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

[SteveInBostonI130 3,471]

Link:

 

https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/immigration-help-available-to-those-affected-by-special-situations-including-the-invasion-of-ukraine

 

Quote

Immigration Help Available to Those Affected by Special Situations, Including the Invasion of Ukraine

Release Date: 03/04/2022

 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reminds the public that we offer immigration services that may help people affected by extreme situations, including the invasion of Ukraine.

The following measures may be available on a case-by-case basis upon request:

• Changing a nonimmigrant status or extending a nonimmigrant stay for an individual currently in the United States. If you fail to apply for the extension or change before expiration of your authorized period of admission, we may excuse that if the delay was due to extraordinary circumstances beyond your control;
• Reparole of individuals previously granted parole by USCIS;
• Expedited processing of advance parole requests;
• Expedited adjudication of requests for off-campus employment authorization for F-1 students experiencing severe economic hardship;
• Expedited adjudication of petitions or applications, including employment authorization applications, when appropriate;
• Consideration of fee waiver requests due to an inability to pay;
• Flexibility for those who received a Request for Evidence or a Notice of Intent to Deny but were unable to submit evidence or otherwise respond in a timely manner;
• Flexibility if you were unable to appear for a scheduled interview with USCIS;
• Expedited replacement of lost or damaged immigration or travel documents issued by USCIS, such as a Permanent Resident Card (Green Card), Employment Authorization Document, or Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record; and
• Rescheduling a biometric services appointment.

 

Note: When you request help, please explain how the impact of the extreme situations or unforeseen circumstances, such as the invasion of Ukraine, created a need for the requested relief.

Visit our Special Situations page or call us for more information about how we assist individuals affected by extreme situations and unforeseen circumstances. To learn how to request these measures, call us at 800-375-5283. For people with disabilities: (TTY) 800-767-1833 or (VRS) 877-709-5797.

 

[Rocio0010 5,580]

1 hour ago, SteveInBostonI130 said:

Link:

 

https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/immigration-help-available-to-those-affected-by-special-situations-including-the-invasion-of-ukraine

 

 

Finally!!! 

I hope you and your family stay safe in these crazy times!

[millefleur 5,047]

Just want to copy/paste here what the Dos site says, last updated March 11th:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/information-for-nationals-of-Ukraine.html

Information for Nationals of Ukraine

Last Updated: March 11, 2022

 

The Department of State is not offering visa services in Ukraine at this time.  We continue to encourage U.S. citizens in need of emergency assistance in Ukraine to fill out our online form.

The Department of State is sharing the information below to further clarify visa options and outline alternatives to visas that Ukrainians may consider.  It is important to note that a visa is not a viable way to achieve refugee resettlement in the United States.

Nonimmigrant Visas

Nonimmigrant visas are for temporary stays in the United States.  They are not the appropriate tool to begin an immigrant, refugee, or resettlement process.  If you apply for a nonimmigrant visa but are unable to demonstrate intent to leave the United States after a defined period in order to return to a residence abroad, a consular officer will refuse your application.    All B1/B2 visa applicants are assumed to be intending immigrants—and therefore ineligible for a nonimmigrant visa—unless they can establish otherwise.  Nonimmigrant visa applicants may apply at any embassy or consulate where they are physically present and where appointments are available.  A full list of embassies and consulates is available here: https://www.usembassy.gov/.  As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, applicants may face extended visa interview wait times at some Embassies and Consulates.  Appointment wait times are available at U.S. Visas (state.gov).  Once an interview appointment is made, applicants will have the ability to request an expedited appointment, but must describe the unique circumstances that justify such a request.

Immigrant Visas

Immigrant visas are for foreign nationals who intend to live and/or work permanently in the United States.  In most cases, a relative or employer sponsors the individual by filing a petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  Further information on immigrant visas can be found here:  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate.html.

Newly Scheduled Immigrant Visa Appointments:  U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt is the designated processing post for all Ukrainian immigrant visa applications except adoption cases.  All newly scheduled immigrant visa cases will be slated for appointments at the U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt.  Adoption cases are being handled at U.S. Embassy Warsaw.   
 

Requesting Expedited Processing of I-130 Petitions:  If you filed a Form I-130 petition with USCIS and it has not yet been approved, you may inquire with USCIS regarding expedition: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-guidance/how-to-make-an-expedite-request.

There is also a USCIS help line if you are an active U.S. military member: https://www.uscis.gov/military/military-help-line.
 

