Q : What if I Want or Need to Travel After I’ve Applied for Asylum?

If an asylum applicant has applied for asylum and not yet received a decision, the applicant should not leave the United States without first obtaining advance parole.  Advance parole, which is filed using Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, allows certain aliens to return to the United States without a visa after traveling abroad.  An asylum applicant who leaves the United States without first obtaining advance parole shall be presumed to have abandoned his or her asylum application.  Advance parole does not guarantee that the alien will be allowed to reenter the United States. Rather, the asylum applicant must still be inspected by an immigration inspector from United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) who will determine whether the asylum applicant will be allowed to reenter.

• Form I-131, Application for Travel Document
  
• Return to Asylum Eligibility and Applications FAQ Page
  
• Next: What if I Want or Need to Travel After I’ve Been Granted Asylum?
  
• Related: Benefits and Responsibilities of Asylum