With a potential government shutdown again looming in Washington, a central question for many green card applicants is whether their Advance Parole travel documents will still be processed. The answer, as of October 2025, is yes. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) remains open because it is primarily funded by application fees, not annual congressional budgets. That means Form I-131 requests for Advance Parole filed by adjustment of status applicants continue to move forward even if parts of the federal government pause.
Interviews, biometrics, and most USCIS field operations are also expected to continue on schedule, while processing times for these travel documents currently sit around the six-month mark based on USCIS data.
Why USCIS continues during a shutdown
USCIS’s fee-funded model is the key reason that an agency-level budget impasse does not stop adjudications. Officials have followed this same approach in past funding lapses, and attorneys who handle green card cases say the pattern holds this year: when a government shutdown occurs, USCIS keeps handling fee-supported work, including I-131 Advance Parole, while agencies dependent on congressional appropriations scale back or pause many functions.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, applicants who need Advance Parole to travel for urgent family needs, international work obligations, or school matters should continue filing as normal and should not assume their case will stall just because Congress has not passed a spending bill.
What Advance Parole does — and does not — do
Advance Parole lets an applicant for adjustment of status leave and return to the United States 🇺🇸 without abandoning the green card application. It is a vital safety net for:
- parents caring for sick relatives abroad
- students attending research programs
- professionals managing cross-border projects
However, Advance Parole is not a guarantee of admission. The document allows the person to seek parole at the port of entry; a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer makes the final decision case by case. That rule stays in place during a shutdown, and CBP ports of entry continue operating as essential services.
Advance Parole permits you to request re-entry; CBP officers retain discretion and make admission decisions at the port of entry.
Policy Continuity During Funding Lapses
USCIS’s operations continue during a government shutdown because the agency runs largely on fees paid by applicants and petitioners. That funding model keeps adjudications moving on forms like I-131, which many adjustment applicants file alongside or after filing Form I-485 for permanent residence. The agency’s current median processing time for Advance Parole documents is about 6.4 months, according to the latest data.
A shutdown does not automatically change that timeline, and the agency’s field offices have historically kept appointments and interviews as scheduled during prior lapses in funding.
Some context to clarify the broader landscape:
- USCIS is fee-funded and continues operating, including adjudication of Advance Parole through I-131.
- Department of Labor’s OFLC often pauses most processing and shuts off online filing during a lapse, affecting employment-based steps like H-1B or PERM — but this does not block USCIS from handling I-131 Advance Parole.
- U.S. embassies and consulates are fee-funded and mostly remain open, though some posts may scale back to essential services if funds tighten. Consular changes do not directly affect USCIS Advance Parole.
- CBP keeps ports of entry open as essential operations. Re-entry with Advance Parole will involve standard inspection and case-by-case parole decisions.
- Immigration courts (EOIR) often pause many non-detained hearings during a shutdown, which can delay removal cases but does not directly affect USCIS Advance Parole processing.
In short: people with pending or planned Advance Parole filings should not delay their I-131 submissions solely because of a shutdown. USCIS continues to issue receipts, schedule biometrics, and adjudicate under normal policy unless you receive a specific notice otherwise.
Premium processing and service continuity
- Premium processing remains available for USCIS forms that qualify even during a shutdown.
- I-131 for Advance Parole is not eligible for premium processing, but the availability of premium processing for other forms signals USCIS’s broader continuity of operations.
This consistency provides families and employers some predictability in an otherwise uncertain budget climate.
Practical guidance for travelers
The strongest step a green card applicant can take is to file Form I-131 carefully and early. If you expect to need international travel in the next year, gather documents, check your photos, and submit a complete request well ahead of planned travel dates. USCIS will deny many travel-related requests that arrive incomplete; missing items can bounce a case back and add weeks or months.
You can file I-131 after your I-485 is pending, and many applicants pair Advance Parole with an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) request as a “combo card,” though issuance practices can shift over time.
Practical steps to keep your case on track during a government shutdown:
- File as usual. USCIS continues adjudicating fee-based applications, including Advance Parole.
- Use the current edition of Form I-131. Download the form and instructions directly from USCIS: Form I-131, Application for Travel Document.
- Watch your mail and online account for receipt notices and biometrics appointments.
- Plan travel only after you receive the Advance Parole document; leaving without it may be treated as abandoning your I-485.
- Remember CBP discretion at the port of entry — Advance Parole does not guarantee admission.
- Track processing times with USCIS: Check Case Processing Times.
- Keep copies of everything: your I-131 packet, delivery confirmations, and any RFE responses.
- Consider requesting expedited processing for severe medical or humanitarian emergencies — USCIS may grant it at its discretion if you provide strong proof.
- If you have DACA or TPS and are applying for Advance Parole under those categories, check category-specific rules.
