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Traveling with Advance Parole in 2024

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Introduction

This guide contains information on advance parole and what to expect before, during, and after traveling abroad.

USCIS continues to accept and adjudicate advance parole applications filed by DACA recipients.

*The September 13, 2o23 order from the Southern District of Texas and the ongoing DACA litigation has not stopped USCIS from issuing advance parole documents to DACA recipients. If that should change, USCIS will provide updated information.

Advance parole is a procedure by which certain noncitizens receive permission to reenter the U.S. after temporarily traveling abroad. This is a process that is part of the government’s broader authority to parole (or allow someone into the U.S.) based on its discretion.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issues an advance parole travel document to travelers before they depart the U.S. While these travelers may use this document to travel back to the U.S., entry to the U.S. is dependent upon the discretion of the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at a port of entry.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which is an office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), adjudicates applications for advance parole.

Advance parole is an option for certain noncitizens within the U.S. This includes recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), recipients of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), T and U visa holders, and most applicants who have already applied for a green card. In this guide, we will discuss advance parole for DACA recipients.

  • You cannot apply for advance parole while your DACA application is pending or if your DACA, employment authorization document (EAD), has expired. If you apply for advance parole and your DACA expires while you are awaiting adjudication, USCIS may issue a Request For Evidence (RFE) that your DACA has been renewed. You must have a valid, unexpired passport from your country of citizenship to travel internationally.
  • Study abroad programs or academic research
  • Overseas assignments, conferences, interviews, trainings, or client meetings
  • Humanitarian purposes include, but are not limited to Seeking medical treatment, visiting an ailing relative, or attending funeral services for a family member.
  • Please note that this USCIS guidance is not an exhaustive list of examples. For example, an educational purpose may be a program through a private educational program or a non-profit organization. A humanitarian purpose might be a religious or other humanitarian mission. If the purpose for which you are seeking to travel is not listed, we suggest that you consult with a legal service provider . They may be able to help you understand how your travel fits within a valid purpose.
  • Before you apply for advance parole, you should consider consulting with a legal service provider to determine risk and eligibility based on your legal situation.
  • Prior case in immigration court, whether or not you actually went to court or the case resulted in a removal order
  • Contact with the criminal legal system (arrests, charges, or convictions), even if it did not make you ineligible for DACA
  • Multiple prior entries to the U.S. without permission to re-enter
  • Immigration-related fraud or misrepresentation to the government

How do I apply for advance parole?

  • Write a cover letter: Explaining the purpose of travel and summarizing the documents included in your application ( see example )
  • Fill out the advance parole application: USCIS Form I-131 (Read the instructions carefully!) Currently, you must file a paper application and cannot apply for advance parole through the myUSCIS portal.
  • Write a statement explaining purpose of travel
  • Gather evidence supporting purpose of travel (see chart below)
  • A copy of your most recent DACA Approval Notice (USCIS Form I-797)
  • A copy of your Employment Authorization Document
  • Two passport-sized photos
  • Application Fee (currently $575) personal check, cashier’s check or money order payable to the “U.S. Department of Homeland Security”. For the latest USCIS fees, visit their website .

The following chart suggests some forms of evidence that can help applicants with DACA demonstrate their valid purpose for traveling abroad on advance parole. For additional help in determining what sorts of documents to provide as evidence supporting your reason to travel, see the “ General Requirements ” portion of the USCIS instructions, on Page 8 at 1.c.(5).

Make two copies of your entire application. Keep a set with you and leave one with your attorney or family member. Be sure to travel with all of your original documents for re-entry into the U.S.

You can submit your complete Form I-131 and supporting documents to USCIS by mail. You can find out the specific direct filing address to use by visiting the USCIS website and clicking on the “Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” subheading.

If you are experiencing an extremely urgent situation, you may request an emergency advance parole appointment at your local field office. Please see our guide on emergency advance parole .

If you are not traveling for emergency reasons, it is recommended that you submit your application more than six months before your desired date of travel. Processing times are unpredictable and vary.

Yes, you can include multiple reasons for which you need to travel.

Yes, this falls under a humanitarian purpose for traveling. Many people who did not have the opportunity to attend their family members’ funerals would like to visit their graves. This reason is not time-limited or limited to immediate family members; however, it is important to describe why this visit falls under a humanitarian purpose.

If the relative is more distant, you should describe why this relationship was so important (e.g. an aunt who raised you when you were a child). If their death was a long time ago, explain why you were unable to attend until now (e.g. you were a child, you didn’t have DACA, COVID made travel unsafe, etc.).

Yes! DACA recipients can request to travel abroad for medical reasons, which falls under the humanitarian travel purpose.

If the DACA recipient needs to travel abroad for their own medical reason, they should submit documentation from their doctor or dentist with their diagnosis, the treatment required, and how long it will take. They should also provide evidence, such as their own statement, on why they can’t obtain the specific medical treatment in the U.S., such as lack of health insurance or unaffordability.

If this is an urgent situation and you need advance parole immediately, see this guide.

Yes, DACA recipients may travel abroad to care for a relative who is undergoing a medical procedure. In this scenario, they should provide a letter from the relative’s doctor explaining when the procedure will take place and whether a caregiver is required. The DACA recipient should explain in their statement why they need to be a caregiver in this situation.

If this is an urgent situation and you need advance parole immediately, see this guide .

No. DACA recipients can only travel for educational, employment, and humanitarian purposes.

The Form I-131 instructions (see pp. 10-11) lists what documents an advance parole applicant should attach to their application and provides some suggestions of acceptable evidence. For the specific purpose of traveling (educational, employment, or humanitarian), it really depends on the reason!

It helps to think through the “who, what, when, where, and why” of your travel plans. Do you have evidence to answer each of those questions? It is especially important to include the time frame for the travel and why you need that period of time.

EMERGENCY Advance Parole as a DACA recipient

Risks of traveling abroad.

The advance parole document authorizes parole, but the decision to parole (or allow someone to physically enter the U.S.) is up to the discretion of a CBP officer at a port of entry. That could be either at the border or an airport. Certain circumstances may heighten the risk of being denied entry. It is important to consider the risks and be prepared for any potential situations that may arise.

Risk Factors to Consider:

  • Traveling outside the parole date authorized by the advance parole document
  • Traveling when DACA authorization (reflected on the dates on your employment authorization document) has expired
  • Prior deportation or “voluntary departure” order
  • Multiple prior periods of unlawful presence in the U.S.
  • Contacts with the criminal system — whether they resulted in a conviction or not — that could lead to an “inadmissibility” finding

If any of these apply to you or you are not sure, always consult with an immigration attorney prior to traveling or applying for advance parole.

  • Eligibility for a green card through Adjustment of Status rather than consular processing: If a DACA recipient initially entered the U.S. without inspection, traveling abroad on advance parole may have a positive effect on future immigration applications. If such a person is applying for a green card, they would generally have to complete the application at a U.S. Consulate in their home country, a process known as consular processing. With an entry on Advance Parole, a DACA recipient would be able to complete the green card “adjustment of status” process in the U.S.
  • DACA Renewal: Trouble renewing DACA because you traveled outside of the advance parole dates or traveled with an expired DACA.
  • Permanent Bar: If a person was deemed inadmissible under the “permanent bar” they will be denied entry into the U.S. They might be able to apply for permission to re-enter the U.S. after being outside the country for 10 years.
  • Waiver for future Re-entry: If a person was deemed inadmissible due to contact with the criminal justice system, they might be denied entry into the U.S. They would need to be eligible for a waiver to legally re-enter in the future.
  • Hinge future residency on physical presence in the US: If there’s any legislation for pathway to citizenship that is contingent on someone’s physical presence in the U.S. on a specific date. (e.g. DACA, that requires an individual to prove that they were in the U.S. on June 15, 2012). If someone is not physically present on that date, there might be a small risk that they would not be eligible.

Preparing to Travel

Preparing to leave the U.S. with advance parole is CRUCIAL! When you return to the United States, you will go through Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspection where you will be questioned by a CBP officer. You MUST pack your original advance parole document along with other important documents. Otherwise, you may not be allowed back in the U.S. Carry your original:

  • Current, valid passport from your country of origin
  • Your original advance parole document (scan a copy of this before you travel for your records)
  • Employment authorization card (EAD)
  • State ID or driver’s license
  • Student ID (if applicable)
  • (If you have an attorney) Attorney’s Form G-28 and their business card with contact information

Also carry the original copies of the documents listed below, as well as a copy of your advance parole application. Ensure you are prepared for any questions from CBP and be aware of your rights.

  • Your most recent DACA approval notice
  • Your advance parole application in its entirety
  • Evidence that you traveled abroad for your intended purpose (e.g. relevant medical documents, educational coursework, conference materials, etc.)

Yes, your U.S. citizen child will need a passport to travel. You can make an appointment to get your child’s passport through the U.S. Postal Service website. Making your child’s passport may take several months.

As with all travel, there is a risk. In this case, if there are medical complications or the baby arrives early, there is a risk that you may not be able to re-enter the U.S. within the time frame that your advance parole document allows.

Re-Entering the U.S. on Advance Parole

Returning to the U.S. by Air. If you enter through a U.S. airport, you will pass through U.S. Immigration and Customs. You will be processed in the “Visitor” line, and you can ask an officer once you’re there if you are not sure. It is likely that a Customs and Border Protection officer will escort you to a separate room for secondary screening. There, a CBP officer may ask additional questions, check your belongings (including electronics), and finish processing your re-entry.

Returning to the U.S. by Land.

  • If you travel to the United States by land in a vehicle (such as by car over the U.S.-Canada border or U.S.-Mexico border) at a designated Port of Entry (POE), you will have to present your advance parole and supporting documents, including proof of citizenship of your home country, to a Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agent. Proof of citizenship may include a passport or birth certificate from your home country. If you are sent to secondary inspection, CBP may ask you to park your vehicle and step outside of the vehicle to wait while they further inspect your documents and/or the vehicle.
  • If you travel to the United States by foot at a POE, you will have to enter a processing facility to present your documents to a CBP agent. If you are placed in secondary inspection while traveling by foot, CBP may ask you to enter another designated room within the facility where you will present your advance parole and supporting documentation to another agent.

What to consider before reentry:

  • Consider the destination of your returning flight based on previous DACA recipients’ experiences with CBP in certain locations. You will go through the inspection process at the first airport you land in the U.S.
  • If you have a connecting flight to your home city, be sure to give yourself additional time for any subsequent airline connections.
  • Make a list of all emergency contacts (hard copy, not on the phone). Try to have an immigration attorney or congressional staffer in your district as an emergency contact. Carry their business card(s) if possible.
  • Let a family member(s) know of your anticipated time of departure and arrival before traveling since you may not be allowed to use your cell phone until you clear customs.
  • Use the restroom before inspection and keep water and snacks with you.

A CBP officer will ask questions about your trip abroad when you are re-entering the U.S., such as:

  • What was the reason for your trip abroad?
  • For how long were you gone?
  • Did you purchase anything while you were abroad? If so, what did you purchase?
  • What countries did you visit?
  • Where did you stay?
  • What documents do you have with you?
  • What do you do in the U.S.? (e.g., work, school, etc.)

If you have any prior tickets or arrests (even those that didn’t result in convictions), CBP might question you about the circumstances of those incidents. CBP may also question you about your immigration history, including when and how you initially entered the U.S. If you have concerns about these lines of questioning, please consult with an immigration attorney prior to traveling.

After processing, the border official will hand you back your original forms of identification. They will stamp the advance parole document and your passport.

In many cases, the border official will keep the original advance parole document; the stamp in your passport will serve as proof of re-entry through parole.

You may also obtain your I-94 online through the CBP website. Keep copies of your advance parole document, entry stamp in your passport, and I-94 printout as they will be useful to you when renewing DACA and in future immigration processes.

Anxiety about traveling and re-entering is very real! The best thing you can do is prepare for what to expect by reading about the process, speaking with other DACA recipients who have traveled on advance parole, and arranging support.

This may mean discussing a plan ahead of time with your attorney, if you have one, and carrying their form G-28 with you when you travel. You can also contact your Congressional representative to explain your situation and ask for a contact at their office in case you run into problems at the border.

