January 30, 2017
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service has released form I-131A, which allows Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR) outside the United States to request a travel document (Transportation Document) to return to US territory. This document may be issued if you are returning from a temporary overseas trip of less than one year, and the Permanent Resident Card (also known as a “Green Card” or Form I-551) was lost, stolen, or destroyed. You may also fill out the form if you are returning from a temporary overseas trip of less than two years, and the re-entry permit is lost, stolen or destroyed.
The length of absence starts from the time the LPR left the United States until the fee for Form I-131A is paid.
After being granted, this transportation documentation is presented to the transportation carrier (airplane, cruise ship, etc.) to be able to travel.
Form I-131A must be presented personally to the US embassy. However, you must pay the filing fee through the USCIS website, www.uscis.gov, (see the Filing Fee section) before you file it. Evidence must be provided that the fee has been paid, such as a copy of the payment confirmation or a copy of the email received with the payment confirmation. Make your appointment via www.uscis.gov/santo-domingo.
Sign the form in Part 4, Item Number 6.a., Applicant’s Signature. Your form will be rejected if you do not sign Part 4, and we will return it for you to correct and resubmit.
The form has nine spaces for the A Number. If the A number has only seven or eight digits, write zero (0) or double zero (00) as the first digits.
The fee for this form, US$575, must be paid electronically, with a credit or debit card or a US bank account. Applicants may not use a fee waiver for this form. Please note that USCIS does not issue refunds, regardless of the decision made on the application.
