223.2—Processing.
(a) General.
An application for a reentry permit, refugee travel document, or advance parole document must be filed on Form I-131, with the fee required in § 103.7 of this chapter and with the initial evidence required on the application form.
(b) Eligibility—
(1) Reentry permit.
Except as otherwise provided in this section, an application may be approved if filed by a person who is in the United States at the time of application and is a lawful permanent resident or conditional permanent resident.
(2) Refugee travel document—
(i) General.
Except as otherwise provided in this section, an application may be approved if filed by a person who is in the United States at the time of application, and either holds valid refugee status under section 207 of the Act, valid asylum status under section 208 of the Act, or is a permanent resident and received such status as a direct result of his or her asylum or refugee status.
(ii) Discretionary authority to adjudicate an application from an alien not within the United States.
As a matter of discretion, a district director having jurisdiction over a port-of-entry or a preinspection station where an alien is an applicant for admission, or an overseas district director having jurisdiction over the place where an alien is physically present, may accept and adjudicate an application for a refugee travel document from an alien who previously had been admitted to the United States as a refugee, or who previously had been granted asylum status in the United States, and who had departed from the United States without having applied for such refugee travel document, provided:
(A)
The alien submits a Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, with the fee required under § 103.7(b)(1) of this chapter ;
(B)
The district director is satisfied that the alien did not intend to abandon his or her refugee status at the time of departure from the United States;
(C)
The alien did not engage in any activities while outside the United States that would be inconsistent with continued refugee or asylee status; and
(D)
The alien has been outside the United States for less than 1 year since his or her last departure.
(c) Ineligibility—
(1) Prior document still valid.
An application for a reentry permit or refugee travel document shall be denied if the applicant was previously issued a reentry permit or refugee travel document which is still valid, unless it was returned to the Service or it is demonstrated that it was lost.
(2) Extended absences.
A reentry permit issued to a person who, since becoming a permanent resident, or during the last 5 years, whichever is less, has been outside the United States for more than 4 years in the aggregate, shall be limited to a validity of one year, except that a permit with a validity of two years may be issued to:
(ii)
A permanent resident employed by a public international organization of which the United States is a member by treaty or statute, and his or her permanent resident spouse and children; or
(iii)
A permanent resident who is a professional athlete who regularly competes in the United States and worldwide.
(3) Permanent resident entitled to nonimmigrant diplomatic or treaty status.
A permanent resident entitled to nonimmigrant status under section 101(a)(15) (A), (E), or (G) of the Act because of occupational status may only be issued a reentry permit if the applicant executes and submits with the application, or has previously executed and submitted, a written waiver on Form I-508 required by section 247(b) of the Act and part 247 of this chapter and, if applicable, Form I-508F (election as to tax exemption under the Convention between the United States and the French Republic) required by part 247 of this chapter.
(d) Effect of travel before a decision is made.
Departure from the United States before a decision is made on an application for a reentry permit or refugee travel document shall not affect the application.
(e) Processing.
Approval of an application is solely at the discretion of the Service. If the application is approved, the requested document shall be issued as provided in this part.
(f) Issuance.
A reentry permit or refugee travel document may be sent in care of a United States Consulate or an overseas office of the Service if the applicant so requests at the time of filing. Issuance of a reentry permit or refugee travel document to a person in exclusion or deportation proceedings shall not affect those proceedings.
(g) Appeal.
Denial of an application for a reentry permit or refugee travel document may be appealed to the Service's Administrative Appeals Unit.