How to Apply for a Reentry Permit Before Extended Travel as a Green Card Holder

What does a reentry permit do?

A reentry permit is a USCIS travel document for a lawful permanent resident or conditional permanent resident who intends to travel temporarily outside the United States and return to resume permanent resident status. It is requested with Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records.

A valid reentry permit can help a permanent resident who expects an extended absence. USCIS states that, while a valid permit is in effect, the holder will not be deemed to have abandoned lawful permanent resident or conditional permanent resident status based solely on the duration of the absence. The permit does not guarantee admission to the United States or eliminate other immigration-law requirements.

A reentry permit can also be useful to a permanent resident who cannot or does not wish to obtain a passport from the country of nationality, although the traveler should confirm whether destination countries accept the permit for their own entry and visa requirements.

Who is eligible to apply?

USCIS permits a person who is in the United States as a lawful permanent resident or conditional permanent resident to apply for a reentry permit. Each applicant must file a separate Form I-131.

The physical-presence rule is critical: you must be in the United States when you file the reentry permit application. USCIS decisions applying the governing regulation confirm that an application filed after the permanent resident has already departed the United States does not satisfy this requirement.

If you have already left the United States, returning to file may therefore be necessary if you remain able to return using your existing travel documentation. A reentry permit is not a document that can be obtained for the first time by filing Form I-131 from overseas.

When should you apply before extended travel?

A permanent resident normally may travel abroad temporarily, but extended or frequent absences can raise questions about whether the United States remains the person's permanent home. USCIS specifically identifies a reentry permit as an important travel document for a permanent resident planning an absence of 1 year or more.

Apply before departure and allow time for the biometrics requirement. An older USCIS permanent-resident guide recommends filing Form I-131 no fewer than 60 days before planned travel. That is planning guidance rather than a statutory filing deadline; the controlling eligibility rule is that you must be physically present in the United States when the reentry permit application is filed and must satisfy the biometrics requirement.

What documents do you submit with Form I-131?

The Form I-131 instructions require all applicants to provide a copy of an official photo identity document showing the applicant's photo, name and date of birth. Examples include a passport identity page, government-issued driver's license or Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card.

For a reentry permit, USCIS additionally instructs the applicant to submit one of the applicable forms of permanent-resident evidence:

• a copy of the front and back of Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card;
• if Form I-551 has not yet been received, copies of the passport biographic pages and visa page showing initial admission as a lawful permanent resident, or other evidence of lawful permanent resident status; or
• an applicable Form I-797 approval notice for replacement of Form I-551 or temporary evidence of lawful permanent resident status.

USCIS can request additional evidence, an interview or additional identity and security checks when required for the case.

How much does a reentry permit cost?

The current USCIS Form G-1055 fee schedule lists a $630 paper filing fee for Form I-131 when requesting a reentry permit. USCIS lists this category as not eligible for a fee-waiver request.

Use the current USCIS fee schedule immediately before filing because immigration filing fees can change. A payment submitted in the wrong amount can cause filing problems.

Do you have to stay in the United States for biometrics?

USCIS requires a reentry permit applicant to be physically present in the United States when filing and to complete the biometrics services requirement. After filing, USCIS provides written instructions for the applicant's Application Support Center appointment.

USCIS guidance distinguishes filing and biometrics from final issuance. After the required biometrics have been obtained, you do not necessarily have to remain in the United States until USCIS finishes adjudicating the application. The Form I-131 instructions allow you to request that the permit be sent to a U.S. Embassy, U.S. Consulate or DHS office abroad for pickup.

Do not leave merely because USCIS has accepted the filing if doing so would prevent you from completing required biometrics. Follow the appointment notice USCIS sends for your case.

How long is a reentry permit valid?

A reentry permit issued to a lawful permanent resident is generally valid for 2 years from the date of issuance.

There are important exceptions. If you have been outside the United States for more than 4 of the last 5 years since becoming a lawful permanent resident, USCIS generally limits the permit to 1 year. The Form I-131 instructions identify exceptions for certain permanent residents traveling on U.S. government orders, certain employees of qualifying public international organizations and professional athletes who regularly compete in the United States and worldwide.

