U.S. Re-entry Permit

The Re-entry Permit (Form I-327), also known as Permit to Re-Enter is a travel document similar to a certificate of identity, issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to U.S. lawful permanent residents to allow them to travel abroad and return to the U.S[1]. It is a passport-like booklet with a blue-green cover with the words "TRAVEL DOCUMENT" on the front.

Cover of the U.S. Travel Document
Biographic data page of the re-entry permit. This is revised on May 10, 2010.
Re-entry Permit
TypeTravel Document
Issued by United States
First issued?
PurposeIdentification
EligibilityU.S. lawful permanent resident
ExpirationAt most two years

Individuals whose application for permanent residency has not yet been approved can instead apply for Advance parole (Form I-512).

Purpose

The main purpose of the re-entry permit is to allow permanent residents to leave the U.S. for an extended amount of time without abandoning their permanent residence. For short trips abroad of up to 1 year, the Permanent Resident Card itself allows re-entry to the United States. Permanent residents must maintain their permanent residence in the U.S., or lose their permanent residency. Even for trips abroad of less than 1 year, permanent residents may be questioned as to whether they have maintained residence in the U.S. Any trip abroad of one year or more automatically causes permanent residence to be lost. If a U.S. permanent resident intends to take a long trip abroad, he/she may apply for a re-entry permit. It is issued for up to two years. It establishes that the permanent resident did not intend to abandon permanent resident status.[2]

Another purpose for the re-entry permit is to serve as an international travel document in lieu of a passport for U.S. permanent residents who are stateless, who cannot get a passport from their country, or who wish to travel to a place where they cannot use their passport[3]. A permanent resident who obtained permanent residence as a refugee may either apply for a refugee travel document or a re-entry permit, but not both.

Contents

The travel document type Re-entry Permit is a passport-like booklet, including instruction pages, personal information page, and visa pages.

Application

USCIS Form I-131 (Application for a Travel Document) is used to apply for the re-entry permit and other travel documents. A re-entry permit can only be applied for while the applicant is inside the U.S.[4]

Acceptance

As of 2013, Schengen Area countries which have explicitly indicated to the Council of the European Union's Visa Working Party that they will accept the U.S. Re-entry Permit for visa issuance purposes include Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein; Slovakia has explicitly indicated they will accept it, while other countries did not provide any information on their acceptance of it. Said Re-entry Permit is stated as an "Alien's Travel Document".[5]

As of Mar-2017, Japan and Turkey consulates in the US accept U.S. Re-entry permit as a valid travel document for the purpose of visa application. As of Oct-2018, Egyptian consulates in the US accept U.S. Re-entry permit as a valid travel document for the purpose of visa application. As of Feb-27-2019, Jordanian consulates in the US do NOT accept U.S. Re-entry permit as a valid travel document for the purpose of visa application.[6]

Visa-free access or visa on arrival

Since the U.S. Re-entry Permit is not a regular national passport, most countries and territories require visa prior to arrival.

Countries and Territories that provide Visa-Free Access or Visa on Arrival for US Travel Document

- Belize (Travel Document + Green Card Required)

- Canada (Travel Document + Green Card Acceptable for land crossings from the USA, An eTA visa is required for entry by Air )

- Colombia (Travel Document + Green Card Required)

- Mexico (Travel Document + Green Card Required) (Travel Document + Green Card or unexpired visa from USA, Canada, Japan, UK, Ireland or Schengen Area Required )

- Costa Rica (Green Card + Round trip Tickets Required ) - Visa required for a U.S. travel document based on asylee/refugee status.

- Belgium (Holders of a US Refugee Travel Document do not need a visa. The document "Permit to Re-enter" is recognized by Belgium, but requires a visa to enter Belgium )

- Germany (Travel Document)

- Georgia (Green Card)

- The Netherlands (Travel Document)

- Hungary (Travel Document)

- Croatia (Travel Document)

- Montenegro (Travel Document)

- Bosnia and Herzegovina (Travel Document)

- Bahamas (Travel Document)

- Antigua & Barbuda (Travel Document)

- Ecuador (Travel Document)

- El Salvador (Travel Document)

- Guatemala[lower-alpha 1] (Travel Document)

- Panama[lower-alpha 2] (Travel Document + US Permanent Resident Card)

- Armenia (Travel Document, Visa on arrival)

- Rwanda (Travel Document + e-Visa Required)

- Mauritius (Travel Document + e-Visa Required)

Countries that do not accept or recognize US Travel Document

- Cuba

- Iceland[lower-alpha 3]

- Indonesia

- Jordan

- Malta[lower-alpha 4]

- Oman

- Poland[lower-alpha 5]

- Singapore

- Taiwan

- UAE

- Vietnam

- Kuwait

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See also
  • Refugee Travel Document
  • 1954 Convention Travel Document
  • 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons
  • 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness
  • Nansen passport
  • Japan Re-entry Permit

Notes
  1. Provided they also have a Permanent Resident or Resident Alien Card (Form I-551).
  2. People without nationality or citizenship and refugees with evidence of permission to enter which is issued before arrival by foreign representations of Panama.
  3. Schengen visa can be granted from a different country and will mention "Valid For: Schengen States (-IS, PL, ES, PT, MT).
  4. Schengen visa can be granted from a different country and will mention "Valid For: Schengen States (-IS, PL, ES, PT, MT).
  5. Schengen visa can be granted from a different country and will mention "Valid For: Schengen States (-IS, PL, ES, PT, MT).

References
  1. "I-131, Application for Travel Document". USCIS. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  2. How Do I... Get a Reentry Permit (PDF), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, August 2008
  3. "Advance Parole, Reentry Permit, and Refugee Travel Documentation for Returning Aliens Residing in the U.S | U.S. Customs and Border Protection". www.cbp.gov. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  4. I-131
  5. Table of travel documents entitling the holder to cross the external borders and which may be endorsed with a visa, Council of the European Union, February 2013, p. 136, archived from the original on 2013-08-30, retrieved 2013-09-28
  6. Form A. Visa Application for American and Western European Citizens - July 11, 2018
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