U.S. Immigration Attorney: Application for Travel

Traveling Within the United States

Traveling within the United States can be complicated for those without a valid green card. Some states may be more vigilant about checking your immigration status than others. Local laws can differ from one state to the next, so it could be beneficial to discuss your travel plans with an immigration attorney before venturing outside the United States.

Traveling Outside of the United States

Traveling outside the United States is not usually a problem, but sometimes, it can be difficult to get back in. For that reason, you want to ensure that all of your documentation is current and up to date. For those flying back to their homelands or traveling for work, you need only apply for travel documentation. The reason for doing so is two-fold. Firstly, it ensures that U.S. officials have a paper trail proving that everyone knew what was happening. Secondly, it cannot be used against you if you ever apply for a green card. 

Traveling Can Impact Your Immigration Status

Green card holders will need to establish a residency within the U.S. of 5 years, with at least 2.5 of those years constituting continuous residence. In other words, traveling can cost you the ability to apply for U.S. citizenship. One way to avoid this is to file travel documents with USCIS.

For non-immigrants, the issue could be more complicated. Getting back into the United States will likely require a visa. So they will need to apply for a visa. Non-immigrants should contact an attorney before applying for a visa to ensure that U.S. customs officials will respond nicely to their requests.