A green card is the key to building a secure future in the United States, but the application process is not always straightforward. Many applicants file for adjustment of status, then feel “stuck” in the U.S. for months or years while they wait. When work and travel are both on the line, one document becomes especially important: the combo card.
A combo card is a single document that serves as both an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and an Advance Parole travel document for many green card applicants. USCIS first introduced this combined EAD and Advance Parole card in 2011. It looks like a regular EAD (Form I-766) but includes the line “Serves as I-512 Advance Parole” on the front, and it can be used both for work and for international travel for certain applicants with pending Form I-485.
Travel with a combo card can still feel risky. Each year, USCIS handles millions of immigration filings across the system. In FY 2023 alone, USCIS received 10.9 million filings and completed more than 10 million pending cases, marking record-breaking numbers in the agency’s history. Even with a 15% reduction in overall backlogs, the sheer volume of cases shows how busy the system remains, meaning that small travel mistakes can still have serious consequences.
So, understanding how combo card travel works can help you avoid unnecessary obstacles and protect your pending green card case.
At The Chidolue Law Firm, we have helped many applicants safely use their combo card to travel and return to the U.S. without problems.
Let’s break down the most important things you need to know about combo card travel and how to avoid common issues.
1. What Is a Combo Card and Who Gets It?
A combo card is a single plastic card that combines:
- Your EAD (work permit), and
- Your Advance Parole travel authorization.
USCIS issues this card as an I-766 Employment Authorization Document (EAD) with an annotation that reads “Serves as I-512 Advance Parole”. An I-766 with this language is widely recognized as a combination Employment Authorization and Advance Parole Card.
You may qualify for a combo card if:
- You filed Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status)
- You filed Form I-765 (EAD) and Form I-131 (Advance Parole) at the same time, or while your I-485 is pending
- USCIS decides to issue both benefits on one card instead of separate documents
Immigration practitioners report that USCIS stopped combo cards for a period and then resumed issuing combo cards in 2025 for some adjustment applicants. Policies can shift, so some applicants still receive separate EAD and Advance Parole documents, while others receive a single USCIS combo card.
How to avoid problems here
Always check your card. If it says only “Employment Authorization” and there is no “Serves as I-512 Advance Parole” language, it is not a combo card. It is just an EAD. For international travel, you need either a combo card with that wording or a separate Advance Parole document.
2. How Combo Card Travel Works
When used correctly, your EAD and Advance Parole combo card lets you:
- Work legally inside the United States
- Leave the U.S. and return while your I-485 is pending, without abandoning that application
The combo card works as your I-485 travel document at the airport or land border. Airlines and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers use the “Serves as I-512 Advance Parole” annotation as proof that you are authorized to seek parole back into the U.S..
To travel with a combo card, you usually need:
- A valid passport from your home country
- Your combo card (not expired)
- Copies of your I-485 receipt notice and other approval notices
- Any relevant evidence of your ties to the U.S. (job letter, lease, etc., especially if your history is complex)
How to avoid problems here
Treat your combo card as a parole document, not as a visa. CBP can still question you at entry and has the final say on parole. Plan trips that are short and clearly temporary. Most lawyers advise avoiding long trips abroad while your case is pending unless there is a strong reason, such as a family emergency or important work travel.
3. Timing and Processing: Why Planning Travel Is Critical
Travel with a combo card starts long before you book a ticket. Processing times for Form I-131 (Advance Parole) and the linked Form I-765 can be slow. USCIS data show that I-131 processing often takes several months. In FY 2023, USCIS completed more than 975,800 naturalization applications and administered the Oath of Allegiance to 878,500 new U.S. citizens, highlighting the agency’s record-breaking workload and the resulting long wait times for travel documents like combo cards.
At the same time, the overall USCIS workload keeps climbing. The agency completed 10.8 million applications in FY 2023 and has reported continued high demand in later years. High volume means more backlog, and that affects combo card travel.
Common timing issues:
- Applicants buy plane tickets before approval
- Applicants travel with an expired combo card
- People assume USCIS will expedite I-131 for normal travel plans
How to avoid problems here
Do not make non-refundable travel plans until your combo card is approved and in your hand. Use current USCIS processing time tools for I-131 and I-765 to estimate wait times. If you have a genuine emergency (serious illness, funeral), USCIS may consider expedited Advance Parole. Be ready to show proof and talk with an attorney about the right strategy.
4. When Combo Card Travel Can Be Dangerous for Your Case
Advance Parole lets you seek reentry, but it does not erase past immigration problems. Certain histories make travel with a combo card risky:
- Unlawful presence bars
- Past removal or deportation orders
- Criminal history, especially crimes involving moral turpitude or controlled substances
- Prior fraud or misrepresentation to immigration officials
DHS data show that parole is a discretionary tool. In one DHS report, there were about 2,160,803 parole applications with around 553,527 approvals, an approval rate of roughly one in four. While many of these are not combo-card cases, the numbers show that parole decisions are not automatic.
