The Department of Homeland Security recommends that travel authorization applications be submitted at least 72 hours prior to travel.
ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) All travelers intending to go to the US under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) must obtain an ESTA authorization (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) BEFORE starting their trip.
Planning Your Trip. The travel document usually arrives within 150 days (sometimes longer) after submitting your application. You can't leave the country until you have your approved travel document in hand, so you should expect to spend the 3–5 months after submitting your green card application in the United States.
A travel document is proof that you can cross national borders, and is normally a passport.
A passport is an internationally recognized travel document that verifies the identity and nationality of the bearer. Only the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Embassies and Consulates have the authority to grant, issue or verify U.S. passports.
You may ask us to expedite adjudication of your Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records, by calling the Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) or by asking Emma. (You can access Emma by clicking on the Ask Emma icon on the top right of this page.)
The processing of an ESTA can take up to 72 hours.
You may ask us to expedite adjudication of your Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records, by calling the Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) or by asking Emma. (You can access Emma by clicking on the Ask Emma icon on the top right of this page.)
Planning Your Trip The travel document usually arrives within 150 days (sometimes longer) after submitting your application. You can't leave the country until you have your approved travel document in hand, so you should expect to spend the 3–5 months after submitting your green card application in the United States.
Sign into your USCIS online account to receive automatic updates, including your U.S. Postal Service (USPS) tracking number when we mail your card or travel document. If you did not file online and do not have a USCIS online account, review the instructions to create an account to track your case.