On April 21, 2022, the United States announced a new program called “Uniting for Ukraine” in order to welcome Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion. Here is what you need to know.
What is "Uniting for Ukraine"?
“Uniting for Ukraine” is a United States pathway program that allows Ukrainians displaced by Russia’s aggression to apply for Humanitarian Parole status in the United States. It allows individuals in urgent need of refuge to enter and temporarily stay in the U.S. with the help of a sponsor.
How do you apply?
There are two groups that you can apply for. One group is the sponsor and the other is the beneficiary.
What is the "sponsor"?
Sponsors are:
- Individuals who hold lawful status in the United States, OR
- Parolees or beneficiaries of deferred action or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED)
What are the sponsors' roles?
- Meet the beneficiary/newcomer at the airport and be a guide to the area that they live in.
- Help them find permanent housing, furniture, and other things to set up a new home.
- Help them find jobs, school (if needed), healthcare, insurance plans, etc.
- Help find community resources to help them learn English.
- Welcome them into the community in which they live and be a support system.
What is the "beneficiary"?
Beneficiaries are “Ukrainian citizens (or their non-Ukrainian immediate family members) who are outside the United States and who may be considered for parole under Uniting for Ukraine.” (USCIS)
How do you apply to become a "sponsor"?
You can apply to be a supporter of a beneficiary through ukraine.welcome.us.
To become a sponsor, you must go through training and background checks, as well as financial inquiry to make sure you can support a beneficiary. After signing up and going through the proper steps, you can create a profile and find a beneficiary to support.
You can also find more information through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website or through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
What happens next?
Once a sponsor has found a beneficiary:
- The sponsor must file an I-134 form and get approval to financially support the beneficiary.
- Once the I-134 is approved, the beneficiary must submit the Biographic Information in myUSCIS and get all vaccinations required.
- The beneficiary will get a notice confirming their authorization to travel.
- The beneficiary will set up air travel to the United States, have a valid Ukrainian passport, and abide by all CDC travel requirements.
- US Custom and Border Patrol will provide a screening for the beneficiary once they arrive.
- After the screening, the beneficiary is approved to live in the U.S. for 2 years and can apply for an I-765 work permit application.
What if I have problems with my sponsor or beneficiary?
You DO NOT need to stay in the same living space!
The sponsor should be helping the beneficiary find their OWN living space. A beneficiary can ask their sponsor to help find short-term housing at a hotel or Airbnb until a beneficiary can find long-term housing options.
If you feel you are a victim of Domestic Violence, Forced Marriage, or Human Trafficking, you can contact:
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233, 800-787-3224, www.ndvh.org
- National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: 800-843-5678, www.missingkids.com
- The National Center for Victims of Crime: 800-394-2255, 800-211-7996, www.victimsofcrime.org
- National Human Trafficking Hotline: 888-373-7888, Text: 233733, humantraffickinghotline.org
