What is “Class of Admission” on Form I-131

We have talked about Class of Admission on Form I-90, so in this post we’ll discuss Form I-131, Application for Travel Document.


Form I-131 can be used to apply for either a Reentry Permit or Advance Parole (AP), for which the “Class of Admission” requires different information.

If you are using I-131 to apply for a reentry permit, which means you already have a green card, Class of Admission is asking for the three-letter code representing your immigrant category under which you became a permanent resident. This is the same code as we discussed in the I-90 post mentioned above.

If you are using I-131 to apply for Advance Parole, which means you are not yet a permanent resident, Class of Admission is asking for your non-immigrant visa you last used to enter the U.S. This is usually, but not always, a two-letter code you get at the port of entry. For example, F1, B2, H1, TN, etc.

However, if you entered the U.S. on a non-immigrant visa but later changed your status to another non-immigrant category (F1 to H-1B, e.g.), this is where confusion arises. In this case, should you put your last or current status as your “Class of Admission”? Unfortunately, there is no clear answer, and USCIS hasn’t clarified the situation. I personally prefer using the last status, since that is what “admission” refers to. But I think it is Ok to put either one. I know some people have filled in both, such as “F1 then H-1B,” which seems to be acceptable too. If you have doubt, ask your attorney. But depending on whom you ask, you may get a different answer each time. The good news is, USCIS hasn’t made a big fuss about it, so it is probably no big deal to them whether you choose to use your last or current status.

16 thoughts on “What is “Class of Admission” on Form I-131”

  1. I have a green card since mid. 2012 , I left united states on october 2014 for some reasons , I had to stay about 11 moths ,when I came back to US they told me at the airport you spent a long time out side US and stamped my passport ,and told me you have to issue a travel document next time if you decided to leave US.
    Now I should leave US on Oct. 1st 2015 for same ….
    my quastion is after I filled I-131 out how could i come back again because i have no time to get my travel doc. if i stay more than year out of US ? and how could i get it in my country to come back?
    and could i come back if i finished before a year withou it ?
    I need some help with that ,please

  2. Thank you very much for the information, I was looking for two hours what dose class of admission means and I couldn’t find answer. I have one more question if you have time, is it OK to put (visiting relatives and friends ) as the answer to question what is the purpose of visit.

  3. Hi, If I entered the US as non-immigrant with J-1 visa and submitted an asylum case. My case is still pending and now I am applying for Advance Parole for an urgent travel. What is my class of admission? Thanks

  4. My future wife and I are considering the purchase of real estate in Costa Rica. She is currently in the USA on a Fiance Visa (K-1). We have not yet married or applied for her permanent residency. May she obtain travel permission to accompany me to Costa Rica to look at properties, then renter the United States at the end of this travel?

  5. When it asks for a class of admission code it just wants the code from that list? Such as C1? The Card has C1USA and a string of numbers. What exactly are they looking for?

  6. My mother is a greencard holder but when she entered in USA, she came as a tourist but I petitioned my mother to get a greencard . Now , I have to apply for re entry permit for my mother to stay in Korea for 2 years.

    In I 131form, there is class of admission. So based on your information,should I enter category code from her greencard? Or should I find it from I 94 which she received at the airport a long time ago when she came to USA as a tourist with tourist Visa?

    Lastly, I got confused. What should I send with I 131form?

    Two passport of photos ( from uscis site, send identification documents sent. I do not see that two passport photos should be sent)
    Fee
    I 131 form
    The copy of the front and back of the greencard

    Please confirm those.

    Thank you for your time.

  7. My permanent status is pending. Before leaving US (2014) I’d applied for I 131 but due to ill health I couldn’t go back. During this period, my I 485 was denied. Is it possible to travel back to US without AP as my permanent resident status is pending? I look forward to a helpful advice.

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