Yes, this is a very real possibility, although it is still a contested area of law. Immigration officials at the border have a lot of power to search your belongings, including your electronic devices.

Because the decision to parole someone into the U.S. is discretionary, it is risky for a DACA recipient to refuse to hand over their phone or argue with an immigration official. It is best for travelers to anticipate that their phone may be searched and to prepare ahead of time to keep their information private.

Always be thoughtful with what information you make public. The guidelines for DACA recipients applying for advance parole list the three valid purposes for traveling (educational, employment, and humanitarian) and then state “travel for vacation is not a valid purpose.”

When you fly back to the United States, it is most likely the airline will have you complete check-in in person and not online.

When you go up to the counter the airline attendants may ask to see your U.S. visa or green card, this is when you let them know you are traveling with advance parole. They may ask to see your document. Make sure the airline doesn’t keep your original advance parole document, you will need to show CBP upon re-entering the United States.

Some airlines are not aware of what advance parole is so it may take some time for them to validate this. Ensure you go to the airport with enough time in case it takes long for them to check .

Passport Control Outside the U.S. If you have a connecting flight outside the U.S. you may go through “Passport Control.” Once again, they may ask for your U.S. visa or green card. Let them know that you reside in the U.S. and are traveling with advance parole, a special document issued by the U.S. government that allows you to re-enter the U.S. Depending on the agent they may ask to see the advance parole document. Ensure you have enough time to complete this so that you don’t miss your connecting flight. Make sure they don’t keep your original advance parole document, you will need to show CBP upon re-entering the United States.

Check Out Eliana’s Advance Parole Story

Additional FAQ

No. At this time, DACA recipients must mail in their advance parole applications.

If you are getting a document translated it must be accompanied by a certificate of translation. Although advance parole applications are not filed before the immigration court, their template can be used for filings with USCIS. See the template here . Any person who is fluent in Spanish and English and can translate between the two languages can translate your document and sign the certificate.

No. USCIS does not refund fees, regardless of any action they take on your application.

Any time a DACA recipient changes their residence, they should complete a Form AR-11 . This is especially important if the DACA recipient is requesting emergency advance parole in-person at a USCIS field office. If a previous address outside the field office’s jurisdiction is on file, the field officers may want to see that an AR-11 was filed.

If you lost the Form I-512L advance parole document, then you will have to refile the application with the fee. You can note that an advance parole document was previously issued but lost. Same goes for any mistakes in names or dates that were present on your I-131 application; however, if USCIS is responsible for the typo or erroneous dates, you do not have to pay the filing fee.

You can also use USCIS’s online tools to put in a service request if the document was lost in the mail. If you can show a USCIS error (e.g. they mailed the advance parole document to a different address than the one you put on the I-131 form), this may be helpful. However, USCIS may not respond to this service request for several weeks.

If you are close to your intended travel date and there is an emergency, you may request an InfoPass appointment at your local USCIS field office. For more information see this guide .

Everyone’s case is different and everyone assumes different risks. If you are scheduling an appointment with an attorney, ask them if they regularly apply for advance parole for DACA recipients. For more tips on how to find a good immigration lawyer, see this guide .

You must respond to USCIS’s Request for Evidence (RFE) by the stated deadline. Failure to do so will result in a denial of your application. USCIS may send an RFE if your intended date of travel has passed. If you are flexible with your plans, you may request new dates and offer updated evidence (e.g. flexible study abroad program, ongoing health needs of relative abroad, etc.).

No. Your employment authorization document (EAD), or DACA, must be valid and unexpired at the time that you submit your application for I-131 Travel Document, or Advance Parole. It is suggested that you apply for advance parole after your DACA renewal request has been approved.

When filing a DACA renewal, you must respond to the questions that ask about travel. You should attach copies of your advance parole document, entry stamp in your passport, and a printout of your Form I-94 that you can obtain online.

If a DACA recipient entered without inspection by an immigration official, they are not able to apply for a green card in the U.S. (the “adjustment of status” process) and will have to travel to their home country to have an interview at a U.S. consulate there (“consular processing”).

If a DACA recipient travels on advance parole and is paroled back into the country, they may then go through the adjustment of status process in the U.S. and obtain their green card without leaving the U.S.

Make sure to speak to an attorney about your specific case and if advance parole is the best option for you. See this guide for help on where to find a lawyer.

Additional resources

  • Topics covered include funding, how to apply, and preparing for travel. This resource also features audio stories from DACA recipients who have traveled outside the U.S. using Advance Parole.
  • American University’s Defending the AU Dream Initiative— Advance Parole for DACA Recipients: Considerations for Traveling or Studying Abroad

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DACA Recipients Can Travel Abroad only in Limited Circumstances

DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) status comes with several benefits. DREAMers who receive deferred action status get a two year reprieve from deportation. Along with that they can get renewable work permits. They can also get Social Security cards and driver’s licenses.

The other most important benefit that these DREAMers get is the ability to travel abroad. However, these DREAMers will get into trouble if they travel abroad without permission. To travel abroad legally, a deferred action recipient must get an advance parole document.  To get advance parole, Form I-131, Application for Travel Document , must be filed.

This advance parole document issued by the USCIS grants the holder of this document permission to travel abroad and to return to America, even if the person does not hold a valid visa. To get this document, the deferred action recipient must file an application for a travel document with the USCIS and pay the required form filing fee.

Apart from that, the applicant must establish that he/she seeks to travel abroad for humanitarian, employment or educational purposes. In simple words, a person who has been granted deferred action status can travel abroad only for compelling reasons, he/she cannot travel abroad for vacation.

DREAMers who have filed applications for deferred action status cannot travel abroad while their petitions are pending and cannot file applications for travel documents. If they leave the country while their applications are pending, their request for DACA status will be denied.

However, it is unclear what qualifies as a humanitarian purpose. USCIS now has to clarify whether the deferred action recipients can get travel documents and travel abroad to visit their family members who were deported in the past.

There are many DACA recipients in the United States who have been separated from their family members. They are unable to meet their relatives and parents as they cannot travel abroad. DACA recipients who travel abroad with travel documents also face risks as advance parole does not guarantee readmission into the United States.

These DREAMers who travel abroad and return to the United States will be inspected by immigrants offices at the port of entry. Only after inspection, the DACA recipients who hold advance parole documents will be granted entry into the country.

Activists say that the USCIS must permit the DACA recipients to visit their families. They also want the immigration authorities to ensure that these DREAMers who hold advance parole documents are not denied entry into the country.

Before you continue, please understand that:

  • This website is run by a private company. We have no connection to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or any other government agency.
  • YOU must send your completed government forms directly to the USCIS or other government agency. We don’t do that for you.
  • YOU must pay any required fees directly to the USCIS or other government agency. We don’t do that for you.

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Everything You Need to Know About Traveling on DACA

How to navigate domestic and international travel as a daca recipient, sep 29, 2022.

Immigrant in Airport, Traveling

Navigating travel as a DACA recipient or with a pending DACA application can be challenging. In order to avoid any immigration issues or roadblocks with your application, it’s important to understand travel requirements and restrictions you may face as a DACA recipient. Before you make any domestic or international travel arrangements, we’ve put together some helpful travel information every DACA holder should be aware of.

Domestic Travel Within the U.S.

If you currently live in the U.S. and plan to travel within the country, good news! DACA holders and individuals with pending DACA applications are able to travel domestically with the proper identification documents. Any individual flying domestically in the U.S. must present a valid, government-issued ID that matches the name on their flight reservation. Prior to boarding, travelers are required to present their ID to a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent at a security checkpoint in the airport. The TSA agent will review your flight reservation and ID to confirm your identity before you are able to board. The ID you present must be valid (not expired at the time of travel) and must be issued by an official government body. Acceptable IDs include, but are not limited to, a U.S. state-issued driver’s license, driver’s permit, or a passport from your country of nationality.

If you do not have any of the above listed documents, it is possible for DACA holders to present an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) as a secondary form of identification. For more information on domestic travel in the U.S. and how to prepare for your flight, check out the TSA’s official travel guide .

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Navigating REAL ID Requirements

If you’ve applied for a new identification card recently or you’re a frequent traveler, you may have heard of “REAL ID”, a new security standard for government-issued documentation. Th e Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced it would extend the enforcement of REAL ID-compliant documents to May 7, 2025. Beginning on May 7, 2025, all individuals 18 years old and older must obtain a REAL ID-compliant document in order to fly within the U.S. REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses are now marked with a star icon at the top of the card. In addition to state-issued driver’s licenses, several other documents are considered REAL ID-compliant at this time. See a full list of acceptable identification documents that satisfy REAL ID requirements here .

DACA recipients can generally obtain a REAL ID at their state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). More information on how to apply can be found in Boundless’ REAL ID guide .

It is important to note that for DACA holders, a current EAD alone is also considered REAL ID-compliant and can be presented for domestic flights within the U.S. Individuals that do not have a valid EAD, or are unable to obtain a REAL ID prior to May 2025 when enforcement goes into effect, will need to use a passport from their country of nationality to travel.

To learn more about REAL ID requirements by state, including where to obtain an updated driver’s license, visit the REAL ID website and click your state on the map.

International Travel Considerations

While domestic travel within the U.S. is generally possible for all DACA holders, international travel may be more difficult depending on your specific immigration circumstances. In general, DACA holders are not able to travel outside of the U.S. without specific travel authorization issued by the U.S. government (otherwise known as Advance Parole ). Even for those who obtain an Advance Parole travel document, international travel is restricted and permissible only for certain reasons. For more information on applying for the Advance Parole document, and navigating international travel as a DACA recipient, check out Boundless’ DACA guide .

Want more information on DACA? Get all of your questions answered in Boundless’ DACA guide.

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How Do You Apply for Advance Parole as a DACA Recipient?

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)recipients sometimes have an urgent need to travel outside of the United States. If you're in DACA status, you can apply for permission to travel outside the U.S. using a process called “Advance Parole.” With an approved Advance Parole application, DACA recipients can travel outside the United States and return lawfully. If you get Advance parole, USCIS gives you a document to show to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) so that they let you re-enter the United States. This article explains what Advance Parole is, who is eligible to apply for it, and what the Advance Parole application process is like. 

Jonathan Petts

Written by Jonathan Petts .  Updated August 22, 2022

What Is the Purpose of Advance Parole for DACA?

“Advance Parole” is a process in U.S. immigration law that lets immigrants leave the U.S. and then re-enter lawfully. For DACA recipients, this can mean getting permission to travel to another country for a business conference, study abroad program, or medical treatment. 

Advance Parole is more limited for DACA recipients than for other immigrants. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) will not grant DACA recipients Advance Parole for vacations or leisure trips. If you have DACA and want to apply for Advance Parole, there must be exceptional circumstances. 

Advance Parole can be life-changing for DACA recipients who can qualify for it. Re-entry under Advance Parole is considered a lawful entry to the U.S. This means that DACA recipients who return from approved trips abroad become eligible to apply for green cards . And since a green card is the first step on the road to naturalization , Advance Parole essentially opens a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers.

Who Is Eligible for DACA Advance Parole?

DACA recipients can apply for Advance Parole for three types of travel: employment, educational, or urgent humanitarian reasons. Unfortunately, immigration law doesn’t let DACA recipients get Advance Parole for vacations. 

Humanitarian travel means traveling for medical treatment, visiting sick relatives, taking care of an immediate relative, or attending an overseas funeral. Employment-related travel includes traveling for a work assignment, but it can also include conferences, training seminars, or job interviews. Advance Parole is also available for educational purposes like a study abroad program or an academic research trip.

To apply for Advance Parole, you need to file Form I-131 : Application for Travel Document and proof of your reason for travel with USCIS. You’ll need to show USCIS that you actually need the Advance Parole document and aren’t just going on vacation.

How To Apply for Advance Parole as a DACA Recipient in 5 Easy Steps

Applying for Advance Parole is fairly straightforward, but you need to make sure you pay close attention to each step. The entire application process takes about six months.

Step 1: Identify Your Reason for Travel

Eligibility for Advance Parole is limited. DACA recipients can only get Advance Parole for educational, employment, or humanitarian purposes. USCIS will not grant Advance Parole to a DACA recipient for a vacation. The first step in obtaining Advance Parole is making sure your trip fits into one of these three categories.

