CBP Home Self-Deportation: How the Exit Bonus Works and the Legal Risks

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has raised the payment it offers to people who leave the United States through the CBP Home mobile app. DHS's official CBP Home page, last updated September 1, 2026, now opens with a notice that the program "is now granting an exit bonus of $3,000" to those who self-deport, together with cost-free travel and forgiveness of certain fines. DHS repeated the $3,000 figure in a press release on September 2, 2026. Until then, DHS releases through late August 2026 described the offer as $2,600.

This article explains, in plain language, what DHS says the app does, who it says can use it, and — just as important — what leaving can mean for a pending case and for any future return. You can read the official program page directly at dhs.gov/cbphome (opens in new tab). This is general information, not legal advice.

What the CBP Home app does

According to DHS, CBP Home is a free U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) app for iPhone and Android with an "Intent to Depart" feature. A person tells the government they plan to leave, and DHS arranges help with the departure. To submit, DHS says you need your name, date of birth, country of citizenship, email, phone number and a clear selfie. Family members, including children, are added as co-travelers; DHS says each person who is leaving, minors included, must be registered to receive the benefits.

DHS lists these incentives on its page:

• A $3,000 exit bonus, paid after the return is confirmed through the app. DHS says it is usually collected in the home country and no bank account is needed.
• Cost-free travel and travel assistance, such as help getting travel documents. DHS estimates departure within 21 days of approval for those who ask for help.
• Forgiveness of civil fines for failing to depart after a final removal order or a voluntary departure order.
• Temporary deprioritization by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for detention and enforcement before the scheduled departure, once the person passes vetting.

DHS says "all non-criminal aliens" in the United States are eligible, that there is currently no deadline, and that a prior deportation or a final order of removal does not by itself rule a person out. DHS also states that CBP Home does not include any benefit or preference for future visa applications.

How the offer has changed since 2025

The amount has moved several times, according to DHS's own releases:

• May 5, 2025: DHS announced travel assistance and a $1,000 stipend.
• June 9, 2025: DHS announced it would forgive failure-to-depart fines for people who self-deport through the app.
• December 1, 2025: a holiday campaign advertised a free flight and a $1,000 "exit gift."
• December 22, 2025: DHS announced a $3,000 holiday stipend for people who signed up by the end of the year.
• January 21, 2026: DHS announced a $2,600 stipend "starting today," adding that the offer "may not last long."
• September 1–2, 2026: the CBP Home page and a DHS release state $3,000.

Because DHS changes these terms by announcement, check the official page on the day you decide. What the page says today may not be what it says next month.

Fines DHS points to

DHS has tied the app to its push on civil fines. In a July 23, 2026 release, DHS said it had issued more than 103,000 fines totaling about $84 billion, including $998 per day for people who do not leave after a final order of removal. That figure is the inflation-adjusted daily maximum for failure to depart under INA 274D, listed in 8 CFR 280.53 (opens in new tab). A separate penalty applies to someone who is granted voluntary departure by a judge and does not leave on time: a civil penalty of $1,000 to $5,000 and 10 years of ineligibility for several forms of relief (INA 240B(d), 8 U.S.C. 1229c(d)). DHS says CBP Home users get these civil fines forgiven.

The legal risks of leaving

DHS's own page tells people with a pending court case to talk to an immigration attorney before they submit an intent to depart. Here is why.

• A pending court case. DHS says that if you are in immigration court, it "will file [a] motion with the immigration court to dismiss your case." A motion is a request; the immigration judge decides it. A person who receives notice of a hearing and does not attend can be ordered removed in absentia (INA 240(b)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1229a(b)(5)(A)), and a removal order carries its own reentry bar. Our guide to in absentia orders explains what that order means.
• It is not "voluntary departure." DHS states that leaving through CBP Home is not voluntary departure under 8 U.S.C. 1229c and not a withdrawal of an application for admission. If you already have a final order, DHS says leaving will generally count as executing that order — a "self-removal." Under INA 212(a)(9)(A)(ii), a person who departed while a removal order was outstanding is generally inadmissible for 10 years (20 for a second removal; permanently after an aggravated felony conviction) unless DHS consents to reapplying.
• The 3- and 10-year unlawful presence bars. Under INA 212(a)(9)(B)(i) (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(9)(B)(i)), someone unlawfully present for more than 180 days but less than a year who leaves before proceedings begin is barred for 3 years; someone unlawfully present for one year or more is barred for 10 years after leaving. Time under age 18 is not counted. See our explainer on the 3- and 10-year bars and the unlawful presence hub.
• The permanent bar. Under INA 212(a)(9)(C), a person with more than a year of unlawful presence, or a prior removal order, who later enters or tries to enter without being admitted is inadmissible, with only narrow exceptions.
• Pending applications. DHS warns that leaving while an asylum application is pending generally means it is presumed abandoned (8 CFR 1208.8(a)). Under 8 CFR 245.2(a)(4)(ii), leaving generally abandons a pending green card (adjustment) application unless advance parole was granted first — and for someone in proceedings, departure abandons it.

DHS says leaving voluntarily "may improve future immigration options," but it promises nothing specific. Whether any bar applies, and whether a waiver might ever be available, depends on each person's history.

Talk to a lawyer before you submit

Some people may have a defense, a pending application, or relief they do not know about — and some of those options can be lost once they leave. Carlos Maury Law is a national firm led by a former U.S. Immigration Judge. We can review your record, your court case and your options before you decide anything. Call (213) 769-0050. We speak Spanish.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does CBP Home pay people who self-deport?

As of DHS's CBP Home page last updated September 1, 2026, DHS states a $3,000 exit bonus, paid after the return is confirmed through the app, plus cost-free travel. The amount has changed before ($1,000 in 2025, $3,000 over the 2025 holidays, $2,600 from January 2026), so check dhs.gov/cbphome for the current terms.

Can I use CBP Home if I have a case in immigration court?

DHS says yes, and that it will ask the court to dismiss the case. But the judge decides that motion, and missing a hearing you were notified of can lead to an in absentia removal order. DHS itself advises speaking with an immigration attorney before submitting.

Does leaving through CBP Home avoid the 3- and 10-year bars?

DHS does not say it does, and the bars are set by statute. If you have built up more than 180 days of unlawful presence, leaving can trigger a 3-year or 10-year bar under INA 212(a)(9)(B). If you have a final removal order, DHS says leaving generally executes it, which brings its own 10-year bar.

Is CBP Home the same as voluntary departure?

No. DHS states that a departure through CBP Home is not voluntary departure under 8 U.S.C. 1229c. Voluntary departure is granted by DHS or an immigration judge under its own rules, deadlines and penalties.

What happens to my asylum or green card application if I leave?

DHS warns that leaving while an asylum application is pending generally means it is presumed abandoned. A pending adjustment of status application is also generally treated as abandoned when the applicant leaves without advance parole, and always when the applicant is in removal proceedings.

This article is general information only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney–client relationship. Immigration law is complex and fact-specific, and government programs change; consult a qualified immigration attorney about your situation and verify current terms at dhs.gov/cbphome. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Attorney advertising.

Related service: Immigration appeals lawyer