The Department of Homeland Security has announced new parole processes for Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans. DHS began accepting online applications for these new processes on Jan. 6, 2023.
Additionally, DHS announced changes to the parole process for Venezuelans, including removing the 24,000 limit and replacing it with a monthly limit of 30,000 spread across the parole processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans.
To participate in this parole process, a U.S.-based supporter must file a Form I-134A, Online Request to be a Supporter and Declaration of Financial Support, with USCIS for each beneficiary they seek to support, including minor children. USCIS will vet supporters to ensure that they are able to financially support the beneficiaries they are agreeing to support.
In addition, a beneficiary must:
- Be a national of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, or Venezuela or be an immediate family member (spouse, common-law partner, or unmarried child under the age of 21 of any nationality) of an eligible beneficiary and traveling with them;
- Be outside the United States;
- Have a U.S.-based supporter who filed a Form I-134A on their behalf that USCIS has vetted and confirmed;
- Possess an unexpired passport valid for international travel;
- Provide for their own commercial travel by air to a U.S. port of entry and final U.S. destination;
- Undergo and clear required screening and vetting;
- Not be a permanent resident, dual national, or hold refugee status of any other country, unless DHS operates a similar parole process for that country’s nationals;
- This requirement does not apply to immediate family members (spouse, common-law partner, or unmarried child under the age of 21) of an eligible beneficiary with whom they are traveling.
- Not be an unaccompanied child;
- Children under the age of 18 must be traveling to the United States in the care and custody of their parent or legal guardian
- Not have been ordered removed from the United States within the past 5 years or be subject to a bar based on a prior removal order;
- Not have crossed irregularly into the United States, between ports of entry, after Jan. 9, 2023 (for Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans) or Oct. 19, 2022 (for Venezuelans);
- An exception is available for individuals who have been permitted a single instance of voluntary departure pursuant to INA § 240B, 8 U.S.C. § 1229c or withdrawal of their application for admission pursuant to INA § 235(a)(4), 8 U.S.C. § 1225(a)(4)
- Not have irregularly crossed the Mexican or Panamanian borders after Jan. 9, 2023 (or for Venezuelans, after Oct. 19, 2022);
- Comply with all additional requirements, including vaccination requirements and other public health guidelines; and
- Demonstrate that a grant of parole is warranted based on significant public benefit or urgent humanitarian reasons and that a favorable exercise of discretion is otherwise merited.
For more information regarding these parole processes, give our office a call at 972-418-0003 and set up a consultation.