Step 2: Complete Form I-131 and Gather the Required Supporting Documents

To apply for travel authorization, you need to file Form I-131: Application for Travel Document with USCIS. On your I-131, you must state your reason for traveling, the date you plan to leave, and the date you plan to return.

You will need to provide the following supporting documents that prove why you need to travel with your Form I-131.

A copy of an official photo identity document like a passport or driver's license

Two identical passport-style photographs of yourself taken within 30 days of the filing your Advance Parole application

A copy of any document showing your current status in the United States — your DACA approval is a great option

A clear explanation of why you are eligible for Advance Parole. You can use this template for your own explanation.

You will also need to provide evidence that your trip is for educational, employment, or humanitarian purposes. For example, if you’re traveling to care for a sick family member, you should include their medical records. If you’re traveling for employment purposes, you should provide a letter from your employer. The more documents you provide, the stronger your application will be. 

It’s also helpful to include a cover letter that lists everything in your application packet. This presents your evidence in an organized manner to USCIS. You may also choose to include a personal declaration stating why you have a compelling reason to travel abroad in your supporting documents.

Make sure you keep copies of every document you file. Do not submit original documents unless USCIS asks for them .

Step 3: Assemble Your Application Packet and Pay the Filing Fee

Once you’ve filled out Form I-131 and gathered all your supporting documents, it’s time to put them together to submit to USCIS. You also have to pay a $575 filing fee, which you can pay by check or money order. If you’d like to pay by credit card, you must file Form G-1450: Authorization for Credit Card Transactions . If you don’t have the money to pay the filing fee, read our article on how to get help with your filing fee .

Step 4: Mail Your Application Packet to USCIS

The final step in applying for Advance Parole is to mail your application packet to USCIS. You can find the correct mailing address at USCIS.gov. You should mail your application as soon as possible, but generally no later than 3-4 weeks before your trip.

Step 5: Receive Your Advance Parole Travel Document

Once USCIS approves your request for Advance Parole, they will mail your travel permit to your mailing address within 2-3 weeks. For this reason, it’s important to make sure you double-check that you have the correct mailing address on your Form I-131. The whole process takes about six months from the time that you submit your application until the time that you received your Advance Parole document.

What Are Some Travel Tips for DACA Recipients With Advance Parole?

Traveling with Advance Parole isn’t as simple for DACA recipients as it is for other people. Here are some tips to help you safely travel abroad as a DACA recipient:

Before you leave the U.S., you might want to speak to a legal aid immigration attorney about your situation. They can help identify any issues you might run into.

When you apply for Advance Parole, state your return date as a few days after you actually expect to return from your trip, in case there are any travel delays. If you miss your return date, the government might not let you back into the country.

Return by your return date. 

Bring a list of emergency contacts, your Advance Parole approval, and a copy of your DACA approval with you when you travel. Also, leave copies of these things with someone you trust in the U.S, so you have a backup in case you encounter difficulty when you try to re-enter the U.S.

What Are the Benefits of Traveling With Advance Parole for DACA Recipients?

In addition to the opportunity to travel abroad, Advance Parole has a lot of other benefits for DACA recipients. For example, it allows you to work abroad, assuming you have the proper work permits in the country you travel to. 

Advance Parole also opens a pathway to citizenship. Once you return from your trip, the U.S. government considers you to have legally entered the United States. This means that you can apply for a green card if you are eligible (for example, a marriage green card if you marry a U.S. citizen). Since applying for a green card is the first step to becoming a citizen, Advance Parole makes citizenship possible for DACA recipients.

What Are the Risks of Traveling With Advance Parole as a DACA Recipient?

Advance Parole is not without risks. For one thing, it costs $575 to apply for Advance Parole, and USCIS won’t refund you if they deny your application. Second, the validity period for your travel permit will be limited. This means you can only be outside of the U.S. for a short period of time. 

The biggest risk you take is that you might not be allowed back into the U.S. If the Customs or Border Patrol officer you meet upon your return determines that you are “ inadmissible ” under U.S. immigration law, you won’t be allowed back into the U.S. They might deem you inadmissible for health reasons or determine that it’s in the national security interests of the United States not to let you back in. 

This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t apply for Advance Parole if you are eligible — just that you should be careful when you do. If you need additional assurance before you apply, it may be a good idea to speak with an attorney or get legal aid .

Can I Travel With DACA in 2022?

In 2017, the Trump Administration tried to end DACA. In 2020, the Supreme Court ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to reinstate the DACA program. Following the Supreme Court’s order, a federal court in Brooklyn, New York, ruled that the government must accept new DACA applications. 

For the first time since 2017, the government is now accepting initial DACA requests instead of only accepting DACA renewal requests . This means that if you get DACA approval, or if you already have DACA, you can apply for Advance Parole. 

In December 2020, the U.S. government started accepting initial DACA applications again. DACA protects Dreamers without legal status from deportation and offers them employment authorization so they can support themselves. But if DACA recipients want to leave the U.S. and return later, they need to file an Advance Parole request.

Continue reading and learning!

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LAist

As A DACA Beneficiary, I’ve Been Waiting For This Trip To Mexico All My Life

A young Latino man with glasses in Mexico City in front of the Angel de Independencia

I t kinda all started with an Instagram post.

My friend José Muñoz began to post about his trip to Mexico. The cute boats in Xochimilco, the iconic Pirámides de Teotihuacan, a video of a gay bar playing the pop divas. I was floored, but excited for José, who is undocumented and a DACA beneficiary. He was back in the place where he was born after having left at three months old. There he was in Mexico City and Jalisco as an openly gay 31-year-old experiencing joy — Brown queer joy.

I wanted to feel the same emotion in my country of origin, too.

But here’s the thing: as DACA recipients, we cannot go back “home” whenever we want. Our status in this country allows us to have a work permit, get a social security number and a driver’s license. We cannot vote, we cannot work certain government jobs and we definitely cannot leave the country as we please.

A slightly faded photo of a Latino man with glasses, smiling. holding a little boy with a jacket, red pants and brown hair. He is flanked by a smiling Latina with a bob haircut and a black jacket, and another man with dark hair and a faint mustache.

The rollercoaster of DACA

I’ve been a DACA recipient since 2012, when the President Barack Obama-era program began taking applications.

How To LA logo (graphical text) with LAist Studios logo (graphical text) with 6th street bridge in the background; with red to orange vertical gradient as background color

It was a huge sigh of relief for many folks then, allowing people to go to school, secure good jobs. But a decade has gone by and nothing has changed. The program is actually at a halt.

When Donald Trump became president, he wanted to end it and it went through all sorts of legal battles, reaching the Supreme Court. It was a very nervous time for us and our families. Eventually, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in favor of DACA beneficiaries.

But in July 2021, a United States District Court in Texas ruled against DACA , which essentially stopped the program and denied granting new applications to first-time applicants.

Bills have been introduced to provide a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients and other undocumented folks throughout the years, but they all have failed. Nada.

By the way, I want to note that I’m not alone here. As of September 2022, there were over 168,000 DACA beneficiaries in California, according to the Migration Policy Institute . More than 800,000 of us live across the United States.

If you live in L.A, you likely know someone who has DACA. We’re everywhere — creating small businesses, working at hospitals, teaching or going to school, and writing and editing news coverage.

Advance parole to leave and *hopefully* come back into the U.S.

The way José left the U.S. (and eventually came back in) was through this travel permit called advance parole . It allows certain non-residents to leave the country and re-enter during a certain amount of time for specific reasons — educational, family emergencies and business. You apply with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and send them a check with your request.

If you’re a DACA recipient or have a loved one who is, please consult with an immigration lawyer before making any decisions. Every case is unique and the help of a professional is highly encouraged. 

Additional resources:

  • The California-Mexico Studies Center
  • United We Dream

But even the permit doesn’t guarantee re-entry to the country, so it’s a big decision if you do travel outside the U.S. Another “what if.”

I remember calling up José after he arrived back in Washington, D.C., and asked him straight up, “Girl, were you scared?” We had a long conversation about what the trip meant to him, his reconnection to Mexico and finding himself in a foreign place that’s his tierra, his roots.

“Do it — now is the time,” José urged me.

I began to do my research. I Googled, looked up what other DACA folks were sharing, and I spoke to other people who had done the process. Eventually, I mustered up the courage to call immigration attorneys right before the summer of 2022. (By the way, not all immigration attorneys will take your case so I shopped around.)

Not going to lie, it’s daunting even working with a lawyer. There’s a lot of documentation you need to gather and information you have to access, depending on the circumstances you’re filing.

Bye, L.A. Hello, Mexico

But it happened. I got approved in early February to leave the country and visit family in Veracruz.

The letter came without warning: “This document authorizes a single departure from the United States on or after…”

A Latino man with medium-ton skin and glasses sits in front of a laptop and microphone while a woman wearing headphones next to him gives him a thumbs up

The visit to my “home country” that I had been waiting for all my life is happening — actually currently as I type this. I’ll get to visit my abuelas, see where I grew up for my first two years and get those chilaquiles I’ve always dreamed of.

Maybe I’ll get a whiff of the same minty, earthy smell my abuela carried in her sweater when she arrived at LAX during her visits. I would always tell her, “Hueles a México,” and hug her to take it in. She would always laugh.

“Pues tú eres de allá, nadie te lo va quitar,” she’d remind me.

“You’re from there, no one can take that away from you.”

I’m excited to find what she’s talking about in Mexico. My cousins are eager to meet me, some for the first time. My friends joke that I will “eat, pray, love” during my stay there.

I kind of just want to connect with my roots, or discover them, hug my grandma and maybe find a part of myself that's been silent.

I'll report back when I do.

Listen to the How to LA podcast for a deeper discussion about what it's like to live in limbo with DACA, and what a trip "home" means to so many in this situation.

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Podcast explores a DACA recipient's journey back to Mexico after 30 years

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Brian de Los Santos about "Finding Home con DACA," his three-part series for the LAist studios podcast How To LA .

SARAH MCCAMMON, HOST:

Let's admit it. There are just too many podcasts out there, and it's hard to find the really great ones. Well, we are here to help. Every week at this time, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED is going to play you a portion of a podcast we love from the NPR network. We're kicking it off with Finding Home Con DACA. It's a series from the LAist Studios podcast "How To LA," and it's hosted by Brian De Los Santos. He recently sat down with my co-host Ailsa Chang.

AILSA CHANG, BYLINE: Even when we're lucky enough to have a chance to travel, the opportunity often comes with some anxieties.

(SOUNDBITE OF PODCAST, "HOW TO LA")

BRIAN DE LOS SANTOS: Next thing is like, how do we even get there? And it's super expensive. Like, I got to leave in about two weeks, so I know that prices are not going to be pretty. What are the gay-friendly spots? I don't even have a damn suitcase - shoes, clothes, my gear for work. Are they going to give me the time off? Who's going to host the podcast? Got to talk to my manager, actually, that I'm leaving the country. Wait, where am I even going to stay?

CHANG: But what if an added anxiety was the possibility of leaving and being unable to return? For years, that had been the case for Brian De Los Santos. He's the host of the "How To LA" podcast from LAist Studios.

DE LOS SANTOS: I was told I was undocumented in middle school.

CHANG: He arrived in the U.S. from Veracruz, Mexico, at the age of 2. And in 2012, he became a beneficiary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. That lifted the threat of deportation and allowed him to get a driver's license as well as other documents. But he could not leave the country because going back to Mexico would have risked his DACA status until very recently. He documented his trip back to his birth country for a special series called Finding Home Con DACA. Brian De Los Santos joins us now. Welcome.

DE LOS SANTOS: Hi, Ailsa. Thanks for having me.

CHANG: Hi. So before we get to your trip to Mexico, can you just first talk about what it had been like growing up to be from a country, a homeland that you had no real relationship with for many, many years?

DE LOS SANTOS: Oh, wow. Well, I think the most meaningful things when I was growing up was a visit from Abuela, which only one of my abuelas could actually come to LA and visit me - or those Skype or those telephone calls to Mexico. That was my only thread back to Mexico was those visits or those phone calls. And for me, I'm lucky I grew up in LA and I'm able to exist within my Mexican culture here in this city. But it was always this thing of, like, am I American? Am I Mexican? Also, the whole threat of deportation, of not knowing what my future looked like because I was undocumented until I was essentially 21, I just didn't know what my life would be like.

