Uniting for Ukraine
On April 25, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security announced Uniting for Ukraine – a new program for allowing Ukrainians fleeing from the war to enter the United States on humanitarian parole.
Humanitarian parole is permission to enter the United States for humanitarian reasons, such as war. Humanitarian parole allows you to stay legally in the U.S. for the designated time period. With this status, you can are authorized to work, and your children can attend school.
Uniting for Ukraine sets up a process for Ukrainian nationals who have been displaced by Russia’s aggression to apply for lawful entry into the United States.
First, a U.S.-based supporter must apply to the U.S. government pledging support for a Ukrainian national or family the supporter wants to invite to the U.S. Then, if the supporter’s application is sufficient, the Ukrainian beneficiaries may be allowed to arrive in the United States on humanitarian parole for a period of up to two years.
Who is Eligible for Uniting for Ukraine
To be eligible for entry into the U.S., a person must:
-
Be a citizen of Ukraine and possess a valid Ukrainian passport (or be a child included in the parent’s passport);
-
A Ukrainian citizen may bring along a spouse or common-law partner and unmarried children under the age of 21 who are not Ukrainian citizens;
-
Have resided in Ukraine immediately prior to the Russian invasion, through Feb. 11, 2022, and have been displaced as a result of the invasion;
-
Have a supporter who filed a Form I-134A on their behalf that has been vetted and approved by the immigration service;
-
Clear biographic security checks.
Сhildren under the age of 18 must be traveling to the United States in the care and custody of their parent or legal guardian who is a citizen of Ukraine. Unaccompanied minors will not be admitted.
Who Can Be a Supporter
Any individual who has a lawful status in the United States, who has passed security and background vetting and who demonstrated sufficient financial resources to receive and support the Ukrainian beneficiaries throughout the duration of their stay in the U.S. may become a supporter. This can be a U.S. citizen, a green card holder, an asylee, a TPS holder, a person on humanitarian parole (including arrivals under Uniting for Ukraine) or a person on a long-term visa.
Supporting a Ukrainian beneficiary is a serious responsibility. The supporter pledges to the U.S. government that he or she is prepared to:
-
Receive the Ukrainian beneficiary upon their arrival in the U.S. and transport them to initial housing;
-
Ensure that the beneficiary has safe and appropriate housing for the duration of their parole and initial basic necessities;
-
As appropriate, help the beneficiary complete necessary paperwork for employment authorization, for a Social Security card, and other services;
-
Ensure that the beneficiary’s health care and medical needs are met for the duration of the parole;
-
As appropriate, assist the beneficiary with accessing education, learning English, securing employment and enrolling children in school.
Where to Find a Supporter
Most Ukrainians applying for Uniting for Ukraine intend to stay with their relatives or close friends in the U.S. who act as supporters and sign form I-134A. Inquire within distant family, friends, family friends or other people you may know in the United Sates. Personal connections are always the best and most reliable way to find a supporter.
If you do not have anyone in the U.S. who can be your supporter, you can search for a good Samaritan willing to be a supporter on the resources listed below.
How to Increase Your Chances of Finding a Supporter
If you have to resort to social media to find a supporter, follow these tips to increase your chances:
Americans sympathizing with Ukraine are generally more reliable supporters than Ukrainians or Russians who live in America. Americans are less likely to be scammers. Focus on resources frequented by Americans (English-speaking Facebook groups, message boards, groups relating to your hobby or interest, etc.).
Make your Facebook profile public. Potential supporters will want to see Facebook history proving that you are a Ukrainian who lived in Ukraine before the war.
Write in English. Although Facebook auto-translates entries in Ukrainian or Russian into English, the translation is often subpar and creates an impression of a language barrier between you and the potential supporter. If your English is bad, find someone who can proofread the entry for you or use a professional translation service.
Include one or more photos! People scroll past social media posts that do not have pictures. Include photos reflecting your current dire situation, rather than photos of your vacation from before the war.
Explain in your message:
- What city in Ukraine you are from.
- Where you are now.
