Finding a sponsor for Uniting for Ukraine

[Mrs D. 13]

Good day,

 

I saw a couple of posts from people who sponsored Ukrainians they are not related to or know personally. I was wondering how they were able to find each other?

 

I am sponsoring a family who are my close relatives, but also have a good friend in need of sponsorship.

We looked on welcome.us - there is only an option to sign up as a sponsor, but no links to resources where a Ukrainian could apply to be vetted for sponsorship from a volunteer.

 

We would really appreciate any helpful information.

 

Thank you!

[SteveInBostonI130 3,434]

The way UforU has been designed, the US sponsor and Ukrainian humanitarian parole seeker would need to know each other first. 

 

EDIT: Technically the two could be strangers that met on FB or elsewhere, but it would be risky for either side to commit to this without knowing much about one another.

Edited May 29, 2022 by SteveInBostonI130

[Kineo 93]

On 5/28/2022 at 8:55 PM, Mrs D. said:

Good day,

 

I saw a couple of posts from people who sponsored Ukrainians they are not related to or know personally. I was wondering how they were able to find each other?

 

I am sponsoring a family who are my close relatives, but also have a good friend in need of sponsorship.

We looked on welcome.us - there is only an option to sign up as a sponsor, but no links to resources where a Ukrainian could apply to be vetted for sponsorship from a volunteer.

 

We would really appreciate any helpful information.

 

Thank you!

You may be able find connections though church organizations like Catholic Charities or Lutherans, Ukrainian cultural groups, or refugee assistance organizations.

-Kineo

[Mrs D. 13]

On 5/28/2022 at 10:55 PM, SteveInBostonI130 said:

The way UforU has been designed, the US sponsor and Ukrainian humanitarian parole seeker would need to know each other first. 

 

EDIT: Technically the two could be strangers that met on FB or elsewhere, but it would be risky for either side to commit to this without knowing much about one another.

I found this resource but it gives you an option to sign up as a sponsor, while it states Ukrainian applicants are vetted… but no reference to how Ukrainians can apply. https://ukraine.welcome.us/

Edited June 1, 2022 by Mrs D.

[John Newton 0]

Hi All

This is a related question. I'm registered as someone in the US interested in supporting Ukrainian refugees looking for temporary housing but I'm also receiving requests from families looking for a US individual sponsor through the U4U program. I'm looking into this but wanting to get some sense of the level of responsibility and risk I would be taking. One immigration lawyer I spoke with said that if they did reside in California (where I too live) that they would likely be allowed a certain level of medical and other benefits through the state, but I mostly want to know broadly how much risk and responsibility I have (for two years I'm surmising) in case the Ukrainian family couldn't find work or housing or had some accident etc.... 

This is new to me but if anyone has resources or FAQs to share I'm very much interested.

Thanks

John

[SalishSea 17,824]

18 minutes ago, John Newton said:

Hi All

This is a related question. I'm registered as someone in the US interested in supporting Ukrainian refugees looking for temporary housing but I'm also receiving requests from families looking for a US individual sponsor through the U4U program. I'm looking into this but wanting to get some sense of the level of responsibility and risk I would be taking. One immigration lawyer I spoke with said that if they did reside in California (where I too live) that they would likely be allowed a certain level of medical and other benefits through the state, but I mostly want to know broadly how much risk and responsibility I have (for two years I'm surmising) in case the Ukrainian family couldn't find work or housing or had some accident etc.... 

This is new to me but if anyone has resources or FAQs to share I'm very much interested.

Thanks

John

Please go to USCIS.gov and read about sponsoring an immigrant.  It is a commitment  (a contract that you sign with the US government)  that can last until the immigrant has 40 quarters of work completed in the US.  It isn't like donating to the Red Cross or something.

[SalishSea 17,824]

Just now, Jorgedig said:

how much risk and responsibility I have (for two years I'm surmising)

Not sure where you're getting this from?  Maybe some special program?  Signing an I-864 to sponsor an immigrant is a LARGE commitment.  Not just two years.  And you are agreeing to pay back to the government any means-tested benefits they receive.   

 

Personally, I would only ever sponsor a spouse, parent or child.  

[John Newton 0]

It says form I-134 and notes two years but it's such a new program that my immigration lawyer acquaintance also mentioned that it's so new and the situation in Ukraine and US government response too all factor into a lot of uncertainty...

 

https://immigrationforum.org/article/explainer-uniting-for-ukraine/