CHANG: Yeah. I mean, you talk about - in the first episode, you talk about how your immigration status before DACA puts you essentially in what you call survival mode.

DE LOS SANTOS: ...Be in the survival mode of, like, I have to be one step ahead with information, whether it was resources or even how to drive in certain streets, the LAPD versus the LA County sheriffs, you know, who was more pro-immigrant or who was more anti-immigrant in those departments. Since I found out I was undocumented, it's always been, like, a risk of just living here.

CHANG: Can you talk more about that? What did you mean by survival mode?

DE LOS SANTOS: I think it's always kind of, like, looking over your shoulders, not just, like, from police and from, you know, getting pulled over and not having a driver's license but also just, like, how do you kind of, like, be in stealth mode so people don't pay attention to you? For me, it was, like, kind of like, how do I survive in this country where I don't have permission to be here, essentially? When I became a DACA recipient, it was not just, like, becoming a DACA recipient. It was also like, OK, what do I have to do next to figure out how to stay here long term and eventually hopefully get a green card? And, you know, there still isn't a solution for DACA recipients right now.

CHANG: Exactly. And while you've been a DACA recipient, it's been unclear whether you could go back to Mexico without risking your immigration status. But eventually, you were able to leave California and go to Mexico. It's part of something called the Advance Parole program. Can you explain what that program is?

DE LOS SANTOS: Yeah. First, I want to say that I'm not a lawyer, and I'm not 100% a legal expert. I just know through my own process. And there are three ways you can get this document. You apply through U.S. Immigration Services, and you ask them through humanitarian reasons, which is you get to go visit family, loved ones in your home country or through school, which is, you know, you do a program or semester abroad or a business trip. And those are the three reasons you can apply for Advance Parole.

Now, you send your check in. You wait for your case number. You wait for immigration officials to essentially give you this document. But I do want to say - and this is why a lot of people don't do Advance Parole - you're not guaranteed reentry into the country. It says it right there in the letter they send you. It says in big, red letters that your reentry is at the discretion of the CPB official, essentially, when you're reentering the country.

CHANG: And you get to Mexico in late February of this year.

DE LOS SANTOS: Yes.

CHANG: And, you know, you describe this moment while you're sitting on a beach in Puerto Vallarta.

DE LOS SANTOS: I was at the beach earlier with a friend I met here in Mexico in Puerto Vallarta. There was a moment where the sun was just setting, and it was just so beautiful. I said, this is the happiest I've ever been in my life - the beach, the sun, no worries, no thoughts. And I don't think I've ever experienced that. I'm trying to be this journalist right now, recording. What are you feeling, and why are you crying?

CHANG: I mean, when I heard that, I thought, like, after so many years, Brian, in what you call survival mode, what was it that finally allowed you to feel that sense of happiness in that particular moment?

DE LOS SANTOS: I just felt like - the words that come to my mind right now is I'm here. And I feel like ever since I had that moment, whenever I think about that moment, I'm transported back to that beach, and it was this beautiful sunset. There was someone playing the trumpet in the distance. There were kids playing. And I was just like, my favorite place in the world at that moment was the beach. And it just felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders.

Like, I've always wanted to experience Mexico. I wanted to eat the food that people talk about on social media. I wanted to hear the stories that my family had, and I finally had this opportunity to just touch and feel it, you know? And when I was younger, I just heard the stories, and - or I heard the stories from my friends about going to these beaches or going to the city. And I just - it wasn't reachable for me. I couldn't touch it. And now that I was touching it, for me, it was like, this means the world to me. And, yeah, it was beautiful.

CHANG: And yet while you were there, you were constantly reminded of all the years that you had spent growing up in the U.S. Like in Mexico City, there was this point where you ask a friend who lives there if he sees you as Mexican or as a gringo.

DE LOS SANTOS: And I had to ask him how he viewed me.

(Speaking Spanish).

Am I Mexican? What do you see me as?

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: (Speaking Spanish).

CHANG: And he said, as a gringo.

CHANG: How did that feel, to hear him call you a gringo?

DE LOS SANTOS: Like a slap in the face, to be honest.

DE LOS SANTOS: But it also was a realization for me that I actually thought about throughout my whole trip in Mexico. It's also, like, the culture. Like, the references - I didn't understand some references that people, you know, said to me, and I had to, like, just ask them, like, what did you mean? (Speaking Spanish).

And so, like, I understood the privilege I had just being able to live and work in the United States. But I also felt the sense of like, OK, that's the way people see me. And I've never felt like I was American enough to say that I'm a gringo. But I did realize that I do carry American culture with me. I - my English and my Spanish are very different, obviously, from Mexicans in Mexico. But it's something that I - you know, I had to learn.

CHANG: Yeah. Well, then the moment that you said you had been waiting for your whole life was seeing one of your abuelitas, one of your grandmothers, in person after all those years.

DE LOS SANTOS: (Speaking Spanish).

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: (Speaking Spanish).

DE LOS SANTOS: (Laughter).

CHANG: What is the one thing that you will never forget about spending time with her in person?

DE LOS SANTOS: The food, obviously.

DE LOS SANTOS: It's that grandma's meal that she serves you. But one of the things that I was sharing with my family and friends is that people around me, they could go to their grandma's house. And I've never had that. I've never had, you know, going to abuela's house and be like abuela, (speaking Spanish). You know, I'm hungry. Like, what is there to eat? It felt like, this is what my life could have been in Mexico if I had stayed here, or if I had the documents to come here whenever I wanted to. And so it was bittersweet. And so the other bittersweet moment is when you have to explain to people, I'm only here for this one trip. I don't know when I'm back.

CHANG: You - so much of your podcast - it's about the heartbreak that many immigrants experience and maybe is more intense for DACA recipients specifically. And what I mean by that is, like, you know, on the one hand, you're trying to prove that the U.S. is where you belong. But at the same time, on the other hand, you have the pain of being cut off from your family, your heritage. Does someone ever reconcile those feelings, you think? Do you think you will?

DE LOS SANTOS: I have been learning a lot to let go of things I can't control. And this is just me speaking for myself. And I've learned that my status in this country is something that I can't really control. I do want to say that a lot of people have written to me because I've shared my immigration story before, not just on this podcast but in different places I've worked at in journalism. People ask me, well, why can't you just, you know, go and stand in line through the immigration process? And I tell them it's way more complicated than that. It's not as clear-cut as people may think.

And so me just being at peace that I'm trying my best to figure out where I stand in this country - and later, that does affect who I am in this country. I think I'm working towards, at least I got to do this trip and got to know a little bit of my heritage. I think there's always going to be a piece of me that I'm always going to be missing, just having the opportunity to be in Mexico. But I do realize who I am, and I'm still learning. I think that's what I want to say. I'm still learning who I am.

CHANG: I am, too. And I know that you've talked to other DACA recipients for this series who probably feel very similarly. Brian, thank you so, so much for this.

DE LOS SANTOS: Thank you, Ailsa.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

MCCAMMON: That was my colleague Ailsa Chang, speaking with the host of "How To LA," Brian de Los Santos, about his three-part series, Finding Home Con DACA. The series follows De Los Santos' journey to Mexico, his country of birth, for the first time in 30 years. But it also beautifully incorporates the voices of other recipients of Advance Parole for travel, the program that allows certain immigrants to travel outside the U.S. and return lawfully.

RUBY FERGUSON: I'm Ruby Ferguson (ph). I'm 27. I received my approval letter February of 2022. I had not been to Mexico since I was 7 years old. I wanted to see my family. I wanted to see my grandparents. I can still remember every detail of the trip.

LUIS RAMIREZ: My name is Luis Ramirez (ph). I am 35 year old. I remember feeling like it was unreal that I had left the country. I had arrived at the airport in Guanajuato and was getting picked up by my mom and my cousin to drive over to the little town that I grew up in. Still felt very surreal.

FERGUSON: When the plane was landing into Veracruz, I saw the ocean. I saw the houses. They were so vibrant, the colors. That feeling of knowing that I had finally made it to my home country after all this time - my grandmother and my aunt standing there, being able to hug them after two decades.

RAMIREZ: There's just this magic, too. Being surrounded by family that just pour all this love.

FERGUSON: I am thankful that I had the privilege to make my trip possible. I hope that in the future I'm able to travel again, to see my family again.

(SOUNDBITE OF OLD SAW SONG, "DIRTBIKES OF HEAVEN, GRAINS OF THE FIELD")

MCCAMMON: Finding Home Con DACA is a podcast series from LAist Studios. You can find it in the "How To LA" podcast feed. And join us again next weekend at this time, when we'll bring you another of our favorite podcasts from the NPR network.

Copyright © 2023 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Breaking News

What’s the current status of DACA? Here’s what you need to know

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Despite more than a decade of political and legal attacks, nearly 600,000 people are still receiving the benefits of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, renewing their DACA designations in two-year increments.

The program’s future, however, remains clouded.

The Obama administration established DACA in 2012 as a “temporary stopgap measure” to allow Dreamers — immigrants brought to this country without authorization before they turned 16 — to work, travel and get higher education legally. It was never meant to be a path to citizenship or a permanent fix.

The program initially protected more than 800,000 immigrants brought to the U.S. prior to June 15, 2007. That number has dwindled as many have either failed to renew their applications or adjusted their status in other ways, such as by marrying a U.S. citizen. Some have voluntarily left the country in favor of places that can grant them permanent citizenship.

Here’s a breakdown of where things stand, what the program currently offers, and what might happen in the future.

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DACA’s current legal troubles

The Supreme Court appeared to rescue DACA in 2020, ruling that the Trump administration had violated federal procedural rules when it ordered the program terminated in 2017. But a year later, U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen in Houston ruled against the program, declaring that the Department of Homeland Security memorandum that created DACA had exceeded its authority and violated federal procedural rules.

Hanen allowed the government to continue the program for current enrollees, but not to sign up any new ones. That remains the status quo.

Last year, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Hanen’s ruling . But the panel sent the case back to his court to consider a new DACA rule issued by the Biden administration in August 2022.

On Sept. 13, , Hanen once again ruled that DACA is unlawful, as most legal analysts expected he would. Also as expected, he put his order on hold for all current DACA recipients, meaning that their benefits will continue with no change pending further litigation. The case is likely to once again be appealed to the 5th Circuit and ultimately to the Supreme Court.

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What does that mean for DACA recipients right now?

Under the Biden administration’s rule, which currently governs the program, existing recipients can apply to renew their DACA status every two years, paying a $495 filing fee each time. The fee includes the cost of fingerprinting, a background check and a work permit.

The rule makes clear that expunged convictions, juvenile delinquency adjudications and convictions under state laws for immigration-related offenses don’t disqualify a person from DACA.

“It gives them enough security to think about from now until 2025, is the bottom line,” said Jennie Murray, president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum , a nonprofit that advocates for immigration reform.

In addition to allowing recipients to work legally, DACA also allows people to obtain advance parole under certain circumstances, which means they can travel legally to other countries and do not need to obtain a visa to return to the U.S.

DACA recipients can request advance parole only when traveling for employment, humanitarian or education reasons.

Examples of humanitarian reasons include traveling to obtain medical treatment, attending funeral services for a family member or visiting a sick or elderly relative, according to Monica Andrade, manager of state policy for the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration.

Examples of employment reasons include overseas assignments, interviews, conferences and training.

“As of July 2023, it is taking approximately 4 to 8 months for [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services] to process a mailed advance parole application, but if a DACA recipient needs to travel urgently for humanitarian reasons, they can apply for emergency advance parole in person at their local USCIS field office,” she said.

Obtaining advance parole doesn’t guarantee a DACA recipient will be able to get back into the country, however. The decision to allow someone to physically enter the U.S. is up to the discretion of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection office at a port of entry, Andrade said.

