Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program

On November 21, 2007, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it had begun the Cuban Family Reunification Parole (CFRP) Program.  Under this program, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is offering beneficiaries of approved family preference-based immigrant visa petitions an opportunity to come to the United States rather than remain in Cuba to apply for lawful permanent resident status (i.e., a “green card”).  The purpose of the program is to expedite family reunification through safe, legal, and orderly channels of migration to the United States and to discourage dangerous and irregular maritime migration.

Filing a family reunification parole application

The Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC) will mail a written notice to the U.S.-based United States Citizen and Lawful Permanent Resident petitioners whose Forms I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, have been approved, informing them of their beneficiary’s eligibility to participate in the CFRP Program and the procedures for requesting parole.  However, participation in the CFRP is voluntary. 

First Notice
The process of including a Cuban citizen beneficiary of an approved immigrant visa begins when the National Visa Center sends a letter to the petitioner requesting authorization and documentation to process the case under this program. This letter contains a consent form that the petitioner will need to complete in order to participate in this program. In addition, the petitioner will be responsible for submitting the following documents for each approved petition:

• Copy of the I-130 Petition approval notice, Form I-797, or receipt number for the Form I-130.
  
  
• A written statement describing any changes in the family composition of the relative in Cuba that have occurred since the date that the petitioner filed the I-130 Petition on behalf of the alien relative (i.e. births, marriages, or deaths).
  
  
• Photocopy of the biographical page of the valid Cuban Passport for each alien relative and his or her spouse and minor children.
  
  
• State Department Form DS-230, parts I and II for each family member.
  
  
• (2) 5 cm x 5 cm full face color photographs for each alien relative and his or her spouse and minor children.
  
  
• Birth certificate for each alien relative and his or her spouse and minor children.
  
  
• Current marriage certificate (if applicable)
  
  
• Divorce certificates from any previous marriage (if applicable)
  
  
• If widowed, death certificate from previous spouse.
  
  
• Police Certificates/Court Records (for applicants sixteen years of age or older)
  

All documents must be sent to the National Visa Center at the following address:

National Visa Center
Attn:  CFRP Program
32 Rochester Avenue
Portsmouth, NH  03801

Second Notice
Once the National Visa Center has received the petitioner’s signed consent form and all the required documentation, the petitioner will receive a second letter indicating that the case has been forwarded to the U.S. Interests Section in Havana. At that time, the petitioner will need to contact our Visa Information and Appointment Scheduling Center at 1-866-374-1769, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to schedule an appointment on behalf of his or her relative's behalf in Cuba. Only cases forwarded to the U.S. Interests Section by the National Visa Center will be scheduled.

Interview
On the day of their interview, applicants should arrive at the park located near the U.S. Interests Section on Calzada and K streets at 7:00 a.m. with any original documentation requested by the National Visa Center that was not submitted, civil documents to prove the applicant's relationship to the petitioner, valid passport, and current medical examination results.  After the interview, the case will be sent to USCIS for a final determination of eligibility. If the parole is approved, the applicant will receive their travel documents approximately one month from the date of the interview.

To have their medical examination parole applicants should present to the hospital the letter to participate in the CFRP in which the National Visa Center states that the case has been forwarded to the U.S. Interests Section and the list of hospitals designated for that purpose.

Parole
Eligible Cuban citizens who are at least 21 years of age and have been issued a family reunification parole can request family-based parole for certain family members.  (Please note that certain categories of immigrant visa categories for minor children are not eligible to request parole regardless of age).

On the morning of the interview, the applicant should advise the document checker that he or she would like to request parole for a family member(s) not included in the petition. The applicant will need to complete form DS-230 part I for each family member that wishes to participate in the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program. Final decisions regarding parole requests are made by a USCIS official. Applicants are given the outcome of their parole requests approximately six weeks after their interview day.

Issuance
Parole is a discretionary benefit granted by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in Havana. Once a CFRP applicant is interviewed at the U.S. Interests Section, the parole application is transferred to the USCIS office in Havana for a final determination.  The applicant will be issued a pass to come back a month after the interview date to pick up the parole results. If the parole is approved, the applicant will also receive their travel documents.

All Cuban nationals between the ages of 16 and (80) inclusive are subject to additional, U.S.-based administrative processing that can often delay approval for 2-3 months after a consular officer has determined that the applicant is eligible to receive a visa. Delays vary from a few weeks to many months. It is impossible to determine how long a particular case will take to bring to conclusion.

Costs
Cuban applicants eligible to participate in the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program will not need to pay any fees at the time of their interview.

Affidavit of Support
On the day of their interview appointment, applicants must be able to demonstrate to the interviewing consular officer that they will not become a public charge in the United States.  Unlike immigrant visas, parole applicants are not required to bring an Affidavit of Support unless requested by the interviewing consular officer and the offices of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service in Havana (USCIS). The applicant will be notified of this requirement at the time of the interview. It is impossible to determine if a particular case will require an affidavit of support before the person is interviewed.  If deemed necessary to process the case, the petitioner will need to submit affidavit of support I-134.