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Traveling outside of the U.S. - Documents needed for Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR)/Green Card holders
What documents, identification, and paperwork does a Lawful Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) Green Card holder need to travel internationally?
Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR) of the U.S. must present a Permanent Resident Card ("Green Card", Form I-551), a Reentry Permit (if gone for more than 1 year), or a Returning Resident Visa (if gone for 2 years or more) to reenter the United States.
United States (U.S.) LPRs do not need a passport to enter the U.S. as per 8 CFR 211.1(a), however, they may need a passport to enter another country. Please contact the embassy of the foreign country you will be traveling to for their requirements.
While CBP does not require the passport as noted above, the airlines may have their own requirements, please check with your airlines prior to travel. Also, travel documents for LPRs do not need to be valid for any certain amount of time. Your LPR card only needs to be valid on the day that you are entering the US.
LPRs who are out of the U.S. for more than 180 days are subject to new immigrant inspection procedures as per 8 USC 1101.
Foreign nationals who have applied for permanent residency may need to be approved for advance parole prior to traveling out of the U.S.
In order to be readmitted when traveling back to the U.S. (H1, H4, L1, L2, K3, K4 or V2, V3 holders do not require advance parole to travel abroad after applying to adjust status.
NOTE: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) now issues employment and travel authorization on a single card for certain applicants filing an Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, Form I-485.
The card looks similar to the current Employment Authorization Document (EAD) but will include text that reads, "Serves as I-512 Advance Parole." A card with this text will serve as both an employment authorization and Advance Parole document.
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Updated 06/28/2017 04:26 PM
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