WASHINGTON— The United States government made official changes to the family reunification for the cubans and Haitians (family reunification parole, FRP, for its acronym in English), with the purpose of modernizing the steps that beneficiaries must follow, announced the Department of Homeland Security (DHS, for its acronym in English).
The changes will be effective as of August 11, 2023. According to DHS, applicants will be able to complete most of the paperwork in the FRP process through a secure online platform. This eliminates “the burden of travel, time and paperwork, and increases access to participation,” DHS said in a statement.
The United States reported that the family reunification process is still available by invitation only. The National Visa Center issues it to the US citizen or family member of the person whose Form I-130 has been approved.
“As of August 11, 2023, most steps of the updated processes will be completed online, with the exception of conducting a medical examination abroad and determining conditional admission in person upon arrival by via air to an inland US port of entry. Eligible recipients must be outside of the United States and are no longer required to be physically present in Cuba or Haiti,” the statement revealed.
DHS implemented the updates thanks to technological advances developed since the creation of the CFRP in 2007 and the HFRP in 2014. “Both processes begin with the Department of State’s National Visa Center issuing an invitation to the US citizen or lawful permanent resident who filed Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, on behalf of a Cuban or Haitian beneficiary.”
The federal agency explained that both processes begin when the State Department’s National Visa Center issues an invitation to the family member of the United States citizen or legal permanent resident applicant whose Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative (Petition for Foreign Relative), filed on behalf of a Cuban or Haitian beneficiary, has been approved.
The requester can then initiate the FRP process by presenting the Form I-134A, Online Request to be a Supporter and Declaration of Financial Support (Online Application for Sponsor and Statement of Financial Support), on behalf of the principal beneficiary and any derivative beneficiary spouse and children to be considered for advance travel authorization and conditional admission.
USCIS will send a letter to CFRP applicants who have pending Form I-131, Application for Travel Document (Application for travel document), submitted for a principal beneficiary who is awaiting an interview in Havana. In addition, DHS is making the HFRP process more accessible by opening the process to all approved Haitian principal beneficiaries, regardless of when USCIS approved the Form I-130 (previously, eligibility was limited to approvals issued on December 18). 2014 or earlier).
The Federal Register notices for Cuba and Haiti provide detailed information about the application process and eligibility criteria.
Unlike other nationalities who are beneficiaries of a parole through family reunification, Cubans are eligible to receive permanent residence in the United States one year after their arrival thanks to the Cuban Adjustment Act.
The DHS statement highlights the words of Alejandro MayorkasUS Secretary of Homeland Security, who ensures that the modernization improves the Department’s ability to maintain the integrity of investigation and selection standards, responding to important comments from the Cuban and Haitian community.
According to DHS, these efforts seek to reunite families while providing a safe and orderly process that allows certain Cuban and Haitian nationals and their spouses and derivative children to enter the United States without making the perilous journey to the Southwest border or through routes maritime.
FOUNTAIN: DRAFTING
