Family Reunification Parole Processes

In May 2023, DHS announced new family reunification parole processes for certain nationals from Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, and their immediate family members, who have approved family-based petitions filed on their behalf by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. In October 2023, DHS further announced a family reunification parole process for nationals of Ecuador and their immediate family members.

We also updated the existing Cuban and Haitian family reunification parole processes so that they will generally be completed online. In addition, under the updated processes, we will no longer require in-person interviews with each beneficiary in Cuba or Haiti. DHS will continue to verify an individual’s identity, determine an individual’s eligibility for the processes on a case-by-case basis, and conduct security vetting.

Historical Background on Cuban Family Reunification Parole (CFRP)

The 1994 and 1995 U.S.-Cuba migration accords commit the United States to ensuring that total legal migration to the United States from Cuba will be a minimum of 20,000 Cubans each year, not including immediate relatives of U.S. citizens. In 2007, USCIS launched the CFRP program (PDF) in part to help the United States meet its annual obligations under the accords.

Historical Background on Haitian Family Reunification Parole (HFRP)

The HFRP Program was created on Dec. 18, 2014, to expedite family reunification through lawful, safe, and orderly channels of migration to the United States, increase existing avenues for legal migration from Haiti; and help Haiti continue to recover from the devastation and damage suffered from the Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake. We announced our intention to end the HFRP Program in August 2019, but that decision was later reversed. For information on HFRP re-parole, please see uscis.gov/hfrp.

We use the following terms with the family reunification parole processes:

Who Is Eligible

You are eligible to file Form I-134A online and initiate the FRP process on behalf of a principal beneficiary, and their immediate family members, if you meet the following requirements:

• You are either a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (Green Card holder);
• You filed Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, for a principal beneficiary and USCIS approved it;
• You received a written invitation to file Form I-134A to request to be a supporter and initiate the FRP process on behalf of the principal beneficiary of your approved Form I-130, and their immediate family members. Please see the "Invitation Process" section on this page for more information. If you have not received a written invitation to apply and you file a Form I-134A, we will not confirm your Form I-134A and the principal beneficiary will not be considered for a discretionary grant of parole under the FRP process; and
• An immigrant visa has not yet been issued to the principal beneficiary when your invitation to file Form I-134A was issued.

For a beneficiary to be considered for a discretionary issuance of advance authorization and a discretionary grant of parole, your Form I-134A beneficiary must:

• Be outside the United States;
• Be the principal or derivative beneficiary of an approved Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, or an add-on derivative beneficiary;
• Be a national of a country with a family reunification parole process, or a derivative beneficiary of an eligible principal beneficiary;
• Have a petitioning relative (you) in the United States who received an invitation to initiate the FRP process on the beneficiary’s behalf;
• Not yet have been issued an immigrant visa at the time the invitation was issued to their petitioning relative (you); and
• Have an unexpired passport valid for international travel.

In addition, each beneficiary must receive a medical examination and clearance to travel by a panel physician, undergo and pass national security and public safety vetting, and demonstrate that they otherwise merit a favorable exercise of discretion by DHS. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will consider a beneficiary’s previous immigration history, encounters with U.S. government entities, and the results of screening and vetting when determining eligibility to be issued advance authorization to travel to the United States, as well as when determining, on a case-by-case basis, whether to grant parole to the beneficiary at the port of entry.

Who Is Not Eligible

DHS will consider a beneficiary to be ineligible under the FRP processes for Colombians, Ecuadorians, Guatemalans, Hondurans, or Salvadorans, if the beneficiary:

• Has crossed irregularly into the United States, between U.S. ports of entry, after the date the process was announced (for Colombians, Guatemalans, Hondurans, and Salvadorans, after July 10, 2023; for Ecuadorians, after Nov. 16, 2023), except DHS will not consider a beneficiary to be ineligible based on a single instance of voluntary departure under section 240B of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) or withdrawal of their application for admission under section 235(a)(4) of the INA;*
• Has been interdicted at sea after the date the process was announced (for Colombians, Guatemalans, Hondurans, and Salvadorans, after July 10, 2023; for Ecuadorians, after Nov. 16, 2023);* or
• Has been ordered removed from the United States within the prior 5 years or is subject to a bar to admissibility based on a prior removal order.*

*Note: These ineligibilities do not apply to beneficiaries under the FRP processes for Cubans or Haitians; however, CBP will consider any beneficiary’s previous immigration history and encounters with U.S. government entities when making a case-by-case determination for parole.

