CBP Home is the US government’s app for people without legal status who decide to leave the country on their own. This page sets out what DHS says the program offers, and what it says happens to a court case, a removal order and a pending asylum claim, for Guatemalans weighing it. Every rule below is quoted or paraphrased from DHS’s CBP Home page, last updated September 1, 2026.
In short: DHS offers participants cost-free travel, a $3,000 exit bonus paid after arrival (no bank account needed), forgiveness of civil fines for failure to depart, and temporary deprioritization by ICE after they submit an intent to depart and pass vetting, until the scheduled departure. Eligibility is «all non-criminal aliens present in the United States». For a pending immigration court case, DHS says it will file a motion asking the court to dismiss it. DHS says a pending asylum application is generally presumed abandoned when you leave. DHS says the program includes no benefits for future visa applications at this time. DHS recommends consulting an immigration attorney or legal counsel before you register.
What DHS offers
| Incentive | What DHS’s page says |
|---|---|
| Travel | Cost-free travel. For those who ask for assistance, DHS estimates departure within 21 days of approval |
| Exit bonus | $3,000, paid after landing in the country of arrival; in most instances collected in the home country; no bank account necessary |
| Fines | Civil fines for failure to depart after a final removal order or a voluntary departure order are forgiven |
| Enforcement | After you submit an intent to depart and pass vetting, ICE temporarily deprioritizes you for detention and removal until your scheduled departure |
| Help | Assistance arranging travel for children or extended family and obtaining valid travel documents; transport to the airport through approved partners for those who ask |
| Baggage | Two checked bags of 50 lbs. or less each, and one carry-on |
DHS says it is working with Project Homecoming partners to pay the exit bonuses, and that «The delivery method will vary based on country-specific guidelines and regulations.» DHS does not publish the payout method for Guatemala on this page.
Who can use it
- «All non-criminal aliens present in the United States are eligible to use the CBP Home app.»
- A previous deportation, or a final order of removal, does not preclude eligibility.
- DHS says there is currently no deadline to apply.
- If you do not qualify, DHS says to contact your home country’s embassy or consulate. For Guatemalans that is the Guatemalan consulate network in the US.
What happens to your case
This is the part to read twice, and the reason DHS itself tells people to consult an attorney first.
| Your situation | What DHS says happens |
|---|---|
| Pending case in immigration court | You can still participate; DHS will file a motion with the court to dismiss your case |
| Final order of removal | DHS says departure «will generally constitute a self-removal/execution of the outstanding removal order» |
| Pending asylum application | DHS says a person who leaves while it is pending «generally will be presumed to have abandoned their application» |
| Legal category of the departure | DHS says it is not a withdrawal of an application for admission under 8 U.S.C. 1225(a)(4), and not a voluntary departure under 8 U.S.C. 1229c |
| Future visas or parole | «CBP Home does not include benefits or preferences for future applications at this time» |
DHS also lists «Leaving voluntarily may improve future immigration options» among the benefits, without saying how. How unlawful presence and a departure interact with a later green card is covered on our I-601A waiver page. If you have an asylum case, see asylum for Guatemalans in the US before you decide anything.
How registration works
DHS lists four steps in the app: choose your language, fill in the required information and submit a current selfie, add family members who will depart with you, and submit. The app asks for:
- first, middle and last name
- date of birth
- country of citizenship
- email address and phone number
- a clear self-photo
The app is available in 11 languages, Spanish among them. Questions go to CBPHome@cbp.dhs.gov, the address DHS publishes.
Scam warning from DHS: CBP Home representatives may contact you by phone or email, but «They will never ask you for your bank routing information, social security numbers, passwords, or mother’s maiden name.»
Travelling with children
- Each co-traveller in the US, including minors, must be registered in the app to receive the program’s benefits, and a minor can only be registered after an adult on the same email account.
- A child can travel with a parent or legal guardian if the child passes the usual CBP checks and the adult carries a notarized consent letter from any parent or legal guardian who is not travelling.
- For a child who is a US citizen, the Guatemalan side (registering the child as Guatemalan, school, health) is on our pages about returning with US-born children and registering a US-born child as Guatemalan.
Proving you left
- By air or sea: DHS says CBP confirms the departure date and you do not need to do anything else; you can still self-report in the app for a digital record.
- By land: you must verify in the app. DHS requires you to be at least three miles outside the US border, allow location services, submit a new photo, and enter your personal and travel details.
Before you fly: the Guatemalan documents
DHS offers help “obtaining valid travel documents”; check which entry documents apply to you before travelling. If your passport has expired, read entering Guatemala with an expired Guatemalan passport and renewing a passport from the US. Our returning to Guatemala checklist covers DPI, bank accounts and belongings.
People removed by ICE on deportation flights arrive through a reception process described on what happens when a deportation flight lands. DHS describes CBP Home participants as returning «as regular travelers—without arrest, detention, or restraints»; its page does not say which flights or airports are used for Guatemala.
Related
- US government actions affecting Guatemalans (2026 tracker)
- US alien registration requirement for Guatemalans
- What happens when a deportation flight lands
Sources, read on 25 September 2026: DHS, CBP Home: Assistance to Voluntarily Self-Deport (dhs.gov/cbphome, page marked last updated 09/01/2026); CBP, CBP Home mobile app page. General information, not legal advice. DHS itself recommends consulting an immigration attorney or legal counsel before indicating an intent to self-depart.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does CBP Home pay a Guatemalan who leaves the US?
DHS’s CBP Home page (last updated September 1, 2026) says participants receive cost-free travel and a $3,000 exit bonus, paid «upon confirmation through the app that return has been completed». DHS says the bonus is paid after landing in the country of arrival, that no bank account is needed, and that in most instances it is collected in the home country, with the delivery method depending on country-specific rules.
Who qualifies for CBP Home?
DHS says: «All non-criminal aliens present in the United States are eligible to use the CBP Home app.» Having been deported before, or having a final order of removal, does not preclude eligibility, according to the same page. DHS adds that people who do not qualify can ask their home country’s embassy or consulate for help returning.
What happens to my immigration court case if I use CBP Home?
DHS says that if you have a pending case before an immigration court you can still participate, and that DHS will file a motion with the court to dismiss your case. It recommends consulting an immigration attorney or legal counsel before indicating the intent to self-depart.
What happens to a pending asylum application?
DHS’s page says that a person who leaves the United States while an asylum application is pending «generally will be presumed to have abandoned their application.»
Does leaving through CBP Home help me come back legally later?
DHS’s page says two things. Among the benefits it lists: «Leaving voluntarily may improve future immigration options.» Asked whether CBP Home offers expedited visas, parole or help with future visa fees, it answers: «CBP Home does not include benefits or preferences for future applications at this time.» It also says a departure through CBP Home is not a voluntary departure under section 1229c of title 8 of the US Code. DHS adds that, for someone with a final order of removal, the departure will generally count as a self-removal, the execution of that order.
Can I bring my US-born children?
DHS says minors can travel with parents or legal guardians if they pass the usual CBP checks and the travelling adult carries a notarized consent letter from any parent or guardian who is not travelling. Every co-traveller in the US who is using the program, including minors, must be registered in the app to receive the benefits. A US-citizen child is a separate question on the Guatemalan side: see our page on returning with US-born children.
