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The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has updated its website to address international travel and pending Form I-131, Advance Parole, renewal applications. Form I-131, Advance Parole is used to apply for a re-entry permit, refugee travel document, or advance parole travel document, to include parole into the U.S. for humanitarian reasons. Previously USCIS had been denying all renewal applications as abandoned whenever an applicant traveled internationally.

The webpage now states that an individual may travel internationally with a valid advance parole document while an application for a second one is pending, only if the document is valid for the entire duration of his/her time abroad. The pending Form I-131, Advance Parole will not be considered abandoned in this situation. However, if the advance parole document expires while the applicant is abroad, the pending I-131, Advance Parole application will be deemed abandoned and denied.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about this matter.