For purposes of these FRP processes, “interdicted at sea” refers to migrants directly interdicted by the U.S. Coast Guard from vessels subject to U.S. jurisdiction or vessels without nationality, or migrants transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Note for beneficiaries: The beneficiary of an approved Form I-130 cannot request consideration for family reunification parole for themselves or their family members. Only the U.S.-based petitioner who received a written invitation can submit and electronically sign Form I-134A,  on behalf of beneficiaries.

Spouses and Unmarried Children under Age 21 of the Principal Beneficiary (Derivative Beneficiaries)

If the principal beneficiary’s spouse and unmarried children under age 21 (known as derivative beneficiaries) are named on the approved Form I-130, they may be eligible for family reunification parole. To the extent possible, we will only review the Form I-134A you filed requesting to be a supporter of the principal beneficiary after Form I-134A has also been filed for each derivative beneficiary of the principal beneficiary. If we confirm the Form I-134A, a derivative beneficiary will only be eligible for an advance travel authorization if we issue an advance travel authorization to their principal beneficiary.

If you do not request to be a supporter and initiate the FRP process for the principal beneficiary under family reunification parole, or if we determine that the principal beneficiary is not eligible, the derivative beneficiaries will also not be eligible. You must submit evidence, such as a birth certificate or marriage certificate, as part of the Form I-134A to verify the family relationship between the principal beneficiary and the derivative beneficiary you request to support. The Form I-134A explains how to upload this evidence. Without evidence of the family relationship between the principal beneficiary and their derivative and add-on derivative beneficiaries, we will determine that your filing is insufficient and derivative beneficiaries will not be able to proceed. You do not need to provide evidence of the family relationship between you and principal beneficiary.

If you submit any evidence in a language other than English, you must include a full English translation and a certification from the translator that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate from the foreign language into English.

Requesting to Add a Spouse or Child to an Approved Form I-130 (Add-on Derivative Beneficiaries)

If a principal beneficiary married or had a child after we approved the underlying Form I-130, you may also file Form I-134A to request to be as supporter and initiate the FRP process for the principal beneficiary’s spouse or child under age 21 (often referred to as add-on derivatives).

The invitation will list the derivative beneficiaries you identified on your approved Form I-130. It will not, however, list add-on derivatives because they were not listed on the underlying Form I-130 you filed and USCIS approved. However, you may file a Form I-134A requesting to be a supporter and initiate the FRP process for each new add-on derivative. As with a derivative who was listed on the Form I-130, you must submit evidence, such as a birth certificate or marriage certificate, as part of the Form I-134A to verify the family relationship between the principal beneficiary and the add-on derivative beneficiary you request to support. The Form I-134A explains how you should upload this evidence. You must include a full English translation and translator’s certification with any evidence submitted in a language other than English.

Age Limit for Beneficiaries

There is no age limit for a principal beneficiary of a Form I-130. However, any derivative children must be under the age of 21 on the date that we receive the Form I-134A that you file for a derivative child. The invitation will instruct you not to submit a Form I-134A for derivative children who will be 21 years of age or older when you submit the form.

We will not confirm any Form I-134A submitted for derivative children who are 21 years of age or older on the date we receive the form. We will continue to process the Form I-134A for any other beneficiaries, including the principal beneficiary and their spouse and unmarried children under 21.

