USHumanitarian protection

Humanitarian parole in the US

Humanitarian Parole is neither an immigrant visa nor a status, but a discretionary permission from US Citizenship and Immigration Services for a person currently outside the country, who cannot obtain an ordinary visa, to enter temporarily. USCIS approves such entry only where there are urgent humanitarian circumstances or significant public benefit, and considers each case individually — no one has a guaranteed right to parole.

Visa term

Temporary, usually up to 1 year; re-parole means a new I-131

Threshold

I-131 fee about $630; usually a sponsor with an I-134

Processing time

Usually about 60–120 days, and can be longer

Work

Not automatic; an EAD through Form I-765

Source: uscis.gov — humanitarian parole

Who can qualify

Eligibility is tied neither to a visa category nor to the nationality of the applicant or the sponsor — the decision rests with a USCIS officer, who weighs the reason for the request and the totality of the circumstances.

Who you can file for

A person who is currently outside the United States and cannot obtain an ordinary non-immigrant or immigrant visa from the Department of State
The application is filed by a petitioner for themselves (a self-petitioner) or for another person — the petitioner need not be a US resident or a relative of the beneficiary
The beneficiary must have a financial supporter — a person or organisation prepared to confirm their material support for the whole period of parole

Urgent humanitarian reasons

Critical medical treatment that cannot be obtained in the country of residence, or a life-threatening condition leaving no time for the ordinary visa procedure
The need to visit, support or say goodbye to a close relative who is terminally ill, or to attend such a relative’s funeral
USCIS assesses the urgency of the circumstances, their effect on the person’s well-being and the degree of suffering that would follow without parole

Significant public benefit

Participation in court proceedings where the person’s presence in the United States is needed for the administration of justice
Assistance to US law enforcement, or participation in experimental treatment or medical research from which the wider community in the country benefits
Grounds of urgent humanitarian reasons and of public benefit may be combined in a single case

What it costs

I-131 — application for initial parole (online filing)	580 USD
I-131 — application for initial parole (paper filing)	630 USD
I-134 — declaration of financial support (one from each supporter)	+0 USD
The Pub. L. 119-21 “Immigration Parole Fee” — paid on approval, before crossing the border	+1 020 USD
I-765 — application for work permission (EAD) after entry, online filing	+470 USD
I-765 — application for work permission (EAD) after entry, paper filing	520 USD
Additional Pub. L. 119-21 fee for a parolee’s initial EAD (category (c)(11))	+560 USD

Documents to gather

The package is assembled by the petitioner: they explain the reason for the request and show that the beneficiary cannot make do with an ordinary visa. Any document not in English must be accompanied by a full translation with the translator’s certificate of accuracy.

Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records — signed, with the initial parole category ticked for a person outside the United States
Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support — one from each financial supporter, with evidence of income: pay slips, the most recent tax return or a letter from the employer
Payment of the fee, or Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, or a written fee waiver request
A detailed explanation of the urgent humanitarian reasons or the significant public benefit, and of how long the beneficiary needs parole for
An explanation of why the beneficiary cannot obtain a non-immigrant or immigrant visa from the Department of State, including a copy of the visa refusal letter if there was one
Copies of any immigrant or non-immigrant petitions previously filed for the beneficiary (I-130, I-140, I-360 and the like), if any were filed
A clear copy of the document evidencing the beneficiary’s identity and nationality; where a birth certificate is submitted, copies of the front and back of the original
Copies of the passport, green card or birth certificate evidencing the US status or citizenship of the petitioner and the financial supporter
Form G-28, if the applicant is represented by a lawyer, and Form G-1145 for email or SMS notification that the application has been accepted

How the process runs

USCIS describes the handling of a parole request as a sequence of seven stages — from filing the package to the decision at the border.

1
Filing the request
The petitioner completes and signs Form I-131 and Form I-134 for each financial supporter, attaches the evidence and pays the fee (or attaches a fee waiver request), then sends the package to the correct address or files the I-131 online through a USCIS account, if the application does not require a fee waiver.
2
Check on jurisdiction and urgency
USCIS first checks whether the request falls within its jurisdiction and determines whether there are grounds for expedited handling. If the case is outside USCIS jurisdiction, it is transferred to the agency responsible for that type of request.
3
Review by an officer
The officer studies the request and all the documents, carries out the mandatory security checks, sends a request for additional evidence (RFE) or a notice of intent to deny where necessary, records the grounds for the decision and prepares the notice.
4
Supervisory review of the decision
Before the decision becomes final it is reviewed by a supervisor or an authorised officer — a separate mandatory stage for any parole decision.
5
Notice of the decision
On conditional approval the petitioner and their representative are sent a conditional approval notice describing the next steps; the embassy or consulate nearest the beneficiary is notified separately. On refusal a letter is sent setting out the reason.
6
Issuing travel documents
After conditional approval the beneficiary completes Form DS-160 and attends an interview at the consular section of the US embassy for identity verification and biometrics collection — mandatory for anyone aged 14 or over. If no adverse information is found, a boarding foil is issued, allowing entry to the United States within 30 days of the date of issue; its issue does not itself guarantee parole.
7
Crossing the border and receiving parole
A CBP officer inspects the beneficiary at the port of entry and, if parole is allowed, issues Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record showing the parole period — which starts from the moment the border is crossed. On approval the Pub. L. 119-21 Immigration Parole Fee must also be paid, unless one of the statutory exceptions applies. After entry the parolee may file Form I-765 for work permission.

