The Biden administration has just started a new program that makes it easier for Venezuelan nationals to come to the U.S. The program will allow some Venezuelan nationals to obtain advance authorization to travel to the U.S. and the ability to remain in the country on parole for up to two years.
Instead of undergoing the lengthy immigration process from Venezuela or another country, the program enables Venezuelan nationals to apply from within the U.S. while on parole here. If you have family from Venezuela that you want to sponsor for a green card, this program can be a great help.
Requirements to Participate
To obtain advance authorization to come to the U.S. through this program, a Venezuelan national must:
- Be at least 18, and a Venezuelan national with a passport (or the spouse, partner, or unmarried minor child of the primary applicant)
- Have a supporter in the U.S. who pledges to provide financial support during the entire period of their parole in the U.S.
- Pass security screening and comply with health guidelines and vaccine requirements
- Provide their own commercial transportation to the U.S.
- Not hold dual citizenship or refugee status in any country other than Venezuela (this requirement does not apply to derivative applicants such as the spouse of a Venezuelan national who is applying)
- Not have been subject to a removal order from the U.S. in the past five years or subject to a bar based on an earlier removal order
In addition, the applicant cannot have crossed illegally into the U.S. after October 19, 2022, one week after the program was announced.
The Supporter in the U.S. Starts the Process
One of the most critical requirements is that the person seeking to enter the U.S. must demonstrate that they will have support of someone in the U.S. with the financial means to meet their needs. That person is known as the supporter, and they will have to file a Form I-134 Declaration of Financial Support. A separate copy of this form must be filed for each person that supporter intends to maintain, including each minor. The U.S. government will review the supporter’s situation carefully to ensure that they have the financial ability to provide the support they have pledged.
In addition to financial ability, a supporter must have lawful immigration status such as a:
- Citizen
- Lawful permanent resident
- Nonimmigrant in lawful status
- Asylee, refugee, or parolee
- TPS holder
- Beneficiary of deferred action
The supporter in the U.S. is the one who will start the process by filing one or more copies of Form I-134 for the individuals seeking to come to the U.S. If the government finds the information adequate, they will contact the Venezuelan national information about the next step in the process to receive travel authorization, such as submitting biographic information and completing eligibility attestations.
If the government finds that the information on Form I-134 is not sufficient, they will not consider the beneficiary for parole, and the decision cannot be appealed. However, the supporter or a different supporter may start over by filing a new Form I-134.
Help with Immigration Authorization
If you are trying to help a family member from Venezuela or any other country, you’ve probably already realized that the process can be challenging to understand and navigate. It is easy to omit some critical piece of information that causes an application to be delayed or denied. Often it is hard to even know what steps to take.
At American Dream® Law Office, we work to reunite families and help people reach their immigration goals through the best means possible. Give us a call to learn how we could help.