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Refugees | USCIS

Overview:

  1. What is a Refugee Travel Document and why do you need one?
  2. Who is eligible to apply for a Refugee Travel Document?
  3. What are the requirements to get a Refugee Travel Document?
  4. How to apply for a Refugee Travel Document?
  5. How long is a Refugee Travel Document valid?
  6. Refugee Travel Document processing time
  7. Is there any way to speed up the Refugee Travel Document processing time?
  8. What documents to submit with your Refugee Travel Document Application
  9. What is the Refugee Travel Document fee?
  10. Traveling back to the country of claimed persecution

1. What is a Refugee Travel Document and why do you need one?

A Refugee Travel Document is a small booklet that includes numerous pages and can be used in place of a passport in certain instances. If you are lawfully present in the United States as a refugee or asylum seeker and want to travel abroad, you will require a refugee travel document to rejoin the country. You may be denied re-entry into the country if you do not have a Refugee Travel Document, and you may face removal procedures.

Please bear in mind that a Refugee Travel Document does not guarantee re-entry into the United States. You must still be inspected by a Customs and Border Patrol officer.

2. Who is eligible to apply for a Refugee Travel Document?

These are the following people who are eligible for the Refugee Travel Document:

  • Individuals in refugee or asylum status
  • Lawful and permanent residents who got their status as a refugee or asylee in the United States

3. What are the requirements to get a Refugee Travel Document?

Must be a refugee or asylee or lawful permanent resident

If you apply for a Refugee Travel Document, you must be in the United States with refugee or asylum status. Alternatively, you must be a lawful permanent resident of the United States who earned your status as a refugee or asylee.

You are not eligible for a refugee travel document if you have sought refugee or asylum status and it has not been accepted. You are ineligible for a refugee document if you have any other status.

Must be physically present in the U.S. when your Refugee Travel Document application is filed

To be eligible for a refugee travel document, you must be in the United States when your application is filed, processed, and accepted by USCIS. You should stay in the United States until your biometrics (fingerprinting) session is finished. If you leave the United States before your biometrics appointment, your case may be denied.

If you are outside of the United States, you may be able to apply for a Refugee Travel Document. You must file your application within one year after your previous departure from the United States. If you are applying from outside of the United States, you must submit an explanation for why you left the country without first applying for a Refugee Travel Document. Your application will be approved or denied at the discretion of the USCIS Overseas District Director with authority over your region. As a result, it is recommended practice to file for a refugee travel document before leaving the United States.

Must file Form I-131, submit the required supporting documents, and attend a biometrics appointment

To be qualified for a refugee travel document, you must submit Form I-131 to USCIS along with the necessary papers. You must also attend a necessary biometrics appointment to be eligible for a refugee travel document.

4. How long is a Refugee Travel Document valid?

It is valid for one year from the day it is issued.

5. How to apply for a Refugee Travel Document

This a step-by-step on how to apply for a Refugee Travel Document:

Step 1 – File Form I-131 along with supporting documents

To apply for a refugee travel document, fill out Form I-131 and submit it to USCIS. Application for Travel Document (Form I-131). As previously stated, it is best practice to be physically present in the United States while filing this form, otherwise, there is a large chance that the application will be refused.

Step 2 – Attend Biometrics Appointment

Following the submission of Form I-131, USCIS will issue you a notice requiring you to attend a mandatory biometrics appointment. Your digital fingerprints are captured during the biometrics appointment and are a required step to get a refugee travel document.

6. Refugee Travel Document processing time

This answer is best divided into four separate segments:

  • Issuance of USCIS Receipt Notice (1 to 3 weeks from Filing)

When you file Form I-131 with USCIS, you will get a receipt notification. The receipt notice from USCIS confirms that your application was received and accepted. Furthermore, the receipt message includes a unique receipt number. You can trace the status of your application using the USCIS case status checker and your receipt number. The receipt notice should arrive within 1 to 3 weeks of submitting the refugee travel document application.

  • Issuance of Biometrics Appointment Notice (6 weeks from filing)

USCIS will send you a biometric appointment notification around 6 weeks after you file your refugee travel document application. The biometrics appointment notice includes the appointment time, date, and location. This message also includes advice on what you must bring to the biometrics appointment. You may reschedule the biometrics session by following the instructions on the appointment announcement.

  • Biometrics Appointment Date (8 weeks from filing)

Your actual biometrics appointment will be scheduled around 8 weeks after you file your refugee travel document application. Bring a valid I.D. as well as the genuine biometrics appointment notice to the appointment (along with any other documents specified on the appointment notice).

  • Issuance of Refugee Travel Documents (2 to 5 months from filing)
    • Your real refugee travel document will be issued around 2 to 5 months after you complete Form I-131. You can have the travel document delivered to your home address in the United States, a U.S. consulate or embassy overseas, or your immigration lawyer’s office (if you are working with an immigration lawyer).
    • You are not compelled to stay in the United States until you acquire your physical travel document. You may depart after your biometrics appointment if required. You can then have the travel document mailed to the above-mentioned U.S. consulate or embassy overseas.

7. Is there any way to speed up the Refugee Travel Document processing time?

Yes, the USCIS may offer faster processing of a refugee travel document application under specific circumstances. Here are some reasons USCIS may expedite a case:

  • Emergency
  • Severe financial loss to a company or individual
  • USCIS error
  • Compelling USCIS interest
  • Humanitarian reasons

8. What documents to submit with your Refugee Travel Document Application

The precise documentation you must provide with your Refuge Travel Document application may vary depending on your situation. With that disclaimer in place, here are some general documents to include:

  • A copy of a legitimate government-issued picture identification document (such as a passport, legal permanent resident card, or driver’s license)
  • A copy of the USCIS document proving your refugee or asylum status, as well as the date the status expires.
  • 2 passport photos

9. What is the Refugee Travel Documentation Fee?

When applying for a Refugee Travel Document, there are two fees:

  • Form I-131 filing fee: $135 for those over the age of 16 and $105 for those under the age of 16.
  • Biometrics Charge: $85 (the biometrics fee is only necessary for those aged 14 to 79)

10. Traveling back to the country of claimed persecution

Returning to your claimed persecuted country might have serious consequences for your refugee or asylum status in the United States.

If you obtain asylum in the United States and return to the country where you allege persecution, your asylum status may be canceled. Returning to your claimed persecution nation might be interpreted as a change in circumstances underlying your grant of refuge. Alternatively, it might be interpreted as proof that your fear of persecution is unfounded. Furthermore, you may have willingly invoked the protection of your country of nationality.

It’s because of these potential implications that it is recommended to avoid returning to your alleged persecution nation.