Frequently Asked Questions about the Re-Parole Process for Certain Ukrainians and their Immediate Family Members
- English
No. Only certain Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members already in the United States may apply for re-parole under this application process. Any prior period of parole will terminate automatically when a noncitizen leaves the United States.
Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members outside the United States may apply for parole under U4U. Beneficiaries are eligible for this process if they:
- Resided in Ukraine immediately before the Russian invasion (through Feb. 11, 2022) and were displaced by the invasion;
- Are a Ukrainian citizen and possess a valid Ukrainian passport (or are a child included on a parent’s passport) or, if not a Ukrainian citizen, are an immediate family member of a Ukrainian citizen beneficiary of U4U who has a valid passport and are traveling with the Ukrainian citizen beneficiary;
- Have a supporter who filed a Form I-134A on their behalf that USCIS has vetted and confirmed as sufficient; and
- Clear biographic and biometric security checks.
Note: To be eligible for this process, children under the age of 18 must be traveling to a U.S. port of entry in the care and custody of their parent or legal guardian. Parents and children who are not residing in the same country before travel may still be able to use this process.
The supporter must complete and file Form I-134A with USCIS and be vetted by the U.S. government to protect against possible exploitation and abuse and to ensure that they are able to financially sustain the Ukrainians they are agreeing to support.
Yes. Whether you apply for re-parole online or on paper, the application process is the same. However, by applying for re-parole through a USCIS online account, you can avoid mistakes such as a missing signature, missing pages, or an incomplete application. These are common reasons why we reject some forms filed on paper.
You can also access your USCIS online account from your electronic device and submit a form, upload required evidence, and update your address in your account. If you do not complete your form immediately, it will be saved in draft form for 30 days. You can view case status, case history, and documents uploaded to support your case, as well as notices we post to your account, such as biometrics scheduling, receipt notices and requests for evidence. We have resources in Ukrainian and resources in Russian to help guide you through the steps to set up your free USCIS online account.
Note, however, that if you are submitting Form I-912 to request a waiver of the Form I-131 filing fee, you cannot apply online. You can only request a fee waiver if you apply on paper.
Yes. If your parole has not been terminated, and we have not changed or adjusted your immigration status, you should apply for re-parole before your initial parole period expires. We encourage eligible Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members to submit their re-parole requests to us no earlier than 180 days (6 months) before the expiration of their current period of parole. You can find your parole expiration date on your Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, issued by U.S. Customs and Border Protection when you were paroled into the United States.
Filing during this window reduces the risk that your current period of parole and employment authorization will expire before you receive a decision on your re-parole request. If you submit a request for re-parole more than 180 days before the expiration of your current period of parole, we may reject or deny your re-parole application without refunding the filing fees. Please note that filing earlier than 180 days before your current parole expiration date will not result in a faster decision.
If your parole period expires, you are no longer in a period of authorized stay unless you have been granted an immigration status such as asylum, lawful permanent resident status, or Temporary Protected Status (TPS), or are otherwise in a period of authorized stay such as having a pending asylum application. If your parole period expires, you may no longer be employment authorized unless you have been granted an immigration status that allows you to work, or you have a basis to seek employment authorization based on another immigration category.
We aim to quickly adjudicate all Form I-131 requests for re-parole filed by eligible Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members. Eligible applicants should apply for re-parole as soon as possible because unexpected delays can affect the timely adjudication of their re-parole application. Typos, errors, an incomplete application, or lack of required documentation can slow down the processing of re-parole applications. We encourage eligible parolees to apply for re-parole using the USCIS online account to reduce the occurrence of such errors that could delay processing.
Yes. If you choose to apply with help from an attorney or accredited representative, the legal representative or accredited representative who assists you must submit a Form G-28 for you and each family member they represent. Afterward, if you wish to have a different attorney or accredited representative receive notices or communicate about your case with USCIS, they must submit a separate Form G-28. If you choose to file for another immigration benefit with the help of an attorney or accredited representative, that attorney must also submit a Form G-28 for those immigration filings. Having multiple Forms G-28 will not affect different filings.
Currently, Form I-131 only allows individuals to list 1 address. To ensure proper delivery of notices and other documents, please list your mailing address in the physical address fields.
