You file USCIS Form I-193, Application for Waiver of Passport and/or Visa, when you arrive at a U.S. port of entry without the passport or visa that federal law normally requires. The form asks U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to forgive that missing document for one entry, so you can come into the country instead of being turned away.
Travelers lose passports, have them stolen, or simply forget the right document more often than people think. According to the U.S. State Department’s lost or stolen passport data, Americans report roughly 300,000 lost or stolen passports every year, and a portion of those travelers end up needing Form I-193 to get home.
Here is what you will learn in this guide:
- 🛂 How Form I-193 fits inside the Immigration and Nationality Act and the Code of Federal Regulations
- 💵 The current $585 filing fee, payment methods, and the limited fee waiver path
- ✍️ A line-by-line walkthrough of every box on the current form edition
- 👨👩👧 Three named, real-world examples showing how Maria, James, and Anika each used the form
- ⚠️ The most common mistakes that lead to denial, secondary inspection, or expedited removal under INA §235(b)(1)
What Form I-193 Is and Why It Exists
Form I-193 is a discretionary waiver request. It asks a CBP officer to use the authority in 8 CFR §212.1(g) and 8 CFR §211.1(b)(3) to let you enter the United States without the passport or visa that the Immigration and Nationality Act §212(a)(7) normally demands. Without that waiver, you are inadmissible the moment you reach the inspection booth.
The plain-English idea is simple. Congress made a rule that every arriving traveler must show a valid passport and a valid visa or green card. The consequence of arriving without those documents is denial of entry, possible expedited removal, and a five-year bar to the United States. Form I-193 gives the officer a legal way to say “I see your problem, and I am going to let you in this one time.”
A common misconception is that Form I-193 is filed in advance with USCIS by mail. It is not. You file it in person at the port of entry, hand it to the CBP officer, and wait while the officer makes a decision. The CBP Inspector’s Field Manual gives officers wide discretion, and that discretion is the heart of the process.
Who Can File Form I-193
The form is mostly for two groups. The first group is U.S. lawful permanent residents (green card holders) who lost, had stolen, or destroyed their Form I-551 while traveling abroad. The second group is nonimmigrants, like B-1/B-2 visitors, F-1 students, or H-1B workers, who arrive without the passport or visa they should be carrying.
U.S. citizens do not file Form I-193 because citizens cannot be denied entry to their own country. A citizen without a passport instead presents secondary identification and signs a sworn statement under 22 CFR §53.2. The consequence of confusing these two paths is hours of extra delay in secondary inspection.
A real-world example helps. Maria, a green card holder from Guatemala, has her wallet stolen in Antigua two days before her flight home to Miami. She files Form I-193 at Miami International Airport, pays the fee, and is admitted as a returning resident under INA §101(a)(27)(A). Without the waiver, the airline would not have boarded her in the first place.
When the Form Does Not Apply
Form I-193 cannot fix every documentation problem. If you are a lawful permanent resident who has been outside the United States for more than one year without a reentry permit, you need Form I-131A and possibly an SB-1 returning resident visa, not Form I-193. The consequence of filing the wrong form is wasted money and a likely referral to an immigration judge.
The form also does not apply if you are inadmissible for reasons beyond a missing document. Criminal grounds, fraud grounds, or prior removals require separate waivers like Form I-601 or Form I-212. A common misconception is that Form I-193 is a “catch-all” waiver. It is narrow and only fixes the missing-passport or missing-visa problem.
Take James, a U.S. citizen tourist whose passport is stolen in Cancun. James does not file Form I-193 at all. He visits the U.S. Embassy and gets an emergency passport. The form is never the right tool for citizens.
The Legal Backbone Behind Form I-193
The waiver lives at the intersection of statute, regulation, and CBP policy. Reading the underlying law helps you understand why officers ask the questions they ask. It also explains why approval is never guaranteed.
Statutory Authority Under the INA
Section 212(a)(7) of the INA makes any arriving non-citizen inadmissible if they lack a valid unexpired passport or a valid unexpired entry document. The statute is strict on its face. The consequence of strict reading is that even a one-day passport gap blocks entry.
