What is Form I-131A?
Form I-131A is U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' Application for Carrier Documentation. A carrier document (often called a transportation letter or boarding foil) tells an airline or other carrier it may let you travel to the United States. It's for lawful permanent residents outside the country whose Permanent Resident Card or reentry permit was lost, stolen or destroyed, or has expired, and for some holders of an advance parole document or a travel-endorsed EAD that was lost or damaged. The current edition is 01/20/25.
You file the I-131A in person at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, after paying the fee online and bringing proof of payment. USCIS also asks you to contact the Consular Section first to confirm it can process the form. The six-page form covers who you are, why you need the document, when you left the United States and plan to return, your card and permit expiry dates, and questions about proceedings, abandonment of status, earlier carrier documents and revoked travel documents.
FileIt pre-fills your name and date of birth from your vault, asks each question in order, and prints your answers on USCIS's own PDF. The Part 7 continuation boxes are laid out so your text fits. The finished form is saved in your vault, ready to print and sign by hand before your consular appointment.
- Who files
- A permanent resident (or certain travel-document holders) outside the United States who can't board without a valid document.
- Where
- In person at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate's Consular Section, after paying the fee online.
- Pages
- 6 (Parts 1-7, including interpreter, preparer and additional information).
- Signature
- Handwritten in ink.
- Edition
- 01/20/25 (OMB No. 1615-0135, expires 02/28/2027)
Who needs to fill out Form I-131A?
- Green-card holders abroad whose Permanent Resident Card was lost, stolen or destroyed.
- Permanent residents whose card or reentry permit expired while they were outside the United States.
- Permanent residents whose card was issued but never received.
- Holders of a Form I-512 advance parole document or a travel-endorsed Form I-766 that was lost, stolen or damaged abroad.
When to use Form I-131A
- When you're outside the United States and an airline won't board you without a valid green card, reentry permit or travel document.
- After you've paid the fee online and confirmed with the nearest Consular Section that it can take your application.
- Before your planned return date, giving the consulate time to decide.
What you need before you start
- Your A-Number (it's on your green card), date of birth, country of birth and citizenship.
- Your current mailing address abroad and your last U.S. physical address.
- The date you left the United States and the date you plan to travel back.
- Expiry dates of your Permanent Resident Card, any reentry permit and any I-512, I-512L or I-766, and the related I-131 receipt number.
- Evidence of a legal name change if your name changed since your last card or document.
- Proof of the online fee payment to bring to the consulate.
What’s on Form I-131A
The 2025 edition has 6 pages. FileIt asks for it in 10 parts:
- Attorney or accredited representative (top of page 1)Preparer
- Part 1. Information about youApplicant
- Part 1. Current mailing address and U.S. physical addressApplicant
- Part 1. Other informationApplicant
- Part 2. Reason for applicationApplicant
- Part 3. Processing informationApplicant
- Part 4. Applicant's statement, contact information and signatureApplicant
- Part 5. Interpreter's contact information, certification and signatureInterpreter
- Part 6. Person preparing this application, if other than the applicantPreparer
- Part 7. Additional informationApplicant
How to fill out Form I-131A, step by step
1 Part 1. Information about you
Your name and whether it changed since your last card or document, your mailing address and U.S. physical address, A-Number, online account number, Social Security number, date of birth, sex, and country of birth and citizenship.
2 Part 2. Reason for application
Select one reason: your card was lost, stolen or destroyed; issued but never received; damaged; or expired. Or your advance parole document or travel-endorsed EAD was lost, stolen, destroyed or damaged, or another reason you explain.
3 Part 3. Processing information
The date you left the United States and plan to return, your card, reentry permit and document expiry dates, the related I-131 receipt number, and yes/no questions about removal proceedings, abandonment of status, earlier carrier documents and revoked travel documents. A Yes needs details in Part 7.
4 Part 4. Statement, contact and signature
Whether you read the form in English or through an interpreter, whether a preparer helped, your phone and email, and the date. You sign by hand.
5 Parts 5 to 7
An interpreter's and a preparer's details and certifications if you used them, and Part 7 for any extra explanation, with your name and A-Number printed at the top.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mailing the form: the I-131A is filed in person at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
- Arriving without proof that the fee was paid online.
- Answering Yes to a Part 3 question without giving details in Part 7.
- Leaving out the A-Number, which ties the application to your permanent resident record.
- Choosing more than one reason in Part 2.
After you fill it out
Print the form and sign Part 4 by hand. Have any interpreter or preparer sign their parts.
Pay the fee online as USCIS's I-131A page explains, and keep the confirmation.
Contact the nearest Consular Section, then bring the signed form, payment proof and your evidence to your appointment. FileIt doesn't file anything for you.
Keep a copy in your vault with your green card and travel records.
Fill out Form I-131A online with FileIt
- Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
- Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 110 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
- Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
- Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault.
FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.
Start Form I-131A now — it’s freeForm I-131A: frequently asked questions
What is Form I-131A?
It is USCIS's Application for Carrier Documentation: a request for a document that lets an airline or other carrier board a permanent resident back to the United States when their card or reentry permit is lost, stolen, destroyed or expired.
Where do I file it?
In person with a Consular Section at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, according to USCIS's I-131A page. You pay the fee online first and bring proof of payment.
Is this the same as Form I-131?
No. Form I-131 is filed for travel documents such as reentry permits and advance parole, usually before you travel. The I-131A is for when you're already abroad and need a carrier document to come back.
What if my name changed?
Item 2 asks about this. If you answer Yes, attach evidence of your legal name change.
Do I need to explain a Yes answer in Part 3?
Yes. The form asks for details in Part 7 for proceedings, abandonment of status, earlier carrier documents and revoked travel documents.
Does FileIt submit the form?
No. FileIt fills USCIS's official PDF and saves it in your vault. You sign it and take it to the consulate.
Official sources
- Blank form (PDF), published by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-131a.pdf
- Official instructions and guidance: https://www.uscis.gov/i-131a
- Edition shown on this page: 01/20/25 (OMB 1615-0135, expires 02/28/2027) (checked 2026-10-19).
FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-10-19.