How to Travel with TPS

The travel authorization document authorizes TPS beneficiaries to travel, but the decision to admit someone into the United States is up to the discretion of a CBP officer at a port of entry. That could be either at the border or an airport. Certain circumstances may heighten the risk of being denied entry. It is important to consider the risks and be prepared for any potential situations that may arise.

Avoid traveling if you are:

1. Traveling outside the parole date authorized by the travel authorization document
2. Traveling when TPS authorization (reflected on the dates on your employment authorization document) has expired

It is critical that you consult with an immigration lawyer prior to traveling abroad if any of the following apply to you:

1. You were previously deported or you have an unexecuted deportation or “voluntary departure” order;
2. You were physically present in the United States without authorization on multiple occasions; and 
3. You have had contact with the justice system — whether your contact resulted in a conviction or not.

This list is not exhaustive. If any of these apply to you, or you are not sure, always consult with an immigration attorney prior to traveling or applying for travel authorization.

If you are a TPS beneficiary with a pending asylum application or plan to apply for asylum, returning to your home country will likely reduce your chances of getting asylum. 

Always check with a lawyer before traveling abroad. Visit this how to find a lawyer guide for more information. 

1. TPS Renewal: Trouble renewing TPS because you traveled outside the travel authorization dates or traveled with an expired TPS.
2. Waiver for future Re-entry: If a person was deemed inadmissible due to contact with the criminal justice system, they might be denied entry into the U.S. They would need to be eligible for a waiver to legally re-enter in the future.

Preparing to leave the U.S. with a travel authorization document is CRUCIAL! When you return to the United States, you will go through Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspection, where you will be questioned by a CBP officer. You MUST pack your original travel authorization document along with other important documents. Otherwise, you may not be allowed back in the U.S. 

Carry your original:

• Current, valid passport from your country of origin
• Your original travel authorization document (scan a copy of this before you travel for your records)
• Employment authorization card (EAD)
• State ID or driver’s license
• Student ID (if applicable)
• If you have an attorney, carry your attorney’s Form G-28 and their business card with contact information (but you should know that CBP generally does not contact your attorney, even when you are in secondary inspection).

Also carry the original copies of the documents listed below, as well as a copy of your travel authorization application. Ensure you are prepared for any questions from CBP and be aware of your rights.

• Your most recent TPS approval notice
• Your travel authorization application in its entirety

If you are traveling anywhere other than your country of origin, check the website of the embassy or consulate of that country to determine whether you are required to obtain a visa. Check whether you’ll need a visa, what type, and how long it will take to process. We advise that you do this while your travel authorization application is processing, as the consulate will take time and need your passport while processing a visa application.

Yes, your U.S. citizen child will need a passport to travel. You can make an appointment to get your child’s passport through the U.S. Postal Service website. Obtaining your child’s passport may take several months.

Returning to the United States by Air. 

If you enter through a United States airport, you will pass through U.S. Immigration and Customs. You will be processed in the “Visitor” line, rather than the line for U.S. citizens and residents. You can ask an officer at the airport if you are not sure in which line you should wait. Upon speaking with a Customs and Border Protection officer at the booth, it is likely that you will be referred to a separate room for secondary inspection. There, a CBP officer will ask you additional questions, may check your belongings (including electronics), and will finish processing your re-entry by putting an entry stamp in your passport.

Returning to the U.S. by Land.

• If you travel to the United States by land in a vehicle (such as by car over the U.S.-Canada or U.S.-Mexico border) at a designated Port of Entry (POE), you will have to present your travel authorization document and passport to a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. If you are sent to secondary inspection, CBP may ask you to park your vehicle and step outside of the vehicle to wait while they further inspect your documents, belongings, and/or the vehicle.
• If you travel to the United States by foot at a POE, you will have to enter a processing facility to present your documents to a CBP officer. If you are placed in secondary inspection while traveling by foot, CBP may ask you to enter another designated room within the facility where you will present your travel authorization document and supporting documentation to another officer.

What to consider before reentry:

• The United States admission process may take up to several hours. Be as prepared as possible:
  • Ensure you aren’t carrying any of the items on the CBP Prohibited and Restricted Items list.
  • Consider the destination of your returning flight based on previous TPS recipients’ experiences with CBP in certain airports. You will go through the inspection process at the first airport you land in the U.S.
  • If you have a connecting flight to your home city, be sure to give yourself ample additional time for any subsequent airline connections.
  • Make a list of all emergency contacts (hard copy, not on the phone). Try to have an immigration attorney or congressional staffer in your district as an emergency contact. Carry their business card(s) if possible.
  • Let a family member(s) know of your anticipated time of departure and arrival before traveling. You may not be allowed to use your cell phone until you clear inspection.
  • Use the restroom before inspection and keep water and snacks with you.

A CBP officer will ask questions about your trip abroad when you are re-entering the U.S., such as:

• What was the reason for your trip abroad?
• For how long were you gone?
• Did you purchase anything while you were abroad? If so, what did you purchase?
• What countries did you visit?
• Where did you stay?
• What documents do you have with you?
• What do you do in the U.S.? (e.g., work, school, etc.)

