Humanitarian Parole

The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security may parole into the United States an individual for urgent medical or humanitarian reasons or other emergencies. Humanitarian Parole is often a “last chance” to gain entry to the US for those individuals who are not otherwise eligible for a visa. Review of these applications is quite stringent: ¾ of all humanitarian parole applications are denied. It is prescribed on a case-by-case basis and may not be used to circumvent normal visa issuing procedures or applications for refugee status.

Who can apply?

Humanitarian Parole can only be requested for persons who are outside of the United States. Anyone can file an application for humanitarian parole: the prospective parolee, a sponsoring relative, an attorney or any other interested individual.

How long is the Parole valid for?

Humanitarian parole is granted for a period of time to coincide with the duration of the emergency or humanitarian situation that forms the basis for the request. There is a maximum time limit of 1 year, although this time can be extended indefinitely once inside the U.S.

What is the process?

An application along with supporting documentation is submitted to USCIS. Upon approval, the individual being paroled into the United States must obtain a travel document from the nearest US consulate. If the humanitarian parole application is denied, there is no appeals process, although a new application with new evidence can be submitted.

How does White & Associates help?

White & Associates can help individuals in emergency or “last chance” situations to successfully present their case for humanitarian parole. White & Associates has helped numerous clients successfully petition for humanitarian parole. For example, we helped to reunify a 9-year-old girl with her family in the United States after she was unable to receive an immigrant visa before the expiration of the diversity lottery visa program. In another case, our firm helped a woman, who was separated from her husband and children because of paperwork lost by an embassy, obtain humanitarian parole. We have helped extend humanitarian parole status for several years in the US until a visa number became available — allowing for the submission of an adjustment of status application and subsequent receipt of a green card.

These cases can be very complicated. Financial support, DNA evidence, congressional support, and voluminous evidence documenting the emergency or humanitarian situation are often required. We will formulate a strategy for your case and prepare the application and supporting documentation in order to maximize the chances of its approval. After approval, we coordinate the logistics of receipt of the travel document from the consulate. After arrival, we can assist in extending the timeframe for staying in the United States.

More information about humanitarian parole can be found on our VisaRefusal website. Please contact us so that we can assess your specific case.