Congress, however, gave the executive branch a release valve. INA §212(d)(4) lets the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State waive the passport and visa requirement in individual cases of unforeseen emergency. Form I-193 is the practical tool used to invoke that authority. A misconception is that the waiver is automatic for emergencies. It is always discretionary.
For example, Anika, an H-1B worker from India, leaves her visa-stamped passport in a Bangalore hotel safe and does not realize until she lands at JFK. She files Form I-193 in secondary inspection. The officer uses the §212(d)(4) authority to admit her after confirming her status in the Department of State’s CCD database.
Regulatory Framework
The regulations spell out the mechanics. 8 CFR §211.1(b)(3) covers green card holders, while 8 CFR §212.1(g) covers nonimmigrants. Both regulations require the officer to consider whether denying entry would cause “extreme hardship.”
The plain-English meaning is that the officer is supposed to balance your story against the public interest. The consequence of failing the balance is a refusal stamped on your travel record, which becomes visible to every officer who later inspects you. A common misconception is that paying the fee buys approval. Paying the fee only buys a decision.
Court Rulings That Shape Discretion
Federal courts have repeatedly held that Form I-193 decisions are committed to agency discretion and rarely reviewable. In Samirah v. Holder, the Seventh Circuit reminded readers that admission decisions sit with CBP. The consequence of that ruling is limited appeal options if your I-193 is denied.
The Board of Immigration Appeals’ decision in Matter of Ducret also confirms that returning residents who lose documents abroad must show their permanent resident status with secondary evidence. The takeaway is that you should bring every document you can find that proves status, not just the form.
The Current Filing Fee and How to Pay It
The filing fee for Form I-193 is $585 under the USCIS fee schedule effective April 1, 2024. That fee is nonrefundable, even when the waiver is denied. The consequence of nonrefundability is that you pay for the review, not the result.
CBP collects the fee at the port of entry, not USCIS in advance. Most large airports accept Visa, MasterCard, money orders, and cashier’s checks made out to “U.S. Customs and Border Protection.” The consequence of arriving with only foreign currency is that CBP may hold you in secondary inspection until a family member can wire funds.
Fee Waiver Possibilities
Fee waivers under Form I-912 are technically possible but rarely granted at the port of entry, because CBP officers are not adjudicating in the same way USCIS officers do. A green card holder who can show indigency may request relief, but the practical reality is that the fee almost always gets paid on the spot. The misconception that “I-912 always works” leads to long delays.
Take Maria again. She did not have $585 in cash, but she used her credit card at Miami International. The CBP officer printed a receipt under Form G-1450 procedures, and she was on her way home in under three hours.
What the Fee Pays For
The fee covers the officer’s review, the database checks, the biometric capture, and the secondary inspection time. It does not buy expedited service, and it does not buy a guarantee. The consequence of misunderstanding the fee is anger when the officer denies the application after you have already paid.
Step-by-Step: Filling Out Form I-193 Line by Line
The form is two pages long, but every box matters. Reading the official form instructions before you start is the single best thing you can do. The consequence of skipping the instructions is that you will likely write in the wrong box and have to start over.
Part 1: Information About You
The first section asks for your full legal name, date of birth, country of birth, country of citizenship, and current address in the United States. Use the name exactly as it appears on the missing document, even if you have since changed your legal name. The consequence of mismatched names is a referral to deferred inspection.
You will also list your A-Number (if a green card holder) or your I-94 number (if a nonimmigrant). The plain-English point is that CBP needs a way to find you in their systems. A misconception is that you can leave these blank if you do not remember them. The officer will pull them anyway, and missing data slows the case.
Part 2: Information About Your Travel
Here you list the date of your most recent departure from the United States, the country you visited, your flight or vessel number, and the carrier. Be precise. The consequence of guessing on flight numbers is that the officer may believe you are hiding travel history.
You also list the reason your passport or visa is missing. Acceptable answers include lost, stolen, destroyed, expired during travel, or “left behind.” The misconception that “stolen” sounds better than “lost” is wrong. Officers care about truth, not the sympathetic-sounding label.
Part 3: Reason for the Waiver
This is the narrative section. Write three to five sentences explaining what happened. The plain-English rule is to say what, where, when, and why. The consequence of a vague answer is denial.