If you have any prior tickets or arrests (even those that didn’t result in convictions), CBP might question you about the circumstances of those incidents. CBP may also question you about your immigration history, including when and how you initially entered the U.S. If you have concerns about these lines of questioning, please consult with an immigration attorney prior to traveling.

After processing, the CBP officer will hand you back your original forms of identification. They may stamp your travel authorization document or your passport.

In many cases, the border official will keep the original travel authorization document; the stamp in your passport will serve as proof of re-entry with parole.

You may also obtain your I-94 online through the CBP website. Keep copies of your  travel authorization document, entry stamp in your passport, and I-94 printout as they will be useful to you when renewing TPS and in future immigration processes.

Anxiety about traveling and re-entering is very real! The best thing you can do is prepare for what to expect by reading about the process, speaking with other TPS recipients who have traveled with a travel authorization document, and arranging support.

This may mean discussing a plan ahead of time with your attorney, if you have one, and carrying their form G-28 with you when you travel. You can also contact your Congressional representative to explain your situation and ask for a contact at their office in case you run into problems at the border.

Yes, this is a very real possibility, although it is still a contested area of law. Immigration officials at the border have a lot of power to search your belongings, including your electronic devices.

Because the decision to parole someone into the U.S. is discretionary, it is important to comply with requests from immigration officials. It is best for travelers to anticipate that their phone may be searched and to prepare ahead of time to keep their information private.

When you fly back to the United States, it is most likely the airline will have you complete check-in in person and not online.

When you go up to the counter the airline attendants may ask to see your U.S. visa or green card. This is when you let them know you are traveling with a travel authorization document. They may ask to see your document. Make sure the airline doesn’t keep your original travel authorization document. You will need to show it to CBP upon re-entering the United States.

Some airlines are not aware of what a travel authorization document is, so it may take some time for them to validate this. Ensure you go to the airport with enough time in case it takes long for them to check.

Passport Control Outside the U.S.
If you have a connecting flight outside the U.S. you may go through “Passport Control.” Once again, they may ask for your U.S. visa or green card. Let them know that you reside in the U.S. and are traveling with a travel authorization document, a special document issued by the U.S. government that allows you to re-enter the U.S. Depending on the agent they may ask to see the travel authorization document. Ensure you have enough time to complete this so that you don’t miss your connecting flight. Make sure they don’t keep your original travel authorization document, you will need to show CBP upon re-entering the United States.

U.S. Preclearance Facilities are in 15 airports outside the United States (in Canada, Caribbean, Ireland and the United Arab Emirates). Located in foreign airports, CBP officers have travelers go through the customs and inspections process prior to boarding their U.S.-bound flights. If you are flying back through an airport with a pre-clearance facility, we suggest you arrive and check-in early. CBP officers, even those working in a foreign country, should be aware of parole and familiar with the travel authorization document. If they are not, we suggest you have the TPS USCIS page and travel authorization page printed in case you need to explain your travel document to them.

No. At this time, TPS beneficiaries must mail in their travel authorization applications.

No. USCIS does not refund fees when it denies an application.

All noncitizens, including TPS beneficiaries, are required by law to file with USCIS a change of address form (Form AR-11) within 10 days of moving to a new address. You can file this form online. This is especially important if the TPS recipient is requesting emergency travel authorization in-person at a USCIS field office. If a previous address outside the field office’s jurisdiction is on file, the field officers may want to see that an AR-11 was filed.

If you lost the Form I-512T travel authorization document, then you will have to refile the application with the fee. You may wish to notify USCIS that a travel authorization document was previously issued to you, but that you lost it. You can also apply to USCIS to correct a Form I-512T that contains errors. If USCIS is responsible for the error (e.g., USCIS misspells your name on Form I-512T but you spelled it correctly on your application), then you do not have to pay the filing fee. 

You can also use USCIS’s online tools to put in a service request if the document was lost in the mail. If you can show a USCIS error (e.g. they mailed the travel authorization document to a different address than the one you put on the I-131 form), this may be helpful. However, USCIS may not respond to this service request for several weeks.

If you are close to your intended travel date and there is an emergency, you may request an InfoPass appointment at your local USCIS field office. For more information see this guide.

Everyone’s case is different and no two immigration cases are alike. Immigration law is technical and it’s generally wise to seek help from someone who primarily  practices immigration law. It is also important to ensure that your lawyer has an active law license, and that they can provide proof of a license upon request. If you are scheduling an appointment with an attorney, ask them if they regularly apply for travel authorization documents for TPS recipients. For more tips on how to find a good immigration lawyer, see this guide.

You must respond to USCIS’s Request for Evidence (RFE) by the stated deadline. Failure to do so will result in a denial of your application. USCIS may send an RFE if your intended date of travel has passed. If you are flexible with your plans, you may request new dates and offer updated evidence.