If CBP believes you fall within a ground of inadmissibility, officers can:
- Question you in secondary inspection
- Cancel your Advance Parole
- Refuse to parole you into the U.S.
- Place you into removal proceedings
How to avoid problems here
Before you travel, speak with an experienced immigration attorney if you have any of the following:
- Long periods of unlawful presence
- Prior entries without inspection
- Past deportations or voluntary departure
- Convictions or arrests
- Any past misrepresentation to USCIS, CBP, or a consulate
An attorney can evaluate whether combo card travel is safe or if you should avoid international travel until your green card is approved.
5. Abandonment of Your Green Card Case and Other Myths
Many applicants worry that any travel will cancel their I-485. The rule is more specific:
- If you leave the U.S. without Advance Parole while an I-485 is pending, in most categories, USCIS treats that as abandonment of the adjustment application
- If you leave with a valid combo card, that travel is usually allowed and does not abandon your I-485, as long as you remain eligible when you return
Still, there are important limitations:
- Certain categories, like some TPS-based or humanitarian cases, have special rules
- If your underlying basis for adjustment ends while you are abroad, for example, your H-1B job ends and you are adjusting through that job, your case could be in trouble
- Long absences can raise questions about your intent to reside in the U.S. permanently
How to avoid problems here
📌 Use combo card travel only when necessary. Keep trips short. Carry copies of:
- Your I-485 receipt
- Your combo card
- Any approval notices and a recent employment letter if you are adjusting through employment
Do not assume that a combo card guarantees reentry. It simply gives you the right to request parole at the border.
6. What Happens at the Airport With a Combo Card?
At the port of entry, CBP officers:
- Verify your passport
- Examine your combo card
- Check your details in their systems
- Confirm that your I-485 is still pending and that you are not barred from admission
An ICE and DHS guide for identity documents notes that an I-766 card that says “Serves as I-512 Advance Parole” may be used as a travel document for reentry. Even with that, CBP keeps full discretion.
Possible outcomes:
- You are paroled into the U.S. for a set period
- You are sent to secondary inspection for more questions
- In rare cases, you may be refused parole if a serious problem is found
How to avoid problems here
📌 At the airport:
- Keep your combo card and passport easily accessible
- Answer questions truthfully and clearly
- Do not volunteer extra information that is not requested, but never lie
- If officers have concerns, you have the right to request counsel once you are in a formal inspection or proceedings setting
If you are detained or refused entry, your family or friends should contact an immigration attorney immediately.
7. Expiration, Loss, and Reissuance of Combo Cards
Your combo card travel authorization is limited by the dates printed on the card. Once it expires, you can no longer use it to:
- Work in the U.S.
- Travel and return on Advance Parole
USCIS policy notes that there is no simple “replacement” process if an Advance Parole document or combo card is destroyed or lost. You must usually file a new I-131 (and I-765 if needed) rather than asking USCIS to reprint the original.
This matters in a system that already has serious delays. With hundreds of thousands of I-131 cases each year, a lost or expired combo card can mean many more months of waiting.
How to avoid problems here
📌 Protect your combo card:
- Keep it in a safe place when not traveling
- Scan or photograph both sides for your records
- Track the expiration date and file for renewal early
- Do not travel near the expiration date. If your combo card expires while you are abroad, you may not be able to return
If the card is lost or stolen, speak to an attorney about how to file a new application and about risks of travel before you receive the new document.
Why Is Legal Guidance Important for Combo Card Travel?
Combo card travel may sound simple, but in reality, it sits at the intersection of adjustment of status rules, Advance Parole requirements, and CBP inspection procedures. Because multiple agencies and regulations are involved, even small mistakes can have serious consequences. A misstep may lead to the abandonment of your green card application, problems at the airport, lengthy delays caused by new filings, or, in more serious cases, removal proceedings.
Working with an experienced immigration attorney can help you avoid these risks and make informed decisions. Legal guidance can clarify whether you should travel at all while your Form I-485 is pending and confirm that your combo card is valid with no hidden issues in your immigration history. An attorney can also help you time your Form I-131 and Form I-765 filings correctly, reducing the risk of getting stuck abroad or losing work authorization while you wait.
In addition, legal support can be critical if questions or complications arise during or after travel. An immigration attorney can assist in responding to CBP or USCIS issues and help ensure that your short-term travel plans align with your long-term green card strategy.
At The Chidolue Law Firm, we regularly advise adjustment of status applicants on USCIS combo card issues, Advance Parole, and green card travel questions. We help clients understand the risks, prepare for inspections and interviews, and protect their status while they visit family, handle emergencies, or travel for work.
Start Your Immigration Journey with Confidence
Do not let a poorly planned trip put your green card at risk. Get clear, practical guidance on combo card travel, Advance Parole, and your work authorization.
📞 Call The Chidolue Law Firm today at:
➡ 407-995-6567
➡ 678-325-1037
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➡ 404-333-8751
Let us help you protect your ability to work, travel, and build your life in the United States with confidence. Your immigration success starts here.
