Refugee Travel Document Expedite Processing Time

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Refugee Travel Document Guide

• How to Get a Refugee Travel Document

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Refugee Travel Document

• If you are in the United States in refugee or
  asylum status, you will need to apply for a
  refugee travel document if you wish to travel
  outside of the United States. A refugee travel
  document is a small booklet, similar to a
  passport, and is used by refugees and asylees to
  reenter the United States after traveling abroad.
  If you are in the U.S. on refugee or asylum
  status and you leave without a refugee travel
  document, you may be unable to reenter the U.S.,
  or you may be placed in removal proceedings.

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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
   (Step-by-Step)
5. How Long is a Refugee Travel Document Valid For?
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
11. Conclusion

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What is a Refugee Travel Document and Why Do You
Need One?

• A refugee travel document is a small booklet,
  similar to a passport. It has multiple pages and
  in certain situations, can be used instead of a
  passport. If you are lawfully present in the
  United States in refugee of asylum status, and
  you plan to travel abroad, you need a refugee
  travel document to reenter the United States.
  Without a refugee travel document, you may be
  unable to reenter the country and you may even
  face removal proceedings.
• Please keep in mind that a refugee travel
  document does not guarantee that you will be
  readmitted to the United States. You still must
  undergo inspection by a Customs and Border Patrol
  officer.

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Who is Eligible to Apply for a Refugee Travel
Document?

• Individuals in refugee or asylum status
• Lawful permanent residents who obtained their
  permanent resident status as a refugee or asylee
  in the U.S.

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What are the Requirements to Get a Refugee Travel
Document?

• Must be a refugee or asylee or lawful permanent
  resident
• To apply for a refugee travel document, you must
  either be in the U.S. in refugee or asylum
  status. Alternatively, you must be a U.S.
  permanent resident (green card holder) who
  obtained their lawful permanent resident status
  as a refugee or alysee.
• If you have applied for refugee or asylum status
  and it is not yet approved, you are not eligible
  for a refugee travel document. If you are in any
  other status, you are ineligible for a refugee
  travel document.

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• Must be physically present in the U.S. when your
  refugee travel document application is filed
• To qualify for a refugee travel document, you
  should be in the United States when your refugee
  travel document is filed, received, and accepted
  by USCIS. Additionally, you should remain in the
  U.S. until your biometrics (fingerprinting)
  appointment is completed. Leaving the U.S. before
  your biometrics appointment may result in a
  denial of your case.
• In some cases, you may be eligible to apply for a
  refugee travel document if you are outside of the
  United States. To do this, your application must
  be filed within 1 year of your last departure
  from the United States. If you are applying from
  outside of the United States, you will have to
  include with your application an explanation of
  why you left the U.S. without first applying for
  a refugee travel document. The USCIS Overseas
  District Director with jurisdiction over your
  region will have discretion regarding whether to
  approve or deny your application. For this
  reason, it is best practice to apply for a
  refugee travel document before you leave the U.S.
• Must file Form I-131, submit the required
  supporting documents, and attend a biometrics
  appointment
• To be eligible for a refugee travel document you
  must submit a Form I-131 to USCIS and include the
  required documentation with your case. We will
  discuss this in more detail later in this guide.
• To qualify for a refugee travel document, you
  must also attend a mandatory biometrics
  appointment. The biometrics appointment is where
  your digital fingerprints are taken.

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How Long is a Refugee Travel Document Valid For?

• A refugee travel document is valid for 1 year
  from the date it is issued.

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How to Apply for a Refugee Travel Document
(Step-by-Step)

• Step 1. File Form I-131 Along with Supporting
  Documents
• To apply for a refugee travel document, you must
  file a Form I-131 with USCIS. The Form I-131 is
  Application for Travel Document. As mentioned
  earlier, it is best practice to be physically
  present in the U.S. when this form is filed.
  Otherwise, there is greater potential for the
  application to be denied.
• Step 2. Attend Biometrics Appointment
• After the I-131 is filed, USCIS will send you a
  notice requiring you to attend a mandatory
  biometrics appointment. The biometrics
  appointment I where your digital fingerprints are
  recorded. This is a mandatory step to get a
  refugee travel document.