Local File Option for Certain I-130 Petitions U.S. Citizen Petitioners:  If you are a U.S. citizen who is physically present overseas with your immediate family members and have not yet filed an immigrant visa petition with USCIS, you may request to locally file an I-130 immigrant visa petition at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate that processes immigrant visas.  This applies only to U.S. citizens physically present in that consular district filing petitions for their spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents who have fled Ukraine.  Please email your nearest U.S. embassy or consulate’s Immigrant Visa Unit if you believe you may qualify to locally file an I-130 petition.  You can find those email addresses at each individual embassy or consulates’ website.   

Requesting Expedited Immigrant Visa Processing from National Visa Center (NVC):  If you already have received approval of your I-130 petition from USCIS, but have not yet been scheduled for an appointment in Frankfurt, NVC may be able to expedite processing of your case.  For more information on NVC case processing, please visit: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/national-visa-center/immigrant-visas-processing-general-faqs.html.  Please be aware that expedited case processing does not apply to family preference visa categories where a case is not current.
 

Transferring Immigrant Visa Cases from Embassy Kyiv:  If you had an immigrant visa case pending with U.S. Embassy Kyiv that was not an adoption case, it has been transferred to Frankfurt.  Adoption cases have been transferred to Warsaw.  If you would like to transfer processing of an immigration case to another U.S. embassy or consulate, please contact the receiving U.S embassy or consulate’s Immigrant Visa Unit in that country to request a case transfer.  The Embassy will have a list of requirements which must be satisfied in order to begin the transfer process.
 

Transferring Immigrant Visa Cases from NVC:  Immigrant visa applicants who have received an NVC case number and have supplied all supporting information to become “documentarily qualified” will receive notice of their Frankfurt appointment in the coming months (see also NVC expedite paragraph above).  Those who are not yet scheduled for an interview appointment and would like to transfer their case somewhere other than Frankfurt should follow the directions here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/national-visa-center/nvc-contact-information.html
 

Adoptions

The Department is actively working with Adoption Service Providers (ASPs) to provide guidance and answer questions during this critical time.  Please see more information at Information for U.S. Citizens In the Process of Adopting in Ukraine. This resource addresses adoptions and intended adoptions at various stages of the process and provides guidance on whom to consult and clarifications on the Department's potential role and ability to assist. Prospective adoptive parents should consult their ASP about how the crisis in Ukraine may impact their adoption plans.  Families who previously hosted a child but are not yet approved to adopt may wish to consult the hosting organization to learn what efforts are being made on behalf of the host child. 

COVID-19 Entry Requirements

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has exercised its enforcement discretion to allow certain persons from Ukraine to travel to the United States without a pre-departure COVID-19 test until April 1.  For more information, please refer to the CDC website at: https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/fr-proof-negative-test.html.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has amended the national interest exception from Presidential Proclamation 10294, which allows certain Ukrainian travelers to the United States to enter without showing proof of COVID-19 requirements.  For more information, please refer to the DHS website at: https://www.dhs.gov/publication/national-interest-exception-presidential-proclamation-10294.

Humanitarian Parole

Parole is a program run by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that allows an individual, who may be inadmissible or otherwise ineligible for admission into the United States, to be in the United States for a temporary period for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.  

It is not meant to replace a visa process.  Anyone can file an application for humanitarian parole.  Further information and instructions are available here: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/explore-my-options/humanitarian-parole. Those who wish to apply for humanitarian parole should contact USCIS directly.

Refugee Status

Almost all refugee cases in countries abroad are processed by local authorities or the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).  Ukrainians should not attempt to apply for visas in order to travel to the United States as refugees.  Instead, they should contact local authorities or UNHCR for refugee processing.  Additional information is available from UNHCR : https://help.unhcr.org, including information about non-governmental organizations that may be able to provide additional assistance.  Additionally, USAID’s website has information for Ukrainian refugees: https://www.usaid.gov/usaid-response-ukraine/resources-refugees-asylum-seekers

The International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s Resettlement Support Center (RSC) Eurasia is continuing limited operations from Kyiv and from the sub-office in Chisinau, Moldova.  At present, RSC Eurasia is not conducting any in-person activities, nor scheduling any departures, from Kyiv.  We encourage applicants who are in harm’s way to find safety and shelter wherever possible.  The sub-office in Chisinau can arrange departures for approved Ukrainian Lautenberg applicants who have completed all U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) processing requirements and are physically outside of Ukraine. 

If you had an active USRAP case with RSC Eurasia, your case remains active and case processing is continuing, to the extent possible. The current security situation in Ukraine will not have an impact on your USCIS decision or overall case processing. However, we anticipate that some resettlement processing activities may be delayed. We cannot indicate a timeline at this time.  Applicants that were being processed in Ukraine and have changed location and/or departed the country should write to RSC Eurasia and inform the RSC of their new location and contact information. 