-
Why you cannot stay in Ukraine or the country you are currently in.
-
Yes, there is war in Ukraine, but many Americans do not follow it closely and do not understand which regions of Ukraine are dangerous and which are not. They also think Europe and Canada provide more support to refugees and are better choices. You need to convince them that for you, the U.S. is the best option. If you are scared to stay home or struggle in the country you ended up in, don’t be shy to explain it.
-
Why you need to come to the U.S.
-
A family that you want to reunite with that cannot be your supporter. A job offer. Knowledge of English language. Unique medical treatment unavailable in other countries. A business idea that will take America to the next level. Whatever makes it critical for you to be in the U.S. as opposed to any other country – you need to explain it. If you do not have any compelling reason to move to the U.S., think twice whether you need to do it. Life in the U.S. is generally more expensive than in Europe or Canada, with lesser social support and fewer immigration options.
-
How you are going to support yourself in the U.S. and what help you need from your supporter.
-
U.S. is an expensive country with poor social support. Upon arrival, you are expected to find a job quickly, rent your own housing and buy a car (access to public transport is subpar in most cities). The budget to be self-sufficient upon arrival is $10,000-30,000, depending on the state you are moving to and your family size. If you have that amount in savings, your message needs to convey that you have means to support yourself and do not expect financial help from your supporter. If your family is supporting you, mention that. If you have no means to support yourself and need the help of your supporter, state that outright. Many Americans are willing to provide room and board to beneficiaries, but it is important to set the right expectations.
-
Your roadmap to self-sufficiency.
-
You also need to outline a roadmap to how you are going to become self-sufficient, so that your supporter does not feel like they will have to support you forever. Do you plan to start a business in the U.S.? A profession you will engage in? A license you will obtain? Explain it, and more importantly, plan it out. The most compelling message is one that creates and impression that the help you are seeking from your supporter (whether it is form I-134A only, or help with housing and resettlement) is the only missing step that separates you from getting your life back on track.
Once you’ve composed your message, re-read it as if it were written by a stranger from another country. Does it make you want to help that person? Does it provide enough information to understand their situation and trust them? If not, re-write it.
Mind your safety! Before giving away your passport details and accepting any offers of housing and/or a job, make sure the supporter is trustworthy, and the offer is legitimate.
It does not cost any money for the supporter to file the form. If the supporter asks you for money in exchange for filing I-134A, this is likely a scam!
Do not accept offers to smuggle a non-Ukrainian person into the U.S. pretending to be your spouse or common-law partner. You both will end be detained at the border and put in removal with a subsequent ban on entry.
Keep in mind that a supporter is not obligated to provide you with housing or help you financially even if they promised to do so! Prepare to be responsible for your own living arrangements and finances. Have a Plan B if your relationship with your supporter falls apart – this happens often!
The Application Process
The Supporter’s Application (Form I-134A)
To start an application, the supporter must fill out online a separate Form I-134A, Declaration of Financial Support, for each beneficiary they are applying for (including each child). The supporter will then be vetted by the U.S. government to ensure that he or she is able to support the Ukrainian beneficiary. The program contemplates that a group of people or an organization may back an I-134A application; however, a natural person must sign the form.
On the form, the supporter must indicate not only their own, but also the beneficiary’s information, including the beneficiary’s name, email (one per family is sufficient), current address, passport information, income and assets. However, documents proving this information need not be attached, therefore it is unnecessary for the beneficiary to provide copies of their passports or financial records to the supporter.
If you are the beneficiary, make sure the passport information and email address you provide to your supporter are correct! Provide this information in an email and ask your supporter to copy and paste it into form I-134A to avoid typos. If your passport number or email address contain typos, you will not be able to complete the application process, and your supporter may have to start it all over again.
Form I-134A must be supported by evidence of the supporter’s financial sufficiency, including the latest tax return or other proof of income, a letter proving employment, bank statements showing assets, proof of other types of liquid assets, and information about existing dependents and their income contribution.
