How do I request advance parole?

This is general information, not legal advice.

Who can ask for advance parole?

You can ask if USCIS has approved your DACA. You cannot ask while a first time DACA request is pending. If you are renewing, you can file for advance parole at the same time, as a separate filing.

You also need a reason USCIS accepts: humanitarian (medical care, a funeral, a very sick relative), educational (a program you are enrolled in) or employment (an assignment, interview, conference, training or client meeting). Vacation does not count.

Step 1: Check the risk first

On August 13, 2026, the Board of Immigration Appeals ruled that a trip on advance parole counts as a departure for the unlawful presence bars. The alert on the USCIS Form I-131 page (updated October 7, 2026) says that as of that date, leaving with advance parole can trigger the 3 or 10 year bar for people with more than 180 days of unlawful presence. If you were here without status for more than 180 days after turning 18 and before DACA, a trip could block a green card for years, even though you can return on the parole. USCIS policy says that bar time keeps running while you are back in the U.S. (Policy Manual, Vol. 8, Part O, Ch. 6). A lawyer needs to see your history before you spend the fee.

Step 2: Gather proof of your reason

The Form I-131 instructions say you must send evidence of why you need to travel, and that the dates on your document will match that need. Examples:

• Humanitarian: a doctor's letter about your relative's illness, or a death certificate, plus papers that prove you are related, such as birth certificates.
• Educational: a letter from the school or program describing it, and proof you are enrolled.
• Employment: a letter from your employer explaining why the trip is needed, with the event or meeting details.

Give exact travel dates. Keep the trip short and tied to the reason.

Step 3: Fill out Form I-131

• Use the 01/20/25 edition from uscis.gov. Forms are free.
• In Part 1, choose Item 5.E, for people with an approved Form I-821D.
• If you file online, choose the right category. USCIS warns that picking another category to file online can get your form denied, and the fee is not refunded.
• Add what the Form I-131 instructions require (edition 01/20/25, checked October 21, 2026):
  • a copy of your Form I-797 notice showing USCIS approved your DACA (deferred action on your I-821D);
  • a copy of an official photo ID with your photo, name and birth date, such as your work permit or a passport page (Form I-94 does not count);
  • two identical color passport style photos, taken recently.

Step 4: Pay and file

• Online: file in your USCIS account and pay $580 there. USCIS lists DACA advance parole as a form you can file online.
• By mail: $630, paid with Form G-1450 (card) or G-1650 (bank account). USCIS no longer takes checks or money orders unless you have an approved exemption. Mail to the Phoenix Lockbox above. For FedEx, UPS or DHL: USCIS, Attn: DACA (Box 20700), 2108 E. Elliot Rd., Tempe, AZ 85284-1806.
• USCIS changed I-131 filing addresses on October 7, 2026. Forms sent to an old address are accepted only if postmarked by November 9, 2026. Use the current address now to be safe.
• Need the money? Mission Asset Fund offers a 0% loan for the $580 online fee to people in California. See Can I get help paying my DACA renewal fee?

What happens next?

USCIS sends a receipt. It may ask for more evidence. If approved, you get an advance parole document. It may show a parole period of just 1 day. That is normal: it is for getting back in. It will never run past your DACA end date, and if your DACA expires while USCIS is still deciding and you have no renewal pending, USCIS will deny the request.

Advance parole is permission to ask to come back. A border officer still decides at the border. Each time you are paroled back in, CBP collects a $1,050 parole fee set by a 2025 federal law (H.R. 1). The USCIS fee schedule lists it for advance parole holders, including DACA, and says there is no fee waiver.

What will the whole trip cost?

Plan for all of it before you file. Here is a made up example, not a real case.

Luis has DACA and his grandmother in Mexico is in the hospital. His clinic reviews his history and finds no unlawful presence after age 18 before DACA, so the bars are not a concern for him. He budgets:

He files online with the doctor's letter, his birth certificate and his mother's birth certificate to show the family tie, and asks the Contact Center for an expedite with proof of the emergency. He does not book a nonrefundable ticket until the advance parole document is in his hands.

If he filed on paper, the USCIS fee would be $630, for $1,680 in total.

What if it's an emergency?

USCIS points people with an urgent need to travel to its expedite and emergency travel pages. You can ask to speed up a case by calling the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283. There is no fee to ask. Bring proof, such as a doctor's letter. Call a legal clinic the same day.

Where can I get free help?

Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

• Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (for low income San Mateo and Santa Clara county residents): (650) 326-6440
• Immigration Institute of the Bay Area, Redwood City office: (650) 587-1558 to book a free first consultation (appointments only, no drop ins).
• Catholic Charities of San Mateo County (for San Mateo County residents): (650) 295-2160
• For Santa Clara County residents: Office of Immigrant Relations partners
• Anywhere in California: the state's map of free immigration legal services, or call (916) 651-8017.

Is there a checklist I can print?

Related questions

• Can I travel outside the US with DACA?
• Is it safe to travel on DACA advance parole?
• Will traveling on advance parole hurt my green card chances?

Full guide: Advance Parole: who can get it and how to apply