As a reminder, if you move, you must update your address with USCIS through your USCIS online account or by submitting Form AR-11, Alien’s Change of Address Card. We have tutorial videos showing you how to update your address through your account and how to submit Form AR-11 online. Report your new address to USCIS within 10 days each time you move, even if you are moving to a temporary location.
If you have not reported your change of address within 10 days of your move, you must still update your address with USCIS as soon as possible. Please remember that changing your address with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) or another U.S. government agency will not change your address with USCIS. Please update your information with both USCIS and USPS if you move.
If you have been granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS), but you have not obtained any other status and you remain an “applicant for admission,” you may apply for re-parole, but you are not required to apply for re-parole. You may want to consult with an immigration attorney or accredited legal representative to determine what is best for your particular situation.
No. There is also a paper-filing option to apply for re-parole. For more information about how to file on paper, visit our Re-Parole Process for Certain Ukrainian Citizens and Their Immediate Family Members page. However, we encourage you to file through your USCIS online account. Filing online will help you avoid common mistakes such as a missing signature, missing pages, or an incomplete application. We reject some forms filed on paper because of these issues. You can also get case status updates and case history and access notices we post to your account. You will also have access to the documents you upload to support your case, among other benefits.
If a legal representative has been connected to their client’s USCIS online account, they will be able to access all the notices we send to the client’s account. Please visit our Online Filing for Attorneys and Accredited Representatives webpage to guide you.
No. The USCIS online account is only available in English. All USCIS forms are only available in English, whether they are available online or on paper.
No. Under this process, each family member, including children under age 18, must have their own USCIS online account and file as a self-petitioner.
Yes. Each individual must file their own re-parole application under the process for certain Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members, regardless of age. To file online as a self-petitioner, each applicant must have their own unique email address and USCIS online account. A parent or legal guardian may create an account for their minor child if they need to submit a form on behalf of the minor. If a parent or legal guardian is not available, a primary caregiver or legal assistance provider may also assist a child with a Form I-131 application to apply for re-parole. If a parent, legal guardian, or other provider is preparing Form I-131 on behalf of a minor, the minor should be listed as the self-petitioner and the person completing the form should fill out their information in the “preparer” section.
When applying for re-parole, parents or legal guardians may sign for a minor child under the age of 14, although a minor under 14 may also sign for themselves. Children over the age of 14 should generally sign for themselves, if they are able to do so. If a parent or legal guardian is filling out the information for their child, the parent or legal guardian must fill out their information in the “preparer” section.
If you sign for a child as their parent or legal guardian, you should sign your own name, with a notation that you are signing “for” or “on behalf of” the child. You should also include the child’s name. Minors may sign an application for themselves, if they are able to. If a parent signs for a minor child, the parent must submit a birth certificate or adoption decree to establish the parent-child relationship. A legal guardian may also sign for a child who is under 14 years old, as well as for a mentally incompetent person of any age. We require documentation to establish a legal guardian’s authority to sign a benefit request for a child or mentally incompetent requestor. Acceptable documentation includes, but is not limited to, official letters of guardianship or other orders issued by a court or government agency legally authorized to make such appointment under the law governing the place where the child or incapacitated requestor resides. See PM Vol 1, Part B, Chapter 2 for additional information.
Each individual must file their own re-parole application under this process, regardless of age. A parent or legal guardian may complete the application for a minor under 14 years old seeking re-parole, by signing for the minor and providing evidence of the legal relationship, such as a birth certificate. A legal guardian may also sign on behalf of a mentally incompetent person of any age. We require documentation to establish a legal guardian’s authority to sign a benefit request on behalf of a child or mentally incompetent requestor. Acceptable documentation includes, but is not limited to, official letters of guardianship or other orders issued by a court or government agency legally authorized to make such appointment under the law governing the place where the child or incapacitated requestor resides. See PM Vol 1, Part B, Chapter 2 for additional information.
Minors may also complete the application on their own behalf, without a parent or legal guardian signing for them.
Yes. If we approve your application for re-parole, you may file Form I-765 through your USCIS online account. Do not file your Form I-765 before we approve your re-parole application. Eligible parolees will receive an EAD that they can present to their employers for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.
If you receive a Form I-131 approval notice showing a new period of parole, visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Form I-94 website to view and print a copy of your new Form I-94, which should reflect an updated “class of admission” of “UHP.”