Circumstances That Could Affect Eligibility

The table below lists circumstances that could affect eligibility for the family reunification parole processes.

If you are eligible to submit Form I-134A to initiate the FRP process on behalf of a beneficiary, you will receive a written invitation by email or mail, which includes a 12-month deadline for applying. The Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC) will email the invitation to petitioners if there is an email address of record associated with the approved Form I-130. If there is no email address of record, the NVC will mail the invitation to the petitioner’s mailing address of record. You must receive an invitation notifying you of your eligibility before you submit Form I-134A.

If you submit Form I-134A without an invitation, we will not confirm your submission, and the FRP process will not move forward for the beneficiary listed in Form I-134A.

Use the Invitation Search tool to confirm whether you have been issued an invitation:

Invitation Search

If the above tool indicates that you have been issued an invitation, but you haven’t received it, contact the NVC through their Public Inquiry Form. Please check your spam and junk email folders before contacting the NVC.

If you are a petitioner who believes you may be eligible, please make sure the NVC has your current contact information and mailing address. To update your contact information or address, you can contact the NVC through their Public Inquiry Form. If your attorney of record is no longer representing you, please inform the NVC.

Invitations will be issued on a rolling basis based on U.S. government operational capacity, the expected period of time until the principal beneficiary’s immigrant visa becomes available, and in a manner calibrated to best achieve the policy aims of this process. If you have not yet received an invitation, you may receive an invitation in the future.

USCIS has sent a letter to petitioners who were previously invited and have a pending Cuban Family Reunification Parole case for a beneficiary who is awaiting an interview in Havana under a previously submitted Form I-131, Application for Travel Document. The letter will explain how their case will proceed. If you have previously filed a Form I-131 for Cuban Family Reunification Parole and your beneficiary is waiting for an interview in Havana, do not file Form I-134A until you receive additional information from USCIS. You may find more information on the Cuban Family Reunification Parole page.

Beneficiaries cannot directly apply for family reunification parole processes. Only petitioners who receive an invitation as described in the Invitation Process section above are eligible to submit Form I-134A to request to be a supporter of a beneficiary and initiate the FRP process for them.

After receiving an invitation, you (the petitioner) will submit Form I-134A through your USCIS online account for each beneficiary. The Form I-134A identifies and collects information on both you and the beneficiary. You must submit a separate Form I-134A for each beneficiary you seek to support, including minor children. The Form I-134A will ask you to identify how many members of the family unit you will be filing Form I-134A to request to support. The form also will ask you to clarify which beneficiary is the principal beneficiary of your approved Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. If you do not remember which family member is the principal beneficiary, check the top of your invitation letter, where the name of the principal beneficiary is listed.

When you submit Form I-134A, you must establish that you have enough income and assets to financially support the intended beneficiary and the rest of your household at 100% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. If you cannot establish that you can financially support the beneficiary, you may use co-supporters. If you are filing Form I-134A with a co-supporter, they are subject to the same financial evidence requirements and should submit financial evidence such as bank statements, a letter from their employer, and income tax returns. A co-supporter does not have to be a family member and does not file their own Form I-134A, but they do have to demonstrate the ability to help support the beneficiary for the duration of the parole period.

If you have 1 or more co-supporters, you (and not the co-supporter) must:

• File and electronically sign Form I-134A – a Form I-134A that is electronically signed by someone other than the Form I-130 petitioner will not be confirmed;
• Include supplementary evidence demonstrating the identity of, and resources to be provided by, any co-supporters; and
• Attach a statement explaining that you and any co-supporters intend to share responsibility to support the beneficiary. We will assess the collective ability to support a beneficiary based on the information and evidence you provide.

If we deem the Form I-134A sufficient, in our discretion, we will confirm the Form I-134A and send the beneficiary information by email about the next step in the process.