The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, which has an online guide detailing how to apply for advance parole, lists other factors that could make it harder for DACA recipients to reenter the country, including:

  • Traveling outside the parole date authorized by the advance parole document
  • Traveling with an expired DACA authorization (the expiration date can be found on the employment authorization document)
  • Having a prior deportation or “voluntary departure” order
  • Having spent multiple prior periods unlawfully present in the U.S.
  • Having a record of contacts with the criminal system — whether they resulted in a conviction or not — that could lead to an “inadmissibility” finding

Andrade and Marissa Montes, director of the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic , advise that recipients consult with an immigration attorney about the risk factors that apply to them if they decide to apply for advance parole.

If a DACA recipient hasn’t already done a full immigration consultation, Montes added, they should.

“Go check in and consult with an immigration attorney every now and then to see if something’s happened, changed or maybe you’ve never actually done a full consultation.... You [could find out you] might qualify for something,” she said.

For example, she’s had some clients find opportunities for employment-based visas — every case is unique.

A full consultation could cost from $100 to $150, but Montes said there are legal firms and clinics that provide services at free or low-cost. The Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic, for example, offers free consultations twice a month.

If you’re looking for an attorney, Montes advises you search for one on the California State Bar website . All of an attorney’s practice information is there, along with information on whether the attorney has been sanctioned, disciplined or disbarred.

“I always tell people that shopping for an attorney is like shopping for a doctor — you should just go for someone that gives you a good vibe and that you can connect with,” she said.

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What can happen to DACA in the future?

DACA being in limbo frustrates recipients, advocates, and immigration attorneys, Montes said.

“I don’t know if there’s anything that can necessarily be done to alleviate that sense of uncertainty,” she added.

Murray of the National Immigration Forum cited two major sources of trepidation among DACA supporters.

One is the statement by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) that House Republicans no longer want to include a solution for Dreamers in legislation to beef up border security. They’re willing to address the two issues in parallel, she said, but they don’t want the bills to be combined.

The other thing, Murray said, is the number of Dreamers (including those who aren’t DACA recipients). The Migration Policy Institute estimates that as of 2022, more than 1 million individuals would be eligible to participate in DACA, based on the original criteria.

That’s a sticking point for any legislative action because it raises questions about how many individuals a program would cover and what criteria would apply.

“But what we continue to urge Congress is to look at all the 600,000 [DACA recipients] that we have already protected that are incredible contributing parts of our society, and we have no reason to believe that the whole 1 million folks wouldn’t be the exact same contributors that are already established in our communities,” Murray said.

Even if DACA is ultimately ruled unlawful, Murray said, she doesn’t think the courts would order DACA recipients to be summarily removed from the country, “even in areas where we have the most difficult rhetoric.” But she is worried that the recipients’ work permits would become void, rendering them unable to work legally in the U.S.

For now, DACA recipients should stay informed and seek legal guidance when necessary, legal experts and immigrant advocates advise.

“One thing that we all have, as people of color who come from low-income communities or immigrant backgrounds, is that we’re resilient,” Montes said she tells her students.

More to Read

FILE - Migrants who crossed the Rio Grande and entered the U.S. from Mexico are lined up for processing by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Eagle Pass, Texas. A federal judge in Texas on Friday, March 8, 2024, upheld a key piece of President Joe Biden’s immigration policy that allows a limited number of migrants from four countries to enter the U.S. on humanitarian grounds, dismissing a challenge from Republican-led states that said the program created an economic burden on them. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

Judge dismisses states’ challenge to Biden program allowing entry to migrants from 4 countries

March 8, 2024

Two letters, one postmarked a day after the other.

‘Everything’s like a gamble’: U.S. immigration policies leave lives in limbo

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WHITTIER, CALIF. -- FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2019: Marco Palomera, 40, packs up his belongings in his apartment, in Whittier, Calif., on Dec. 27, 2019. With no clear pathways to citizenship, some immigrants who have lived illegally in the U.S. for decades are deciding to pack up and move to Canada. Marco Palomera, 40, is leaving his Whittier apartment by the end of December and moving to Manitoba, Canada with a student visa in January. After working for years as a construction manager building water treatment facilities, Palomera was fired when his legal status was discovered during a workplace audit. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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can daca recipients travel to mexico

Karen Garcia is a reporter on the Fast Break Desk, the team that has a pulse on breaking news at the Los Angeles Times. She was previously a reporter on the Utility Journalism Team, which focused on service journalism. Her previous stints include reporting for the San Luis Obispo New Times and KCBX Central Coast Public Radio.

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A dreamer and attorney, she returned to Mexico after 30 years to find ‘heartbreak’ at the border

Dulce Garcia sits in front of the painted border fence

Dulce Garcia, a DACA recipient, got permission to leave the U.S. and come back so that she could help asylum seekers in Tijuana

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In her first moments back in Mexico after more than 30 years away, Dulce Garcia laughed at how easily she was able to cross south.

It was a moment that Garcia thought would not be possible. It was also a moment she feared.

Garcia, 38, has lived most of her life as an undocumented immigrant in the United States. Under normal circumstances, if she went to Mexico, she would not be able to return to her home in San Diego.

Because she came to the United States at age 4, she was able to enroll in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program that allows young undocumented immigrants to get two-year renewable work permits and temporary protection from deportation. And, because Garcia is an immigration attorney and the executive director of the nonprofit Border Angels, she was able to convince the U.S. government that she needed to do work in Tijuana.

The government gave her emergency permission to leave the United States for up to 60 days and come back — a program called “advance parole.”

Dulce Garcia sits in her car, waiting in border traffic

After a scramble to pack and prepare, on Thursday, March 25, Garcia found herself waiting to turn left onto an entrance ramp that she had avoided her entire life, the one to Interstate 5 south where the sign reads “Mexico only.”

As she drove past Mexican officials, no one checked her paperwork. No one asked about the bags of donations piled into her SUV that she gathered to bring to asylum-seeking families.

“This is it? That’s it!” Garcia exclaimed as she rounded the curve from customs to Tijuana. “Que fácil!”

But that giddiness didn’t last long. Once she arrived at the tent camp of asylum seekers who have been waiting at the U.S.-Mexico border for months, mere feet from the entrance to the United States, her feelings quickly turned to anger as she took in their conditions. The lack of access to bathrooms and water particularly caught her attention.

Using a megaphone, Dulce Garcia speaks to a group of asylum seekers

“I’m already disillusioned,” she said as soft rain splattered on her face shield after she handed out supplies. “Mexico and America are both parts of me. They’re both failing. It’s complete heartbreak.”

Under the Trump administration, officials implemented policy after policy that restricted access to the U.S. asylum system — as well as access to U.S. soil — for migrants fleeing their home countries and seeking protection at the southwest border. While the Biden administration has begun to wind down some of those policies, others remain in place. Among them is Title 42, which began under the pandemic and allows officials to expel migrants back to Mexico or their home countries without reviewing their fear claims.

Though President Joe Biden campaigned on making a “humane” asylum system, he has yet to implement that promise.

In the meantime, migrant shelters around Tijuana are full, and the camp at El Chaparral plaza has grown to more than 200 tents, and an estimated 2,000 people, according to Garcia. Waiting asylum seekers face threats from gangs and cartels who take advantage of their vulnerabilities. Many are kidnapped, raped or even killed in northern Mexico.

In the void left by the Mexican and United States governments, organizations like Border Angels and other nonprofits in Tijuana and San Diego have tried to fill in gaps, supporting local shelters, unhoused asylum seekers and the tent camp as best they can with food, legal aid and some basic health care.

At first, Garcia thought she might stay a week or two, but as she learned about more needs from the waiting asylum seekers, she postponed her return again and again until she finally came back the day before her permit would expire.

“I told myself I was going to take it easy now that Biden is in office — gosh, I was so wrong,” Garcia said. “Things were supposed to have been easier.”

In her first days, she quickly installed portable toilets at the tent camp. And, she began to visit the wide range of shelters that Border Angels supports through donations — a total of 18 after she added to the list during her stay.

She showed up unannounced to each shelter, hoping to see it in its normal state rather than cleaned up for an official visit from its benefactor.

Most left her feeling disappointed. Many had pushed their capacity past what was comfortable in order to get as many migrants as possible off of the streets. Tents or bunk beds were crowded into the available space.

Some of the shelters charged migrants to stay there. Others required them to leave during the day and come back each night.

Dulce Garcia speaks with a group of medical personnel under a tent

Only some had COVID protocols.

“There’s nothing as good as coming over and seeing things for yourself,” Garcia said. “There’s still a lot of work to do to make these spaces feel welcoming so that we can refer people.”

But when she reached Casa Puerta de Esperanza, a Salvation Army shelter specifically for women and children, Garcia began to cry as she took in the vibrant colors and clean, inviting rooms.

“It’s so nice. The others aren’t like this,” Garcia said to the woman in charge. “Thanks for having a space where women can be with their children with dignity. No other space is like this.”

Between shelter visits, she returned to El Chaparral. When some people staying there began to receive threats, she helped them find shelters to go to.

On Children’s Day, she partnered with American Friends Service Committee to bring an obstacle course bouncy house to the plaza. The children were ecstatic.

Asylum-seeking children take turns playing on a large inflatable bouncer

Once she found out about a new program that could allow especially vulnerable asylum seekers into the United States as exemptions to Title 42 that came out of negotiations in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union over the policy, she began holding legal consults there as well.

Each time she arrived, asylum seekers were already waiting for her in the street where she set up her tables. Psicólogos Sin Fronteras members and American Friends Service Committee staff pitched in with crowd control and intake, passing a megaphone among them to instruct pregnant women to come first.

When a few asylum seekers who weren’t living at the tent camp tried to join in, the crowd protested, and Garcia told them through the megaphone that only those living at El Chaparral would be seen.

“It’s not pretty,” Garcia said of the consults. “I end up being the bad guy because I have to say no to over 90 percent of them. I can’t help everyone.”

The program takes 35 families a day along the entire southwest border, according to Lee Gelernt, lead attorney in the case for the ACLU. A parallel program set up through several global nonprofits is ramping up to help the U.S. government identify and process an addition 250 people per day.

Garcia filled out the exemption paperwork for well over 100 families, some with a dozen family members.

She also submitted an exemption request for Rocio Rebollar Gomez , who was deported at the beginning of 2020 despite being the mother of a U.S. Army officer. Rebollar Gomez had been targeted and attacked since her deportation, so Garcia was able to apply for her based on a new asylum claim.

Garcia also applied for her brother, Edgar Garcia, who was deported the week after Rebollar Gomez while his own DACA protection had lapsed.

He’d hidden what had happened to him after his deportation from his family until his sister showed up in Tijuana. Once together, he confided in her that he’d been kidnapped for months, and that he’d recently been beaten and robbed by police.

“If I had known about that while I was in San Diego, it would have destroyed me,” Dulce Garcia said.

She quickly moved him to her hotel room and kept him by her side as she navigated the final weeks in Tijuana. He helped by putting water bottles in her car seat so she would remember to hydrate and even brushing her hair in their hotel room as she wrote a last-minute speech to present virtually at a university event.

Helping asylum seekers get into the United States does not come without risks. Criminal organizations see each person who enters through the Title 42 exemption as potential money lost, and attorneys have faced threats for doing the work, Garcia said.

Dulce Garcia hugs Rocio Rebollar Gomez standing in the street

Some of Garcia’s friends in the U.S. urged her to come back before something happened to her, but even after her shih tzu Max died back in San Diego, she found the will to stay, buoyed by her family.

She learned that some unaccompanied children were being rejected from the port of entry instead of being processed like they are supposed to be as minors, and she began escorting them up to U.S. officials to ensure that they would be taken in. Sometimes she had to argue with officers for over an hour before the children were accepted.

One girl told her that she wanted to be a lawyer like Garcia. That moment made the danger, the exhaustion and the stress feel worth it, Garcia said, especially knowing that a mother would be reuniting with her daughter on the other side.

“I wanted to do the same for my mom,” Garcia said. “I want my mom to get her son back.”

Before she left, she submitted testimony to Congress based on her experiences in Tijuana — she called it “the highlight of [her] career.”

On her last day, she went with her brother to Playas, the Tijuana beach that makes up the southern side of Friendship Park, a binational park that has been closed off by layers of U.S. border barrier.

She grew emotional talking about the people she was leaving behind, the people who still had no way to reach the other side.

On her last day in Mexico, Dulce Garcia and her brother Edgar Garcia visit the border fence at Playas de Tijuana

A little after 2 p.m., she pulled into the cross-border lanes.

