DOS Provides Guidance for Ukraine Nationals

The U.S. Department of State continues to offer resources and services for individuals impacted by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The Department of State is not offering visa services in Ukraine currently and continues to encourage U.S. citizens in need of emergency assistance in Ukraine to email KyivACS@state.gov.

The Department of State is sharing information on the subjects below to further clarify visa options and outline alternatives to visas that Ukrainians may consider.  It is important to note that a visa is not a viable way to achieve refugee resettlement in the United States.  More detailed information on the topics listed below can be found on the Department of State’s website here.  

• Uniting with Ukraine
  The Department of Homeland Security’s Uniting for Ukraine program provides a pathway for displaced Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who are outside the United States to come to the United States and stay temporarily for up to two years. Ukrainians participating in Uniting for Ukraine must have a supporter in the United States who agrees to provide them with financial support for the duration of their stay in the United States. For more information, visit https://www.dhs.gov/ukraine.
  

• Nonimmigrant Visas
  Nonimmigrant visas are for temporary stays in the United States.  They are not the appropriate tool to begin an immigrant, refugee, or resettlement process.  If you apply for a nonimmigrant visa but are unable to demonstrate intent to leave the United States after a defined period in order to return to a residence abroad, a consular officer will refuse your application.   More information about nonimmigrant visa processes can be found at local embassy/consular websites, and appointment wait times are provided by the U.S. State Department website. 

• Immigrant Visas

  Immigrant visas are for foreign nationals who intend to live and/or work permanently in the United States.  In most cases, a relative or employer sponsors the individual by filing a petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  Further information on immigrant visas can be found here:  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate.html.

• Adoptions

  The Department is actively working with Adoption Service Providers (ASPs) to provide guidance and answer questions during this critical time.  Please see more information at Information for U.S. Citizens In the Process of Adopting in Ukraine. This resource addresses adoptions and intended adoptions at various stages of the process and provides guidance on whom to consult and clarifications on the Department's potential role and ability to assist. Prospective adoptive parents should consult their ASP about how the crisis in Ukraine may impact their adoption plans.  Families who previously hosted a child but are not yet approved to adopt may wish to consult the hosting organization to learn what efforts are being made on behalf of the host child.

• Humanitarian Parole
  Parole is a program run by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that allows an individual, who may be inadmissible or otherwise ineligible for admission into the United States, to be in the United States for a temporary period for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.  It is not meant to replace a visa process.  Anyone can file an application for humanitarian parole.  Further information and instructions are available here: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/explore-my-options/humanitarian-parole. Those who wish to apply for humanitarian parole should contact USCIS directly.
  

• Refugee Status
  Almost all refugee cases in countries abroad are processed by local authorities or the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).  Ukrainians should not attempt to apply for visas to travel to the United States as refugees.  Instead, they should contact local authorities or UNHCR for refugee processing.  Additional information is available from UNHCR: https://help.unhcr.org, including information about non-governmental organizations that may be able to provide additional assistance.  Additionally, USAID’s website has information for Ukrainian refugees: https://www.usaid.gov/usaid-response-ukraine/resources-refugees-asylum-seekers.

• Local Resources
  The Department of State encourages Ukrainians to consult local government authorities in their current location to determine what might be available as you consider resettlement options.