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.
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. Parole does not grant any immigration benefits.
Requirements for 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
- To see if you can obtain the necessary admission documents from the Department of State, see the “Department of State Visa Information” on the right
Filing for Parole
To file for parole you must:
- Complete a Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, and Include the filing fee for each parole applicant
- Complete a Form I-134, Affidavit of Support, for each applicant in order to demonstrate that you will not become a public charge
- Include detailed explanation and evidence of your circumstances
If you are currently in removal proceedings or have been previously removed from the United States, you will need to submit your request to:
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations/Investigative Services Division Parole and Law Enforcement Program Unit (PLEPU) 500 12th St SW, Mail Stop 5112 Washington, DC 20536
Denied Parole Requests
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 following the “Filing for Parole” procedure outlined above.
Medical Parole
If you need humanitarian parole for medical reasons, you must submit the following, with documentation to support any assertions, where available:
- An explanation from a medical doctor stating the diagnosis and prognosis, and how long the treatment is expected to last
- Information on the reasons why you cannot obtain treatment in your home country or in a neighboring country
- The estimated cost of the treatment and an explanation on how the treatment will be paid for
- How you will pay to return to your country
Parole for Children with Medical Needs
Parole of children, including for medical needs, requires the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