If you are granted re-parole, your unexpired Form I-94, which includes a UHP class of admission and a “Most Recent Date of Entry” on or before Sept. 30, 2024, authorizes you to work for 90 days without an approved Form I-765. The updated I-94 serves as an acceptable List A receipt that shows your identity and employment authorization for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. The receipt satisfies the Form I-9 requirement for 90 days from the date of hire (or in the case of reverification, the date employment authorization expires).
After the 90-day period, parolees must present to their employer an unexpired EAD, or unrestricted Social Security card and acceptable List B identity document from the Form I-9 Lists of Acceptable Documents (such as a state-issued driver’s license or identification card). USCIS will provide additional guidance to employers about completing Form I-9.
Wait until after we approve your re-parole application to file Form I-765 in category (c)(11) to apply for a new EAD as evidence of employment authorization for a period consistent with your re-parole period. Do not file Form I-765 before you receive a re-parole approval notice. If you file Form I-765 before we approve your re-parole application, we may deny your Form I-765, and we will not refund the fee.
You can file Form I-765 either online or by mail on paper. You can use your USCIS Online Account to file Form I-765. If you request a fee waiver request for Form I-765, you must file Form I-765 by paper. You cannot apply for an EAD online if you are requesting a fee waiver.
No. We did not charge a fee for initial EADs for most Ukrainian parolees and eligible immediate family members who are now eligible to apply for re-parole through this process. When you submit Form I-765, to apply for a new EAD, you must include either:
The filing fee; or
A completed and signed Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver.
If you submit a fee waiver request, you must file Form I-765 on paper. You cannot apply for an EAD online if you are requesting a fee waiver.
As a reminder, if you move, you must update your address with USCIS through your USCIS online account or by submitting Form AR-11, Alien’s Change of Address Card. We have tutorial videos showing you how to update your address through your account and how to submit Form AR-11 online. Report your new address to USCIS within 10 days each time you move, even if you are moving to a temporary location.
If you have not reported your change of address within 10 days of your move, you must still update your address with USCIS as soon as possible. Please remember that changing your address with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) or another U.S. government agency will not change your address with USCIS. Please update your information with both USCIS and USPS.
Yes, but as part of the re-parole application, you should submit Form I-131 with the correct spelling of your name. In addition, you will need to submit government-issued evidence, such as a passport, showing the correct spelling of your name. You must also include an English translation of the government-issued evidence if it is a document in a language other than English.
After we receive and accept your Form I-131 for re-parole under this process, we will inform you in writing if you need to attend a biometric services appointment. If you do, we will provide you the location of your designated USCIS application support center and the date and time of your appointment. If you do not attend your biometric services appointment, we may deny your application. We may be able to reuse previously submitted biometrics. In those cases, you will not receive a biometric services appointment notice.
If you applied for re-parole by submitting Form I-131 through your USCIS online account, you can check the status of your case in your account. We have a short video on how to check your case status in your account. You can also check the status of your case using Case Status Online and entering your receipt number.
At this time, we cannot predict what the processing times will be for re-parole applications filed by certain Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members. However, please know that we aim to quickly adjudicate all Form I-131 requests for re-parole filed by eligible Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members. We also consider many factors when we prioritize adjudication of applications for re-parole, including the urgency of the request and the initial parole period expiration date.
Filing online using the USCIS online account can help reduce processing time in general because you will not have to mail a form to USCIS and you will be able to access notices and upload required information more quickly. Filing online may also prevent common mistakes that we see with paper filings, which cause unnecessary delays.
We adjudicate re-parole adjudications as we receive them, but we consider overall circumstances, including when an individual's initial parole may expire. Remember that any form filing mistakes (such as a missing signature or missing pages, which we see more commonly in paper filings) can delay processing of re-parole applications.
If your parole period expires, you are no longer in a period of stay authorized unless you have been granted an immigration status such as asylum, lawful permanent resident status, or TPS, or are otherwise considered to be in a period of stay authorized, such as having a pending asylum, adjustment of status, or TPS application. If your parole period expires, you may no longer be authorized to work unless you have been granted an immigration status that allows you to work, or you qualify for employment authorization based on another immigration category. Additionally, you may no longer be eligible for the refugee-like benefits included in the Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act.
If we deny your re-parole application and you have no other immigration status or pending application for an immigration benefit with USCIS, you may be issued a Notice to Appear before an immigration judge and be placed into removal proceedings.
