New $1,000 Advance Parole Fee

On October 15, 2025, USCIS announced a new $1,000 fee which will apply to individuals who travel into the United States on Advance Parole or who are paroled into the United States. This fee is in addition to the filing fee that is paid at the time of application. The $1,000 fee is now required upon entry at the airport with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). CBP will not allow the person to enter the U.S. unless they pay the fee. CBP accepts credit and debit cards. This fee will apply to individuals even if they submitted advance parole applications (i.e. Form I-131) prior to the October 15, 2025 date. There are exceptions to the new rule, including applicants for adjustment of status (green card) who are traveling on their advance parole documents which were issued pursuant to the adjustment of status application.  

Since the announcement of the new fee, many of our clients are receiving letters from USCIS informing them that they may need to pay the fee the next time they travel to the United States from abroad. Many permanent residents (green card holders) are receiving these letters by mistake. Permanent residents do not need to pay this fee! 

Does this fee apply to me? 

The most common use of Advance Parole is for individuals with a pending green card application. If you have a pending green card application and applied for Advance Parole on Form I-131, then this additional fee should not apply to you at the airport. Here are examples of the advance parole documents which do not require the new fee: 

The category of this card is C09 which means the individual has a green card application pending. The bottom of the card indicates approval for Advance Parole for international travel. 

Here is a paper Advance Parole document, issued separately from a work permit, for a pending green card application.  

Travel Informed! Keep a copy of your Form I-485 Receipt Notice with you for travel, just in case you need more evidence that your Advance Parole is not subject to the new fee.  

What if I am traveling with a DACA or TPS Travel Document? 

While these two programs offer similar travel documents, they are issued under separate sections of US immigration law.  

DACA:  

• Travel document issued on “Form I-512L Authorization for Parole of an Alien into the United States” 

• The $1,000 fee applies to those with Advance Parole issued under the DACA program. 

TPS: 

• Travel documents are no longer issued in the form of Advance Parole. Travel document issued on “Form I-512T Authorization for Travel by a Noncitizen to the United States” 

• The new fee does not apply.  

What other Advance Parole programs require a fee? 

The following examples of Advance Parole take place within the United States. The applicant must pay the $1,000 fee in order to be approved for these applications, even though they are not traveling with them: 

• Parole in Place (for example, Military PIP)  

• Re-Parole (for example, U4U Re-parole) 

Beginning on October 16, 2025, if USCIS determines that they intend to approve a parole or re-parole application, USCIS will notify the applicant to pay the fee. The notice will have payment instructions and a deadline. USCIS will not approve the application until the fee is paid within the specified time period.  

Other Exemptions from the Advance Parole fee  

There are several exemptions from the $1,000 fee, but they are rare instances of traveling to the U.S. with Advance Parole. Some examples are: 

• Coming to the U.S. to donate an organ; 

• Coming to the U.S. for emergency medical treatment; 

• Coming to the U.S. due to the imminent death of a close family member; and 

• Coming to the U.S. to attend an immigration hearing 

If you have questions about traveling on Advance Parole or wish to consult with one of our immigration attorneys, please contact the team at Minsky, McCormick & Hallagan, P.C. at (312) 427-6163 or schedule a consultation online.