Local Resources

Our European partners offer many resources for people displaced by the war in Ukraine.  We encourage Ukrainians to consult local government authorities in their current location to determine what might be available as you consider resettlement options. 

[millefleur 5,047]

Uniting for Ukraine program info has been posted:

https://www.dhs.gov/ukraine

 

Uniting for Ukraine provides a pathway for displaced Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who are outside the United States to come to the United States and stay temporarily for up to two years. Ukrainians participating in Uniting for Ukraine must have a supporter in the United States who agrees to provide them with financial support for the duration of their stay in the United States.

 

The first step in the Uniting for Ukraine process is for the U.S.-based supporter to file a Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support, with USCIS. The supporter will then be vetted by the U.S. government to protect against exploitation and abuse, and ensure that they are able to financially support the individual(s) whom they agree to support.

 

Ukrainians who present at U.S. land ports of entry 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 program.

 

For more information on how to apply, eligibility requirements, and what to expect after the Form I-134 is filed, visit USCIS and the State Department.

Edited April 26, 2022 by millefleur

[AlexNY 9]

16 hours ago, millefleur said:

Uniting for Ukraine program info has been posted:

https://www.dhs.gov/ukraine

 

Uniting for Ukraine provides a pathway for displaced Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who are outside the United States to come to the United States and stay temporarily for up to two years. Ukrainians participating in Uniting for Ukraine must have a supporter in the United States who agrees to provide them with financial support for the duration of their stay in the United States.

 

The first step in the Uniting for Ukraine process is for the U.S.-based supporter to file a Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support, with USCIS. The supporter will then be vetted by the U.S. government to protect against exploitation and abuse, and ensure that they are able to financially support the individual(s) whom they agree to support.

 

Ukrainians who present at U.S. land ports of entry 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 program.

 

For more information on how to apply, eligibility requirements, and what to expect after the Form I-134 is filed, visit USCIS and the State Department.

I hope someone can clarify or make an advise on a particular situation. How will bi-national families that fled Ukraine be treated. I mean it's a bit common for Ukrainians to get married with people from other countries who never acquired Ukrainian citizenship. I have a family in which a wife is Ukrainian but a husband is Belarusian with permanent residence permit in Ukraine. Their child is Ukrainian also. The husband has parents living in the US who wants to have them temporarily move to the US while there's a war in Ukraine because they don't have any other place to live anywhere. I checked my account at myaccount.uscis.com to see what that form I-134 is and my understanding is that it has to be filed for each family member and there's no way to indicate that we're filing for a family that shouldn't be separated. I mean if we get an approval, we need it to be approved for the entire family instead of just for the wife and the child who are Ukrainians. How should we proceed in this case? I'd appreciate any response.

[millefleur 5,047]

7 hours ago, AlexNY said:

I have a family in which a wife is Ukrainian but a husband is Belarusian with permanent residence permit in Ukraine. Their child is Ukrainian also. The husband has parents living in the US who wants to have them temporarily move to the US while there's a war in Ukraine because they don't have any other place to live anywhere.

I understand that this is common in Ukraine but it seems like Ukrainian citizenship is a must to qualify.

 

However, the other parties can just apply for traditional Humanitarian Parole, there's no nationality requirement with that.

 

I agree that everyone coming as a family makes more sense but I don't see any special steps for that, it looks like each adult has to apply separately.

 

Edit: It appears they can bring their family, look at Boiler's post below. 👇

 

 

Edited April 27, 2022 by millefleur

[Boiler 45,733]

The Ukrainian citizen (or their non-Ukrainian immediate family member) who is outside the United States and who may be considered for parole under Uniting for Ukraine.

Immediate family members in this process include:

• the spouse or common-law partner of a Ukrainian citizen; and
• their unmarried children under the age of 21. NOTE: If a child is under 18, they must be traveling with a parent or legal guardian in order to use this process.

[AlexNY 9]

15 hours ago, Boiler said:

The Ukrainian citizen (or their non-Ukrainian immediate family member) who is outside the United States and who may be considered for parole under Uniting for Ukraine.

Immediate family members in this process include:

• the spouse or common-law partner of a Ukrainian citizen; and
• their unmarried children under the age of 21. NOTE: If a child is under 18, they must be traveling with a parent or legal guardian in order to use this process.

It seems they've updated some information because when the program went online some of it I think was missing. Now it is more detailed in regard to this particular situation. However, there are still some problems with this program.

