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Humanitarian Parole (I-131) for Afghan Nationals

On August 26, 2021, USCIS announced Humanitarian Parole for Afghan Nationals. Individuals who are outside of the United States may request parole into the United States of America based on urgent humanitarian or significant public benefit reasons for a temporary period, on a case-by-case basis.

Anyone may request parole for themselves, or on behalf of another individual, by filing a Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, along with a statement explaining the beneficiary’s urgent humanitarian circumstances and including any relevant evidence supporting the parole request. The Form I-131 must include the applicable filing fee of $575.00 or fee waiver request using Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver (Warning: Please note, submitting Form I-912 may reflect upon your economic condition and self-sufficiency. Accordingly, USCIS may determine that you might become a public charge in the future and may not approve the I-131 application). Each family member must file a separate Form I-131 with required fees or Form I-912 and supporting documentation. Please write “Afghanistan Humanitarian Parole” on the mailing envelope. For expedited processing, write the word EXPEDITE in the top right corner of the application in black ink.

It is essential that the beneficiary’s best contact information (email address, phone number, and local address) is included in the parole application, either on the Form I-131’s applicable section or on a supplemental document, and that USCIS is notified of any changes to that contact information.

Also, if the beneficiary is able to make private arrangements to travel to a third country where there is a U.S. embassy or where consular services are available, please notify USCIS immediately at [email protected].

Humanitarian parole beneficiaries usually must have a valid and unexpired passport. If the beneficiary does not have a valid Afghan passport, include a copy of available identification documentation and an explanation of why they do not have an Afghan passport when filing the Form, I-131. The parole beneficiary should present available identity documentation to the U.S. embassy during consular processing (if outside of Afghanistan) or to U.S. government officials if asked to report to the airport in Kabul.

The sponsor must include a Form I-134, Affidavit of Support, and supporting documentation with each parole request. USCIS requires evidence of a sponsor who agrees to provide financial support to the parolee while in the United States of America. There may be multiple sponsors, the beneficiary may self-sponsor, and an organization may support the parolee by submitting a Form I-134. If an employee of an organization cannot complete the Form I-134, a letter from the organization committing to support the beneficiary may be included with the parole application.

Humanitarian parole applications must be submitted through the mail to the USCIS Dallas Lockbox: 

             For U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Deliveries:
USCIS
Attn: HP
P.O. Box 660865
Dallas, TX 75266-0865

For FedEx, UPS, and DHL:
USCIS
Attn: HP (Box 660865)
2501 S. State Hwy 121, Business
Suite 400
Lewisville, TX 75067-8003

Once, USCIS conditionally approves parole, it will send a conditional approval letter to the petitioner who filed the Form I-131 and any representative of record. Parole beneficiaries may experience delays in processing their cases and may need to arrange travel to a U.S. embassy outside of Afghanistan to continue processing their parole request.

The beneficiary must complete a Form DS-160, Application for a Nonimmigrant Visa, and include their best local contact information as soon as they are notified of their conditional approval. Instructions for completing the DS-160 are included in the conditional approval letter. If the beneficiary is outside of Afghanistan, they may also be asked to report to a U.S. embassy to verify their identity and provide biometrics for additional security screening. If no derogatory information is identified, a travel document will be issued so the beneficiary can travel to the United States of America.

A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer will inspect the parole beneficiary’s travel documents upon arrival in the United States and issue an electronic Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, if parole is authorized. The Form I-94 provides proof of the beneficiary’s entry as a parolee and the date by which the beneficiary must depart the United States of America. Parole ends on the date the parole period expires, when the beneficiary departs the United States of America, or when the beneficiary acquires an immigration status, whichever occurs first.

Parole is not a legal immigration status and does not provide a path to legal immigration status. A parolee once in the United States of America may be able to obtain lawful status in the United States through other means:

Re-parole: The beneficiary may request re-parole (an additional parole period) by filing a new Form I-131, with requisite fees (or fee waiver request using Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver), a new Form I-134, and updated supporting evidence to demonstrate the need for re-parole at least 90 days before the parole expiration date.

Work Authorization (I-765): The parolee may request employment authorization under category (c)(11) after being paroled into the United States of America by filing Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization.

Green Card: If the parolee is the beneficiary of an approved Form I-130, the parolee may file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, to apply to adjust their status and obtain a Green Card once their immigrant visa becomes available.

Asylum: If the parolee believes they have suffered persecution or fears that they will suffer persecution due to their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, they may file Form I-589, Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal.

We will regularly update the blog as soon as any new information is available.

Disclaimer

This article aims to provide new information concerning humanitarian parole for afghan nationals. This article, under no circumstances, acts as legal advice; therefore, for any immigration questions, please contact your Attorney or the Ahluwalia Law Offices, P.C. (Team ALO).