A good example reads: “On May 10, 2026, my passport and green card were stolen from my hotel safe in Antigua, Guatemala. I filed police report #2026-1147 with the Policía Nacional Civil the same day. I am returning to my home and job in Miami, Florida, where my U.S. citizen spouse and two children live.”
Part 4: Signature and Certification
You sign under penalty of perjury. The consequence of a false statement is criminal liability under 18 U.S.C. §1001 plus permanent inadmissibility for fraud under INA §212(a)(6)(C).
Sign in blue ink if possible. Date the form using the U.S. format (MM/DD/YYYY). Misconceptions about date formats cause more rejections than people realize.
Three Common Scenarios With Outcomes
Scenarios make the rules concrete. The three tables below show the most common fact patterns CBP officers see at U.S. ports of entry. Each one ends with a different outcome based on the facts.
Scenario 1: Green Card Holder With Stolen Documents
| Traveler’s Action | CBP Outcome |
|---|---|
| Maria reports the theft to local police and gets a report number | Officer treats the loss as documented and credible |
| Maria pays the $585 fee with a credit card at Miami International | Officer accepts payment and runs biometrics |
| Maria presents her expired California driver’s license and a digital photo of her green card | Officer confirms LPR status in CLAIMS database and admits her |
Scenario 2: Nonimmigrant Worker Who Forgot a Visa-Stamped Passport
| Traveler’s Action | CBP Outcome |
|---|---|
| Anika realizes mid-flight that her visa-stamped passport is in a Bangalore hotel safe | She prepares to file Form I-193 on landing |
| Anika presents her current passport, expired stamped passport photo, and I-797 approval notice | Officer verifies H-1B petition in USCIS Case Status |
| Anika pays the fee and signs the I-193 | Officer admits her with a Form I-94 valid until her petition end date |
Scenario 3: Tourist Who Loses a Visa During Travel
| Traveler’s Action | CBP Outcome |
|---|---|
| Carlos, a B-2 tourist from Brazil, loses his passport in Orlando before a Caribbean cruise | He returns to Miami without the passport that holds his B-2 visa |
| Carlos files Form I-193 and explains the loss with no police report | Officer doubts the story and refers him to secondary inspection |
| Carlos cannot prove prior lawful entry beyond a hotel receipt | Officer denies the waiver and applies expedited removal |
Three Named Examples in Detail
Examples turn rules into real life. Each story below uses a single named traveler with a clear goal. Each ends with the actual legal consequence.
Maria’s Returning Resident Case
Maria Lopez is a 42-year-old lawful permanent resident living in Miami. Her goal is to get home to her children. After her green card and passport are stolen, she visits the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City for a boarding letter, then flies to Miami and files Form I-193. The officer admits her under 8 CFR §211.1(b)(3) and tells her to file Form I-90 within 30 days to replace her green card. The consequence of skipping I-90 would be problems at her next reentry.
James’s Citizen Detour
James Carter is a 29-year-old U.S. citizen vacationing in Cancun. His goal is to get back to Dallas. He never files Form I-193 because citizens do not need it. Instead, he gets an emergency passport from the U.S. Consulate in Mérida and flies home with no waiver fee. The misconception that all travelers without passports file I-193 cost him two hours of confusion before a consular officer corrected him.
Anika’s H-1B Save
Anika Patel is a 34-year-old H-1B software engineer at a Seattle tech company. Her goal is to keep her job by reporting back on time. She files Form I-193 at SeaTac, pays $585, and is admitted because her employer’s I-129 petition is still valid. Her example shows that strong status evidence beats missing paperwork. The consequence of failing to bring petition proof would have been a deferred inspection appointment.
Mistakes to Avoid
Mistakes in I-193 filings create real-world harm. Some cost money, others cost your status, and a few create permanent bars. Below are the seven most common errors travelers make at the port of entry.
- Lying about the reason the document is missing, which triggers fraud findings under INA §212(a)(6)(C) and creates a permanent inadmissibility bar.
- Forgetting to file a local police report when the document was stolen, which makes the officer doubt your story and increases denial risk.