After beneficiaries receive their advance travel authorization, they should arrange to fly directly to their final destination in the United States. When they arrive at an airport in the United States, CBP will inspect them when they pass through the customs and inspections area (also referred to as an interior port of entry). CBP will ask for additional information, including fingerprints, for further background checks and security vetting. CBP will then consider, on a case-by-case basis, whether to allow them to enter under a discretionary grant of parole. Those who try to enter the United States at U.S. land border ports of entry (or ports of entry that are not inside a U.S. airport) will not be considered for parole through this process and will generally be denied entry or placed into removal proceedings.

The key steps in the processes include:

Step 1: Invitation sent to petitioner.

• An invitation will be sent by email or mailed to selected petitioners who filed the approved Form I-130 on behalf of the principal and derivative beneficiaries. The petitioner may request to be a supporter and begin the FRP process on behalf of a beneficiary only after they receive an invitation.
• The invitation will instruct the petitioner on next steps to begin this process, including instructions on documentation to include in their Form I-134A. Each invitation will include an identifying invitation number that the petitioner must provide in each Form I-134A they file for each beneficiary.

Step 2: Petitioner submits Form I-134A online.

• After receiving an invitation, the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident petitioner who filed the approved Form I-130 on behalf of the beneficiary will begin this process by submitting a Form I-134A for each beneficiary with USCIS through the online myUSCIS web portal.
• The Form I-134A identifies and collects information about both the petitioner and the beneficiary. It is important that the petitioner include accurate information about the beneficiary. It is especially important that the petitioner include the beneficiary’s correct email address, because we will use it to provide instructions to the beneficiary.
• The petitioner must submit a separate Form I-134A for each beneficiary they are seeking to support, including derivatives and add-on derivatives of the principal beneficiary.
• If the petitioner has 1 or more co-supporters, they must include the information and evidence about co-supporters described in the “How to Apply” section above.
• USCIS will perform background checks on the petitioner and verify that they are able to financially support each beneficiary they are agreeing to support.
• For each derivative and add-on derivative filing, the petitioner must also submit evidence establishing the familial relationships between the principal beneficiary and the derivative beneficiary. You must include a full English translation and translator’s certification for any evidence submitted in a language other than English.
• If USCIS, in our discretion, confirms the petitioner’s Form I-134A, the FRP process will move forward to the next step of the process.

Step 3: Beneficiary electronically provides information supporting the request.

• If we confirm a Form I-134A, we will email the beneficiary named in that Form I-134A with instructions on how to create an online account with myUSCIS and how to complete the next steps. The beneficiary must confirm biographical information and attest to meeting the eligibility requirements before CBP will consider whether to issue an advance travel authorization to them.
• The beneficiary will also need to attest to completing a medical exam with a panel physician and having no Class A medical conditions, as determined by the panel physician. The medical exam must be completed before the beneficiary can complete the attestations in myUSCIS. DHS will confirm the panel physician’s medical results after receiving the beneficiary’s attestation to determine whether the request for travel authorization can move forward.
• If a beneficiary attests to completing the medical exam before they complete an exam with a panel physician, DHS will deny the request for a travel authorization.
• If a beneficiary attests to having no Class A medical conditions before a panel physician determines that the beneficiary does not have a Class A medical condition, DHS will deny the request for a travel authorization.
• Additional information about scheduling medical exams is located below under “Medical Exam.”

Step 4: Beneficiary submits request in CBP One mobile application.

• After the beneficiary confirms their biographical information and completes the required eligibility and medical attestations, we will post instructions in their online account about how to access the CBP One mobile application (PDF, 771.55 KB). The beneficiary must enter certain biographical information into CBP One and provide a photo to continue through the process.

Step 5: Beneficiary receives advance authorization to travel to the United States.

