IT’S the time of the year when people make their holiday travel plans, and with that in mind, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has issued some timely advice for those who are in the process of waiting for permanent residence to be approved in the U.S.

Such adjustment of status candidates are advised that they must obtain advance parole from USCIS before traveling abroad, or else their case can be declared null and void upon return. Advance parole allows people awaiting green cards to depart the U.S. while their case is still being processed.

“Travel outside of the United States without advance parole has severe consequences and individuals who violate this law may be unable to return to the U.S. and their applications may be denied,” said a media release issued last week by USCIS.

This is especially true for undocumented residents waiting to adjust status via marriage to an American citizen, virtually the only way an illegal alien can become regularized in the U.S. Those who have accumulated six months or more of illegal residency are subject to three or 10-year bars upon return, even with an advance parole document.

For any undocumented immigrant fortunate enough to be an adjustment of status candidate, the advice is quite clear — forget about advance parole altogether and stay put in the U.S. until the case is completed.

Advance parole can take several weeks to be approved, so the time is now to file. The required I-131 form can be obtained at the USCIS website, www.uscis.gov.