Certain Individuals Requesting Parole Can Now File Form I-131 Online
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced that certain individuals requesting parole based on urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit can file Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, online.
The following individuals are eligible to file Form I-131 online:
- Individuals requesting parole based on urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit for an individual outside the United States (under application types 1.e. or 1.f. on the paper Form I-131), who are not seeking initial parole under a USCIS family reunification parole process (i.e., Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program, Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program, or Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Program); or
- Individuals already paroled inside the United States who are requesting a new period of parole, or re-parole (under application types 1.e. or 1.f. on the paper Form I-131), to remain in the United States.
To file Form I-131 online, individuals must first visit my.uscis.gov to create a USCIS online account. There is no cost to create an online account, which offers a variety of features, including the ability to receive case status updates, access all notices, and upload additional evidence.
Online filing of Form I-131 is not available for individuals requesting initial parole under USCIS family reunification parole processes. However, noncitizens already paroled into the United States under USCIS family reunification parole processes may apply for re-parole online to remain in the United States.
Online filing is also not available to individuals already inside the United States filing Form I-131 to request a re-entry permit, refugee travel document, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) travel authorization document, Advance Parole Document (including those already paroled into the United States who want to seek parole back into the U.S. after a departure), advance permission to travel for Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) long-term residents, or individuals seeking a waiver of the filing fee for Form I-131. These individuals must continue to file the paper Form I-131 by mail.
Please note, however, that individuals already paroled inside the United States who want to request a new parole period, or re-parole, to remain in the United States as a parolee, may file Form I-131 online. For more information about the streamlined re-parole application process for Afghan parolees, see the Re-Parole Process for Certain Afghans webpage.
If you file Form I-131 online, but are not eligible to file online, we will deny your application and will not refund the fee you paid.
For more information about which forms are eligible for online filing, visit our Forms Available to File Online page.
For more information about online filing, including helpful videos and filing tips, please visit our File Online page.