Important: This is general information, not legal advice. Refugee status questions can affect your status: confirm with your resettlement agency, an accredited representative or an immigration attorney.
Last checked: 24 October 2026
Refugee travel document (I-131)
Do you need one?
If you have refugee status but no green card yet, or you are a derivative refugee, you must have a refugee travel document to return to the USA [source].
Leaving without one may mean you cannot re-enter or are placed in removal proceedings [source].
File Form I-131. Refugee travel documents (Part 1, Box 2 or 3) cannot be filed online; file by mail [source].
USCIS changed the I-131 filing location on 7 October 2026, with a grace period for forms postmarked by 9 November 2026. Check the Direct Filing Addresses page [source].
Do not put Form I-131 in the same envelope as Form I-485 [source].
Fee: see the USCIS Fee Schedule [source]. Amount for refugees: not stated by the pages checked.
Cautions
Travel may have severe immigration consequences. Travelling while your I-485 is pending without the right document may lead to denial or the application being treated as abandoned [source].