Traveling Outside the U.S. With Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

Foreign residents from certain designated countries can obtain Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which allows them to remain in the United States for a limited period of time, protected from unsafe conditions in their home countries. People granted TPS can also obtain work authorization in order to legally work and support themselves during their U.S. stay. However, TPS does not automatically grant the ability to return to the U.S. after traveling abroad.

If you are in the United States with TPS and wish to travel abroad, this article can help you learn how to safely do so. (For information about how to obtain TPS in the first place, see Temporary Protected Status (TPS): How to Apply.)

I Have TPS: How Can I Apply For a Travel Document to Use for Returning to the U.S.?

If you have TPS and wish to return to the U.S. after traveling abroad, you first need approval from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). To apply for this permission, complete and file Form I-131, Application for Travel Document.

If approved, you will receive what's known as a "Form I-512T, Authorization for Travel by a Noncitizen to the United States," formerly known as "Advance Parole." This document will allow you to travel abroad and to return to the United States within the time period for which you are authorized. This permit is often authorized for multiple reentries, but you can remain outside the U.S. for only a total of 90 days.

For more information about how to complete the required form, see Filling Out Form I-131 for Advance Parole.

Risks Associated With Travel Outside The U.S. for TPS Designees

There are risks to consider if you are considering traveling outside the United States after a grant of TPS.

If you have TPS but have not yet obtained a travel document from USCIS, you should not leave the United States at all. Doing so without the proper travel documents can cause you to lose your TPS designation. If this happens, you will likely not be able to immediately return to the United States.

Even if you do have proper travel documents, it is extremely important to return to the United States within the time period that you are permitted to travel listed on your I-512T document. If you attempt to return to the United States after the allotted time expires, you could be denied entry into the United States, and it's also possible that your TPS will be considered abandoned due to a failure to maintain continuous residence in the United States.

In addition, you must make sure that you will not miss important deadlines associated with your TPS grant while you travel abroad.

For example, if the time is coming to renew your TPS status or if your TPS is scheduled to expire in the near future, it's probably best to wait until you update your immigration status before you travel abroad. Otherwise, you might miss important information from USCIS about your TPS status or other applications you have filed during your time outside the United States. For example, many TPS designees also have pending applications for asylum or permanent residence.

Missing deadlines for any immigration application you might have pending with USCIS can be highly detrimental to your case.

What If You Need to Travel Quickly, for Urgent Reasons?

TPS holders can ask USCIS for travel documents to be issued fast, on an emergency basis, but they will need to show good reasons for the special treatment. Acceptable reasons normally include:

• a pressing or critical need to travel in order to receive medical treatment
• a pressing or critical need to travel due to the death or grave illness of a family member or close friend (mere sickness isn't enough; the prognosis must be poor, or the person must be suffering extreme mental distress that, in the doctor's professional opinion, could be significantly alleviated by your visit), and
• a situation where you applied for a travel document and requested expedited processing, but your case is still pending with USCIS, and you now must travel within 15 days for a pressing or critical professional, academic, or personal commitment.

It is a good idea to start this process by calling the USCIS Contact Center (800-375-5283) or requesting an in-person visit to a USCIS office through their My Appointment system. Also see USCIS's Emergency Travel page.

Can TPS Holders Travel on an I-512T as an Aid to Adjusting Status?

TPS holders who have traveled and returned with an I-512T document can, even if they had entered the U.S. unlawfully in the past, use their recent lawful entry as a basis upon which to apply for a green card via the procedure known as adjustment of status. (See Who Can Apply for a Green Card Through Adjustment of Status.) Someone who, for example, entered the U.S. without inspection but later married a U.S. citizen could, upon return from travel abroad, theoretically be considered to have been inspected and admitted by a U.S. immigration official, and thus be eligible to apply to adjust status to permanent residence based on that marriage. This potentially avoids having to leave the U.S. to apply through a consulate, and facing a possible bar to return.

Consult With an Attorney If You Have Questions

There are many countries designated for TPS, and each individual situation is different and can be complicated. Leaving the United States for any reason during a pending application, after a grant of TPS, or while a person is not a U.S. lawful permanent resident or citizen, has inherent risks. The best practice is to consult with a qualified immigration attorney before deciding to travel abroad.