U.S. Embassy in Finland

A lawful permanent resident (LPR) of the United States is required to present a valid Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card, if seeking readmission to the U.S. after a temporary absence of less than one year. A Transportation Boarding foil facilitates boarding by the airline to transport you back to the U.S.

How to apply for a transportation boarding foil 

You must make an appointment to visit the Immigrant Visa Unit and apply in person. In order to be processed for a Transportation boarding foil by the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki, you will need to complete the following steps prior to your appointment date.

1. Go to: https://www.uscis.gov/I-131A – Download and complete the Application for Travel Document (Carrier Documentation) – Form I-131A. You will need to know your Alien Registration Number in order to complete the form;
2. Go to: https://www.uscis.gov/file-online– to create an online USCIS account to pay the fee of $575.00 USD for the I-131A application. (Note: This is the only acceptable means of payment for the I-131A application). The Embassy cannot collect this fee on behalf of USCIS. Kindly note that this fee is non-refundable.
3. Please use our Visa Navigator (Google Forms) to find out how to submit payment confirmation. Upon receipt, the Embassy will contact USCIS to confirm your status and then schedule your appointment. The office is closed on weekends as well as American and Finnish holidays. It is recommended that you make an appointment with our office at least 2 weeks before you intend to travel back to the U.S. Please note that we can only process applications for U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents who have been outside the United States for less than one year and who are intending to return to the U.S. within 30 days.

What should I bring to the appointment?

1. Your valid passport (if you lost your passport or had your passport stolen, we will not be able to issue you a transportation boarding foil until you have obtained a new passport);
2. Original Form I-131A completed and signed;
3. Proof that the application fee of $575 has been paid;
4. Proof of being outside the United States for less than one year since last departure, such as flight ticket / electronic itinerary which shows your last departure from the United States and your upcoming return to the US;
5. One passport photo in color 5×5 cm, full face, white background.