Due to the high number of sponsors of immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela who last January exceeded the monthly quota of 30,000 set by the government for the Humanitarian Family Reunification Program, the Immigration Service Announced a new lottery to give to all applicants.
The winners of each draw will receive priority travel status in the United States, be admitted at a port of entry, receive a humanitarian visa valid for two years, and qualify for a work permit for the same period.
The new 30,000-seat allocation system, promised by the White House, adds to the temporary humanitarian program activated in January and is part of the government’s new migration strategy to prevent illegal border crossings through legal channels.
This change was made in response to the large number of authorized sponsors filing and accepting an I-134A application or form that were being added to the queue and moving forward each month as the quota was exhausted.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said that now half of cases with approved sponsors will enter a random system with people in line, so everyone has an equal chance.
Official announcement
The federal agency said the United States government currently grants travel authorizations to 30,000 people each month to come to the United States to request temporary residency under the program for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans.
She added that following a review of the program that ended May 17, “we have updated this process because the number of support persons filing Form I-134A (Online Application to Become a Support Person and Declaration of Financial Assistance), This is much higher than the 30,000 travel authorizations available monthly.
USCIS said the change is “intended to maintain a meaningful and equitable opportunity for all beneficiaries of Form I-134A to advance in the process and apply for advance travel authorization.”
The program, announced on January 5, allows an immigrant from four designated countries to fly to the United States once they have an authorized sponsor, receive official notification and permission to fly.
New system
Under the new process, USCIS said it “goes into effect May 17” and that it will “randomly select approximately half of the monthly total, regardless of filing date, determination of all pending Form I-134A.” To confirm whether the case can be registered or not.
On half of the monthly total of Form I-134A, it states, “Cases will be reviewed in order of receipt based on the filing date, which gives priority to the oldest Form I-134A for review.”
The federal agency further warned that “potentially assisting persons They should not file a duplicate Form I-134A for the same beneficiary. We will not accept a duplicate Form I-134A as long as a previously filed Form I-134A is pending between the same potential support person and the beneficiary.”
It also noted that “if USCIS does not approve Form I-134A, and a support person believes that they meet the requirements to be a support person under the process, that person may file a new Form I-134A.” I-134A and submit additional information as evidence. . . .
Under this updated review process, “processing times will vary. Potentially assisted individuals can monitor the status of the Form I-134A they filed online in their USCIS account or check the latest status at Case Status Online Are.
A legal warning
“The immigration service will say at each draw, we have a lot of places available. We’re going to take half of the approved cases and we’re going to draw them and the other half will be tailored to immigrants who already have an approved have a sponsor and are waiting for an available position,” says Jose Guerrero, an immigration attorney who practices in Miami, Florida.
“They do this to keep the wait from getting longer and thus help half of the people who are eligible to enter the United States sooner. This means that if a person applied last week, Maybe tomorrow he can travel to the United States. That’s the change,” he said.
Guerrero reiterated that, If you already have an approved sponsorship form and it is on hold, do not submit a new form trying to get ahead of the draw under this new system as it will be rejected,
Requirements to become a sponsor
Among the requirements to become a sponsor, the program requires:
- be a US citizen;
- Being a legal resident of the United States (green card) or protected under a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or an asylum seeker in the United States or a refugee in the United States or having any other status of permanent or temporary legal stay Relatives in the country.
Who are not eligible for the program
As per the regulation, the following are not eligible:
- who has been ordered removed from the United States within the past five years;
- have entered U.S. territory without authorization between ports of entry after the declaration date (October 12, 2022 for Venezuela and January 5, 2023 for Cuban, Haitian, and Nicaraguan);
- they currently have refugee status in another country;
- who illegally crossed the border of Panama, Mexico or the United States after October 12, 2022 (Venezuela) or January 5, 2023 (Cuban, Haitian or Nicaraguan);
- have not met vaccination and other public health requirements
How do you enter the US if you win a slot:
What about Venezuelan passport?
The Office of Customs and Border Control (CBP) reminded that in the case of Venezuelan passports and pursuant to the Decree of the National Assembly of May 21, 2019, some expired Venezuelan passports remain valid:
- Issued before June 7, 2019 (even if expired before this date), valid for five years beyond the date of expiry of “Extension” with “Extension” issued before June 7, 2019 and are considered unfinished;
- Issued before June 7, 2019 (even if expired prior to this date) with “Extensions” issued on or after June 7, 2019 Five years from the expiration date or expiration of the “Extension” are considered valid and effective. date printed on the passport;
- Passports issued after June 7, 2019, without “extension”, are not considered valid beyond the expiration date printed on them;
- “Extensions” issued on or after June 7th, 2019 are deemed to be valid and effective till the date of expiry of “Extensions” issued on or after June 7th, 2019.