Note: CBP and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are responsible for removing noncitizens who are subject to a final order of removal from the United States.
If we approve your re-parole application after you file Form I-131 through this process, your Form I-94 will be updated and attached to your USCIS-issued approval notice. You may also view and print a copy of your updated Form I-94 on the CBP Form I-94 website shortly after we approve your re-parole application.
The class of admission is indicated on your Form I-94. If you did not receive a paper Form I-94 when you were paroled into the United States, visit the CBP Form I-94 website to view and print a copy of your electronic Form I-94. To access your Form I-94, you will need to enter your first and last name, date of birth, document number or A-Number (including the letter A), and your country of citizenship. CBP has instructions on how to look up your current Form I-94 in English (PDF).
No. When you apply for re-parole, you are applying for a new period of parole, not an extension of the initial parole period. If we approve your re-parole application, you must file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, to apply for a new EAD based on the new parole period.
Certain Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members were paroled into the United States during an approximate 8-week period after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and before the Uniting for Ukraine process became available. These individuals were generally paroled for a period of 1 year, while participants in Uniting for Ukraine received a 2-year period of parole. As a matter of discretion, DHS extended the initial parole periods for the former group of parolees, on a case-by-case basis, to match the 2-year period of parole granted to parolees under Uniting for Ukraine. DHS did not automatically grant re-parole, which is a new period of parole, to either of these populations.
Yes, if you are a Ukrainian citizen or immediate family member of an eligible Ukrainian citizen, you were initially paroled with a DT class of admission on or after Feb. 11, 2022, and you are otherwise eligible under this process, you can apply for re-parole. If we approve your re-parole application, you can apply for a new EAD based on your new parole period.
Yes, certain Ukrainian citizens and nationals and their eligible family members who last habitually resided in Ukraine are eligible for ORR refugee benefits and services if they were paroled into the United States from Feb. 24, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2024. Ukrainian parolees who did not arrive during this time frame are not necessarily eligible for ORR refugee benefits and services, even if they were paroled under Uniting for Ukraine. The following relatives of ORR-eligible Ukrainian parolees are eligible for ORR refugee benefits and services, even if they were paroled into the United States after Sept. 30, 2024:
- Spouses or children of ORR-eligible Ukrainian parolees who entered the United States with parole from Feb. 24, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2024. Spouses and children are defined in section 101(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) (8 U.S.C. § 1101(b)).
- Parents, legal guardians, or primary caregivers of an ORR-eligible unaccompanied child from Ukraine who entered the United States with parole from Feb. 24, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2024. An unaccompanied child is defined within 6 U.S.C. § 279(g)(2).
Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who meet these requirements will remain eligible for benefits if their parole has not been terminated. Ukrainian citizens who have another ORR-eligible immigration status or category, such as refugee or asylee, are eligible for ORR refugee benefits and services in the standard manner. They do not need to enter within a particular time frame, and their immigration status or category does not affect the duration of their eligibility.
No. We are not granting automatic extensions of initial parole periods to Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who were paroled into the United States on or after Feb. 11, 2022. However, you may apply for a new period of parole, also known as re-parole, under this process. Please note that if you apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and you are granted TPS, or we deem you eligible for TPS after an initial review of your TPS application, you will be eligible for a TPS-based Employment Authorization Document (EAD). In August 2023, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas extended the TPS Ukraine designation for 18 months from Oct. 20, 2023, through April 19, 2025. Eligible applicants under this designation have been physically present in the United States since Oct. 20, 2023. The registration period is open now through April 19, 2025. To learn more, visit the TPS for Ukraine webpage.
Also, if you have a pending asylum or adjustment of status application and your initial parole period is expiring, you can request re-parole by filing a Form I-131 either online or on paper by mail.
Yes. USCIS will adjudicate your pending re-parole application even after your initial parole period expires.
No. Supporters who agreed to provide financial support for beneficiaries of U4U do not need to file a new Form I-134A in order for an applicant to be considered for re-parole under this process.
Some parolees are considered employment authorized incident to their parole. This means that after re-parole is granted, they do not need to wait for an EAD to arrive in the mail to continue to work legally in the United States. They can only continue to work without a new EAD for up to 90 days from the date of hire (or in the case of reverification, the date employment authorization expires). This applies to noncitizens who were paroled into the United States on or before Sept. 30, 2024, and have a “UHP” class of admission on their Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record.
