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Ukrainians Seeking Assistance

Поширені запитання: Водійські посвідчення для всіх – Відскануйте QR код, щоб прослухати аудіо запис цієї довідки.

  • Станом на 28 березня 2023 року. Ця інформаційна довідка буде оновлюватись за потребою. Даний матеріал не є юридичною консультацією.

ILCM Fact Sheet on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukraine. Updated and current as of August, 2023.

UPDATE March 13, 2023: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today that certain Ukrainian nationals and immediate family members who were paroled into the United States last year for urgent humanitarian reasons will be allowed to extend their parole. Individuals paroled into the United States at a port of entry between February 24, 2022 and April 25, 2022 will be considered for an extension. DHS is in the process of considering these individuals, on a case-by-case basis, for a one-year extension of their period of parole to align with the two-year parole period provided under Uniting for Ukraine. DHS estimates it will take approximately four weeks to consider and vet all the individuals in the group and will review cases based on the date of parole.

If an individual’s parole period is extended, DHS will proactively make available online an updated Form I-94 with the extended parole period. The period of parole will be extended from the current expiration date without a gap. Individuals can retrieve and download an updated Form I-94 as evidence of their extended parole period by visiting CBP’s Form I-94 website.

Those who have their period of parole extended will also be eligible to receive employment authorization for the additional year. Individuals who have Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) based on their parole and whose parole period is extended for an additional year will receive a Form I-797C from USCIS that can be used to demonstrate continued employment authorization through the extended parole period.  The Form I-797C will be mailed to the address on file with USCIS.  If you need to change your address, please change your address online through your existing USCIS online account or using the Form AR-11, Alien’s Change of Address Card, online using the Change of Address page.

  • If you believe you are part of this group but do not see an updated Form I-94 online by early April, please reach out to TCCPMO@cbp.dhs.gov.
  • If you are part of this group and hold a valid EAD based on your parole but do not receive Form I-797C by the end of April, please reach out to UkrainianEADExtensions@uscis.dhs.gov.
  • If you do not currently have an EAD but would like to apply for one based on your parole, you may file a Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with USCIS. Ukrainian parolees are exempt from fees for first time applicants.

Effective Nov. 21, 2022, Ukrainian and Afghan parolees, and their qualifying family members, with certain classes of admission are considered employment authorized incident to parole, which means that they do not need to wait for USCIS to approve their Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, before they can work in the United States. This updated policy guidance applies to the following individuals, if their parole has not been terminated:

  • Ukrainian parolees whose unexpired Form I-94 contains a class of admission of “UHP”; and
  • Ukrainian parolees whose unexpired Form I-94 contains a class of admission of “DT” issued between Feb. 24, 2022, and Sept. 30, 2023, and indicates Ukraine as the country of citizenship on the document.

For these parolees, their unexpired Form I-94 is an acceptable receipt they may present to their employer to show their identity and employment authorization for for the purposes of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. The receipt satisfies the Form I-9 requirement for 90 days from the date of hire (or in the case of reverification, the date employment authorization expires). Individuals who received a Form I-94 when they entered the United States should visit U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Form I-94 page to view and print a copy of their Form I-94. If you do not have a passport, you can use your A-Number to retrieve your Form I-94 online at the site above by choosing “Get Most Recent I-94.” Enter your A-Number in the Document Number field and enter your country of citizenship or “USA” in the Country of Citizenship field.

After the 90-day period, parolees must present an EAD or unrestricted Social Security card and acceptable List B identity document from the Form I-9 Lists of Acceptable Documents (such as a state-issued driver’s license or identification card). Ukrainian and Afghan parolees must still file a Form I-765 to receive a physical EAD. USCIS will provide additional guidance for employers about completion of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.

Effective Nov. 21, 2022, USCIS is also exempting the fee to file Form I-765 for Ukrainian parolees filing for an EAD by mail.

Effective Dec. 5, 2022, USCIS will be able to process fee exemptions for online filings of Form I-765 for eligible Ukrainian and Afghan parolees. We encourage use of online filing for more efficient processing.

See the Uniting for Ukraine page for more information about submitting Form I-765. See the File Online page for more information about creating an account and filing online.

May 19, 2022: ILCM went live on Facebook today with Arrive Ministries, and The Advocates for Human Rights, and the Ukrainian American Community Center of Minnesota to discuss different options for Ukrainians seeking assistance in the United States. Austen Soare from ILCM spoke on Ukraine Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Hanne Sandison from The Advocates of Human Rights talked about asylum, and Christine Phillips from Arrive Ministries discussed family based petitions. Thank you Oleksandra Guirlina for interpreting! Watch here: https://fb.watch/d7tYgigRE6/

April 21, 2022: U.S. unveils sponsorship program to resettle Ukrainian refugees, discourage travel to U.S.-Mexico border: The Biden administration announced one part of its plan to welcome Ukrainian refugees: a sponsorship program that would allow groups of families in the United States to welcome the refugees, and would give them humanitarian parole for a limited period of time. The web portal for “Uniting for Ukraine” is https://www.dhs.gov/ukraine.

Explainer: Private Sponsorship Programs for Refugees – This resource will provide an overview of the history of private refugee sponsorship in the U.S. and the Biden administration’s attempt to create modern private sponsorship programs to respond to growing numbers of displaced people around the world. It will examine major components of programs in other countries and provide recommendations for how a new U.S. program can operate smoothly and effectively.

March 3, 2022: The Biden administration has now granted Temporary Protected Status to Ukrainians who were in the United States as of March 1. This is critical to protect Ukrainians here in the U.S. until it is safe for them to return. More information will be available after the Federal Register Notice is published.

ILCM created a fact sheet on TPS for Ukraine. It has been updated and is current as of August 2023.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency created the website help.unhcr.org/ukraine for refugees and asylum seekers in Ukraine. This website provides relevant information for asylum seekers and refugees, including answers to the following questions:

Important information for Persons of Concern on the current situation in Ukraine

For more information in Ukrainian visit/ Для отримання додаткової інформації українською: https://help.unhcr.org/ukraine/uk/

NAFSA: Association of International Educators: This page will list immigration information resources relevant to Ukrainian students and scholars and others impacted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian American Community Center: Ukraine has been invaded by Russia. You can show solidarity and advocate. You can give an organization a little bit of your money. It will not stop a war. But it will help Ukrainians to help themselves. And it could save lives.