On Form I-131, it asks for the "Date of Intended Departure" ... guidance please?

Are you only allowed to go on that date? What if the form has not been processed by that time? Do they send you a permit or paperwork allowing you to re-enter the U.S.? Is it ultimately good for only 1 exit / 1 re-entry?

Thanks a lot folks ... this one is confusing me.

[edit] BTW, my wife is here on a K1 Visa.

we put a date of about 3 months, since my wife's mother is elderly and not in good health.

she wanted the ability to visit the family and not have to wait for the green card before she could visit back home.

also, we are going to have to return for Follow to Join interviews for the minor children.

you should receive the advance parole docs in about 3 months.

Thanks for the response j and c ... so you would recommend putting in a date that is about 3 months from the date you submitted the application?

The directions also indicated that AP is issued sparingly and meant for emergencies ... my wife just misses and wants to see her family again. Would this generally invalidate our request for AP?

I was wondering this too. I was under the impression that AP is valid for multiple exits/entries, is this true or am I wrong?

Enter "To be determined" for your departure date. The validation dates of the AP will be from the date of issue and will expire one year later. It is no longer an emergency travel document. They now realize that people do want to travel home to see their family whether there is an emergency or not. Just tick off the box where it says "more than one trip" for multiple entries in order to be able to come and go.

thanks krikit

x10 kajillion!

What if I entered a specific timeframe (I chose Easter as my probable trip)

Did I screw myself or will they still make it from a particular effective date?

That's okay, Udella. They'll still enter the effective date as the date it was issued. It won't be based upon the dates you entered.

You do not have to put a date. We just put that our dates were undetermined as of yet. I just got back from a trip to Canada and we were fine. The parole thing is good for a year anyway.

Regarding form I-131, question #2, part #3 (Expected Length of Trip), is it also okay to answer with "undetermined as of yet"? Thanks

More questions regarding the I-131. Can we write, "to visit family" for the purpose of trip? Also, Part 5, (complete only if applying for a reentry permit), if my fiance entered on a K-1 on 1/23/2008, would I check the box for less than six months. I think my brain has turned to mush, so sorry if I cannot see the obvious answer.

I put "undetermined" when the form asked for travel dates. We received the AP the other day and it was good for one year from effective date. No worries.

Yes, it's okay. But you may want to add "not longer than x number of weeks or months"..... as long as it's not greater than a year.


Yes, you can write "to visit family". You do not complete Part 5. That area is only for people who are applying for a re-entry permit if they are planning to be out of the country for more than a year.

Yes that (purpose is to visit family) is what we wrote on an extra page (attachment.)

Thanks everyone for your help

Thank you for thanking us! Most/a lot of posters never bother to thank anyone when they've received an answer to their question(s). I think that's so rude.