Can I travel outside U.S. while waiting for green card?

Asked by: Quentin Powlowski  |  Last update: November 16, 2022
Score: 4.9/5 (53 votes)

If you leave the United States while your green card application is pending and you don't have a travel document, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will consider your green card application abandoned and will deny it.

Can I travel outside U.S. before receiving green card?

As a U.S. lawful permanent resident who hasn't yet gotten a green card, don't leave the U.S. without making sure there's an unexpired I-551 stamp in your passport. By Ilona Bray, J.D.

Can I travel to U.S. while waiting for green card?

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) doesn't explicitly forbid green card applicants from traveling while waiting for their adjustment of status application to be processed.

Can I travel internationally if I have a pending green card application with USCIS?

Generally speaking, adjustment applications will need to obtain an advance parole document in order to travel outside the U.S. while their Form I-485 (the application for a Green Card, or adjustment of status) is pending.

Can I live outside the U.S. while waiting for green card?

If you need to leave the country while waiting on your green card, you can request a travel document from the USCIS. They may opt to issue you an Emergency Advance Parole document, which lets you leave the country and return without a visa.

Advance parole 2021. How to travel outside US while you are waiting for the GREEN CARD?

23 related questions found

How long does it take to get a green card 2022?

It may take up to 90 days from the date you entered to receive your permanent resident card. You entered the U.S. using your immigrant visa, You paid the immigrant visa fee AFTER you entered, It may take up to 90 days from the date you made your payment to receive your permanent resident card.

What happens if you leave the country while waiting for green card?

Generally, if you have a pending Form I-485 and you leave the United States without an advance parole document, you will have abandoned your application. For further information, see our Travel Documents page.

How can I get my green card faster than 90 days?

Aside from being a direct relative of an American citizen, your best chances of getting a green card in under 90 days would be through special immigrant programs, which include foreigners who join the U.S. Armed Forces, widows and widowers who have lost their American spouses, some religious workers, and victims of ...

How long does it take for I-485 to be approved 2022?

After filing Form I-485, Application to Adjust Status, and related forms, your I-485 processing time can take anywhere from 8 to 14 months.

Can I travel if my i-485 is pending?

If your current status is H1B or H-4

Adjustment applicants who are in valid H-1B status, and their dependents, can travel abroad and reenter the United States in H status while an I-485 is pending, without having to obtain advance parole.

Why is my green card taking so long?

The bottom line is, the supply of visas often fails to meet the demand, and waiting lists develop in most visa-preference categories. The waits are especially long for people attempting to immigrate from China, Mexico, India, and the Philippines, due to the high demand from those countries.

Can I travel while waiting for my 10 year green card?

The good news is that if you are a conditional resident waiting on a pending I-751 to remove conditions on your Green Card, you are legally allowed to travel internationally and you will not risk abandoning your status or forfeiting your pending case as long as you follow a few simple steps and make sure everything is ...

How long can you stay in America without a green card?

You can stay in America for up to 90 days if you don't have a visa under The Visa Waiver Program, which lets most nationals or citizens of participating countries travel to America for business stays or tourism for that amount of time.

Does USCIS know when I leave the country?

Yes! If you travel to a US state like Texas, among many others, US immigration can tell when you entered or left. If you leave the US by air, the US processes passport details via a special system called APIS.

What is the 4 year 1 day rule for U.S. citizenship?

The statutory period preceding the filing of the application is calculated from the date of filing. Once 4 years and 1 day have elapsed from the date of the applicant's return to the United States, the period of absence from the United States that occurred within the past 5 years is now less than 1 year.

Can I travel outside the U.S. after Biometrics?

Once you've filed Form I-131 and attended your biometrics appointment, you're free to travel abroad. You can indicate on Form I-131 if you'd like USCIS to send your re-entry permit for collection at a U.S. consulate or embassy in the country to which you're traveling.

Will USCIS speed up 2022?

Applications for work permits saw an increase of processing times from 3.2 months in FY 2020 to 4.3 months in FY 2022.

How can I speed up my green card process?

Call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) to request expedited processing based on your position as a healthcare worker or a childcare worker with an EAD application that meets the above criteria.

Which Uscis office is the fastest?

Cleveland – The Fastest City in the U.S. in Naturalization
  • If you are a green card holder for 3-5 years;
  • If you have served in the U.S. military.

Why is USCIS taking so long to process 2022?

Many factors may affect how long it takes USCIS to complete an application, petition or request, such as the number of applications, petitions, or requests we receive, workload and staffing allocations, the time a benefit requestor takes responding to a request for more information, as well as policy and operational ...

What is the easiest way to get green card in USA?

The simplest way to get a Green Card is through the Green Card Lottery. The U.S. Department of State gives away 55,000 Green Cards through the Diversity Visa Program every year.

How long does it take to become a U.S. citizen in 2022?

How long does it take to become a U.S. citizen? The national average processing time for naturalization (citizenship) applications is 14.5 months.

Can I travel while green card is in process?

The travel document allows someone living in the U.S. while awaiting their green card to travel abroad without nullifying their green card application. For a family-based green card, it takes anywhere from 10 months to several years or more to process a green card.

Can I travel if I have a pending immigration case?

An applicant who is in removal proceedings should never travel outside the United States until they are granted legal status and permission to travel abroad. This is true even if the applicant receives advance parole.

How long does it take USCIS to make a decision after interview 2022?

Technically, the USCIS has to provide you with a decision on your naturalization application within 120 days of your naturalization interview. In a green card application, the USCIS is supposed to provide you with an official notification of their decision within 30 days of your interview.