For a conditional permanent resident, a reentry permit is valid for 2 years from issuance or until the date the resident must apply to remove the conditions on residence, whichever comes first.

A reentry permit cannot be extended. If another permit is needed, the permanent resident must satisfy the requirements for a new application.

Can you apply while another reentry permit is still valid?

USCIS instructions state that a reentry permit may not be issued if you already have a valid permit unless the existing document is returned to USCIS or you demonstrate that it was lost. Plan around this requirement when requesting a replacement or a new period of travel.

Does a reentry permit guarantee that you keep your green card?

No. A reentry permit is important evidence concerning the temporary nature of extended travel, and USCIS states that a valid permit prevents an absence from being treated as abandonment solely because of its duration. It does not exempt the holder from other requirements of U.S. immigration law and does not guarantee admission.

Permanent resident status can involve broader questions about whether the United States remains your permanent home. A reentry permit should therefore not be understood as permission to establish permanent residence abroad while automatically preserving U.S. permanent resident status.

Does a reentry permit protect your naturalization timeline?

Not automatically. USCIS Form I-131 instructions warn that an absence of 1 year or more generally breaks the continuous residence required for naturalization, even though the traveler has a reentry permit.

Some permanent residents whose qualifying employment requires extended time abroad may be eligible for a separate process using Form N-470, Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes. A reentry permit and preservation of residence for naturalization serve different legal purposes.

If citizenship is part of your longer-term plan, review the separate Helpydo procedure for applying for naturalization with Form N-400 before planning a lengthy absence.

How is a reentry permit different from an SB-1 returning resident visa?

The two documents address different situations. A reentry permit is requested from USCIS while you are still in the United States before the extended absence. A Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa is a Department of State process used from abroad in qualifying circumstances after a permanent resident has remained outside the United States longer than the travel validity of the green card or beyond the validity of a reentry permit.

The Department of State says an LPR or conditional resident seeking SB-1 status must establish that the person had permanent resident status when departing, left with the intention of returning without abandoning that intention, and is returning from a temporary visit abroad whose prolonged duration resulted from circumstances beyond the person's control and for which the person was not responsible.

An SB-1 application is therefore not simply a late substitute for forgetting to obtain a reentry permit. It has its own eligibility evidence, consular process, Form DS-117, fees and immigrant-visa requirements.

What if you already left without a reentry permit?

You cannot solve the problem by filing a new reentry permit application while remaining abroad. If you are still able to return to the United States with valid documentation, you can consider filing a reentry permit after returning and while physically present in the United States.

If you have remained outside the United States for longer than 1 year or beyond the validity of an existing reentry permit, the Department of State says you may need a new immigrant visa to enter and resume permanent residence. A person whose extended stay abroad resulted from circumstances beyond their control may be eligible to seek Returning Resident (SB-1) status through a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Other travel issues to check before departure

A reentry permit does not replace every other permanent-resident obligation. Keep your USCIS address information current while residing in the United States; if you move, the Helpydo guide explains how to report a change of address to USCIS.

If your Permanent Resident Card needs replacement or renewal before your trip, review the separate procedure for replacing or renewing a Green Card with Form I-90. These are separate applications: Form I-90 concerns the Permanent Resident Card, while Form I-131 is used for the reentry permit.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Do not leave the United States before filing and then try to submit the reentry permit application from abroad. Physical presence in the United States at filing is required.
• Do not assume filing Form I-131 alone completes the process; satisfy the USCIS biometrics requirement.
• Do not use an outdated filing fee. The current reentry permit paper filing fee verified from Form G-1055 is $630.
• Do not assume a reentry permit guarantees admission or eliminates the possibility of abandonment questions based on circumstances other than the duration of the absence.
• Do not assume the permit preserves continuous residence for naturalization. Extended travel can affect naturalization separately.
• Do not confuse a reentry permit obtained before extended travel with an SB-1 Returning Resident visa sought abroad after a qualifying prolonged absence.
• Do not assume a permit can be extended; USCIS states that reentry permits cannot be extended.