The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a new path to citizenship for qualifying individuals from select Central American counties and Columbia. The program is meant to discourage illegal crossings to the U.S. at the southern border. The program starts on July 10, 2023, and gives eligible migrants from Columbia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras the option to enter the U.S. via air and receive government work permits if the individuals’ relatives are already in the U.S. with legal status and have filed a visa application for them.

The Biden administration previously announced their commitment to welcome up to 100,000 individuals from Central America under this program, known as the Family Reunification Parole Process. There is no stated target date to reach the 100,000 number nor is there a cap for the number of Columbian applicants.

Migrants must have family in the U.S. with a legal status to qualify for the program. Their family members must either be citizens or have permanent resident status. A visa request on behalf of the relative from one of these four countries must be submitted by their U.S. family. Visas can be submitted for adult children and siblings of U.S. citizens. For permanent residents, visas can be submitted for children and spouses.

Once the petition is approved, the U.S. citizen or permanent resident may be sent an invitation to apply for their relatives which is expected to be faster than using the current backlogged and capped visa system. A spokesperson stated the State Department expects to start sending invitations for the program to qualifying individuals later in July.

If approved, relatives of the U.S. citizen or permanent resident are then eligible to enter the country under humanitarian parole authority, which includes the ability to legally work in the U.S. Once their visa is available, they are then eligible for permanent residency, a path to citizenship.

Individuals who cross the southern border of the U.S. without a legal basis or are found at sea while trying to reach the U.S. after July 10 are ineligible for this program. An estimated 70,000 individuals could qualify for this program immediately, per government data. The current wait time in the family-based immigrant visa backlog includes 17,400 Colombians, 32,600 Salvadorans, 12,800 Guatemalans, and 10,700 Hondurans, all with approved petitions. However, it is not expected that all of these migrants will be invited to the program.

If you have questions about the Family Reunification Parole Process or any other immigration-related issue, contact us at ILBSG.

Department of Homeland Security Family Reunification Parole Process humanitarian parole