As she waited in the line of cars for about four-and-a-half hours, she oscillated between excitement and nerves — not for herself, but for those who would soon follow: her brother and Rebollar Gomez. And she worried about those she hadn’t yet been able to help.

“I still don’t think I’m done,” Garcia said. “I’m leaving with the sense that I’m leaving it incomplete. I could do more, and I want to do more.”

She didn’t fully realize what she was actually doing — crossing a border that would normally be closed to her — until she was sent to secondary inspection and waiting for an official to stamp her parole document.

Around 8 p.m., she was allowed to leave the inspection area and drove past the raised gate, elated.

“It does feel different. It really does feel different,” Garcia said. “I feel like a weight has been lifted. It’s a relief.”

She was finally home.

Dulce Garcia receives legal documents at a coffee shop near the Tijuana-San Diego border

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can daca recipients travel to mexico

Dreamers’ Study Abroad Program Allows DACA Recipients to Visit Mexico

November 4, 2021 | by Jessie Raymond

News Stories

Group of students with the Teotihuacan Ruins in the background

Fueled by a lifelong passion to advocate for underrepresented populations, Luz Vazquez-Ramos MPAIEM ’17 has created a unique opportunity for DACA recipients to visit their country of origin.  

A Long Beach, California, native who earned her bachelor’s in Chicano Latino studies at California State University, Long Beach , Vazquez-Ramos spent a year and a half in the Peace Corps in El Salvador before enrolling at the Institute. With an interest in administration and nonprofits, she chose the MPA and International Education Management programs. “I wanted to be more involved in how to get students of color in the United States to go abroad,” she says. “That was my main focus.” 

The lack of diversity in international education has always stood out to Vazquez-Ramos—even at the Institute. “I remember my first International Education Management introduction class. Everybody stood up and introduced themselves, and everybody just talked about all these countries they’d been to, and it was beautiful, but at the same time I felt myself feeling smaller and smaller and smaller,” she says. “So when it was my turn, I just said that I was from California, I’d been in the Peace Corps, and that my goal was to make sure that this room had more people that looked like me in it.”

For her fifth-semester practicum Vazquez-Ramos created a one-time DACA study abroad opportunity through the nonprofit California-Mexico Studies Center (CMSC) in Long Beach. DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival, is a program enacted in 2012 that provides work authorization and relief from deportation for those who were brought to America as children. Her practicum became a pilot program for the Dreamers’ Study Abroad Program at CMSC, where Vazquez-Ramos is now special programs and operations director.

Program Director Luz Vazquez-Ramos

DACA recipients in the Dreamers’ Study Abroad Program must apply to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for advance parole, which allows undocumented individuals to travel outside the U.S. and—more importantly—to return legally. “Their crime on record is that they entered the U.S. without inspection and they were minors when they did it,” Vazquez-Ramos says. Reentering legally with advance parole allows them to take steps to readjust their immigration status; that is, to apply for legal permanent residency. She adds, “It’s a brain drain if we don’t work on this, because we’ve educated all these folks. They’re American.”

DACA Rescinded

Securing advance parole is a slow process. Still, from 2015 to 2017, the program took six cohorts of students, about 160 in total, to Mexico. In 2017, however, the Trump administration rescinded DACA, throwing the study abroad program—as well as the futures of hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients—into uncertainty. USCIS stopped responding to applications for advance parole, leaving applicants in limbo and halting the Dreamers’ Study Abroad Program. 

Incoming president Joseph Biden vowed to reinstate DACA, so CMSC, in anticipation of summer 2021 trips, had participants apply yet again for advance parole. But nothing at USCIS changed. To raise pressure on the new administration, CMSC filed a lawsuit arguing the government was denying applicants’ human rights by neither accepting nor rejecting applications. With the threat of the lawsuit, increased media exposure—the story got picked up by the Los Angeles Times —and the help of a U.S. senator, CMSC was able to persuade a USCIS advance parole officer to grant parole to every person who had applied for summer 2021. 

Traveling South of the Border

This summer, implementing strict COVID-19 protocols, CMSC sent five cohorts of about 40 people each on monthlong trips. 

In a typical trip, participants fly from all over the U.S. (and occasionally other countries) for three weeks of independent travel in their country of origin; for most, that is Mexico, but for a few it may be any of several Central or South American countries. “They go with their families, most of them,” Vazquez-Ramos says. “They want to take their kids to where their family was from, or they are a musician and they want to learn more about music in their region.”

The trip ends with a final academic week together as a group at a hotel outside of Mexico City, where participants get to know each other, take field trips, attend lectures, write a 10-page ethnographic research paper on their experience, and process the emotions that the trip may have stirred up. “This week is really for self-care and processing,” Vazqeuz-Ramos said. “Yes, there are academics. Yes, there’s information. But at the end of the day, we want them to feel safe and feel like they can process what they’re going through, because they haven’t even gone home yet to deal with the reverse culture shock.”

Reflection on activities of summer

The trip can be hard on participants. “With the turmoil from forced migration, many people are going to scenarios that are all over the place emotionally. There are bittersweet moments where they miss family or they’re saying goodbye to somebody at the grave. There are so many different things going on,” Vazquez-Ramos says. 

National Museum of Anthropology

At the end of that week, the group returns to the U.S. together. To ease the complications at the border, program staff have spent years developing relationships with USCIS and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. CBP gets a list of all program attendees in advance and assigns agents who are familiar with DACA and advance patrol to process the travel documents. “Everyone returns on the same flight, and they’re part of the same roster, they wear the same T-shirt,” Vazquez-Ramos says. “We’re not leaving without all these folks.”

Increasing Diversity in International Education

Very few colleges focus their study abroad programs on students of color, let alone DACA recipients, and Vazquez-Ramos encourages schools to do more. “Write a disclaimer that you’re not going to be sued if something happens,” she says. “Cover your butt, or do what you need to do. But utilize your institution and resources to help these folks achieve their dreams, because they are filling your campuses and they are doing these things.” 

The Dreamers’ Study Abroad Program works with students at nearly two dozen campuses around the country but doesn’t yet have formal contracts with any U.S. colleges, though interest is always growing, Vazquez-Ramos says. “When we came back with our first groups and we were in the news, we started getting phone calls from offices saying, ‘I have six students, and I want them in your next program.’” 

Though she is making a difference for these DACA recipients, Vazquez-Ramos calls the lack of diversity in the broader U.S. study abroad model “disheartening.”

“The international education world,” she says, “still does not focus on people of color.” 

Vazquez-Ramos will be the keynote speaker at this year’s virtual Human Rights Day conference, hosted by the United Nations Association of the USA, Monterey Chapter, on December 11. She will talk about the value of the Dreamers’ Study Abroad Program, which she says “changes the lives of our participants, as they get closure and a chance to renegotiate their identity, to reconnect with their heritage, their families, and return—with the much-needed opportunity to readjust their legal status in the U.S.”

  • International Education Management ,
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can daca recipients travel to mexico

Can DACA Recipients Travel? What You Need to Know

can daca recipients travel to mexico

Traveling the world is an enriching experience. However, some DACA ( Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ) recipients are scared to leave the county for fear of losing their eligibility. There is some good news. DACA recipients can travel but with a few restrictions. Here is what you need to know about traveling as a DACA recipient. 

Are you concerned with leaving the country as a DACA holder? At Brudner Law , we can help answer your questions so that you retain your DACA eligibility!

Can You Travel with DACA within the U.S.?

plane flying into LAX

DACA recipients can travel within the United States . That means DACA recipients can take planes, buses, and boats without issues. They will still need to show the appropriate identification to board these vessels. If any travel requires you to leave the United States, you will need to apply for Advance Parole, which allows you to leave the United States without losing your DACA status. 

In late 2021, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approved to travel to Puerto Rico and the United States territories without advance parole . DACA recipients could leave the United States and re-enter without losing their status. The USCIS recommends keeping all DACA documentation with the traveler to avoid any problems at the border or other port of entry. 

Related: How Long Does DACA Take To Process? 

can daca recipients travel to mexico

Where Can I Travel with DACA?

In the past, leaving the United States often put the status of DACA recipients in jeopardy . Travel was limited to the borders of the United States. With Advance Parole, it is an opportunity for DACA recipients to travel outside of the United States and return legally. To obtain Advance Parole, you need to get Form I-512L. 

Form I-512L is almost similar to a visa. After the official inspects the Advance Parole document, you can re-enter the United States. However, an Advance Parole document is not without any risks. Not every DACA holder is eligible for Advance Parole either. You cannot travel for any reason as a DACA recipient, such as visiting friends and family. These travel reasons must be for a humanitarian reason or one with significant public benefit. 

Some of these reasons include:

  • Traveling outside the country to support the federal law enforcement or national security interests of the U.S.
  • Traveling to support the wellbeing, safety, or care of an immediate relative, especially a minor child
  • Traveling abroad to get some medical treatments that help sustain their lives, especially for treatments that cannot be obtained while in the U.S.

Related: A Complete Guide to DACA 

Can I Use My DACA Card as an I.D.?

Over the next few years, there is a push for all United States citizens to carry a READ ID. Applicants must meet stricter criteria to obtain the identification , and they will be required for domestic flights. Most states allow DACA cards to be used as an I.D., and some even let the holder present it for a REAL ID. But if the DACA has expired, the recipient will need to submit another form of identification. Using a DACA card for an I.D. depends on the specific state, as they set their own requirements for licenses and official identification. 

Do You Need a Passport for DACA?

man with a passport at the airport

If you want to travel, you need to have some photo identification . In many cases, the DACA recipient does have a passport from their country of birth. You can travel with a valid, unexpired passport from your country. Before you travel internationally, you need to check the latest information about the program as it can change. For now, DACA recipients can travel with a passport to a foreign country. 

Do DACA Recipients Have Green Cards?

Yes, a DACA recipient can obtain a green card, but only under certain circumstances. If you have entered the United States with Advance Parole or an initial entry on a valid visa, you could qualify for a green card . There are many types of green cards, including employment-based, family-based, and humanitarian. Like most green cards, the applicant must meet specific eligibility requirements to apply and get approval for these statuses. 

Can DACA Recipients Marry a Citizen?

While the definite answer will depend on certain situations and factors, generally, the answer is yes . U.S. citizens are free to marry anyone, including those DACA recipients. The U.S. citizen will not have issues with their residency status, but the spouse will see a change. With the marriage, the DACA recipient might obtain a marriage-based green card. Like most applicants, a few requirements must be met, such as the marriage was made in good faith and not to receive immigration benefits for the DACA holder. 

Related: The Ultimate Guide to the Biometrics Appointment

How Can DACA Recipients Get Citizenship?

The issue of citizenship for DACA recipients has been hotly contested. For most recipients, DACA is not a clear path to citizenship . There are a few steps to take. First, the DACA recipient would need to get a permanent residence or green card to help pave their way to citizenship. The DACA recipient must have entered the United States lawfully with a valid U.S. visa . 

In some cases, you can petition USCIS for an immigration visa if you have an immediate relative with U.S. citizenship. Unfortunately, you cannot get a green card for those who did not enter the country legally . You might be able to meet the lawful entry requirement with Advance Parole. With that, you need to leave the country and re-enter. However, there are risks, and you need approval to travel abroad. 

Once you have a green card for several years, you can apply for naturalization . U.S. veterans can apply after three years, while civilians can apply after five . After the naturalization process, you are considered an official and lawful U.S. citizen. 

can daca recipients travel to mexico

DACA holders do face some hurdles when it comes to traveling abroad . While you can get Advance Parole, you can travel abroad for specific circumstances. DACA is a complicated status, and you should always speak to an attorney before leaving the country. 

Are you searching for help with your visa application, the naturalization process, or other immigration issues? At Brudner Law , we can assist with these critical legal matters!

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Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

ALERT: Court decisions regarding DACA.

On Sept. 13, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas issued a decision finding the DACA Final Rule unlawful and expanding the original July 16, 2021 injunction and order of vacatur to cover the Final Rule. However, the court maintained a partial stay of the order for “all DACA recipients who received their initial DACA status prior to July 16, 2021.” See the Memorandum and Order (PDF, 1.35 MB)  and Supplemental Order of Injunction (PDF, 72.53 KB) .

