For information on how to apply for a refugee travel document, go to our Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records page. Permanent or conditional residents should apply for a re-entry permit if they will be outside the United States for one year or more.
It may take up to 72 hours to find out if you are authorized to travel to the U.S. under the VWP. Each approved ESTA application is generally valid for two years and allows multiple visits to the U.S. within that period without having to apply for another travel approval.
Planning Your Trip. 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.
ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel. The processing of an ESTA can take up to 72 hours. It is also advisable to check the status of an already approved ESTA in advance of traveling to make sure that it is still valid.
ESTA approvals are typically granted for a two–year period or until the applicant's passport expires, whichever is sooner. ESTA provides validity dates upon approval of the application. Therefore, a traveler must apply for a new ESTA when the prior ESTA approval or passport expires.
Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records, is used to apply for the following documents: Reentry Permits, Refugee Travel Documents, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Travel Authorization Documents, Advance Parole Documents, initial Parole Documents for noncitizens ...
An eTA is electronically linked to a traveller's passport. It is valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. If you get a new passport, you need to get a new eTA.
To ask about emergency processing of a travel document, call the Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) or request an appointment through My Appointment. If your situation qualifies for emergency processing, we will schedule an appointment for you with a local field office.
Use Form I-131 - Application for Travel Document. For permanent residents, the re-entry permit is valid for two years from the date of issue. For conditional permanent residents, the re-entry permit is valid for two years after the date of issue.
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.