URGENT HUMANITARIAN PAROLE FOR AFGHAN NATIONALS
Individuals who are outside of the United States may request parole into the United States based on urgent humanitarian reasons for a temporary period. USCIS may authorize parole into the U.S. on a case-by-case basis for a discretionary period. While humanitarian parole allows for lawful presence in the United States, it does not confer immigration status and does not provide a path to permanent residency or the ability to obtain lawful immigration status. Beneficiaries of advance parole can obtain employment authorization by filing a separate application.
According the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service, the U.S. government is making every effort to assist Afghan nationals who have been granted parole or are attempting to apply. Due to the closure of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, beneficiaries may experience delays in processing their cases and may need to arrange travel to a U.S. embassy outside of Afghanistan to continue processing their parole request.
USCIS provides guidance on documentation to support parole requests on its webpage, Guidance on Evidence for Certain Types of Humanitarian or Significant Public Benefit Parole Requests.
Individuals seeking humanitarian parole my apply for themselves or on behalf of another individual by filing Form I-131, Application for Travel Document. Application should be accompanied by a statement explaining the urgent humanitarian circumstances. Applicants should include any relevant documentation that may support the claim. It is critical that good contact details be provided and updated as necessary. If a beneficiary is able to make private arrangements to travel to a third country where there is a U.S. embassy or where consular services are available, USCIS should be notified immediately at HumanitarianParole@uscis.dhs.gov.
For specific details and filing procedures, including where to file applications, please visit the official USCIS website: https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/humanitarian-parole/information-for-afghan-nationals-on-parole-into-the-united-states.
If a parolee believes they have suffered persecution or fears that they will suffer persecution due to their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, they may file Form I-589, Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal. For more information asylum please visit uscis.gov/asylum.
