Potential Change to USCIS’ Advance Parole Policy

USCIS Director L Francis Cissna has recently indicated that USCIS may change its current policy on Advance Parole application abandonment. Form I-131 Application for Travel Document applications allow non-U.S. nationals without valid immigrant visas to travel internationally.

Director Cissna’s comments imply that USCIS may be discontinuing its current policy of denying pending advance parole Form I-131 applications when applicants travel abroad. It is unclear from Director Cissna’s comments when this policy change is slated to be put into effect.

The current USCIS policy indicates that if an applicant travels abroad before their travel documents are issued, the advance parole application may be considered abandoned. Previous USCIS policy mandated that valid H and L visa holders who filed adjustment of status would be exempt from their advance parole applications being considered abandoned upon foreign travel. When this policy was reversed, many H and L visa holders were forced to remain in the US for up to six months in order to obtain the requisite travel documents.

You can find more information about Advance Parole on USCIS’ website here.