• After completing Step 4, CBP will, in its discretion, post a notice in the beneficiary’s online account confirming whether CBP determined to issue advance authorization to travel to the United States.
• If approved, this authorization is valid for 90 days. Beneficiaries are responsible for securing their own travel via commercial air to the United States. Approval of advance authorization to travel does not guarantee entry or parole into the United States at a U.S. port of entry. Parole is a discretionary determination made by CBP at the port of entry, based on a finding that parole is warranted due to urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.
• Children under age 18 must travel to the United States with and in the care and custody of a parent or legal guardian who can provide documentation to confirm the relationship.
• Principal beneficiaries must travel to the United States with or before any derivative beneficiary. Any derivative beneficiaries who travel before the principal beneficiary, will not be paroled into the United States under FRP.

Step 6: Beneficiary seeks parole at the port of entry.

• CBP will inspect each beneficiary arriving at a port of entry inside a U.S. airport under this process and will consider each individual, on a case-by-case basis, for a grant of discretionary parole for a period of up to 3 years.
• When a beneficiary arrives at the airport, they will undergo additional screening and vetting, to include additional fingerprint biometric vetting consistent with the CBP inspection process. A beneficiary who is determined to pose a national security or public safety threat will generally be denied parole. A beneficiary who otherwise does not warrant parole as a matter of discretion upon inspection will be processed under an appropriate processing pathway and may be referred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Step 7: Beneficiary is paroled into the United States.

• A beneficiary granted parole under these processes will generally be paroled into the United States for a period of up to 3 years, subject to applicable health and vetting requirements.
• A beneficiary granted parole may apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) by filing Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, either online or via mail.

This section contains information about the medical exam and how to schedule it.

Each beneficiary will need to attest to completing a medical exam and having no Class A medical conditions. The beneficiary must not attest to completing the medical exam and having no Class A medical conditions until after they have completed the exam with a panel physician, including any necessary medical treatment, and received the required vaccinations.

IMPORTANT: If a beneficiary attests to completing a medical examination with a panel physician or being cleared of any Class A medical conditions before they actually complete the exam, the beneficiary will not receive a travel authorization. In addition, if the principal beneficiary listed on the petitioner’s approved Form I-130, completes the attestation before they complete their medical examination, then their derivative beneficiaries and add-on derivative beneficiaries will not receive approved travel authorizations either, even if the derivatives and add-ons completed their medical requirements.

After you receive a “CONFIRM Notice” (see sample below), each beneficiary (including minor children) who wishes to be considered under the family reunification parole process must schedule a medical exam with a panel physician in their country of current residence, which must be outside of the United States. The medical exam includes medical history, physical exam, tuberculosis screening, mental health screening, and vaccinations.

The chart below explains how to schedule a medical exam and what to bring to your medical exam in Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, Guatemala, or Honduras. If you do not reside in any of these 6 countries, you can visit the Department of State’s list of U.S. embassies and consulates, which includes a link to each embassy’s respective procedures for scheduling a medical exam with a panel physician.

Note: The instructions for the medical exam in this chart may be different from the instructions you will find on the U.S. Embassies’ websites. If there are differences, follow the instructions in the chart below, which are specific to family reunification parole.

After the petitioner files Form I-134A, we will review the form and supporting evidence to ensure that the supporter and co-supporters, if any, have sufficient financial resources to support each beneficiary for the duration of the parole period. We will also conduct background checks on the petitioner. We will verify the relationships between the principal beneficiary and any of their derivative beneficiaries and add-on derivative beneficiaries.

If we confirm the Form I-134A, we will notify the supporter of the determination and email the beneficiary. Beneficiaries should check their email, including spam and junk folders, for important messages from USCIS.

If Form I-134A Is Sufficient

If USCIS confirms that the Form I-134A is sufficient, we will email the beneficiary with instructions on how to set up a myUSCIS online account and complete the next steps. Beneficiaries must confirm their biographical information in their myUSCIS online account and attest that they have completed all requirements, including:

• An eligibility attestation affirming that:
  • They are a national of a country with a family reunification parole process and the principal beneficiary of an approved Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative; or
  • They are the spouse of a principal beneficiary of an approved Form I-130; or
  • They are the child of a principal beneficiary of an approved Form I-130 and are unmarried and under the age of 21.
• An attestation to certify that:
  • They understand the family relationship requirements for children under 18, including the requirement that a child under the age of 18 must travel with and in the care and custody of a parent or legal guardian to be considered for parole under a FRP process; and
  • They understand that a parent or legal guardian must provide evidence of parentage or legal guardianship when they arrive at the port of entry.
• An attestation affirming that they have completed a medical exam by a panel physician and have no Class A medical conditions.