- For medical travel, include a doctor’s letter explaining urgency and relationship.
Example scenario
A software engineer with a pending I-485 based on marriage needs to travel for her father’s urgent surgery. Concerned a shutdown will halt USCIS, she files a complete Advance Parole packet immediately, includes proof of the father’s condition, and requests expedited handling. Even during a shutdown, the local USCIS field office keeps biometrics running; if expedited handling is granted, she may receive Advance Parole in time. If not, she must weigh the risk of leaving without it, which could be treated as abandoning the green card case.
The shutdown itself does not block USCIS from deciding the I-131.
Wider system effects and stakeholder impact
The contrast between USCIS and other agencies during a shutdown creates uneven effects across the immigration system:
- Employers face delays when the Department of Labor’s OFLC shuts down systems.
- Immigration courts often pause non-detained hearings, delaying removal cases.
- USCIS continues fee-funded adjudications like Advance Parole, EADs, and I-485s.
For family-based applicants, Advance Parole continuity can reduce stress during emergencies. Employers benefit because Advance Parole can permit urgent client meetings or cross-border work when other channels are slower or disrupted.
Attorneys note that premium processing remaining open for eligible forms is another signal that core USCIS systems stay online during lapses. But operational continuity does not equal risk-free travel: CBP inspections remain serious and discretionary.
If your green card case involves complex issues (e.g., status violations, prior removal orders, criminal history), consult a qualified immigration lawyer before departing.
Important practical reminders
- Carry the original Advance Parole document and a valid passport when traveling.
- Bring supporting documents (work letters, school enrollment, medical notes) to show ties to the U.S.
- If you receive a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID) or an RFE while abroad, coordinate with your attorney and respond within the deadline.
- Consulates generally cannot substitute for Advance Parole — it is a USCIS-issued travel document tied to your adjustment application.
- Leaving the U.S. before Advance Parole is approved usually risks abandonment of the I-485; a shutdown does not relax that rule.
USCIS lists a median of roughly 6.4 months for I-131 Advance Parole in fiscal year 2025. This can vary by location and workload and is not a promise. Use the waiting time to prepare: renew passports, arrange childcare, notify employers, and keep documents organized.
If you’re abroad when a shutdown hits, re-entry with Advance Parole remains possible. CBP continues operating, and Advance Parole remains valid until expiration unless specifically revoked. Allow extra time at ports of entry and avoid tight layovers that don’t allow for secondary inspection.
Common misconceptions
- “Immigration is closed” during a shutdown — inaccurate. Parts of the system (like USCIS fee-funded work) continue; others (like OFLC or some court operations) may pause.
- Consulates cannot issue Advance Parole — Advance Parole is a USCIS product, not a consular visa.
- A shutdown does not automatically extend or shorten USCIS processing queues; it generally does not stop fee-based adjudications.
Final checklist for adjustment applicants during a shutdown
- USCIS remains open because it is fee-funded.
- Median processing time is about 6.4 months (FY2025); this can vary.
- Field offices, interviews, and biometrics continue unless notified otherwise.
- Do not depart without Advance Parole if your I-485 is pending and you lack another valid re-entry basis.
- CBP retains discretion at the port of entry.
- Consulates may prioritize emergencies, but this does not directly affect USCIS I-131 processing.
- OFLC may pause, but that does not directly affect Advance Parole.
- Use official USCIS sources for forms, instructions, and processing times.
For official instructions and the current edition of Form I-131, use the USCIS page: Form I-131, Application for Travel Document. To review up-to-date processing ranges and plan your timeline, visit USCIS’s tool: Check Case Processing Times.
As Congress debates spending, families can take steady, practical steps. The facts are clear: Advance Parole continues to be processed by USCIS during a government shutdown, field operations remain active, and CBP ports of entry continue their essential work. File your I-131 completely and early. Keep your documents close. Travel only with the original Advance Parole in hand. And if an urgent situation forces quick movement, gather proof and request USCIS relief (such as expedited processing) where policies allow. The system is not fast, and it is not simple, but during a shutdown, it does not stop.
Frequently Asked Questions
This Article in a Nutshell
In October 2025, USCIS continues processing Advance Parole (Form I-131) despite a potential government shutdown because the agency is primarily funded by application fees. Applicants can expect USCIS to issue receipts, schedule biometrics, and hold interviews, with a median I-131 processing time around 6.4 months. Advance Parole allows adjustment applicants to request re-entry without abandoning their I-485, but final admission rests with CBP officers at ports of entry. Other agencies—such as the Department of Labor and immigration courts—may reduce operations during a shutdown, causing uneven impacts across the immigration system. Applicants should file complete I-131 packets early, monitor USCIS notices, retain documentation, and request expedited handling for urgent humanitarian or medical needs.
