If you are filing Form I-131 together with Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, refer to the Federal Register Notice for your particular country’s TPS designation, for the filing location.
If you are filing Form I-131 by itself, based on your pending or approved Form I-821, file your form I-131 with the USCIS Dallas Lockbox facility. See I-131 instructions. You must include a copy of the I-797C Notice of Action showing that your application was accepted or approved.
Filing Period for Renewal of an Advance Parole Document:
If you are applying for renewal of your advance parole document (I-512L or I-512), USCIS will accept and adjudicate Form I-131 filed up to 120 days before the date your current Advance Parole document expires.
Note: A single employment authorization and Advance Parole card is now available for certain applicants who have filed or will file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. The card is obtained by filing Forms I-131 and I-765 together. Applicants who have already filed a Form I-485 that is pending should use Form I-765 filing location instructions when filing both forms. Applicants should use Form I-485 filing location instructions when filing Forms I-131, I-765, and Form I-485 at the same time.
Biometric Services Requirement
All applicants for a Refugee Travel Document or a Reentry Permit must complete biometrics at an Application Support Center or if applying for a Refugee Travel Document while outside of the U.S. at an overseas USCIS facility. If you are between age 14 through 79 and you are applying for a Refugee Travel Document or Re-entry Permit, you must also be fingerprinted as part of USCIS biometric services requirements. After you have filed this application, USCIS will notify you in writing of the time and location of your biometrics appointment. Failure to appear to be fingerprinted or for other biometric services may result in a denial of your application. All applicants for Re-entry Permit and/or Refugee Travel Documents between the ages of 14 through 79 are required to pay the additional $85 biometric fee. (See "What Is the Filing Fee" on Page 8 of the I-131 Filing Instructions).
Note: Widow(er)s of Deceased U.S. Citizens
If you filed a Form I-360 in 2009 and obtained a grant of deferred action based on the fact that you are the widow(er) of a U.S. citizen who died before you had been married at least 2 years, the grant of deferred action makes you eligible to apply for advance parole. To obtain advance parole based on the grant of deferred action, you must file this Form I-131 with the filing fee specified in the Form I-131 instructions.
But a recent change in the law may affect your ability to immigrate and to seek advance parole. Section 568(c) of Public Law 111-83 amended the Immigration and Nationality Act so that you may be eligible to immigrate, even if you and your deceased spouse were married for less than 2 years when your spouse died. This change took effect on October 28, 2009, when the President signed the new law.
Because of this change in the law, USCIS will now treat your “deferred action” Form I-360 as a widow(er)’s visa petition. This change means that, if you are in the United States, you may be able to file an adjustment of status application, Form I-485, even while your Form I-360 is still pending. Instead of filing this Form I-131 based on the grant of deferred action, you may want to consider filing the Form I-131 with your Form I-485. If you file the Form I-131 based on a pending or concurrently filed Form I-485, you do not need to pay the separate Form I-131 filing fee that you would need to pay if you file the Form I-131 based on the grant of deferred action.
Your eligibility to immigrate as the widow(er) of a U.S. citizen ends if you remarry before you acquire permanent resident status.
Fees
- The fee for a Refugee Travel Document for an applicant age 16 or older is $135, and for a child under the age of 16 years, it is $105.
- A biometric fee of $85 is required for a Reentry Permit and a Refugee Travel Document for applicants ages 14-79 inclusive.
- No biometric fee is required for advance parole applicants.
- The application fee and biometrics services fee may be paid with one check, however, we suggest that if you are filing more than one application, that you use a separate check or money order for each application in the package and biometric fees (if required). If a single check is submitted for multiple applications and one of the applications must be rejected, then all applications will be rejected. The Lockbox can not accept overpayment and make partial refunds. Checks must be made payable to Department of Homeland Security.
- The fee for a humanitarian based advanced parole request may be waived based upon a demonstrated inability to pay. Humanitarian-based parole requests are Application Types “e” and “f” in Part 2 on Form I-131. Biometric fees may also be waived based upon a demonstrated inability to pay. Applicants should consider using Form I-912, Fee Waiver Request, to ensure such requests are supported in accordance with 8 CFR 103.7(c).
- See form instructions for additional details on fees.
This page can be found at http://www.uscis.gov/i-131
