Are you considering applying for advance parole? If so, you are certainly not alone. Advance parole is an important document that allows you to travel outside the United States and return to the United States with advance permission based upon a document that is issued by the USCIS. This makes international travel much easier, predictable and safe. Thousands of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients have successfully traveled on advance parole. However, there are still plenty of questions surrounding what advance parole is, how it works, and what requirements must be met in order to obtain one. In this blog, we will answer some of these frequently asked questions about advance parole so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not it’s the right choice for you.
Advance parole is an official document that grants permission to those who hold it to re-enter the United States without having a valid immigrant or nonimmigrant visa. However, it's important to remember that in order to receive the benefits of advance parole, you must have been approved before leaving the United States. If you have not been approved for advance parole prior to your journeying outside of the United States, you will not be allowed to re-enter the United States until you have obtained a valid visa that allows you to do so.
Advance parole is a very useful tool for residents of the United States who may need to travel abroad for a variety of reasons. Whether it be traveling for work, visiting a relative, attending a funeral, attending a business seminar, getting affordable medical treatment, visiting a loved one’s grave, or studying abroad,, having advance parole allows certain people the ability to make these journeys despite other factors that may typically disallow them from leaving and re-entering. Those who have DACA, those who have a pending application for adjustment of status, those who have been admitted to the United States as a refugee or who have been granted asylum, those who have been granted benefits under the Family Unity Program, those who have been granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and those who have an asylum application pending can all benefit from applying for advance parole.
Advance parole can be very helpful to many people in the United States. It can truly be useful to nonpermanent residents of the United States who need to leave and re-enter the country thanks to its three main benefits. The first benefit of advance parole is obvious and has been mentioned quite a bit: advance parole allows you to travel abroad and re-enter the United States without having to obtain a visa. The second benefit that advance parole offers is it preserves your “status” and your pending applications as if you had not left the United States. The third benefit is that you may be able to apply for adjustment of status after you are paroled into the United States. Advance parole can be the key to your future in the United States as a lawful permanent resident.
There is a wide array of reasons that somebody may be deemed ineligible for advance parole. Those who are in the United States without a valid immigration status, those we are out of DACA status, those who are subject to the foreign residence requirement, those who are in possession of a previously issued re-entry permit or refugee travel document which is still valid unless it was returned to USCIS or proven to be lost, those who are the beneficiary of a private bill, or those who are under removal proceedings would all be deemed ineligible for advance parole.
The advance parole application can be a lengthy process. The average turnaround time for advance parole is around two to three months.
The only limitation that is placed on the time you spend abroad is the expiration date on the advance parole. This period begins on the date the advance parole is issued and the advance parole cannot be used at any time after it expires.
Advance parole and immigration as a whole can be a very tricky and stressful process that may be difficult for those without a working knowledge of the US immigration system to navigate. That's why, no matter what your status is, it's important to have a skilled and dedicated immigration lawyer on your side. The legal team at Familia America has years of expertise and experience to help you through every step of the advance parole process and ensure that everything goes as smoothly. If you have any more questions about advance parole or would like more information about the immigration system in the US, contact us today and we'll give you all the information and assistance you need throughout your immigration journey.
Attorney Gloria Cardenas brings more than 30 years of experience in immigration law to help protect the rights of clients and their family members. She and her knowledgeable team at Familia America work diligently behind the scenes to help process fiancé visa applications as quickly as possible. To learn more, contact the legal professionals at Familia America in Salt Lake City and schedule a consultation to discuss your case.
