Devastatingly enough, the country you have called home all your life may no longer feel like a safe or comforting place to continue living. In a dire emergency like this one, you may seek permission to stay in a safer country temporarily, such as in the United States, until it is considered wise to return to your home country. Well, you may let out a deep sigh of relief when you come to discover the existence of a humanitarian parole visa in the U.S. If this interests you, please continue reading to learn how to apply for a humanitarian parole visa and how an experienced family immigration lawyer in Milwaukee, WI, at Sesini Law Group, S.C., can help you gain the safety and protection you desperately need.
What is a humanitarian parole visa in the U.S.?
In its simplest description, a humanitarian parole visa is a temporary visa that may allow a noncitizen to enter the United States for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. Examples of each reasoning are as follows:
- Qualified urgent humanitarian reasons:
- A noncitizen may require immediate medical care that is unavailable in their home country.
- A noncitizen may need to visit or support a family member in the U.S. who is terminally ill.
- A noncitizen may be in the middle of a life-threatening emergency in their home country.
- Qualified public benefit reasons:
- A noncitizen may need to testify as a key witness in a major criminal case in a U.S. court.
- A noncitizen may want to participate in a medical trial with potential benefits for the wider community.
- A noncitizen may be able to provide crucial expertise in a field of national interest.
It is worth reiterating that a humanitarian parole visa grants temporary permission to stay in the U.S. In other words, it is not meant to grant permanent status on its own. This is different than asylum, as this option may provide a pathway to permanent residency in the country eventually.
How do I go about applying for a humanitarian parole visa?
If you believe you have a qualified reason to receive a humanitarian parole visa, you should start applying straight away, for the sake of your immediate safety. You should begin by filling out Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records. Importantly, this form must be supplemented with a $630 filing fee.
You may be a self-petitioner for parole or you may ask for someone residing inside the United States to petition on your behalf. With this, they may also go on to complete Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support. This is because the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) likes to know that you will have a means of financial support during your temporary stay.
Typically, the USCIS grants humanitarian parole visas. But if your situation is truly an emergency, you may appear at the port of entry and ask that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issue one. In conclusion, at Sesini Law Group, S.C., we share the same goal as you, which is likely to achieve safety and protection within the U.S. borders. So please do not hesitate to work with a skilled family immigration lawyer in Milwaukee, WI from our firm today.