Advance Parole

Advance parole allows you to travel back to the United States without applying for a visa. A transportation company (airlines) can accept an advance parole document instead of a visa as proof that you are authorized to travel to the United States. An advance parole document does not replace your passport.

Please note that having an advance parole document does not guarantee that you will be allowed to reenter the United States. At the airport or border, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer will make the final decision about whether to allow you to reenter the United States.

Advance parole is most commonly used when someone has a pending:

• Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status: If you depart the U.S. while your Form I-485 is pending without first obtaining advance parole, USCIS will deny your case unless you fit into a narrow exception for people with certain nonimmigrant statuses.
• Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal: If you are an asylum applicant and you intend to travel outside the United States and return, you must apply for and receive advance parole. If you leave the United States without first obtaining advance parole, we will assume that you have abandoned your asylum application.