- Confusing Form I-193 with Form I-131A, which is the form for green card holders who lose documents abroad and want to board a flight back, not enter once they land.
- Bringing only foreign currency or a foreign-bank check, which CBP will refuse and which can trap you in secondary inspection for hours.
- Leaving the A-Number or I-94 number blank, which forces the officer to dig through databases and slows the case.
- Writing a one-sentence narrative in Part 3, which gives the officer no story to weigh and almost always leads to denial.
- Failing to bring secondary identification like a driver’s license, expired passport copy, or SSA card, which leaves the officer with no way to verify identity.
Do’s and Don’ts at the Port of Entry
The list below covers the practical moves that decide most cases. Each item includes a short reason so you understand why it matters.
- Do carry a digital photo of your missing document, because the officer can use it to confirm identity in seconds.
- Do request a supervisor review if you believe the officer is misapplying 8 CFR §212.1(g).
- Do stay calm and answer only the question asked, because volunteering extra information can create new inadmissibility issues.
- Do keep payment on hand in U.S. dollars or by major credit card, since the officer will not adjudicate without the fee.
- Do bring proof of ties to the United States, like a lease, paystub, or family photos, because ties support the discretionary balance.
- Don’t lie about how you lost the document, because misrepresentation is a permanent bar under INA §212(a)(6)(C).
- Don’t sign the form before reading Part 4, because you are signing under penalty of perjury.
- Don’t assume approval is automatic, because every I-193 decision is discretionary.
- Don’t travel without a backup copy of your passport’s biographic page, since that copy makes the officer’s job easier.
- Don’t argue with the officer about the fee, because fee disputes are handled later through USCIS customer service, not at the booth.
Pros and Cons of Filing Form I-193
Filing the form is sometimes the only path home, but it is not free of cost. The list below weighs the upsides against the downsides so you can plan accordingly.
- Pro: It gives you a legal way to enter the United States without the document the INA normally requires.
- Pro: It is decided on the spot, so you do not wait months for a USCIS adjudication.
- Pro: It preserves your lawful permanent resident status when used correctly under 8 CFR §211.1(b)(3).
- Pro: It avoids expedited removal, which would otherwise carry a five-year bar under INA §212(a)(9)(A).
- Pro: It creates a paper trail you can use the next time you travel.
- Con: The $585 fee is nonrefundable even after a denial.
- Con: Approval is fully discretionary, so two officers can reach two different results on the same facts.
- Con: A denial can lead to expedited removal and a long bar to the United States.
- Con: It often triggers secondary inspection, which can take six hours or more at busy airports.
- Con: A pattern of repeated I-193 filings can hurt future visa applications because consular officers see the prior waivers in the State Department’s CLASS system.
Comparing Form I-193 With Related Forms
Travelers often confuse I-193 with other immigration forms. The table below shows how each form fits a different fact pattern. Picking the right one saves money and time.
| Form | Best Use |
|---|---|
| Form I-193 | Arriving at a U.S. port of entry without a passport or visa, paid at the booth, $585 |
| Form I-131A | Green card holder abroad who needs a boarding foil from a U.S. Embassy to fly home, $575 |
| Form I-90 | Replacing a lost or expired green card from inside the United States |
| Form DS-64 | Reporting a lost or stolen U.S. passport to the State Department |
| Form DS-11 | Applying for a new U.S. passport after loss or theft |
| Form I-601 | Waiving certain inadmissibility grounds beyond missing documents |
Key People, Places, and Agencies in the Process
Several agencies touch an I-193 case. Knowing each one’s role helps you direct questions to the right desk. The wrong contact wastes time you may not have.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the agency that adjudicates the form at the port of entry. Officers wear blue uniforms and work for the Department of Homeland Security. The consequence of confusing CBP with USCIS is calling the wrong number when you need help.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services publishes the form and sets the fee, but does not adjudicate it. The U.S. Department of State issues passports and visas through embassies and consulates abroad. A misconception is that USCIS reviews I-193 decisions later. It does not. The CBP decision is final at the port.
The Executive Office for Immigration Review houses the immigration courts that may hear your case if the officer denies the waiver and refers you for removal. Knowing this chain helps you understand why an immigration attorney from the American Immigration Lawyers Association can be valuable on short notice.
