The Humanitarian Parole Program for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans

Announced by the Biden administration in January 2023, Humanitarian Parole for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV) was created to address the pressing humanitarian crises in these countries. It allows for citizens of these four countries to enter the United States on parole for a period of up to two years. The program allows a for a total of 30,000 people to enter the U.S. per month.

What is Humanitarian Parole?

Humanitarian parole allows certain non-U.S. citizens to enter or remain in the United States on a temporary basis and apply for work authorization. It may be granted when there are “urgent humanitarian or significant public benefit reasons.” Humanitarian parole does not include a mechanism that allows a beneficiary to remain permanently in the United States, but it may be renewed at the discretion of DHS.

Eligibility

In order to qualify for CHNV Humanitarian Parole you must:

·       Be a national of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, or Venezuela, or an immediate relative of a national of one of those countries who is applying for the program;

·       Have an approved supporter in the U.S. who has filed a Form I-134A, Request to be a

Supporter and Declaration of Financial Support;

·       Meet vaccination requirements; and

·       Pass all biographical and security background checks.

Who can be a Supporter?

·       U.S. citizens

·       Lawful permanent residents, lawful temporary residents, and conditional permanent

residents

·       Non-immigrants in lawful status (such as temporary workers, international students, etc.).

·       Asylees, refugees, and parolees

·       Recipients of Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

·       Beneficiaries of deferred action (including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals)

How To Apply

·       Step #1: the U.S. supporter submits a Form I-134A, Online Request to be a Supporter and Declaration of Financial Support, with USCIS. A separate Form I-134A must be submitted for each beneficiary, including immediate family members and minor children.

·       Step 2: after the U.S. supporter is approved, the beneficiary will receive an email with instructions to create a USCIS online account. Within the account, the beneficiary must confirm biographic information and attest to meeting the eligibility requirements (such as the vaccination requirements).

·       Step 3: after confirming biographic information and eligibility requirements in the online account, the beneficiary will receive instructions about how to access the CBP One mobile application. The beneficiary must enter their information into CBP One and provide a photograph.

·       Step 4: after completing step 3, the beneficiary will receive a notice in their online account that indicates whether CBP will provide them with advance authorization to travel to the United States to seek parole (this is a discretionary decision).

·       Step 5: if approved, the authorization is valid for 90 days and the beneficiary must travel to a U.S. port of entry during that time. CBP will inspect them and consider them for a grant of parole on a case-by-case basis depending on urgent humanitarian or significant public benefit reasons.

·       Step 6: individual granted parole will generally be granted authorization to remain in the U.S. for a period of up to two years and are eligible to apply for work authorization.

The Humanitarian Parole for CHNV offers a glimmer of hope to those facing dire circumstances in Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The process takes careful preparation and the attorneys at Bennett & Harker are available to guide eligible individuals through the application process. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.

Please note that the information in this post should not be construed as legal advice.