I am a

permanent resident B5

How do I get a

reentry permit?

A lawful permanent resident (LPR) normally may travel outside 

the United States and return; however, there are some limitations. A 

reentry permit can help prevent two types of problems: 

•	Your Permanent Resident Card becomes technically invalid for

reentry into the United States if you are absent from the United 

States for 1 year or more. 

•	Your U.S. permanent residence may be considered as abandoned

for absences shorter than 1 year if you take up residence in 

another country. 

A reentry permit establishes that you did not intend to abandon 

status, and it allows you to apply for admission to the United States 

after traveling abroad for up to 2 years without having to obtain 

a returning resident visa. Reentry permits are normally valid for 2

years from the date of issuance. 

You may also want to get a reentry permit if you plan on traveling

outside the United States and cannot or do not wish to get a 

passport from your home country. Many countries throughout the 

world may allow you to use a reentry permit much like you would 

use a passport—placing necessary visas and entry and exit stamps 

in the permit—so you may use it as your main travel document. 

Be sure to check with any country you plan to visit about specific 

requirements before you travel. 

How do I get a reentry permit? 

To obtain a reentry permit, file Form I-131, Application for Travel 

Document. You should file this application well in advance of your

planned trip. Filing instructions and forms are available on our Web 

site at www.uscis.gov. 

The instructions on the form will give you more details. For 

additional questions, check our Web site or call Customer Service

at 1-800-375-5283. 

What will happen if I do not apply for a reentry permit 

before I travel outside of the United States? 

If you are an LPR planning to travel outside of the United States for

1 year or more, it is important that you apply for a reentry permit 

before you depart the United States. If you stay outside of the 

United States for 1 year or more and did not apply for a reentry 

permit before you left, you may be considered to have abandoned 

your permanent resident status. If this happens, you may be 

referred to appear before an immigration judge to decide whether or 

not you have abandoned your status. 

If you are in this situation, contact the U.S. consulate about 

a returning resident visa. 

I am a LPR and need to travel abroad. Can I file my Form 

I-131 to get a reentry permit while I am outside the United 

States? 

No. You cannot file a Form I-131 to obtain a reentry permit unless

you are physically present in the United States when you file the 

form.

You should file your Form I-131 no fewer than 60 days before you

intend to travel abroad.

If I file Form I-131 to get a reentry permit while I am in 

the United States, will USCIS deny the Form I-131 if I 

leave the United States while the form is still pending?

We recommend that you file Form I-131 while you are in the United

States. However, you do not have to be in the United States for 

USCIS to approve your Form I-131 and issue

a reentry permit to you if your biometrics (photo, fingerprints) have 

been obtained. You can indicate on your Form I-131 that you want

USCIS to send your reentry permit to a U.S. Embassy, consulate

or a DHS office overseas, so you can pick it up from one of those 

facilities. 

If I file Form I-131 for a reentry permit while I am in the 

United States, can I submit my biometrics while I am 

outside the United States?

No. When you file your Form I-131 to obtain a reentry permit,

USCIS will notify you when to appear at a designated Application

Support Center (ASC) to obtain your biometrics. You must provide

B5—I am a permanent resident...How do I get a reentry permit?

M-608B (October 2013) Y 1
2 B5—I am a permanent resident...How do I get a reentry permit?

M-608B (October 2013) Y

your biometrics at the ASC while you are in the United States. If you

leave the United States before you provide your biometrics, USCIS

may deny your application. 

What if I must leave the United States before I can file a 

Form I-131 for a reentry permit?

You do not need a reentry permit if you will be outside the United

States for less than 1 year. If you have been outside the United 

States for less than 1 year, you may use your Permanent Resident

Card (Form I-551) as your travel document. 

I have an old reentry permit. Do I need to turn in my old 

permit if I am filing for a new one? 

Reentry permits cannot be extended. If your permit expires, you’ll

need to apply for a new one. If you have a valid reentry permit 

in your possession, you will need to send it in when you apply 

for a new one. You need not send in an expired reentry permit.

For security reasons, USCIS will not issue a new reentry permit to

someone who already has a valid one in his or her possession. If 

you need a new reentry permit because your previous one was lost, 

stolen, or destroyed, please indicate this on your application for the 

new permit. 

Key Information

Key USCIS forms referenced 

in this guide

Form #

Application for Travel Document I-131

Other U.S. Government Services–Click or Call

General 

Information

www.usa.gov 1-800-333-4636

New 

Immigrants

www.welcometoUSA.gov

U.S. Dept. 

of State

www.state.gov

1-202-647-6575 www.travel.state.gov/visa

For more copies of this guide, or information 

about other customer guides, please visit 

www.uscis.gov/howdoi. 

You can also visit www.uscis.gov to 

download forms, e-file some applications,

check the status of an application, and more. 

It’s a great place to start!

If you don’t have Internet access at home

or work, try your local library. 

If you cannot find what you need, please call 

Customer Service at: 1-800-375-5283 

Hearing Impaired TDD Customer Service: 

1-800-767-1833

Disclaimer: This guide provides basic information 

to help you become generally familiar with our 

rules and procedures. For more information, or 

the law and regulations, please visit our Web 

site. Immigration law can be complex, and it is 

impossible to describe every aspect of every 

process. You may wish to be represented by 

a licensed attorney or by a nonprofit agency 

accredited by the Board of Immigration Appeals.