As a Miami immigration lawyer, I often receive questions about humanitarian parole. Humanitarian parole is used sparingly to bring someone who is otherwise inadmissible into the United States for a temporary period of time due to a compelling emergency. Below are some frequently asked questions.
What is humanitarian parole?
USCIS may grant parole temporarily:
- To anyone applying for admission into the United States based on urgent humanitarian reasons or if there is a significant public benefit
- For a period of time that corresponds with the length of the emergency or humanitarian situation
Parolees must depart the United States before the expiration of their parole. You may submit a request for reparole, which must be approved by USCIS. If you have any questions in regard to this, you may want to speak with a Miami immigration lawyer.
Does parole grant immigration benefits?
No, parole does not grant any immigration benefits. Again, if you have any questions in regard to this, you may want to speak with a Miami immigration lawyer.
What are the requirements for humanitarian parole?
- Anyone can file an application for humanitarian parole.
- You may file an application for parole if you cannot obtain the necessary admission documents from the Department of State
- You cannot use parole to avoid normal visa-issuing procedures or to bypass immigration procedures. As noted above, there must be an urgent humanitarian reason or significant public benefit for the parole to be granted
Why should I apply for humanitarian parole and not a visitor visa?
If you are deemed inadmissible to the United States, humanitarian parole may be your only option for entering the U.S. — in other words, your personal circumstances include grounds or issues that make you ineligible for a visa to enter the United States.
What kinds of people may apply for humanitarian parole?
Some examples of why you might apply for humanitarian parole may include, but are not limited to:
- you have a family member in the U.S. who is extremely ill and may not recover
- you have a family member in the U.S. who has passed away and you wish to attend the funeral service
- you are very ill and cannot obtain the proper medical care in your home country, while that medical care is available to you in the United States, or
- you are an important witness for a trial that will be held in the United States.
If you are unsure as to whether you qualify for humanitarian parole, do not guess. You may want to consider speaking with a Miami immigration attorney to explore your options.
I am seeking medical care as a basis for my humanitarian parole application. What do I need to know?
If your request for humanitarian parole is based on a medical need, you will also need to include an explanation from a doctor regarding your diagnosis, information about why you cannot obtain the medical treatment in your home country or a nearby one, the estimated cost of the treatment, how long the treatment is expected to last, and how you will pay for it.
If my parole request is denied, can I appeal?
Generally, there is no appeal from denial of parole. However, if there are significant new facts that are relevant to your application, you may submit new documents with updated supporting evidence. Again, you may want to speak with a Miami immigration lawyer to explore your options.
If you would like more information on humanitarian parole, please contact Miami immigration lawyer Michael G. Murray, Esq. at (305) 895-2500 or visit our website at www.mmurraylaw.com.