N
Common Ground News

Can I travel outside the US with a travel document?

Author

Matthew Cannon

Updated on March 11, 2026

Can I travel outside the US with a travel document?

If you are in the United States as a lawful permanent resident or conditional permanent resident and you wish to travel outside the U.S., you may apply for a re-entry permit, refugee travel document, or advance parole travel document (including parole into the U.S. for humanitarian reasons).

Keeping this in consideration, which countries accept US travel documents?

As of 2013, Schengen Area countries which have explicitly indicated to the Council of the European Union's Visa Working Party that they will accept the U.S. Re-entry Permit for visa issuance purposes include Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France,

Subsequently, question is, can I travel outside the US with I 551 stamp? Yes, the I-551 stamp enables you to travel abroad.

Similarly, it is asked, can you travel with a travel document?

The travel document allows someone living in the U.S. while awaiting their green card to travel abroad without nullifying their green card application. That is a long time to avoid leaving the United States, especially if you have family or business ties abroad—or if you just like to travel.

Can I travel outside US while waiting for green card?

You cannot travel internationally unless you have received a travel authorization document from USCIS, known as an advance parole document. You are required to obtain such travel authorization if you seek to re-enter the United States after temporary foreign travel.

Can I travel to Europe with US travel document?

Do US Citizens Need an EU visa to enter Europe? Citizens of the United States with a valid US passport can travel to 26 European member countries of the Schengen Area for a maximum of 90 days without having to apply or obtain a Schengen visa for short-term tourism or a business trip.

Can I travel to UK with US travel document?

U.S. citizens do not need a visa for tourist or business travel to the United Kingdom for a stay up to 6 months. A valid U.S. Passport is required.

Can a green card holder stay outside the US for 6 months?

As a permanent resident or conditional permanent resident you can travel outside the United States for up to 6 months without losing your green card. If you intend to stay outside the United States for a year or more you will need a Reentry Permit.

Can you fly internationally without passport?

A passport is required for all international travel. If you're traveling anywhere overseas, you need a passport to board an international flight and to enter the country. Passport cards will not be accepted as form of I.D. for international air travel.

Can I travel domestically with a foreign passport 2020?

Can I fly with a foreign passport or Employment Authorization Document Card? Yes, as noted above, the list of approved identification to fly domestically includes foreign government-issued passports and/or a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766).

Do I need visa to Germany with US travel document?

Germany is a party to the Schengen Agreement. U.S. citizens may enter Germany for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa. Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your period of stay.

What countries do not accept US passport?

Read on to discover the countries that make it the most difficult for Americans to visit.
  1. Russia. Morning over Moscow in Russia |
  2. Cuba. A street with the Cuban flag in Havana |
  3. India.
  4. Nauru.
  5. Somalia.
  6. Sudan.
  7. Turkmenistan.
  8. Saudi Arabia.

Which countries can I travel with travel document?

The following countries DO NOT require visas for the visitors with the Refugee Travel Document (blue) issued under the 1951 UN Convention:
  • Andorra.
  • Belgium.
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  • Bulgaria.
  • Croatia.
  • Denmark.
  • Finland.
  • France.

What's the difference between travel document and passport?

The most common travel document is a passport, which usually gives the bearer more privileges like visa-free access to certain countries. However, the term is sometimes used only for those documents which do not bear proof of nationality, such as a refugee travel document.

Is a visa considered a travel document?

A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler's passport, a travel document issued by the traveler's country of citizenship.

Can refugee travel back home?

Refugees are generally not allowed to travel back to their home country. Refugee protection is granted on the presumption that it is unsafe to return. However, particular circumstances might require that a refugee return home for a temporary visit.

Do I need a travel document if I have a green card?

A U.S. green card is not sufficient by itself as a travel document, though it is enough to get you back into the United States. You will, in fact, be expected to present your valid, unexpired green card upon reentry to the United States. (This is also known as a Permanent Resident Card or Form I-551.)

How much does it cost to get a travel document?

Filing Fees

$575 for a reentry document or advance parole, plus an $85 biometrics fee for applicants between age 14 and 79 years of age. $135 for a refugee travel document for applicants who are 16 years of age or older, plus an $85 biometrics fee (unless the applicant is age 80 or older)

Do I need a visa with a refugee travel document?

Even where a refugee holds a Convention Travel Document, he will normally require a visa to enter another country, not only to take up employment or for studies, but also for short visits.

Who needs a travel document?

Lawful residents, asylees, refugees, asylum applicants and people who have applied for adjustment of status, need to apply for travel documents to travel internationally and to return to America. This permit must be obtained by a Green Card holder who seeks to remain in a foreign country for a year or more.

How long does it take to get travel document I 131?

three months

Can I be denied entry with advance parole?

In theory, Customs and Border Patrol should not deny parole to someone issued an advance parole document. After all, the issuance of an advance parole documents is like a pre-authorization to reenter the United States. As such, the Department is entitled to a terminate a grant of parole at any time.

What is a foreign passport with I 551 stamp?

Foreign Passport with I-551 Stamp or MRIV

USCIS uses either an I-551 stamp or a temporary I-551 printed notation on a machine-readable immigrant visa (MRIV) to indicate temporary evidence of lawful permanent residence.

Is I 551 same as green card?

A permanent resident card (“green card”) is issued by USCIS after admission and is later mailed to the alien's U.S. address. A Permanent Resident Card (I-551) is proof of lawful permanent resident status in the United States.

What is I 551 stamp on passport?

An I-551 Temporary Evidence Stamp is a stamp obtain from a local USCIS field office and serves as an extension to 1) a Lawful Permanent Resident Card or Green Card that is currently awaiting USCIS action to either be renewed; 2) a pending Form I-90; or 3) waiting for a conditional residence status to be removed (Form I

How much does I 551 stamp cost?

How much does an I-551 stamp cost? While there is no cost associated with the I-551 temporary evidence stamp issued in a passport, there is a fee for Form I-90 amounting to $455. In addition to the $455 fee for Form I-90, there is also an $85 biometrics fee, if a biometrics appointment is required.

How long is an I 551 stamp valid?

six months

What is Form I 551 in US immigration?

Form I-551 is the form number for a green card. It is proof of a foreign national's immigration status to live and work permanently in the United States. Temporary proof of permanent residency can be on an immigrant visa (for a new immigrant) or on a passport (for an immigrant who has lost a green card).

How can I get a I 551 stamp?

How to Get an I-551 Stamp? An I-551 stamp can be obtained at a local USCIS office by scheduling an InfoPass appointment. The appointment can be booked online through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website ().

What is a I 551 receipt number?

Your green card number, also known as the receipt number, is a 13-digit number that is printed on a permanent resident card. In some situations, people may even call it a I-551 receipt number. (Form I-551 is the government's internal name for a permanent resident card.)

Can I mail green card overseas?

Yes, but use a reputable mailing service like Worldwide DHL requiring a signature hand delivery.

How does Uscis know you left the country?

First, yes, USCIS does know when you leave the US. How you may ask? Well, whenever you as a foreigner buy a ticket, that information is sent to the Customs and Border Protection agency (CBP). CBP then sends the information to USCIS.

How long can you be out of the country on a green card?

If you are a lawful permanent resident (green card holder), you may leave the U.S. multiple times and reenter, as long as you do not intend to stay outside the U.S. for 1 year or more.

Related Documentation

How do I activate my license offline?

How do you make a Chinese jump rope out of rubber bands?

What is a website headline?

Can I travel outside the US with a travel document?