I-131 — Application for Travel Document
travelFiling fee: $630 (waived when filed with I-485)
Median wait (p50)
12.6 months
Range: 6.5–15.2 months
Fastest subtype
6.5 months
General
Slowest subtype
15.2 months
General
Year-over-year
1.2 mo+1.2 mo
vs. Mar 26 last year
What is I-131?
Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, is used to apply for a reentry permit, refugee travel document, advance parole document, or parole-in-place. The most common use is obtaining advance parole for individuals with a pending I-485, allowing them to travel internationally without abandoning their adjustment application.
Who files this form?
- I-485 applicants who need to travel internationally during processing
- Refugees and asylees who need to travel abroad
- Permanent residents planning extended trips abroad (over 1 year)
- Individuals granted Parole-in-Place (PIP) by USCIS
- DACA recipients requesting advance parole for humanitarian, educational, or employment purposes
Typical processing time today
Advance parole processing currently averages about 5–10 months. Parole-in-Place cases average about 5–8 months. When filed concurrently with I-485, the I-131 is often combined into a combo card (EAD + AP) which may arrive sooner.
I-131 Processing Times by Subtype
Current p50 and p93 wait times across all subtypes
Heatmap
p50 and p93 months by subtype
| p50 | p93 | |
|---|---|---|
| General | 6.5 | 9.1 |
| General | 6.5 | 9.1 |
| Parole in Place | 12.6 | 17.6 |
| Row | Column | Value |
|---|---|---|
| General | p50 | 15.2 |
| General | p50 | 6.5 |
| Parole in Place | p50 | 12.6 |
| General | p93 | 21.3 |
| General | p93 | 9.1 |
| Parole in Place | p93 | 17.6 |
Range Bars
p50 → p93 spread per subtype
| Series | Typical (p50) | Slow (p93) |
|---|---|---|
| General | 15.2 months | 21.3 months |
| Parole in Place | 12.6 months | 17.6 months |
| General | 6.5 months | 9.1 months |
| Subtype | p50 | p93 | Spread | Explore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 6.5 months | 9.1 months | 2.6 mo | Calculate ETA → |
| Parole in Place | 12.6 months | 17.6 months | 5.0 mo | Calculate ETA → |
| General | 15.2 months | 21.3 months | 6.1 mo | Calculate ETA → |
I-131 Historical Processing Trend
Quarterly median processing time over the available data period
Median Processing Time Trend
8 quarterly data points
| Month | I-131 Median |
|---|---|
| December 2023 | 6.4 months |
| June 2024 | 7.3 months |
| September 2024 | 7.4 months |
| December 2024 | 8.3 months |
| March 2025 | 7.5 months |
| June 2025 | 7.4 months |
| September 2025 | 8.9 months |
| March 2026 | 8.7 months |
Year-over-Year Comparison
Overlay processing times by calendar year to reveal seasonal patterns
I-131 Processing Times by Year
Each line represents one calendar year
| Month | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | — | — | — | — |
| Feb | — | — | — | — |
| Mar | — | — | 7.5 months | 8.7 months |
| Apr | — | — | — | — |
| May | — | — | — | — |
| Jun | — | 7.3 months | 7.4 months | — |
| Jul | — | — | — | — |
| Aug | — | — | — | — |
| Sep | — | 7.4 months | 8.9 months | — |
| Oct | — | — | — | — |
| Nov | — | — | — | — |
| Dec | 6.4 months | 8.3 months | — | — |
I-131 Volume & Approval Rate
Quarterly case volumes and disposition breakdown
Quarterly Volume Trend
Receipts, approvals, denials, and pending cases
| Month | Receipts | Approvals | Denials | Pending |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2023 | 15,529 | 17,105 | 2,900 | 84,705 |
| June 2024 | 19,197 | 16,433 | 1,726 | 82,508 |
| September 2024 | 20,366 | 19,925 | 1,630 | 81,039 |
| December 2024 | 19,220 | 15,516 | 1,365 | 83,685 |
| March 2025 | 19,836 | 17,532 | 1,491 | 84,608 |
| June 2025 | 23,894 | 13,338 | 1,589 | 93,462 |
| September 2025 | 25,862 | 12,723 | 1,629 | 104,527 |
| March 2026 | 19,233 | 13,502 | 1,274 | 113,901 |
| March 2026 | 120,457 | 59,015 | 8,916 | 375,024 |
| March 2026 | 690 | 24 | 555 | 32,573 |
Latest Quarter
FY2026 Q2
| Slice | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Approved | 24 | 0.1% |
| Denied | 555 | 1.7% |
| Pending | 32,573 | 98.3% |
Receipts (latest qtr)
690
Approval rate
4.1%
Currently pending
32,573
Quarter-over-Quarter Movement
How the median processing time has changed each quarter
Median Changes
Green = faster, Red = slower
| Series | Delta |
|---|---|
| Sep 25 | +1.6 mo |
| Jun 24 | +0.9 mo |
| Dec 24 | +0.8 mo |
| Mar 25 | -0.7 mo |
| Mar 26 | -0.2 mo |
| Jun 25 | -0.2 mo |
| Sep 24 | +0.1 mo |
Processing Time Distribution for I-131
How processing times for I-131 are distributed, based on national p50 and p93 data
| Metric | Months |
|---|---|
| Typical (p50) | 12.6 months |
| Slow (p93) | 17.6 months |
| Your case | — |
Estimate Your I-131 Timeline
Pre-filled with this form — just pick a subtype and enter your receipt date