Initial parole documents, parole in place, and re-parole requests

Whether travel is advisable in your situation is a legal question. On August 13, 2026 the Board of Immigration Appeals issued a precedent decision, noted on the USCIS I-131 page, affecting how departing with an Advance Parole Document is treated for certain inadmissibility purposes. Speak with a qualified immigration attorney or accredited representative before you travel.

What to have ready

• Your A-Number, USCIS Online Account Number, and Social Security number if you have them.
• Receipt numbers for any pending or approved case the request is based on (for example, Form I-485, I-589, I-821, I-821D, I-914, or I-918).
• Passport and Form I-94 details, and for advance parole, your intended departure date, trip purpose, countries you will visit, and expected length of trip.
• For a reentry permit or refugee travel document, whether it should be sent to a U.S. address or picked up at a U.S. Embassy, U.S. Consulate, or USCIS international field office.

How to fill it out with PDF Editify

Click "Fill Template Now", type into the fields, and download the completed PDF. USCIS does not accept electronic or pasted signatures on paper filings, so print and sign Part 10 by hand (see the USCIS Policy Manual chapter on signatures).

Part 1. Application Type

Select one box and enter any receipt number the option asks for.

Part 2. Information About You

Your name, other names, mailing and physical addresses, A-Number, country of birth and citizenship, date of birth, sex, Social Security number, USCIS Online Account Number, class of admission, and I-94 number. If you are filing for someone else (for example, initial parole for a beneficiary outside the United States), you also provide your relationship to that person.

Part 3. Biographic Information

Ethnicity, race, height, weight, eye color, and hair color of the person who will receive the document.

Part 4. Processing Information

Questions about any exclusion, deportation, removal, or rescission proceedings, prior reentry permits, refugee travel documents, or advance parole documents issued to you, whether you are requesting a replacement, and, for a reentry permit or refugee travel document, where the document should be sent.

Parts 5 to 9

Complete only the part that matches your Part 1 selection: Part 5 for a reentry permit, Part 6 for a refugee travel document, Part 7 for proposed travel on an advance parole document (date of intended departure, purpose, countries, number of trips, and expected length), Part 8 for initial parole, parole in place, or re-parole, and Part 9 for employment authorization with a new period of re-parole.

Parts 10 to 13

Part 10 is your contact information, certification, and signature. Part 11 is for an interpreter and Part 12 for a preparer. Part 13, Additional Information, is extra space; include your name, A-Number, and the page, part, and item number.

Filing and fees

USCIS accepts online filing for certain I-131 request types, while reentry permits and refugee travel documents must be filed on paper. Mailing addresses depend on the request type and are listed on the Form I-131 filing addresses page.

The fee varies by request type and applicant, so check the USCIS Fee Schedule (G-1055). As of October 3, 2026, USCIS has announced increases to certain H.R. 1 immigration fees effective October 16, 2026, so confirm the amount on the day you file.

Common mistakes

• Selecting more than one application type, or completing a Part 5 to 9 section that does not match Part 1.
• Leaving out the receipt number of the underlying case.
• Signing with a typed or pasted signature.
• Submitting pages from different editions. USCIS says it may reject the form if pages are missing or from a different edition.
• Traveling before the document is issued without first getting legal advice.

For more detail, read our Form I-131 advance parole guide.