It says:

Who May be Considered for Parole under Uniting for Ukraine

Beneficiaries are eligible for the process if they:

• 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;

I highlighted what's confusing me. There's no way to add anyone in the Ukrainian citizen beneficiary' application as an immediate family member. And if we fill out a separate form for a non-Ukrainian citizen there's no way to indicate that he/she is an immediate family member of a Ukrainian citizen beneficiary. There's only one section where someone can be mentioned which is under "Beneficiaries Financial Information". It asks:

Provide information about the income of the beneficiary, all of the beneficiary's dependents, and any other individuals the beneficiary financially supports.

But this section only asks for names, DOB, relationship, and their income contributed to the beneficiary annually. I don't think it is where we indicate non-Ukrainian immediate family members.

[Boiler 45,733]

As nobody has gone through the process yet I obviously do not know but assume that will be checked at the interview 

[AlexNY 9]

6 minutes ago, Boiler said:

As nobody has gone through the process yet I obviously do not know but assume that will be checked at the interview 

The form I-134 has to be approved before they proceed and send instructions to the beneficiaries. I'm afraid they may not approve it for non-Ukrainians before they even proceed.

There's an option for additional information at the end of the form. I guess it's the only place where we can explain the situation. I think we're going to file the forms the way we understand it and see what will happen.

[AlexNY 9]

On 4/27/2022 at 4:27 PM, AlexNY said:

The form I-134 has to be approved before they proceed and send instructions to the beneficiaries. I'm afraid they may not approve it for non-Ukrainians before they even proceed.

There's an option for additional information at the end of the form. I guess it's the only place where we can explain the situation. I think we're going to file the forms the way we understand it and see what will happen.

I'd like to provide an update for those who might be interested to know. When I filled out I-134 for a non-Ukrainian husband I provided explanation in the additional information section explaining that he's a spouse of a Ukrainian citizen. All forms for the family were approved in 2 days. Then we created one account on uscis.gov for Ukrainian wife where included her husband and their child. We confirmed information, testified for vaccination, and submitted it. In a couple of hours the wife and the child received travel authorization forms but the husband didn't. It has been almost 3 weeks and his case is still pending. Listening to an immigration lawyer I found that many families with non-Ukrainian immediate relatives are reporting the same problem. It looks like CBP approves travel authorization for Ukrainian citizens at this moment; all others have to wait. I called USCIS a couple of times. They don't have any updates and don't know what's going on in CBP.

[Mack88 9]

Hey guys. So I just got off the phone with USCIS officer. I was told that only immediate relatives can be petitioners on that program so since I am just a fiance for now, unfortunately I can't apply. This specific condition is not listed on USCIS website unless I am blind. Did anyone already get their fiancee to US on this program? Can you share your experience?

[Kineo 93]

13 minutes ago, Mack88 said:

Hey guys. So I just got off the phone with USCIS officer. I was told that only immediate relatives can be petitioners on that program so since I am just a fiance for now, unfortunately I can't apply. This specific condition is not listed on USCIS website unless I am blind. Did anyone already get their fiancee to US on this program? Can you share your experience?

See my response in the other thread.

-Kineo

[kostyaby 9]

On 5/26/2022 at 12:55 PM, AlexNY said:

I'd like to provide an update for those who might be interested to know. When I filled out I-134 for a non-Ukrainian husband I provided explanation in the additional information section explaining that he's a spouse of a Ukrainian citizen. All forms for the family were approved in 2 days. Then we created one account on uscis.gov for Ukrainian wife where included her husband and their child. We confirmed information, testified for vaccination, and submitted it. In a couple of hours the wife and the child received travel authorization forms but the husband didn't. It has been almost 3 weeks and his case is still pending. Listening to an immigration lawyer I found that many families with non-Ukrainian immediate relatives are reporting the same problem. It looks like CBP approves travel authorization for Ukrainian citizens at this moment; all others have to wait. I called USCIS a couple of times. They don't have any updates and don't know what's going on in CBP.

How did you create the USCIS account? Did they email you a link? Our I-134 was approved about 4 days ago, beneficiary was notified of the approval, but still did not receive a link to create an account. Can we create the account ourselves?

[Kineo 93]

On 7/19/2022 at 2:45 AM, kostyaby said:

How did you create the USCIS account? Did they email you a link? Our I-134 was approved about 4 days ago, beneficiary was notified of the approval, but still did not receive a link to create an account. Can we create the account ourselves?

The beneficiary will receive an email (USCIS Account Access) with instructions including their "Online Access Code".

-Kineo