Accordingly, current grants of DACA and related Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) remain valid until they expire, unless individually terminated.  In accordance with this decision, USCIS will continue to accept and process DACA renewal requests and accompanying applications for employment authorization under the DACA regulations at 8 CFR 236.22 and 236.23, as it has since October 31, 2022. We will also continue to accept initial DACA requests, but in accordance with the District Court’s order, we will not process initial DACA requests. 

Current valid grants of DACA and related EADs will continue to be recognized as valid under the Final Rule. This means that individuals with DACA and related EADs do not have to submit a request for DACA or employment authorization until the appropriate time to seek renewal.

Please see the  DACA Litigation Information Page  for important updates and information related to court rulings on the DACA policy.

This page provides information on requesting Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). You may request DACA for the first time or renew your existing period of DACA if it is expiring. Please note: While a July 16, 2021,  injunction (PDF, 401.59 KB)  from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, which was  affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and on Oct. 14, 2022 was extended by the district court to the DACA final rule, remains in effect, DHS is prohibited from granting initial DACA requests and related employment authorization under the final rule.

File Online

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On June 15, 2012, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that certain people who came to the United States as children and meet several guidelines may request consideration of deferred action for a period of 2 years, subject to renewal. They are also eligible to request work authorization. Deferred action is an exercise of prosecutorial discretion to defer removal action against an individual for a certain period of time. Deferred action does not provide lawful status.

On Aug. 30, 2022, DHS published the DACA Final Rule, with the intent to preserve and fortify the DACA policy. This rule, which puts into effect regulations at 8 CFR 236.21-236.25, rescinds and replaces the DACA guidance set forth in the 2012 Memorandum issued by Secretary Napolitano.

The following information explains the guidelines for requesting DACA for the first time. Please note: While a July 16, 2021,  injunction (PDF, 401.59 KB)  from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, which was affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and on Oct. 14, 2022 was extended by the district court to the DACA final rule, remains in effect, DHS is prohibited from granting initial DACA requests and related employment authorization under the final rule. If you need further information and cannot find it in our  Frequently Asked Questions , you can call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability: TTY 800-767-1833. Representatives are available Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time.

A request for DACA may be granted only if USCIS determines in its sole discretion that you meet each of the following threshold criteria and merit a favorable exercise of discretion:

  • Were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012 (that is, you were born on or after June 16, 1981);
  • Came to the United States before reaching your 16th birthday;
  • Have continuously resided in the United States since June 15, 2007, up to the time of filing your request for DACA;
  • Were physically present in the United States on June 15, 2012, and at the time of filing your request for DACA with USCIS;
  • You never had a lawful immigration status on or before June 15, 2012, or
  • Any lawful immigration status or parole that you obtained had expired as of June 15, 2012, and
  • Any lawful status that you had after June 15, 2012, expired or otherwise terminated before you submitted your request for DACA;
  • Are currently enrolled in school, have graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school, have obtained a General Education Development (GED) certificate, or are an honorably discharged veteran of the United States Coast Guard or armed forces of the United States; and
  • Have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor (that is, a misdemeanor as described in 8 CFR 236.22(b)(6)), or 3 or more other misdemeanors, and do not otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety.

Age Guidelines

Anyone requesting DACA must have been under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012 (this means you must have been born on or after June 16, 1981).

Timeframe for Meeting the Guidelines

You must demonstrate

Education and Military Service Guidelines

Please see our Frequently Asked Questions for more detail on school-related guidelines.

If you meet the guidelines for DACA, you will need to complete the following steps to make your request to USCIS.

See our Frequently Asked Questions for information on submitting affidavits or circumstantial evidence to support your request.

There are very limited fee exemptions available. Your request for a fee exemption must be filed and favorably adjudicated before you file your DACA request without a fee. In order to be considered for a fee exemption, you must submit a letter and supporting documentation to USCIS demonstrating that you meet 1 of the following conditions:

  • You cannot care for yourself because you suffer from a serious, chronic disability and your income is less than 150 percent of the U.S. poverty level;
  • You have, at the time of the request, accumulated $10,000 or more in debt in the past 12 months as a result of unreimbursed medical expenses for yourself or an immediate family member, and your income is less than 150 percent of the U.S. poverty level; or
  • In foster care; or
  • Otherwise lacking any parental or other familial support.

Submit the following types of evidence:

  • Affidavits from community-based or religious organizations to establish a requestor’s homelessness or lack of parental or other familial financial support.
  • Copies of tax returns, bank statement, pay stubs, or other reliable evidence of income level.
  • An affidavit from the applicant or a responsible third party attesting that the applicant does not file tax returns, has no bank accounts, and/or has no income to prove income level.
  • Copies of medical records, insurance records, bank statements, or other reliable evidence of unreimbursed medical expenses of at least $10,000.

We will send you a Request for Evidence (RFE) if we have questions about the evidence you submitted.

You can find additional information on our Fee Exemption Guidance Web page.

Note: There are no fee waivers available for DACA requests and employment authorization applications connected to DACA.

If USCIS grants DACA and employment authorization in your case, you will receive a written notice of that decision. An Employment Authorization Document will arrive separately in the mail.

In general, only noncitizens who have permission from DHS to work can apply for a Social Security number.  If USCIS grants DACA, you can find additional information about  Social Security Number and Card for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (PDF)  on the  Social Security Administration  website.

If USCIS denies your request for DACA, you cannot file an administrative appeal or a motion to reopen or reconsider. See 8 CFR 23.23(c)(3). USCIS will not review its discretionary determination to deny your request for DACA.

Under 8 CFR 236.23(c)(2), USCIS will not issue a Notice to Appear or refer a requestor’s case to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for possible enforcement action based on the denial of your DACA request unless we determine that your case involves denial for fraud, a threat to national security, or public safety concerns. For more information on notices to appear, visit  uscis.gov/NTA .

You may request a review using the Service Request Management Tool process if you met all of the DACA guidelines and you believe USCIS denied your request because of an administrative error.

  • USCIS believes you abandoned your case by not responding to a request for evidence (RFE), and you believe you did respond within the prescribed time; or
  • USCIS mailed the RFE to the wrong address, even though you had submitted a Form AR-11, Change of Address, or changed your address online at  uscis.gov before we issued the RFE.

You can find a full list of possible errors in our Frequently Asked Questions .

To make a service request, you must call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability: TTY 800-767-1833. A USCIS representative will then forward your request to the proper USCIS office. Your service request will be reviewed for accuracy and USCIS will send you a letter informing you of its decision.

The USCIS Contact Center is open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Eastern Time.

Certain travel outside the United States may affect the continuous residence guideline. Traveling outside the United States before Aug. 15, 2012, will not interrupt your continuous residence if the travel was brief, casual, and innocent. If you travel outside the United States on or after Aug. 15, 2012, and before we make a decision on your request for DACA, you will not be considered for DACA.

The following chart explains whether your travel will affect your continuous residence.

Once USCIS has approved your request for DACA, you may file  Form I-131 , Application for Travel Document, to request advance parole to travel outside of the United States. If you travel outside the United States without first receiving advance parole and then enter the United States without inspection, USCIS may terminate your DACA after issuing a Notice of Intent to Terminate with an opportunity to respond. DACA recipients who depart the United States without first obtaining an advance parole document run a significant risk of being unable to reenter the United States; obtaining an advance parole document prior to departure is strongly encouraged to reduce the risk of being unable to return and resume DACA.

For detailed information see the Travel section of the Frequently Asked Questions.

You will not be considered for DACA if you have been convicted of:

  • A felony offense;
  • A significant misdemeanor offense (as described at 8 CFR 236.22(b)(6)); or
  • 3 or more other misdemeanor offenses not occurring on the same date and not arising out of the same act, omission, or scheme of misconduct.
  • You are otherwise deemed to pose a threat to national security or public safety.

What is the difference between a “significant misdemeanor” (a misdemeanor as described at 8 CFR 236.22(b)(6)), a “non-significant misdemeanor” (other misdemeanor), and a “felony”?

A minor traffic offense is not considered a misdemeanor for purposes of 8 CFR 236.22(b)(6) and is not per se disqualifying for DACA purposes. DHS considers such offenses in the totality of circumstances to determine if a requestor merits a favorable exercise of prosecutorial discretion. However, driving under the influence is a disqualifying misdemeanor as described at 8 CFR 236.22(b)(6) regardless of the sentence imposed.  You can find detailed information in the  Criminal Convictions  section of the Frequent Asked Questions.

Dishonest practitioners may promise to provide you with faster services if you pay them a fee. These people are trying to scam you and take your money. Visit our Avoid Scams page to learn how you can protect yourself from immigration scams.

Make sure you seek information about DACA from official government sources such as USCIS or the Department of Homeland Security. If you are seeking legal advice, visit our Find Legal Services page to learn how to choose a licensed attorney or accredited representative.

Remember you can download all USCIS forms for free at www.uscis.gov/forms .

USCIS is committed to safeguarding the integrity of the immigration process. If you knowingly and willfully provide materially false information on Form I-821D, you will be committing a federal felony punishable by a fine, or imprisonment up to 5 years, or both, under 18 U.S.C. Section 1001.  In addition, you may be placed into removal proceedings, face severe penalties provided by law, and be subject to criminal prosecution.

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Long-awaited trip to Mexico offers closure for one DACA recipient

COMPTON, Calif. — The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, commonly referred to as DACA, gives limited protections to hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought into the U.S. as children.

DACA recipients must continually meet several stringent requirements or risk deportation. It makes seeing family outside the country for any reason very difficult, but it is possible.

What You Need To Know

Daca recipients need special permission, known as "advance parole" to leave the country more than 20 years since coming to the u.s., daca recipient mayra garibo finally returned to mexico after missing her father's funeral applications for advance parole are expensive, take several months to process and are not always accepted many more daca recipients are awaiting a decision for their advance parole applications.

One success story is Mayra Garibo who visited Mexico this year. It was her first time back since crossing the border with her mom and younger brother as a child. It’s been more than 20 years since Garibo felt the waters in Sinaloa, Mexico where she was born.

“I waited so long for this,” said Garibo.

As a DACA recipient she couldn’t leave the country without special permission called advance parole. Her application was turned down several times despite her father’s sudden passing. She was unable to attend his funeral in Mexico. Garibo worried her grandparents in Mexico might also pass soon and she wouldn’t be able to say goodbye in person.

“It was such a long fight that I had given it my all. I had given it my all and said that’s enough, that’s enough of being hurt by this system unfortunately that isn’t really considering the human side of things and even when I said that I still called USCIS,” said Garibo.

She’s referring to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Long before coming to the airport Garibo had to become intimately familiar with this department of Homeland Security.

While her father’s bible is the most meaningful thing she brought back, visiting his grave gave her something else.

“I finally had closure after so long, so many years of fighting,” said Garibo.

Garibo is already planning her return to Mexico. She’s one of many advance parole applicants awaiting a decision. Armando Vazquez-Ramos is the president of the California-Mexico Studies Center who’s advocating for them. He’s led DACA recipients on study abroad trips to Mexico for years. His last successful trip though was in 2017. He assumed the paperwork would clear quickly under a new president.

“I mean we’re like a sore thumb. We know we are in the radar, but our concern is what’s holding it up. Is there resistance now under the leadership of this new government and why?” said Vazquez-Ramos.

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Legally re-entering the country could help Garibo adjust her status, but it didn’t make leaving any easier.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever come back,” said Garibo.

Vazquez-Ramos says the center is considering legal action. The average wait time for processing advance parole forms according to USCIS is four months and several applicants have been waiting longer than that.

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Can DACA Recipients Travel to Mexico? Exploring the Legal and Practical Implications

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By Happy Sharer

can daca recipients travel to mexico

Introduction

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a program that was established by the Obama administration in 2012 to protect undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children from deportation. The program provides relief from deportation and allows them to work legally in the U.S. While the program does not provide a path to citizenship, it has allowed many young people to remain in the U.S. and pursue their dreams. As a result, many DACA recipients have developed strong ties to the U.S. and may be interested in traveling to Mexico, their country of origin.

