Advance Parole

Most aliens who have pending applications for adjustment of status need to obtain an advance parole document in order to leave the United States without abandoning the pending application and to return to the United States after traveling abroad. An advance parole document is issued solely to authorize the person who travels to a U.S. port of entry to seek parole into the United States to await the adjudication of the pending application.

An advance parole document does not permit a nonimmigrant who has a pending application for a change of nonimmigrant status or for extension of nonimmigrant stay to travel abroad without abandoning the application. If a nonimmigrant leaves while a change of status or extension of stay application is pending, the application is abandoned.

An alien’s application for an advance parole document on the basis of a pending application for adjustment of status must be approved prior to leaving the United States. Whether to grant advance parole is a matter of USCIS discretion. If an alien with a pending Form I-485 requests an advance parole document, and USCIS grants it, USCIS normally issues a 1-year, multiple-use advance parole document. If the alien leaves prior to issuance of the advance parole document, his or her application for adjustment of status will be considered abandoned. There are certain exceptions to this consequence as listed below.

The following individuals, who have a pending application for adjustment of status, may depart the United States without an advance parole document and without having their adjustment-of-status application considered abandoned: