US Immigration from Ukraine

Hi everyone,

So kind of a weird situation with my wife and her trying to get an updated social security card with my last name on it. We got married in September 2022, applied for I-485, and she received her permanent resident card on February 2. We went into the social security office today with all necessary documents to get her name changed on her social security card from maiden name to my last name. The clerk at the office was going through the normal review routine, and when she went to pull up my wife's name in her system, she said that she couldn't find her name. My wife received her green card from USCIS, we have all the official documentation, but it didn't show up in the SSA system.

From here, the clerk copy scanned her green card, marriage license and a couple other documents we brought in. She gave us a document that states, "Before we can issue a Social Security number card, we must verify the document(s) you gave us to show your Alien status with the Federal, State, or local office in the United States that issued the document(s). This may take up to 4 weeks." I asked if this has happened before and she said yes (then why don't they fix the process...), but it's a gut punch to my wife who was ready to take her driver's test this week and begin applying for jobs.

Has anyone else ran into this problem before? Hoping it doesn't take a full 4 weeks and I'm not worried since she has an official permanent resident card. Just sucks that it's more waiting and we thought she would basically be all set after receiving the green card to get a job, car, open a bank acct, etc. Never a dull moment with government agencies!

I would like to ask for some advice for my father's case which is currently at NVC. I filed 2 petitions, one for mom and one for my father. Both were approved by USCIS. A few days ago I completed DS-260 for both of my parents, uploaded civil documents, filed I-864 and all supporting documents and after that filed two expedited request based on humanitarian reasons and attached mom's and dad's passports proving that they are Ukrainian nationals. My mom was approved but for my father I received the following message:

Unfortunately, the National Visa Center (NVC) does not have a procedure in place allowing the expeditious processing and review of the documents submitted to us.

We review documents in the order of which they are received.

If you want to request that we expedite this case, please provide us with more information. Please send your request with the supporting documentation (such as medical records, a letter from a medical doctor, or deployment orders) to NVCexpedite@state.gov.

Enter the case number in the subject line of the email. Within the email itself, please include all of the following:

The reason for the request

The petitioner's name and date of birth

The beneficiary's name and date of birth

The beneficiary's two local contact phone numbers.

Does it mean that i can send another expedite request? What additional inofrmation would you suggest to provide? This is war and everyone knows how brutal it is. what sort of proof might work?

Thank you!

Not quite sure where to place this, so I'm hoping a Mod can route it to the correct forum.

My Ukrainian Mother-in-law arrived in the US (after escaping occupied Ukraine thru Turkey) in April '22 on her B2 visa. We filed for a TPS because she arrived during that week between Apr 12, and April 19th. We received an RFE for proof of residency, which is not a problem as she has always had a home with us for the years she has held her B2 visa, but she doesn't have her name on any mortgage, or utilities since we own the home. Part of the information for RFE is an Affidavit of Residency, and the question for this is, does it need to be notarized as it will be scanned into a PDF and uploaded to her case?

Hi has anyone recently made this trip? I am planning a trip to Kiev in a couple of weeks (trying to be there for Woman's Day)? Would like to know issues that i should prepare for. My plan is to fly to Warsaw and then train to Kiev. thanks

I was browsing USCIS site for something else but checked the United for Ukraine page and noticed some updates:

1. Effective Nov 21, beneficiaries paroled into the US under U4U are employment authorized incident to parole.
2. Effective Nov. 21, USCIS is exempting fees automatically for initial applications for EAD (I-765). This has to be filed by paper.
3. Effective Dec. 5, the fee exempt I-765 can be submitted online.

https://www.uscis.gov/ukraine (After the Beneficiary Is Paroled into the United States section)

Quote

Employment Authorization

Effective Nov. 21, 2022, beneficiaries paroled into the United States under Uniting for Ukraine are employment authorized incident to parole. This means that if you are paroled into the United States under Uniting for Ukraine, USCIS does not need to approve your application for employment authorization before you can work in the United States. Your unexpired Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, with a class of admission (COA) of UHP is an acceptable List A document that shows your identity and work authorization for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.

Within 90 days of hire (or in the case of reverification, the date employment authorization expires), you must provide your employer either:

• Your unexpired Form I-765, Employment Authorization Document (EAD); or
• Your unrestricted Social Security card and a List B identity document from the Form I-9 Lists of Acceptable Documents. (Note: A Social Security card that contains no employment restrictions is not available to individuals who are parolees and are not admitted to the United States on a permanent basis. See the Social Security Administration s Types of Social Security Cards webpage.)

Individuals who received their Form I-94 at the time of their parole into the United States should visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Form I-94 website to view and print a copy of their Form I-94.

For more information, please see Employee Rights and Resources on I-9 Central.

Fee Exemption for Initial EADs

Effective Nov. 21, 2022, USCIS is exempting the fee to file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, for initial EADs for individuals paroled into the United States under Uniting for Ukraine who file by mail. To apply for discretionary employment authorization, you must submit Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, using the (c)(11) category code. You do not need to pay a filing fee for your initial EAD. Beginning Dec. 5, 2022, you may file your fee exempt Form I-765 online.

To obtain the fee exemption when filing Form I-765 online to request an initial EAD:

• In the basis of eligibility section, provide your eligibility category ;
• For the category under which you are applying, select c(11) Ukraine Parole from the drop-down;
• Select your reason for applying as Initial permission to accept employment ; and
• Review and submit application to receive $0 fee.

To obtain the fee exemption when mailing a paper Form I-765 to USCIS to request an initial:

• Select Initial permission to accept employment (Part 1, Item 1.a.) ;
• Enter Ukraine in:
  • Country of Citizenship (Part 2, Items 18.a. and 18.b.), and/or
  • Country of Birth (Part 2, Item 19.c.);
• Enter C11 in the Eligibility Category (Part 2, Item 27.); and
• Submit no payment.

Note: For the fee exemption to apply, Form I-765 must be postmarked on or after Nov. 21, 2022, or submitted online on or after Dec. 5, 2022.