When applying for a family that includes non-Ukrainian citizens, the supporter must first fill out form I-134A for an adult who is a Ukrainian citizen. Then, fill out the form for that person’s spouse and/or children who are not Ukrainian citizens and state in their respective applications that they are immediate family members of a Ukrainian citizen, indicating that person’s IOE application receipt number.
It may take USCIS up to three months to review form I-134A and issue a decision. If USCIS is satisfied with the supporter’s I-134A application, it will send a CONFIRM Notice to the Ukrainian beneficiary by email. If the supporter’s application is found insufficient, the beneficiary will receive a NON CONFIRM Notice.
The Beneficiary’s Attestations
If the supporter’s application is confirmed, USCIS will email to the beneficiary instructions on creating an online account at the USCIS website. It is enough to create one online account for the head of the family and add his or her spouse and children in a “travel group” in that person’s account.
The beneficiary then must verify their biographic information and fill out an attestation that they have completed vaccine requirements or are eligible for an exception to vaccine requirements for measles, polio, and the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Proof of vaccination is unnecessary. If the beneficiary is unable to complete polio and COVID-19 vaccinations before arrival, these vaccines can be completed after the arrival in the United States.
Children under 18 years old, as well as non-Ukrainian spouses and children MUST be added to the travel group of an adult Ukrainian citizen, who must then complete their vaccine attestations for them. They will not be able to complete their own attestations!
If there are non-Ukrainian family members in the travel group, attach a letter of explanation along with a proof of family relation and proof that the family lived in Ukraine before the war. Mixed-passport families often receive denials under Uniting for Ukraine, so make your case as compelling as possible!
After the attestations for the travel group have been submitted, the travel authorization decision for each member of the travel group will be posted in the Notices section of the USCIS case. It may take USICS up to several weeks to post the decisions. Non-Ukrainian family members typically wait longer.
Once your family has received all travel authorizations, print them – you will need them to board the flight and pass the U.S. passport control.
Upon Arrival in the United States
TB Test
Within 90 days of arrival, each beneficiary over 2 years old must undergo a tuberculosis blood test called QuantiFERON TB or IGRA.
-
You can obtain a TB test at your primary care office, a refugee clinic, a state health department clinic, or a diagnostic laboratory (such as Quest or LabCorp). If you need a doctor’s referral, you can obtain it from your primary care physician under your Medicaid or RMA insurance.
-
The test may be covered by your insurance. If you do not have health insurance, a test will cost between $80 and $200. Lower-cost tests may be available at community clinics near you.
- Keep the test results for your records. You must submit an attestation that you have completed the test to USCIS and indicate your result.
- If your result comes back positive, you will be required to submit to an x-ray and possibly undergo a prophylactic treatment.
Purchase a TB Test online
Vaccinations
Within 90 days of arrival, each beneficiary over 6 weeks old must obtain the missing polio vaccine and each beneficiary over 6 months old must obtain the missing COVID-19 vaccine if they were not vaccinated prior to arrival.
-
Vaccinations are covered by Medicaid or RMA health insurance which you can obtain upon arrival. Once you get your insurance card number, see your primary care physician and get a referral for a vaccine.
-
If you do not have health insurance, vaccinations are available at refugee clinics, state health department clinics and community clinics. See the Medical and
Psychological Aid section to find a clinic near you.
-
Vaccinations can also be obtained at a local retail pharmacy (CVS, Walgreens, etc.).
- Covid-19 vaccinations are free regardless of whether you have insurance
Obtaining U.S. Documents
Upon arrival, you will need to promptly apply for a Social Security Number (SSN), an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and a state ID or driver’s license. You will also need to open a bank account. See
Documents section for more information on how to do that.
Males aged 18 through 25 must register for Selective Service within 30 days of arrival. Selective Service maintains a list of people for national emergencies requiring mobilization. If you cannot register online because your SSN is new or you don’t yet have one, you can register by mailing a
printable registration card. For more information, see
Male Parolees between 18 and 25 Years Old Must Register For the U.S. Selective Service System.
Source: NovaUkraine
Back to All Resources