If Form I-134A Is Insufficient

If USCIS cannot confirm that the Form I-134A is sufficient, our decision is final. We will email the petitioner and beneficiary notifying them that we determined the Form I-134A filed by the petitioner was insufficient. We will not consider the beneficiary for parole under this process based on the insufficient Form I-134A. However, the petitioner may file a new Form I-134A and provide additional evidence.g them that we determined the Form I-134A filed by the petitioner was insufficient. We will not consider the beneficiary for parole under this process based on the insufficient Form I-134A. However, the petitioner may file a new Form I-134A and provide additional evidence.

Authorization to Travel to the United States

After the beneficiary has confirmed their biographical information and attested to completing all requirements, including their medical exam, we will process the beneficiary’s case further. Beneficiaries will receive instructions in their online account about how to access the CBP One mobile application (PDF, 771.55 KB), where they must enter certain biographical information into CBP One and provide a photo. Beneficiaries will also receive an email instructing them to check their online account in myUSCIS for the result of their advance authorization to travel.

If CBP issues an advance authorization to travel to the United States, the authorization is valid for 90 days. Beneficiaries must arrange their own travel via a commercial airline. Beneficiaries must arrange to fly to a U.S. airport to seek a discretionary grant of parole from CBP. If possible, they should arrange to fly directly to their final destination in the United States.

Principal beneficiaries must travel to the United States with or before any derivative beneficiary. Any derivative beneficiaries who travel before their principal beneficiary will not be paroled into the United States.

Applying for Employment Authorization

After a beneficiary is paroled into the United States under these processes, they are eligible to apply for discretionary employment authorization from USCIS. To apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), a beneficiary must submit Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, using the (c)(11) category code with the required fee, or apply for a fee waiver.

To file Form I-765 online, eligible applicants will access their USCIS online account at my.uscis.gov.

Applicants who are requesting a waiver of the Form I-765 filing fee must submit the paper Form I-765 by mail with Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver.

Obtaining a Social Security Number and Card

We encourage beneficiaries to apply for a Social Security number (SSN) using Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, and following the form instructions. If a beneficiary requests an SSN in Part 2 (Items 13.a-17.b) of your Form I-765, and we approve the Form I-765, we will send that data to the Social Security Administration, and they will assign an SSN and issue a Social Security card. The Social Security Administration will mail the Social Security card directly to the address provided on Form I-765. SSNs generally are assigned to people who are authorized to work in the United States. SSNs are used to report wages to the government and to determine eligibility for Social Security benefits.

If a beneficiary does not request an SSN on their Form I-765, they can apply for an SSN after they receive their EAD from USCIS using the instructions on the Social Security Administration’s Social Security Number and Card webpage.

Eligibility for Certain Benefits

Cubans and Haitians who are paroled into the United States under the FRP processes meet the definition of a Cuban/Haitian entrant and may be eligible to receive public benefits. For more information, see section 501(e)(1) of the Refugee Education and Assistance Act (REAA) of 1980.

Address Updates

USCIS has launched an Enterprise Change of Address (E-COA) self-service tool to allow most customers to update their address with us more easily. With E-COA, most individuals with a USCIS online account can update their mailing and physical address for pending applications, petitions, or requests in a single place. You will not need to update your address in multiple places, fill out a paper AR-11, Alien’s Change of Address Card, call the Contact Center, or visit a USCIS field office or asylum office.

