TL;DR: Receiving Form I-391 can feel confusing, but it’s an important step toward recovering your immigration bond refund. This guide explains what the document means, why it’s issued, and how to move through the refund process with confidence and clarity.
Readers will discover:
- What Form I-391 is and how it confirms that an immigration bond has been officially cancelled
- The situations that trigger issuance of Form I-391, including legal status approval or deportation
- The difference between Form I-391 and Form I-340, and why they are often misunderstood
- How long the immigration bond refund process typically takes and what factors can cause delays
- The steps required to submit Form I-391 correctly, track your refund, and replace lost paperwork if needed
If you receive form I-391 in the mail as a result of your immigration bond, it can be a moment of confusion about what comes next. The red tape of bureaucracy can be complex and lead to hopelessness for all but the most informed parties, after all. But not all hope is lost. There are steps you can take to legally reclaim your bond money.
In this guide, we will outline what Form I-391 means, what steps to take next, and how to confidently and legally proceed to ensure you get your bond refund.
What is Form I‑391 and when is it issued?
Form I-391 is an official government document issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Issuance of Form I-391 is an indication that an individual’s bond has been cancelled. Form i-391’s notice an immigration bond is cancelled is a legal, official, and important document in one’s immigration process.
The form is sent to individuals who meet one of two criteria:
- The bonded individual has obtained legal status in the United States, or
- They have been deported.
It is, to be sure, not to be confused with Form I-340. But what’s the difference between Form I‑340 and Form I-391, you may be wondering? While Form I-391 concerns the status of an individual’s bond, I-340 is essentially a summons. In the judicial system, Form I-340 is a demand that an individual be removed from the country or arrive for an official hearing or interview regarding their status.
More specifically, Form I-340 does not concern the status of one’s bond. Specifically, whether I-340 or I-391 applies to you depends on your status, both as a resident and as a bonded individual.
How long does it take to get an immigration bond refund?
The U.S. judicial and immigration systems are complex and lengthy. And the immigration bond refund process is similarly lengthy.
To this end, individuals who have assembled and submitted the proper paperwork in compliance with local laws can expect their immigration bond refund to be sent to them within a few months. Of course, how long it takes to get an immigration bond refund depends on the accuracy, accompanying documentation, proper filing, and decision regarding your bond.
However, this only takes place after Form I-391 is properly filled out and notarized, submitted to the debt management center, and fully processed.
What is the immigration bond refund process?
Once you have submitted your Form I-391 and accompanying documents to the debt management center, it’s recommended that you follow up with the center and keep copies of all correspondence and updates. This is to ensure your ICE bond refund follows an expected chain, from the judicial system and back into your or your creditor’s account.
If a receipt or important document is lost in the process, you can file Form I-395, which acts as an affidavit in lieu of a lost receipt.
Get the Help You Need with ICE Bond Refunds
If you require assistance with Form I-391 or any other element of the immigration bond refund process, Liberty Immigration is here to help.
With 39 convenient locations across the Unites States and experts on-call to help advise about I-340 or I-391 questions or challenges, we are your immigration bond resource. And we can help you get your bond refund fast.
Need your bond refund? Call Liberty Immigration.