RE-PAROLE

Ukrainians and their family members who were paroled in the United States after February 11, 2022 (including under Uniting for Ukraine) and whose parole is expiring soon, can apply for a new parole term (re-parole) for up to 2 additional years.

Who is eligible for re-parole

Only Ukrainian citizens and their non-Ukrainian family members who were paroled in the United States after February 11, 2022 and remain in the United States are eligible to apply for re-parole. If you are a Ukrainian citizen or a non-Ukrainian citizen who arrived with a Ukrainian family member, and your initial form I-94 (the one you received when you first entered the United States after February 11, 2022) shows class of admission “DT” or “UHP”, you are eligible.

You may remain eligible for re-parole even if you traveled outside the United States on advance parole or TPS authorization to travel after your initial parole.

Ukrainians who arrived on a visitor visa, work visa, student visa, etc. are not eligible for re-parole.

Who should apply for re-parole

Anyone who is eligible for re-parole can apply for it. However, an application for re-parole is costly, unless your family is low-income or can prove financial hardship to be eligible for a fee waiver. People and families that are not eligible for a fee waiver, need to make a decision whether applying for re-parole is financially justified.

Who should strongly consider applying for re-parole:

Persons who are ineligible for Temporary Protected Status. These include persons without a Ukrainian citizenship and persons who may be ineligible for TPS due to disqualifying immigration or criminal history.
Low-income persons and families. Low-income persons and families who were paroled before September 30, 2024 may be eligible for Medicaid, food stamps and cash assistance, including TANF and SSI programs. To receive that assistance, they must maintain a valid humanitarian parole, which means their I-94 showing “DT” or “UHP” class of admission must be current. Application for re-parole is free for this category of applicants because they qualify for a fee waiver based on the receipt of means-tested benefits.
Persons whose parole-based EAD is expiring soon and who are still awaiting TPS-based EAD. If you have applied for TPS and TPS-based EAD, but your TPS-based EAD application is still pending and your parole based-EAD expires soon, you can apply for re-parole and then for an EAD based on re-parole. Re-parole approval takes about 3 weeks on average (with biometrics reuse), and EAD based on re-parole takes about the same. This is usually quicker than to wait for TPS-based EAD application approval which can sometimes take many months.
Persons who intend to adjust status to that of a permanent resident and who are at risk of falling out of status. Certain avenues to a green card via an adjustment of status in the United States (e.g., via employment or reunion with relatives other than immediate family) require that you continuously maintain a lawful status in the United States. If your parole expires soon, and you do not have another approved lawful status, such as Temporary Protected Status (TPS), you should apply for re-parole in a timely manner to avoid falling out of status.
Persons and families who intend to pursue college education. Depending on your state laws, you may need to maintain a valid humanitarian parole to be considered a resident for tuition purposes and pay less for a community college or public university. You also have different financial aid options depending on your immigration status. See

Higher Education page to learn more about your options and each state’s requirements.

When and How to Apply for Re-Parole

USCIS recommends that you apply for re-parole 60 days before your parole expires. USCIS prioritizes the applications by the date of application and the date of initial parole expiration.

To apply for re-parole, you need to fill out Form I-131. This form can be submitted online via a USCIS online account. Each person who is applying online, even minor children, must have their own USCIS online account. An online application costs $580 per person.

If you want to apply with a request for fee waiver based on low income or financial hardship, you must apply by mail. If you are applying with a fee waiver request, apply 90 days before parole expiration as it takes USCIS additional 3-4 weeks to adjudicate your fee waiver request.

In Form I-131:

Select “I am outside the United States and I am applying for an Advance Parole Document” (section 1.e in Part 2 of the paper from). Although you are in the United States and are applying for a re-parole, USCIS instructs that you select this option.
- Even if you are filling the form for a child or another person, select this option as this person is the applicant.
In the online form, answer “Yes” to the question “Are you applying for re-parole?” On the paper form, write “Ukraine RE-PAROLE” at the top of the form.
Specify your mailing address in the “Physical Address” form section. USCIS will use this address to mail your re-parole approval and new Form I-94.
Skip questions about travel that are inapplicable to you.
Attach:
- a copy of the government-issued ID. This can be the bio page of your travel passport, or front and back of your employment authorization card or U.S. driver’s license.
- Form I-94 showing your prior parole. You can download your current I-94 at https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/recent-search. If you cannot find your I-94 on this website and do not have a paper I-94, attach a photo of the stamp in your passport showing your initial parole.
- Any additional information and documents to explain prior immigration issues, criminal history or non-compliance with U4U tuberculosis and vaccine attestations (if needed).
- If you are signing the form for your child under the age of 14, attach the child’s birth certificate with a certified translation showing you are the child’s parent. Children older than 14 must sign their applications themselves.

If you cannot afford to pay the fees for the re-parole application, fill out form I-912 – Request for Fee Waiver. Prepare one Form I-912 for the entire household. Submit Form I-912 along with the required evidence on top of the applications for all family members for whom you are asking the fee waiver. Evidence for Form I-912 may include:

a benefits verification letter from the social services showing you are receiving means-tested benefits such as Medicaid, food stamps or cash assistance;
your last year’s tax return showing income less than 150% of federal poverty level; or
a detailed explanation of financial hardship with evidence in the form of paychecks, bank statements, proof of monthly expenses, etc.

Employment Authorization Based on Re-Parole

If you have a valid employment authorization document (EAD card) based on TPS, pending asylum or another status, you do not have to apply for another EAD card based on re-parole.

You may renew your EAD card based on re-parole, but only AFTER your re-parole application has been approved and you have received a new Form I-94 for the new parole term.

The cost of an application to renew EAD based on re-parole is $470, unless you are entitled for a fee waiver based on low income or financial hardship. It is best to apply online by filling out form I-765 in your USCIS online account. However, if you are requesting a fee waiver, you must apply by mail with Form I-912 (request for a fee waiver) and supporting evidence.

In question “What is Your Eligibility Category?” select “(c)(11) – Ukraine Parole”. If applying by mail, enter “(c)(11)” in Box 27 – Eligibility Category on the paper form.
In question “What is Your Reason For Applying?” select “Renewal of permission to accept employment.” If applying by mail, select Box 1.c in Part 1 of the paper form.
In question “Status at last arrival” (Box 24 of the paper form) select the status from the form I-94 you receieved at your last arrival in the U.S. Usually, it is “DT” if you arrived through Mexico, or “UHP” if you arrived under Uniting for Ukraine, but it may be “DA” or “TPS” if you traveled outside of the United States since your initial parole.
In question “What is your current immigration status or category?” (Box 25 on the paper form) select the class of admission from your new form I-94 (usually, “UHP”).
Attach:
- A 2×2 photo (if applying by mail, enclose two photos)
- Your new I-94 showing the new parole term
- Front and back photos of your old EAD card based on parole category (c)(11).

If you are applying for an EAD with a fee waiver request, mail the I-765 application together with the fee waiver request to USCIS at the appropriate address based on your state.

See Documents page for general instructions and a step-by-step video on how to apply for an EAD.

If you were paroled with a “UHP” class of admission before September 30, 2023 and your re-parole application has been approved, you remain employment-authorized incident to your parole and may work up to 90 days based on your new form I-94 while waiting for your new EAD card.

Source: NovaUkraine Back to All Resources