State and Local Nuances
Federal law controls admission, but states play supporting roles. Driver’s license rules and identification rules vary by state, and they often matter when you have no passport. The consequence of ignoring state nuance is that you may not have a backup ID that the officer trusts.
In California, New York, and Florida, REAL ID-compliant licenses include features that CBP officers recognize quickly. Border states like Texas and Arizona also issue Enhanced Driver’s Licenses that work for land and sea reentry from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. A misconception is that an EDL replaces a passport at airports. It does not.
If you live in a state without REAL ID rollout, like American Samoa or certain territories, plan ahead. The consequence of arriving without any compliant ID is that the officer must rely entirely on the I-193 narrative. That narrative carries more weight when state-issued ID backs it up.
What Happens After You File
After you hand the form to the officer, three things can happen. The officer can approve it, deny it, or defer the decision to a deferred inspection site. Each path has its own consequences.
Approval means you are admitted, often with a stamped I-94 noting the I-193 waiver. The plain-English meaning is that you have entered legally, even though you lacked the usual document. The misconception that approval erases the missing-document record is wrong. CBP keeps the record and may flag it on your next entry.
Denial under 8 CFR §235.3(b) often leads to expedited removal. That carries a five-year bar to reentry. The consequence of expedited removal is that you cannot return without a Form I-212 waiver of reapplication.
Deferred inspection sends you to a CBP deferred inspection site where you bring documents within 30 days. The plain-English point is that the officer is giving you time to prove your story. The misconception that deferred inspection is denial is wrong. It is a second chance.
FAQs
Can a U.S. citizen file Form I-193?
No. U.S. citizens cannot be denied entry to their own country. Citizens without a passport instead use 22 CFR §53.2 procedures and present secondary identification to CBP.
Is the $585 fee refundable if my waiver is denied?
No. The fee pays for the officer’s review, not the result. CBP keeps the fee even after denial, and you cannot recover it through a USCIS refund request.
Do I need to file Form I-193 in advance by mail?
No. Form I-193 is filed in person at the port of entry, not mailed to USCIS. Filing it ahead of time at a USCIS lockbox results in rejection and a returned check.
Can a green card holder file Form I-193 instead of Form I-131A?
Yes. A green card holder who already reaches a U.S. port of entry without documents files Form I-193. Travelers still abroad use Form I-131A to get a boarding foil first.
Will a denied I-193 lead to expedited removal?
Yes. Most I-193 denials trigger expedited removal under INA §235(b)(1), which carries a five-year reentry bar. A waiver under Form I-212 is then required for any return.
Is approval of Form I-193 guaranteed if I pay the fee?
No. Approval is fully discretionary under 8 CFR §212.1(g). The fee buys a decision, never a result, and officers regularly deny weak cases.
Can I appeal a denied I-193?
No. I-193 denials are not directly appealable to the Administrative Appeals Office. Federal courts also defer to CBP discretion, leaving few practical review paths.
Should I bring a police report if my passport was stolen?
Yes. A local police report supports the credibility of your story. Officers weigh documented theft far more favorably than vague “lost it somewhere” narratives.
Can I file Form I-193 at a land border crossing?
Yes. CBP officers at land ports of entry accept Form I-193 just like airports. Pedestrian and vehicle lanes both have inspection booths that can process the form.
Will filing Form I-193 affect future visa applications?
Yes. Consular officers see prior I-193 filings in the CLASS database. Repeated filings raise red flags, even though one filing rarely causes future denials.
Do I need a lawyer to file Form I-193?
No. The form is filed in person, and CBP does not allow attorneys at primary inspection. An attorney can still help you prepare the supporting evidence before you travel.
Can children fill out their own Form I-193?
No. A parent or legal guardian signs Form I-193 for any child under 14. The signing adult certifies the facts under penalty of perjury just as if the child had signed.
Related reading
- How to Fill Out USCIS Form G-1566 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out USCIS Form I-102 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out USCIS Form I-131A (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out USCIS Form I-539 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out USCIS Form I-601A (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out USCIS Form N-600 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out USCIS Form I-821 (w/Examples) + FAQs