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Refugee Travel Document Processing Time

• This answer is best divided into 4 separate
  segments
• Issuance of USCIS Receipt Notice (1 to 3 Weeks
  from Filing)
• Once you file the Form I-131 with USCIS, you are
  issued a receipt notice. The receipt notice is
  the confirmation from USCIS that your application
  was received and accepted. In addition, the
  receipt notice contains a unique receipt number.
  You can use your receipt number to track the
  progress of your application through the USCIS
  case status checker. You should receive the
  receipt notice within 1 to 3 weeks of filing the
  refugee travel document application.
• Issuance of Biometrics Appointment Notice (6
  Weeks from Filing)
• About 6 weeks after filing your refugee travel
  document application, you will receive a
  biometrics appointment notice from USCIS. The
  biometrics appointment notice contains the time,
  date, and location of the biometrics appointment.
  This notice also contains instructions regarding
  what you must bring with you to the biometrics
  appointment. If needed, you may reschedule the
  biometrics appointment by following the
  instructions on the appointment notice.

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• Biometrics Appointment Date (8 Weeks from Filing)
• Your actual biometrics appointment will take
  place about 8 weeks after filing your refugee
  travel document application. Make sure to bring a
  valid I.D. along with the actual biometrics
  appointment notice with you to the appointment
  (along with any other documents specified on the
  appointment notice).
• Issuance of Refugee Travel Document (2 to 5
  Months from Filing)
• Your actual refugee travel document will be
  issued about 2 to 5 months from the date you file
  the Form I-131. You may choose to have the travel
  document delivered to your U.S. address, to a
  U.S. consulate or embassy abroad, or to your
  immigration lawyers office (if you are working
  with an immigration lawyer).
• You are not required to remain in the U.S. until
  you receive the physical travel document. If
  necessary, you may leave after completing your
  biometrics appointment. You can then have the
  travel document sent to a U.S. consulate or
  embassy abroad as mentioned above.

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Is There Any Way to Speed-Up the Refugee Travel
Document Processing Time?

• Yes, in certain situations, USCIS may grant
  expedited processing of a refugee travel document
  application. Here is a link that goes over the
  situations in which USICS may grant expedited
  processing of a case. It is at the discretion of
  USCIS whether or not to expedite a case.
• 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

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What Documents to Submit with Your Refugee Travel
Document Application

• The specific documents you should submit with
  your refugee travel document application will
  depend on your particular case. With that
  disclaimer, here are some general document you
  should include
• Copy of valid government issued photo I.D. (such
  as passport, lawful permanent resident card,
  drivers license)
• Copy of USCIS document showing your status as a
  refugee or asylee and the date the status
  expires.
• 2 passport photos

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What is the Refugee Travel Document Fee?

• There are 2 fees associated with applying for a
  refugee travel document
• I-131 Filing Fee (135 for people age 16 and
  older and 105 for people under 16 years old)
• Biometrics Fee 85 (the biometrics fee is only
  required for people from the ages of 14 to 79
  years old)

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Traveling Back to the Country of Claimed
Persecution

• Traveling back to your country of claimed
  persecution can have severe consequences to your
  refugee or asylum status in the United States.
• If you have asylum status in the United States
  and you travel back to your country of claimed
  persecution, your asylum status may be
  terminated. Traveling back to your country of
  claimed persecution could be seen as a change of
  circumstances surrounding your grant of asylum.
  Alternatively, it could be seen as a
  demonstration that your fear of persecution is
  not genuine. In addition, it may be seen that you
  have voluntarily availed yourself of the
  protection of your country of nationality.
• Due to these potential consequences, it is best
  practice to avoid travel back to your country of
  claimed persecution.

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Conclusion

• A refugee travel document is necessary if you are
  in refugee or asylum status in the U.S. and you
  plan to leave the country. Without a refugee
  travel document, travel outside of the U.S. could
  result in an inability to return to the U.S. and
  may also result in being placed in removal
  proceedings. For these reasons, a refugee travel
  document is highly important. If you need
  assistance applying for your refugee travel
  document, feel free to email me directly at
  Michael_at_AshooriLaw.com. Im a U.S. immigration
  lawyer, and I would be happy to help you.

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Learn more Here
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