Uniting for Ukraine - Timelines please

[Kineo 93]

2 hours ago, Jimmy2pinz said:

Hi There. I have been with my Ukrainian gf for over 18 months, I'm a US citizen just outside Boston and had been to Ukraine about 8 times over the first year before the war broke out. After living (more like surviving) in Poland for a month (I was there with her the whole time), I got her and her son to Canada (Ottawa). I am living with her here and travel back to Boston to visit my parents and adult children once a month. I didn't think I qualified for U4U as I'm clearly her bf and I thought it best to have someone else sponsor them. Unfortunately, my family members said the process was very long. Sadly, I learned the process was quite the opposite and so far very fast!!!

I had applied Sept 28. and 24 hours later, my gf received emailed that she received confirmation and account acceptance notice. Whoa!!! My brother and his wife (both military as I thought that would be a huge plus), started back in May with no progress and I was already part way there in 24 hours.

 

1 week later, we are now at the point where my gf and her son received a very vague letter that says she can cross the boarder (travel authorization). I received an email that I am supposed to have instructions: Travel Authorization Decision Posted, yet, there is no document. I see in this thread many people had similar issues, but I never saw anything where they finally received a document. I'm concerned what instructions I need to have or do as a sponsor. Does anyone have any info?

 

Also, I see recently a gentleman with a similar status, partly living in Canada and traveling back to the US. We will cross the boarder by land and I'm hopeful we don't experience any issues. My passport is littered with stamps to/from Ukraine so it's clear I know her, but I now fear they will see my as a bf and may prevent me from taking them across the border. 

 

Any advice or feedback?

 

Thanks in advance,

Jimmy

The "travel authorization" that your beneficiaries got on their myUSCIS account is the magic document. That with their passports (and birth certificate for your GF's son to prove she is his mom) their are ready to travel.

You being he bf is not relevant for this process. 

FWIW. Everyone I've seen post here traveling by land has had a hard time at the border and only received a 1 year parole. From what I understand the program was designed for beneficiaries arriving by air.

-Kineo

 

[Jimmy2pinz 0]

12 minutes ago, Kineo said:

The "travel authorization" that your beneficiaries got on their myUSCIS account is the magic document. That with their passports (and birth certificate for your GF's son to prove she is his mom) their are ready to travel.

You being he bf is not relevant for this process. 

FWIW. Everyone I've seen post here traveling by land has had a hard time at the border and only received a 1 year parole. From what I understand the program was designed for beneficiaries arriving by air.

-Kineo

 

Thanks for the quick reply Kineo. We have been discussing about having her and her son travel by plane. Not sure if she should go back to Europe and then fly from there to Boston, or direct from Canada. I'm just nervous if she gets stuck in Europe and then we start this whole process over again (it was quite expensive in Poland in April before I got her to Canada). Overall though, it sounds like she is now ready to travel. We were both surprised how there was little detail in that half page document though. There was pages and pages of documents I had printed for her to get to Canada. I guess we streamlined it for U4U here in the states, but didn't think of alternative ways they'd cross the border 😉

Thanks again!

-Jimmy

[Kineo 93]

34 minutes ago, Jimmy2pinz said:

Thanks for the quick reply Kineo. We have been discussing about having her and her son travel by plane. Not sure if she should go back to Europe and then fly from there to Boston, or direct from Canada. I'm just nervous if she gets stuck in Europe and then we start this whole process over again (it was quite expensive in Poland in April before I got her to Canada). Overall though, it sounds like she is now ready to travel. We were both surprised how there was little detail in that half page document though. There was pages and pages of documents I had printed for her to get to Canada. I guess we streamlined it for U4U here in the states, but didn't think of alternative ways they'd cross the border 😉

Thanks again!

-Jimmy

I am not sure they check what flight you come in on....

[Keithn85 400]

23 hours ago, Jimmy2pinz said:

Thanks for the quick reply Kineo. We have been discussing about having her and her son travel by plane. Not sure if she should go back to Europe and then fly from there to Boston, or direct from Canada. I'm just nervous if she gets stuck in Europe and then we start this whole process over again (it was quite expensive in Poland in April before I got her to Canada). Overall though, it sounds like she is now ready to travel. We were both surprised how there was little detail in that half page document though. There was pages and pages of documents I had printed for her to get to Canada. I guess we streamlined it for U4U here in the states, but didn't think of alternative ways they'd cross the border 😉

Thanks again!

-Jimmy

They escaped ukraine.  I flew with my father in law from Romania.  Houston IAH just wanted to see his proof of authorization and his documents (we brought 2 cats also but they weren't as important).  Since I was there, I provided my drivers license for proof of address.  

It is pretty much the same process as traveling to ukraine pre war during covid where you had to prove your address (when you quarantined if needed before test results).  You brought your reason of travel (verbal authorization), where you were going to stay and your ID information.  The difference is the U4U person needs their paper authorization(I chose to print it out) instead of verbal authorization.  I guess because of my father in laws age, they did not take him to the room like some people said they did for U4U.  

I will caution that they forgot to stamp his passport for entry and when we went through charities to see if he qualified for any benefits, they required this proof.  We spent maybe 20 minutes in line at an office outside of the airport to prove and get it stamped.  

A little more information than you asked for but it will work.  If border asks about why they were in Canada, be truthful.  But I doubt they will ask in that sense.

Added on...

Just show them everything and let them question if they want to.  Otherwise provide the information and let them stamp and move ya all through.

Edited October 5, 2022 by Keithn85
Last sentence added

[MsDropofrain 4]

On 10/4/2022 at 11:02 AM, Jimmy2pinz said:

Thanks for the quick reply Kineo. We have been discussing about having her and her son travel by plane. Not sure if she should go back to Europe and then fly from there to Boston, or direct from Canada. I'm just nervous if she gets stuck in Europe and then we start this whole process over again (it was quite expensive in Poland in April before I got her to Canada). Overall though, it sounds like she is now ready to travel. We were both surprised how there was little detail in that half page document though. There was pages and pages of documents I had printed for her to get to Canada. I guess we streamlined it for U4U here in the states, but didn't think of alternative ways they'd cross the border 😉

Thanks again!

-Jimmy

I suggest they come by a plane from Canada to ensure they get paroled for 24 months. Like someone mentioned above, it does not matter where their flight is from.