Legal Implications for DACA Recipients Traveling to Mexico

Legal Implications for DACA Recipients Traveling to Mexico

Before traveling to Mexico, DACA recipients should understand the legal implications of crossing the border. Mexican immigration laws are different than those of the United States, and it is important to be aware of the potential legal challenges that could arise when attempting to travel to Mexico.

Understanding Mexican Immigration Law

In order to travel to Mexico, DACA recipients must have a valid passport or visa. If they do not have either of these documents, they will need to apply for a temporary visitor’s permit at the nearest Mexican consulate. The application process can take several weeks and requires proof of financial stability, a valid ID, and a criminal background check. It is also important to note that Mexico does not recognize DACA status and thus DACA recipients are treated as any other foreign national.

Examining the Legal Challenges DACA Recipients Face When Attempting to Travel to Mexico

Once DACA recipients arrive in Mexico, they may be subject to additional legal scrutiny. Mexican authorities may deny entry to anyone they suspect is attempting to immigrate illegally. Additionally, if DACA recipients are found to be living in Mexico without proper documentation, they can be arrested and deported. To avoid this, DACA recipients should make sure they are familiar with the applicable laws and regulations before attempting to travel to Mexico.

Practical Considerations for DACA Recipients Traveling to Mexico

In addition to understanding the legal implications of traveling to Mexico, DACA recipients should also consider the practical considerations. Planning ahead and taking the time to research the visa requirements, travel restrictions, and necessary documents can go a long way in ensuring a successful trip.

Researching Visa Requirements

When traveling to Mexico, DACA recipients should research the visa requirements for their particular situation. Different countries have different visa requirements, and it is important to understand what is needed before attempting to enter the country. Additionally, some countries require travelers to obtain a visa prior to arrival, so it is important to check with the appropriate consulate beforehand.

Investigating Travel Restrictions

It is also important to investigate any travel restrictions that may be in place. Mexico has recently implemented a number of restrictions on foreign visitors, including limiting the amount of time visitors can stay in the country and requiring visitors to register their presence with the government. Understanding these restrictions can help ensure a successful trip.

Obtaining Necessary Documents

Finally, DACA recipients should make sure they have all of the necessary documents before attempting to travel to Mexico. This includes a valid passport or visa, proof of financial stability, and a valid ID. Additionally, it is important to make sure that the documents are up-to-date and valid for the duration of the trip.

Planning a Successful Trip to Mexico

Planning a Successful Trip to Mexico

Once the legal and practical considerations have been addressed, DACA recipients should begin planning for their trip to Mexico. Creating an itinerary, finding reliable transportation, and making arrangements for accommodations can help ensure a successful trip.

Creating an Itinerary

Creating an itinerary is an important part of planning a successful trip to Mexico. DACA recipients should research the places they would like to visit and create an itinerary that includes the destinations, activities, and estimated costs. This will help them stay organized and maximize their time while in Mexico.

Finding Reliable Transportation

DACA recipients should also research their transportation options. Mexico has a wide range of transportation options, including buses, trains, and rental cars. It is important to research the costs and safety records of each option before deciding which is best for the trip.

Making Arrangements for Accommodations

Finally, DACA recipients should make arrangements for accommodations. Mexico offers a variety of lodging options, ranging from hotels to hostels to Airbnbs. It is important to research each option to find the one that is best suited to their needs and budget.

Benefits of Traveling to Mexico for DACA Recipients

Benefits of Traveling to Mexico for DACA Recipients

In addition to the practical considerations, there are also numerous benefits for DACA recipients who choose to travel to Mexico. Exploring the culture, developing a sense of identity, and connecting with family members are just a few of the potential benefits.

Exploring the Culture

Traveling to Mexico provides DACA recipients with the opportunity to explore the culture and learn more about their heritage. From the vibrant cities to the stunning beaches, there is something for everyone in Mexico. Exploring the culture can also be a great way to gain a better understanding of the country and its people.

Developing a Sense of Identity

Traveling to Mexico can also help DACA recipients develop a sense of identity. Being able to experience the culture firsthand can help them feel connected to their roots and better understand their place in the world.

Connecting with Family Members

Finally, traveling to Mexico provides DACA recipients with the chance to connect with family members they may not have seen in years. This can be a powerful experience and can help strengthen the bonds between family members.

Traveling to Mexico can be a rewarding experience for DACA recipients, but it is important to understand the legal and practical implications before attempting to cross the border. By researching visa requirements, investigating travel restrictions, obtaining necessary documents, creating an itinerary, finding reliable transportation, and making arrangements for accommodations, DACA recipients can ensure a successful trip to Mexico. Additionally, exploring the culture, developing a sense of identity, and connecting with family members can offer numerous benefits for DACA recipients who choose to travel to Mexico.

(Note: Is this article not meeting your expectations? Do you have knowledge or insights to share? Unlock new opportunities and expand your reach by joining our authors team. Click Registration to join us and share your expertise with our readers.)

Hi, I'm Happy Sharer and I love sharing interesting and useful knowledge with others. I have a passion for learning and enjoy explaining complex concepts in a simple way.

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  1. DACA Recipients And Travel: What You Need To Know

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  2. Can DACA Recipients Travel to Mexico? Exploring the Legal and Practical

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  3. How a Return of DACA Recipients Could Be a Huge Asset for Mexico

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  4. Can DACA Recipients Travel to Mexico in 2022? Exploring the Legal and

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  5. Can Daca Beneficiaries Travel To Mexico

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  6. Can DACA Recipients Travel?

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COMMENTS

  1. Can DACA Recipients Travel? Yes, but It's Tricky [2024]

    DACA recipients can travel abroad temporarily if they want to, but they need advance parole or a travel authorization to be able to do so. On December 4, 2020, there was a federal court order where a judge directed the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to accept the DACA travel authorizations.

  2. DACA Recipients: How to Apply for a Travel Document (Advance Parole

    How to Apply for Advance Parole as a DACA Recipient. To apply for Advance Parole, you will need to submit the following to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): Form I-131, issued by USCIS (see below). Copy of a photo identity document, such as a driver's license or passport identity page. Proof that you have been approved for DACA ...

  3. 2023 Guide: Traveling to Mexico with DACA Status

    Furthermore, DACA recipients, often referred to as Dreamers, are an integral part of their communities and economy. ... Currently, DACA holders can travel to Mexico, but the process requires careful planning and adherence to legal requirements. It is important to note that travel permissions and limitations may change over time, so it is ...

  4. PDF Travel for DACA Applicants (Advance Parole)

    2. DACA applicants or recipients who travel outside the U.S. without being granted approval for travel will lose their DACA status. 3. You will be inspected at the border when you return, and there is always a possibility that you could be denied entry, even if the government granted you permission to travel. How can I travel after I receive DACA?

  5. Traveling with Advance Parole for DACA

    DACA recipients can request to travel abroad for medical reasons, which falls under the humanitarian travel purpose. ... If you travel to the United States by land in a vehicle (such as by car over the U.S.-Canada border or U.S.-Mexico border) at a designated Port of Entry (POE), you will have to present your advance parole and supporting ...

  6. DACA Recipients Can Travel Abroad only in Limited Circumstances

    These DREAMers who travel abroad and return to the United States will be inspected by immigrants offices at the port of entry. Only after inspection, the DACA recipients who hold advance parole documents will be granted entry into the country. Activists say that the USCIS must permit the DACA recipients to visit their families.

  7. Everything You Need to Know About Traveling on DACA

    Navigating travel as a DACA recipient or with a pending DACA application can be challenging. In order to avoid any immigration issues or roadblocks with your application, it's important to understand travel requirements and restrictions you may face as a DACA recipient. Before you make any domestic or international travel arrangements, we ...

  8. How Do You Apply for Advance Parole as a DACA Recipient?

    Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)recipients sometimes have an urgent need to travel outside of the United States. If you're in DACA status, you can apply for permission to travel outside the U.S. using a process called "Advance Parole." With an approved Advance Parole application, DACA recipients can travel outside the United States and return lawfully.

  9. Frequently Asked Questions

    On Sept. 13, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas issued a decision finding the DACA Final Rule unlawful and expanding the original July 16, 2021 injunction and order of vacatur to cover the Final Rule. However, the court maintained a partial stay of the order for "all DACA recipients who received their initial DACA status prior to July 16, 2021."

  10. 2023 Travel Guide: DACA Recipients Traveling to Mexico

    "DACA Travel to Mexico: A Comprehensive 2023 Guide to Rules, Requirements, and Considerations for DACA Recipients"

  11. As A DACA Beneficiary, I've Been Waiting For This Trip To Mexico All My

    The cute boats in Xochimilco, the iconic Pirámides de Teotihuacan, a video of a gay bar playing the pop divas. I was floored, but excited for José, who is undocumented and a DACA beneficiary. He ...

  12. I've Been Granted DACA: Can I Leave the U.S. to Visit Family?

    "Advance Parole" Can Allow DACA Recipients to Travel and Return to the U.S. The rule is that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may grant Advance Parole to a DACA applicant if the trip is for purposes to do with: educational; employment, or; urgent humanitarian reasons. The agency will not grant Advance Parole for a mere vacation.

  13. DACA Travel to Mexico 2023: Restrictions and Requirements Revealed

    Discover the latest restrictions and requirements for DACA recipients traveling to Mexico in 2023. Plan your trip now!

  14. DACA recipients win permits to travel outside the U.S.

    The California-Mexico Studies Center, a named plaintiff in the lawsuit, had led more than 160 DACA recipients on study-abroad trips before 2018. The program isn't for academic credit. Advertisement

  15. Podcast explores a DACA recipient's journey back to Mexico after ...

    The series follows De Los Santos' journey to Mexico, his country of birth, for the first time in 30 years. But it also beautifully incorporates the voices of other recipients of Advance Parole for ...

  16. What's the current status of DACA? Here's what you need to know

    Under the Biden administration's rule, which currently governs the program, existing recipients can apply to renew their DACA status every two years, paying a $495 filing fee each time. The fee ...

  17. A dreamer and attorney, she returned to Mexico after 30 years to find

    Dulce Garcia, a DACA recipient, got permission to leave the U.S. and come back so that she could help asylum seekers in Tijuana By Kate Morrissey May 23, 2021 6 AM PT

  18. Dreamers' Study Abroad Program Allows DACA Recipients to Visit Mexico

    DACA Rescinded. Securing advance parole is a slow process. Still, from 2015 to 2017, the program took six cohorts of students, about 160 in total, to Mexico. In 2017, however, the Trump administration rescinded DACA, throwing the study abroad program—as well as the futures of hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients—into uncertainty.

  19. Best Tips for DACA Recipients for Travel in the US

    With Advance Parole, it is an opportunity for DACA recipients to travel outside of the United States and return legally. To obtain Advance Parole, you need to get Form I-512L. Form I-512L is almost similar to a visa. After the official inspects the Advance Parole document, you can re-enter the United States. However, an Advance Parole document ...

  20. Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

    However, the court maintained a partial stay of the order for "all DACA recipients who received their initial DACA status prior to July 16, 2021." See the Memorandum and Order ... 2012, and after you have requested DACA: Any; Yes. You cannot travel while your request is under review. You cannot apply for advance parole unless and until DHS ...

  21. Trip to Mexico offers closure for DACA recipient

    Long-awaited trip to Mexico offers closure for one DACA recipient. COMPTON, Calif. — The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, commonly referred to as DACA, gives limited protections to hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought into the U.S. as children. DACA recipients must continually meet several stringent requirements or risk ...

  22. Can DACA Recipients Travel to Mexico? Exploring the Legal and ...

    In order to travel to Mexico, DACA recipients must have a valid passport or visa. If they do not have either of these documents, they will need to apply for a temporary visitor's permit at the nearest Mexican consulate. The application process can take several weeks and requires proof of financial stability, a valid ID, and a criminal ...

  23. Immigrants with DACA status can't work licensed fields in SC

    South Carolina law prohibits 5,500 DACA recipients from working in licensed fields, like as nurses and teachers, two sectors facing critical labor shortages.

  24. 2023 Survey of DACA Recipients Highlights Economic Advancement

    Data from the past nine years show that DACA has had a significant and positive effect on wages: Recipients' average hourly wage more than doubled from $11.92 to $31.52 per hour—an increase of ...