(UNITED STATES) U.S. permanent residents are waiting well over a year for travel documents that let them live abroad without risking their green cards, as the average processing time for a Reentry Permit filed on Form I-131 now stands at about 14.5 to 17.5 months. The extended timeline, current as of late September 2025, reflects a buildup in caseloads, service center workloads, and security checks that follow the required biometrics appointment. Lawyers say the long wait affects families with urgent travel needs, employers with overseas assignments, and retirees splitting time between the United States 🇺🇸 and their home countries.
What a Reentry Permit Does and How to Request It
The Reentry Permit serves a simple but vital purpose: it lets a lawful permanent resident spend up to two years outside the United States without being treated as having abandoned permanent residence.
- Requested through Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, by selecting the Reentry Permit category.
- Process flow: receive a receipt notice → attend biometrics (mandatory) → adjudication and final decision.
- Typical timing: biometrics usually occur about six weeks after filing, then adjudication can stretch another 12 to 16 months (leading to the current 14.5–17.5 month window).
While some isolated cases finish much faster (often through approved expedite requests), immigration attorneys say those are exceptions rather than the norm.
Who is Most Affected
The long processing time matters for many groups:
- Students accompanying parents on long overseas projects
- Caregivers traveling to tend to aging family members
- Professionals posted abroad for extended assignments
- Retirees splitting time between the U.S. and another country
Many applicants complete biometrics, leave the United States, and wait abroad—then receive the permit at a U.S. address or pick it up at a U.S. embassy/consulate if they chose that option. That flexibility helps but requires careful planning around school calendars, work start dates, and medical care.
Fee Update and Filing Requirements
- USCIS implemented fee updates effective July 22, 2025.
- Any application postmarked on or after July 22, 2025 must include the updated fee or risk rejection.
- Using an old fee or wrong payment method can lead to rejection and loss of position in the queue.
The fee change does not shorten processing but reflects USCIS’s need to cover operational costs (security checks, staffing, technology).
Biometrics: The Critical Step
The biometrics appointment is central to the case and deserves special attention:
- Applicants provide digital fingerprints and photos at a local Application Support Center (ASC).
- Biometrics must be done in the United States.
- Most ASCs schedule appointments about six weeks after filing, though local calendars can shift.
- Missing or failing to attend biometrics usually leads to denial; rescheduling can push a case further down the queue.
After biometrics, USCIS runs background checks and adjudication begins—this is often the longest, least visible phase.
Expedited Processing: Rare but Possible
USCIS may approve an expedite request in narrow circumstances. When granted, timelines may shorten substantially:
- Possible sped-up biometrics: 1–4 weeks
- Possible adjudication after biometrics: 1–4 months
Qualifying reasons commonly include urgent medical needs, clear U.S. government interest, or severe harm to a U.S. company. Documented evidence is essential. Even with approval, mailing, embassy coordination, and transfers can still add time. Do not rely on an expedite unless you have strong proof and written approval.
Risks of Leaving the U.S. After Filing
You can leave the United States after filing, but one big condition applies: attend biometrics in the U.S. first.
- Many applicants file, complete biometrics, and then depart.
- If embassy pickup was selected, the permit can be delivered to a U.S. mission abroad.
- If mailed to a U.S. address, a trusted person can forward the document.
- Carry the physical Reentry Permit when returning to the U.S.—presenting only the filing receipt is risky and can lead to secondary inspection or findings of abandonment.
Interactions with Other Immigration Filings
- The Reentry Permit does not itself grant entry; it supports a green card holder’s return.
- It does not prevent long absences from affecting continuous residence for naturalization.
- Long absences—even with a permit—can still raise questions about domicile. Maintain evidence of U.S. ties (home, taxes, bank accounts, family).
Delivery Options and Practical Steps
Delivery routes:
– Default: USCIS mails the approved permit to a U.S. address.
– Alternative: Delivery to a U.S. embassy, consulate, or designated DHS office abroad (requires coordination).
Practical recommendations:
– Copy the entire filing packet and track delivery.
– Watch the mailbox for receipt and biometrics notices.
– Use USCIS online case status to monitor movement after biometrics.
– If notices go missing, submit a service request to update mailing address and avoid silent stalls.
Common Causes of Delay or Denial
Avoidable missteps that add months:
– Filing with outdated fees after July 22, 2025
– Missing or failing to reschedule the biometrics appointment
– Listing an unreliable mailing address
– Ignoring an RFE deadline
– Incorrect signatures or incomplete forms
Most denials for abandonment come from missed appointments or failure to respond. Substantive denials are less common when the packet is complete and the travel need is clear.
Processing Timeline and Backlog (Summary Table)
| Milestone | Typical Timing |
|---|---|
| Receipt notice | A few days–weeks after filing |
| Biometrics appointment | ~6 weeks after filing (varies locally) |
| Adjudication after biometrics | 12–16 months on average; overall median 14.5–17.5 months |
Sources include USCIS reporting, practitioners’ files, and analysis cited by VisaVerge.com.
Planning Strategies for Families, Employers, and Students
Recommended steps:
1. File early. Anticipate overseas assignments and file well before planned departure.
2. Attend biometrics in the U.S. Schedule travel around the ASC appointment or reschedule immediately if needed.
3. Set expectations with HR, schools, and family about possible delays.
4. Prepare an expedite packet only if you have strong documentation (medical letters, government letters, employer harm statements).
5. Keep contact info current with USCIS and monitor mail/email closely.
Common scenarios:
– HR should calendar the biometrics window early for overseas staff.
– Parents of students should time filings to hit biometrics before semester start.
– Retirees splitting time abroad should file far in advance of long stays.
What Experts Say and What Could Change
- Attorneys view the 14.5–17.5 month range as a realistic planning target for 2024–2025.
- No broad policy changes in 2024–2025 directly shorten Reentry Permit timelines.
- Timelines could drop if service centers add staff, security checks speed up, or filings decline—but planning around current ranges is safer than expecting improvements.
If a case goes past the posted outside-normal time, a service request may prompt review.
Where to Get Official Instructions and Track Your Case
For filing instructions, the latest forms, and current fees, use the USCIS Form I-131 page:
– USCIS I-131 Application for Travel Document
Other resources:
– USCIS processing time tool (choose Reentry Permit category)
– USCIS Contact Center: 1‑800‑375‑5283
Tip: Build your packet directly from the USCIS page the day you prepare it to avoid outdated checklists and fee errors.
Final Practical Takeaways
- The Reentry Permit remains the main tool to avoid abandonment issues for absences up to two years.
- The median processing time of 14.5–17.5 months should guide planning.
- The most reliable approach: file early, attend biometrics in the U.S., track the case, and arrange delivery (embassy pickup or secure forwarding) so you have the physical permit for reentry.
- Treat expedited approvals as exceptions; plan around standard processing unless you obtain written approval.
For the latest forms, fees, and step‑by‑step filing guidance, see the official USCIS page: USCIS I-131 Application for Travel Document.
