Afghanistan – Humanitarian Parole

NOTE: This project was started by organizers with ADEP, and has now become a standalone effort called Project Anar. Afghan organizers, together with lawyers and a community of volunteers, are assisting Afghans with humanitarian parole applications and related advocacy efforts. Please visit their website here.

With your help, we are hoping to cover the cost of application fees. Note: each person application is $575 – which means full family applications can become expensive.

Please consider donating to help cover the costs:

Please go to to Pangea or this GoFundMe fundraiser.

This information was provided to us by the Pars Equality Center. Check out additional information below on how to apply:

Humanitarian parole is a pathway for entry to the United States for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. It is usually granted when someone has no other alternatives for entry and is typically a last option.

Afghan Humanitarian Parole Checklist

For the Pars Equality Center training presentation, please download: Download

This checklist is prepared for general informational purposes only.  It does not constitute legal advice, nor can the accuracy of the information be guaranteed, because of the fluidity of the Afghan evacuation situation.  You should double-check the procedures before filing any humanitarian parole (HP) application.  If you are an AILA member, it is strongly encouraged that you will subscribe to the Afghan Evac email list in order to stay abreast to any changes and also to ask the group any legal questions related to the preparation of your case.  Afghan Evac Listserv: https://www.aila.org/MyAila/Account/Listservs

A pro se application for humanitarian parole should include:

1. Cover sheet on brightly colored paper, stating “AFGHANISTAN HUMANITARIAN PAROLE, EXPEDITE REQUESTED.”

See example cover sheet:Download

2. Cover letter, describing contents of application packet. This should be signed by the U.S. based family member/petitioner.

See example cover letter:Download

3. Form G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance 

Form available at: https://www.uscis.gov/g-1145

4. Filing fee, $575 per applicant 

  • To pay by check or money order: payable to “US Department of Homeland Security”
  • To pay by credit card: use Form G-1450
    • Form available at: https://www.uscis.gov/g-1450
    • Make sure the form is filled out accurately, the billing address is accurate, and the account associated with the card has sufficient funds, otherwise the application will be mailed back.
    • A wet signature scanned is sufficient.  No electronic signatures. 

5. Form I-131, Application for Travel Document 

The Form I-131 may be filled out by the beneficiary (Afghan person seeking humanitarian parole into the United States), or by someone already in the United States. You will most likely be filling out the form with loved ones / sponsors in the United States.

Other notes:

  • Part 2: For our purposes, applications will either be 1.e. (if person in Afghanistan is submitting application), or 1.f. (if person in the U.S. is submitting application on behalf of someone in Afghanistan).
  • Part 8: A wet signature scanned is sufficient.  No electronic signatures.
  • Parts 5, 6, 7, and 9: leave blank.

6. Copy of photo ID (and proof of U.S. immigration status) for petitioner

An example: US birth certificate, US passport, Permanent Resident Card 

7. Copy of photo ID (and proof of nationality) for beneficiary/beneficiaries

  • Example: Afghan passport or tazkera or other government-issued proof of citizenship.
  • If the identity document is not in English, include a word-for-word English translation with translation certificate. The translation can be done by the sponsor/petitioner; it does not need to be from a government source (e.g. notarized), but must be signed. See: sample translation certificate at end of this document.

NOTE: DOS Reciprocity Schedule website proves that the tazkera is an accepted form of birth record.  See: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/Afghanistan.html. Include a copy of this page with the application if you submit a copy of the tazkera.  

8. Two passport-style photos of beneficiary / beneficiaries:

If necessary, have the beneficiary take a photo with their smartphone (close up photograph of their face, with a neutral expression, against a white/neutral background).

The photo can be cropped or printed at home, or through an online service, such as Walgreens Photo.

Photos are also required for youth beneficiaries. 

