You may ask us to expedite adjudication of your Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records, by calling the Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) or by asking Emma. (You can access Emma by clicking on the Ask Emma icon on the top right of this page.)
The travel document usually arrives within 150 days (sometimes longer) after submitting your application. You can't leave the country until you have your approved travel document in hand, so you should expect to spend the 3–5 months after submitting your green card application in the United States.
Application Volume: High demand for passports, especially during peak travel seasons or after major events (like the COVID-19 pandemic), can lead to backlogs. Processing Times: Standard processing can take several weeks, and expedited services, while faster, still require time for verification and production.
ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel. The processing of an ESTA can take up to 72 hours.
USCIS P.O. Box 660167 Dallas, TX 75266 For U.S. Postal Service: If you are filing Form I-131 by itself, based on a pending or approved Form I-821, file your Form I-131 with the USCIS Dallas Lockbox facility.
Your actual refugee travel document should be issued within about 2 to 5 months from filing your Form I-131. You may request that the actual document be sent to your U.S. address, your attorneys address (if you choose to work with an attorney), or to a U.S. consulate or embassy abroad.
The processing of an ESTA can take up to 72 hours.
Who already have a visa in their passport. Travelers may wish to avoid buying plane tickets until they have obtained an ESTA (or a valid visa, in case the ESTA is not approved). ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel. The processing of an ESTA can take up to 72 hours.
You must file a Form I-131 and prove supporting documents (your immigration lawyer can file this for you). Your Form I-131 must be filed while you are physically present in the United States. You must attend a biometrics (fingerprinting) appointment.
Ing to USCIS data from 2023, the average processing time for Form I-131 (Application for Travel Document) varies between 3 to 7 months, depending on the service center handling the case and the specific category (e.g., refugee travel document, re-entry permit).