If you are one of these parolees, then after we grant re-parole, you can download and print an updated Form I-94 from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) I-94 website that will show both the “Most Recent Date of Entry” and class of admission. If the Form I-94 shows the “Most Recent Date of Entry” is Sept. 30, 2024, or earlier and the “UHP” class of admission, you can use the unexpired Form I-94 as an acceptable List A receipt that shows your identity and employment authorization for up to 90 days for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification purposes.
Note: Parolees should provide their downloaded and printed electronic Form I-94 available from the CBP I-94 website to their employers and not the tear-off Form I-94 found on the Form I-131 re-parole approval notice. The information on the tear-off Form I-94 does not contain the most recent date of entry.
You must get an EAD because within 90 days, these parolees must present an unexpired EAD, or unrestricted Social Security card and acceptable List B identity document from the Form I-9 Lists of Acceptable Documents (such as a state-issued driver’s license or identification card) to continue to work.
Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members paroled into the United States who are approved for re-parole are not eligible for a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card because parole is not included in the REAL ID Act (PDF) as a category of noncitizens authorized to receive a REAL ID-compliant license or identification card. However, parolees with another eligible category covered under the REAL ID Act, such as an approved or pending application for TPS or asylum, can potentially qualify for a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card.
Note: Many driver’s license issuing authorities allow parolees to apply for a driver’s license or ID card that is valid, but may not be REAL ID-compliant.
For more information, please see REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions and guidance from the Department of Motor Vehicles for the jurisdiction where you live.
The table below explains how to inquire about your re-parole application if you are an eligible Ukrainian citizen or an immediate family member who has filed for re-parole. The information below applies to individuals:
- Who have not received a Form I-797 approval notice from USCIS notifying them of their new period of parole;
- Who have a pending Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, with USCIS to request re-parole; and
- Whose initial period of parole will expire in the next 14 calendar days.
| If you | Then |
|---|---|
| Filed Form I-131 through your USCIS online account | You may send us a secure message from your USCIS online account to inquire about your re-parole application. Through the account, you will also have access to all of the account features, such as the ability to view notices, respond to requests for evidence, and check case status. |
| Submitted a paper form to USCIS, and your receipt number begins with IOE | We mailed you an Account Acceptance Notice about creating a USCIS online account. The letter has an Online Access Code that is valid for 90 days to help you create an account. If your Online Access Code has expired, you may still link your paper-filed form to your USCIS online account. During this process, the system will give you the option to request a new code, which we will mail to your address of record. Creating a USCIS online account allows you to receive automatic case alerts by email or text, check case status, see processing times, upload evidence, update your address, and send us secure messages using any device, similar to if you had filed your form through the USCIS online account. |
| Have not yet created a USCIS online account | You can call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern. When you call the USCIS Contact Center, say “Ukrainian Re-parole” to be routed to live assistance. You may have to wait to speak to a representative by phone. The USCIS Contact Center will not provide interpreters who speak Ukrainian or Russian when you call. If your issue cannot be resolved right away by a USCIS representative, we will send your request to a USCIS immigration services officer. We will email you to confirm your request and give you an estimate when we will contact you. Please have the following information ready when you call the USCIS Contact Center:
The USCIS Contact Center representative may also ask you to provide additional biographic or other information to verify your identity. |
| Are a parent of a parolee who is under 18 years old | We will not disclose information about a parolee under age 18 unless the parent or legal guardian calling the USCIS Contact Center appears on the child’s application or petition or in the corresponding USCIS system of record. Before discussing the child’s case, USCIS Contact Center representatives will verify the individual caller’s relationship to the child based on current information in our system of record. We will also ask the parent to verify the child’s:
The USCIS Contact Center representative may ask the parent to provide additional biographic or other information to verify the parent’s (and child’s) identity. |
Please contact the USCIS Contact Center to make an expedite request. The USCIS Contact Center toll-free number is 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833), and our hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern.
You may ask USCIS to expedite adjudication of a request (such as an application or petition) for an immigration benefit.
USCIS:
- Considers all expedite requests on a case-by-case basis;
- May require additional documentation to support a request; and
- Has the sole discretion to decide whether to accommodate a request.