You may be shocked to learn that your asylum application can take several years to get approved. But as you are waiting patiently to get word back on this, an urgent matter abroad that requires your attention may arise. If so, we may recommend that you file Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, to earn advance parole from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). For this, please follow along to find out whether you have legitimate reasons to request travel during your pending asylum case, and how one of the proficient Lancaster, PA asylum lawyers at Lupton Law LLC can help advise you before you make any arrangements.
What are valid reasons to travel during a pending asylum case?
To support your case for advance parole, you should provide the USCIS with evidence of why you wish to travel outside the United States during your pending asylum case. Usually, only urgent matters or essential reasons may gain approval, and they read as follows:
- You have a close relative living abroad who is gravely ill, and you are the best person to administer their healthcare.
- You have a close relative who has sadly passed away, and you wish to attend their funeral ceremony abroad.
- You have been diagnosed with a serious medical condition, and the best treatment option is available abroad.
- Your employer requires you to be abroad for your specialized skills (i.e., you are part of a professional athletic team).
- A country abroad requires you to be abroad for your specialized knowledge (i.e., you are of national interest for an ongoing research study).
What should I avoid doing while traveling during my asylum case?
Even if the USCIS grants you advance parole, we may strongly discourage you from visiting your home country during your travels abroad. This is arguably the easiest way to undermine the legitimacy of your pending asylum application, where you claimed that you would fear persecution if you were forced to leave the United States and return there. In the case that your sick relative lives in your home country, your employer is based in your home country, etc., please consult with us first before arranging anything.
Besides staying away from your home country, you should avoid participating in any other behaviors or activities that may weaken your pending asylum case. For one, you should not let your travels distract you from responding to the USCIS’s requests for evidence or cause you to miss your scheduled interviews or hearings. Secondly, you must not commit an offense abroad that would constitute a serious crime in the U.S., or act in any way that would make you appear as a national security threat.
Before you act on anything that could potentially jeopardize your pending immigration application and current status, please consult with one of the talented Lancaster, PA asylum lawyers. We at Lupton Law LLC will offer you the sound legal advice you most certainly need at this critical time.