Who you can bring with you

Humanitarian Parole has no separate “family” form: each family member who needs parole is a beneficiary in their own right, with their own Form I-131 and their own set of evidence.

A relative or any other person outside the United States

May be the beneficiary of a separate I-131 application — a separate application is filed for each beneficiary, as the form makes no provision for a joint package covering several people

The beneficiary’s financial supporter

Need not be a US citizen or resident, but permanent status — a green card or citizenship — makes it easier to evidence the ability to pay; where one supporter’s means fall short, several may be named, and each files their own Form I-134

The beneficiary themselves

May act as their own self-financial supporter by filing Form I-134 with their own evidence of income and savings

A non-profit organisation or a medical institution

May act as the financial supporter instead of an individual — if a member of the organisation’s staff cannot complete Form I-134 personally, a letter from the organisation undertaking to support the beneficiary is attached to the application

Trips, renewal and the grace period

Gives physical presence, does not create permanent resident status

Parole ends on the day the authorised period expires, when the beneficiary leaves the United States, or when they obtain another immigration status — whichever comes first; in certain cases USCIS revokes parole early if it takes the view that parole is no longer warranted or that the parolee has broken its conditions. If a person inside the United States needs to stay beyond the parole period, they file a new Form I-131 for re-parole, ticking the relevant category in Part 1 and giving the date from their Form I-94 — filing must be done before the current period expires, so as not to accrue time without lawful status.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Humanitarian parole	Asylum through USCIS	Asylum through the immigration court
Visa term	Temporary, usually up to 1 year; re-parole means a new I-131	The status is indefinite and is not renewed; the EAD and the travel document are renewed	The status is indefinite, there is no routine renewal
Grounds	Emergency entry	Persecution	Persecution
Money	I-131 fee about $630; usually a sponsor with an I-134	No government fee for Form I-589; no income or sponsor requirement	No government fee for the I-589
Work	Not automatic; an EAD through Form I-765	After the grant — work without restrictions; while the case is pending, an EAD after 180 days	After the grant — work; while the case is pending, an EAD after 180 days
Residence	Gives physical presence, does not create permanent resident status	No minimum period; physical presence is required, filing within 1 year	Physical presence in the United States is required

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

There is no direct route; only through a separate independent category

Route to citizenship

There is no direct route; only after obtaining a green card by another means

Frequently asked questions about Humanitarian parole

How long does an approved Humanitarian Parole usually last?

Usually no more than one year, although USCIS may grant a longer period where the purpose of the parole requires it — prolonged treatment, for example. Parole ends earlier if the beneficiary leaves the United States or obtains another immigration status.

Does Humanitarian Parole carry the right to work in the United States?

Not in itself. Work permission is not issued automatically with parole: after entry the parolee files a separate Form I-765, and USCIS decides the question of work permission at its discretion, provided this does not conflict with the purpose and period of the parole.

Can a refusal of Humanitarian Parole be challenged?

Yes. Within 33 days of the date of the refusal notice you may file Form I-290B asking for the decision to be reconsidered or the case reopened, enclosing the required fee or a waiver request. The alternative is to file a new Form I-131 if significant new facts have emerged; the law does not limit the number of repeat I-131 applications.

What does it currently cost to apply for Humanitarian Parole, and what must be paid on approval?

Filing Form I-131 online costs 580 dollars, on paper 630. Form I-134 is free. If USCIS approves parole, the federal Immigration Parole Fee under Pub. L. 119-21 must be paid separately — currently 1,020 dollars when paid online; it is not included in the I-131 fee and as a general rule cannot be waived, apart from the exceptions listed in the law (for example a medical emergency or the funeral of a close relative).

How many financial supporters can one application have?

One or several. If one supporter’s income and savings do not cover the federal HHS poverty guidelines taking account of the beneficiary’s particular needs, the petitioner may name more than one supporter — each must file their own Form I-134 with supporting documents.

Can you leave the United States and return while in parole status?

A parole document issued to a person outside the United States is valid for a single entry only. If a parolee leaves the United States, their parole ends at that point; to return in parole status you must file a separate Form I-131 for advance parole in advance — before departure — or obtain a visa, or request parole again from outside.

Is there currently a separate re-parole process for Ukrainian nationals?

Yes. Since 27 February 2024 USCIS has run a separate re-parole process for Ukrainian nationals and their family members paroled into the United States after 11 February 2022. Filing is recommended no earlier than 180 days before the current parole period expires: filing earlier does not speed up the decision, and filing later risks refusal or rejection without a refund of the fee.

Other ways to move to US

Every route in one list — migration programmes: US.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.