Cubans can now get parole to enter the United States. Here is how it will work

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services released details on Friday about the new parole program for Cubans, Haitians and Nicaraguans that was announced Thursday by President Joe Biden.

Initially created for Venezuelans, the program will allow up to 30,000 nationals from the four countries to live and work in the United States for up to two years.

If you want to sponsor a Cuban immigrant or you are a Cuban on the island who wants to use this program to live in the United States, here is how it works and how you can apply.

Who can benefit from this program?

Cuban citizens living outside the United States (in Cuba or a third country) who do not have citizenship, residency, or refugee status in a third country may qualify for this program. You can travel with your relatives. Minor children must travel with at least one parent or legal guardian.

If you are Cuban and currently in a third country, if you enter Panama or Mexico without a visa after the program’s announcement on Thursday, Jan. 5, that disqualifies you from benefiting from this initiative. The same will happen if you cross the U.S. border without authorization after that date.

What do you need to apply?

You will need a sponsor in the United States who agrees to cover certain costs during your stay, including medical expenses. The sponsor can be a family member, a non-relative or an organization. You will also need internet access, email, a smartphone, a valid passport, and the money to pay for a ticket to the United States.

How does the program work?

Your sponsor must complete Form I-134A Online Request to be a Supporter and Declaration of Financial Support and submit the requested documents to verify that they have the necessary financial resources. If the sponsor’s application is approved, you will receive an email from USCIS to create an online account and other instructions. Later, you will receive instructions to download the CBP One app.

You will need to provide personal information and a photo and ensure that you have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine and other necessary vaccinations. If the vaccine the Cuban applicant received is not authorized in the United States (such as vaccines produced in Cuba), you must ensure that upon arrival in the United States you will receive at least one dose of a vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

After the information is verified and the application is approved, the Cuban beneficiary will receive a notification to check their account online. You will receive an “advance authorization to travel to the United States” valid for 90 days. This authorization is not a visa or a parole. It only allows you to arrive at an airport in the United States.

The applicant must pay the airfare and travel expenses to the final destination. This program is not valid at the U.S. border with Mexico; that is, you cannot arrive with an advanced travel authorization and request parole at a land port of entry.

Do I have to do any paperwork at the United States Embassy in Havana?

No. Everything is done online and over the phone.

What happens once you arrive at the airport in the United States?

A Customs and Border Protection agent will decide whether to grant you parole under this program after further verification, which includes taking biometric data such as fingerprints. Similar to visas, Citizenship and Immigration Services advises that approval of advance travel authorization does not guarantee entry into the United States and that agents have the discretion to grant parole “due to urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.”

Some of the reasons you could be turned away at the airport include posing “a threat to the national security or public safety” of the United States.

Can I work after entering the United States?

Yes, you can apply for a Social Security card and work permit under this program.

Can I apply for permanent residence under the Cuban Adjustment Act?

“Yes absolutely. Cubans who enter the United States under this new process [do so] legally and can apply after a year to adjust their status under that law,” Blas Nuñez-Neto, acting assistant secretary for Border Policy and Immigration at the Department of Homeland Security, told reporters on Friday.

For more information, you can visit the website https://www.uscis.gov/CHNV, which will also be available in Spanish soon.