USCIS Immigration Help for Ukraine / Uniting for Ukraine info (edited title)

[SteveInBostonI130 3,327]

UPDATE about U4U, including FAQ:

 

https://www.uscis.gov/ukraine

 

Highlight (who is eligible)

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Who May be Considered for Parole under Uniting for Ukraine

To be considered for parole under Uniting for Ukraine, the beneficiary must have a supporter who files a Form I-134 on their behalf.

Beneficiaries are eligible for the process if they:

• Resided in Ukraine immediately before the Russian invasion (through Feb. 11, 2022) and were displaced as a result of the invasion;
• Are a Ukrainian citizen and possess a valid Ukrainian passport (or are a child included on a parent’s passport);
  • If not a Ukrainian citizen, they must be an immediate family member of a Ukrainian citizen beneficiary of Uniting for Ukraine with a valid passport;
• Have a supporter who filed a Form I-134 on their behalf that USCIS has vetted and confirmed as sufficient; and
• Clear biographic and biometric security checks;

Note: To be eligible for this process, children under the age of 18 must be traveling to the United States in the care and custody of their parent or legal guardian.

The supporter must complete and file Form I-134 with USCIS and be vetted by the U.S. government to protect against exploitation and abuse, and ensure that they are able to financially support the Ukrainians they are agreeing to support.

Who Is Not Eligible for Parole Under Uniting for Ukraine

Ukrainian citizens who are present in the United States will not be considered for parole under Uniting for Ukraine. However, Ukrainian citizens present in the United States may be eligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). For more information, please see our Temporary Protected Status for Ukraine page.

 

FAQ:  https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/uniting-for-ukraine/frequently-asked-questions-about-uniting-for-ukraine

 

Highlights (General, Beneficiary Info, Work Authorization)

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General Questions About Uniting for Ukraine

1. Is Uniting for Ukraine limited to the first 100,000 applications?
   No. There are no numerical limits on requests for travel authorization under Uniting for Ukraine or parole. The U.S. Government is committed to providing Ukrainians displaced as a result of Russia’s invasion a full range of legal pathways, including humanitarian parole, immigrant and nonimmigrant visas, and the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, in accordance with U.S. laws.
2. Is Uniting for Ukraine limited to only Ukrainian citizens?
   Uniting for Ukraine is available to eligible Ukrainian citizens and their non-Ukrainian immediate family members with a valid passport. Non-Ukrainian immediate family members must be traveling to the United States with the Ukrainian citizen. For purposes of Uniting for Ukraine, immediate family members include:

• The spouse or common-law partner of a Ukrainian citizen; and
• The unmarried children under the age of 21 of a Ukrainian citizen.

           NOTE: If a child is under 18, they must travel with a parent or legal guardian in order to be eligible to seek parole under the Uniting for Ukraine process.

3. Is Uniting for Ukraine available to Ukrainian citizens or nationals who are currently in the United States?
   No. Ukrainian citizens who are present in the United States will not be considered for parole. However, Ukrainian citizens who have continuously resided in the United States since April 11, 2022, and who have been continuously physically present in the United States since April 19, 2022, may be eligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). For more information about TPS, visit our Temporary Protected Status for Ukraine page. Individuals who are physically present in the United States may be eligible to file for asylum. Each request for asylum is considered on a case-by-case basis according to the particular circumstances of the applicant. Visit uscis.gov/asylum for more information.
4. What is the length of parole for Ukrainians entering the United States at a port of entry after traveling under Uniting for Ukraine?
   Generally, Ukrainians and their immediate family members granted parole will be paroled into the United States for a period of up to two years. Once paroled, individuals will be eligible to apply for discretionary employment authorization.
5. Will a Ukrainian citizen whose request for travel under Uniting for Ukraine was denied overseas have this counted against them if they later come to the United States and apply for asylum?
   Anyone who is physically present in the United States or presents at a port of entry may file for asylum. Each request for asylum is considered on a case-by-case basis according to the particular circumstances of the applicant. The Uniting for Ukraine process involves different eligibility criteria than asylum eligibility and does not, on its own, impact an individual’s eligibility for asylum. It is possible, however, that USCIS may consider the reasons for denial of a travel authorization under Uniting for Ukraine as part of its assessment of an individual’s eligibility for asylum. Visit uscis.gov/asylum for more information.

  Ukrainian nationals who present themselves for inspection at a land port of entry along the Southwest border without a valid visa or without pre-authorization to travel to the United States through Uniting for Ukraine may be denied entry and referred to apply through this process.

 

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Questions Relating to Beneficiaries

1. Will a beneficiary be eligible for Uniting for Ukraine if the beneficiary is Ukrainian and has a valid U.S. visitor visa but is currently outside the United States for work?
   A Ukrainian citizen outside the United States who still has a valid, unexpired U.S. visitor visa may still seek parole into the United States if USCIS has confirmed the sufficiency of the Form I-134 filed on their behalf, and if they meet other requirements. Being paroled into the United States does not automatically terminate the validity of your U.S. nonimmigrant visa.
2. Are Ukrainian children seeking to come to the United States without their parent or legal guardian eligible for Uniting for Ukraine?
   Children under the age of 18 who are traveling without their parent or legal guardian are not eligible for Uniting for Ukraine. Children who are not traveling with a parent or legal guardian but are coming to the United States to meet a parent or legal guardian may instead seek parole through the standard Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, process. 
3. Will beneficiaries who have been paroled into the United States after traveling under Uniting for Ukraine be able to obtain an Advance Parole Document?
   Yes. If a beneficiary who has been paroled into the United States wants to obtain an Advance Parole Document, which will permit them to appear at a port of entry to seek parole into the United States when they return from a trip abroad, they should file a Form I-131, Application for Travel Document. For more information about Advance Parole Documents, including about fees and fee waivers, visit Form I-131, Application for Travel Document.

Please note that issuance of an Advance Parole Document does not guarantee that the individual will be paroled into the United States. A separate discretionary decision on a request for parole will be made by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) when they arrive at the port of entry.

4. Are beneficiaries vetted prior to obtaining travel documentation?
   All Uniting for Ukraine beneficiaries are subject to biographic and biometric security checks conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) before they are granted travel authorization or can be paroled into the United States.

 

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Employment Authorization

1. Is employment authorization automatic once parole is approved?
   No. After the beneficiary is paroled into the United States they are eligible to apply for discretionary employment authorization from USCIS. To apply for discretionary employment authorization, the beneficiary must submit Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, using the (c)(11) category code with the required fee. Beneficiaries may apply for a fee waiver by filing Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, which is granted on a case-by-case basis.
2. Will those paroled be allowed to work prior to the approval of their Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization?
   No. After the beneficiary is paroled into the United States, they must apply and receive approval for discretionary employment authorization from USCIS before they can begin work. To apply for discretionary employment authorization, the beneficiary must submit Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, using the (c)(11) category code with the required fee. Beneficiaries may apply for a fee waiver on a case-by-case basis by filing Form I-912.
3. How long will it be until the person receives work authorization from the time the application is filed?
   Generally, USCIS processes Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, in the order in which they are received. For more information on processing times, visit our Check Case Processing Times page.

 

[Family 3,532]

3 minutes ago, SteveInBostonI130 said:

Will beneficiaries who have been paroled into the United States after traveling under Uniting for Ukraine be able to obtain an Advance Parole Document?
Yes.

Excellent update! 

[TBoneTX 43,250]

51 minutes ago, Family said:

Excellent update! 

Indeed.

[Kineo 93]

More information and tons of personal experience in this thread: 

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/783072-has-anyone-else-applied-for-the-uniting-for-ukraine-program/

-Kineo