See: Guide for Printing Passport Photos.Download

9. A statement or declaration describing the urgent humanitarian or significant public benefit reason

The statement should include:

  • Description of humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan (e.g. Taliban have taken over the entire country, have made death threats against those who aided the Americans).
  • Length of time for which beneficiary needs parole. State that the beneficiary intends to regularize status in the United States, and describe how they will regularize status (e.g. beneficiary will apply for asylum, or family member will petition for them).
  • Reason why visa cannot be obtained  (e.g. US Embassy in Kabul is closed).
  • The statement should be signed by the petitioner. 

Attach documentation of the above (e.g. country conditions reports, news articles). Some examples of articles you may want to include: 

10. Any case-specific evidence supporting basis for request 

Ex. documentation showing that a family member works for the United States, has received recent threats. Consider including details in the declaration described above, or in a separate declaration if someone other than the petitioner is best positioned to describe the case-specific evidence. 

11. If applicable, copies of any documents related to nonimmigrant or immigrant visa petitions or other applications 

Ex: Filing receipts or approval notices for I-130 petition, SIV applications, etc.  

NOTE: Immigrant Visa applicants who are documentarily qualified should qualify for evacuation without the need for humanitarian parole, but humanitarian parole may help applicants who are stranded in a third country or who are not yet documentarily qualified.

12. Form I-134, Affidavit of Support from Petitioner or Other Sponsor 

13. Supporting documentation for sponsor 

  • Photo ID / proof of immigration status for sponsor (U.S. passport, U.S. birth certificate, LPR card).
  • Proof of ability to support beneficiary:
    • 2020 tax return or transcript with W2 and/or 1099, or
    • Recent pay statements and/or letter from employer on business letterhead that states the date and nature of employment, salary paid, and whether the position is temporary or permanent, or
    • Bank account statement covering the past 3 months and/or a signed statement from an officer of the bank or other financial institution that states when the account was opened, the total amount deposited for the past year, and the present balance of such account.

Once the final application packet is compiled:

  • The sponsor / person submitting the application should mail the final application packet (priority mail, with tracking) to:

For U.S. Postal Service (USPS) deliveries:

USCIS
Attn: HP
P.O. Box 660865
Dallas, TX 75266-0865

For FedEx, UPS, and DHL deliveries (USPS Express Mail may be sent here too):

USCIS
Attn: HP (Box 660865)
2501 S. State Hwy. 121 Business
Suite 400
Lewisville, TX 75067-8003

After the humanitarian parole application is submitted:

  • Encourage the family to immediately contact their local and state elected officials, sending them the completed humanitarian parole application and asking the officials to urge the Department of Homeland Security to take immediate action. If they don’t know who those are, they can use: 
  • Also encourage the family to contact the Afghanistan Task Force at the State Department (actf@state.gov) including: a brief explanation of why the family member is at risk; the number of family members total; a copy of the Afghan passports/national ID cards; an email and mobile number in Afghanistan. 
  • As soon as the case number is received from the USCIS lockbox (ex: by e-mail in response to the G-1145 or from the back of the check), call the USCIS Customer Service line to justify the expedite request. (USCIS Tel. No.: 1-800-375-5283)
    • As of 8/19/21, the USCIS Contact Center was responsive, although they do require the caller to explain why an expedite is needed and why the beneficiary did not file for asylum or refugee status. Respond in detail, by saying things like: “They weren’t afraid to live in Kabul until the Taliban recently attacked and took over the city.” “The USCIS does not allow people to apply for asylum if they are outside the United States.” “It is not possible to apply for refugee status in Afghanistan while the embassy is closed.”
    • A USCIS officer told an AILA member that they are only allowed to approve three expedite requests in one call, per USCIS rules. 

Once the humanitarian parole request is approved:

NOTE: Advise beneficiaries to scrub their phones and digital accounts of potentially dangerous info to protect their identity from the Taliban.

Sample Dari – English translation certificate.  

(This template can be adapted for other languages by substituting the other language for “Dari.”)

________________________________________________________________________

I, ____________ am competent to translate from Dari to English, and certify that the above translation of the (describe document) is true and accurate to the best of my abilities.

_________________________________      ______________________________

Signature of Translator                                   Printed Name of Translator

________________________________________________________________________

Address of Translator 

_________________________________

Translator’s phone number

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