If you reside in the United States on parole longer than 30 days, you must report your physical address in the United States as a condition of your parole. If your address changes after you enter the United States, you must notify us within 10 days of the change, either:

• Through your USCIS online account; or
• Using our online change of address form

When you are completing the Online Change of Address form, if you provide receipt numbers for any applications, petitions, or requests you have pending with USCIS, we will update the address we have on file for those cases. We encourage you to include the receipt numbers for any cases pending with USCIS in your address change request, so we can update the address associated with those cases. We will mail secure documents to the address on file. If you submit an Online Change of Address form, you can find your receipt number for a pending case on the receipt notice (Form I-797C, Notice of Action) that we issued after you filed your application, petition, or request. We send receipt notices to the address listed on the application, petition, or request.

Terminating Parole

If you are paroled into the United States under these processes, your parole will automatically terminate if:

• You depart the United States; or
• Your parole period expires.

DHS may also decide to terminate your parole with notice at its discretion for other reasons, such as violating any laws of the United States. We expect you will leave the country when your parole expires or apply for an immigration status you are otherwise eligible for. If you stay in the United States after your parole expires and you are not otherwise in a period of authorized stay, officials who encounter you may refer you to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for removal proceedings.

Leaving the United States

If you are a beneficiary of these processes granted advance authorization to travel, you may present the advance authorization to travel only once for travel to the United States to seek parole at a U.S. port of entry. After you are paroled into the United States, if you want to leave the United States and then return as a parolee, you must request an Advance Parole Document by filing Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, before traveling outside the United States. If you leave the United States without getting an Advance Parole Document, you may not be able to return and seek parole back into the United States. For information on how to apply for an Advance Parole Document while you are in the United States, please see the Form I-131 page.

Becoming a Lawful Permanent Resident

We expect beneficiaries who are paroled into the United States under these processes to apply, when eligible, for a Green Card once their visa becomes available. To know when your visa is available, look at the visa bulletin. We encourage you to monitor the visa bulletin and to apply for a Green Card as soon as you are eligible to do so. For more information about applying for a Green Card, please see our Adjustment of Status and Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status pages.

We also encourage you to access and review documents that may be required when applying for a Green Card. You can find the requirements for nationals of each country with an available FRP process on the Department of State’s  U.S. Visa: Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country webpage. USCIS may accept certain evidentiary documents as part of the FRP processes that may not be accepted when beneficiaries apply for a Green Card. It may help if you obtain the necessary documentation before you travel to the United States under an FRP process.

Unlawful Presence

Accruing unlawful presence in the United States can have serious immigration consequences:

• If a beneficiary of these processes remains in the United States beyond the parole period and is not otherwise in a period of stay authorized, they will accrue unlawful presence.
• Accruing more than 180 days of unlawful presence in the United States, departing, and again seeking admission within a certain period of time after admission renders a noncitizen inadmissible to the United States. This means they may not be allowed to return to the United States unless they receive a waiver. For more information, visit our Unlawful Presence and Inadmissibility page.

If a beneficiary of these processes applies for an immigrant visa abroad when their visa is available, but they are inadmissible based on unlawful presence, they may be able to apply for a waiver of inadmissibility. They can apply for this waiver before they depart the United States to appear at a U.S. embassy or U.S. consulate for an immigrant visa interview, by filing Form I-601A, Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver. For more information about applying for a waiver after departing the United States, go to our Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility page.

Beneficiaries may also seek legal counsel or consult with an authorized immigration service provider regarding their situation.

Avoid immigration scams. We do not want you or your beneficiaries to become victims of an immigration scam. If you need legal advice on immigration matters, make sure the person helping you is authorized to give legal advice. Only an attorney or accredited representative working for a Department of Justice recognized organization can give you legal advice. Visit the Avoid Scams page for information and resources.

• Form I-134A, Online Request to be a Supporter and Declaration of Financial Support
• Frequently Asked Questions about Family Reunification Parole Processes
• Family Reunification Parole Invitation Search Tool
• The Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program
• The Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program