Participants in the HFRP Program include:

Term	Definition
Petitioners	The U.S. citizen or LPR in the United States who has filed  Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, on behalf of a relative living in Haiti, which we approved. Only qualified petitioners can file applications for benefits under the HFRP Program. Qualified petitioners must meet the eligibility requirements for petitioners.
Beneficiaries	Family members in Haiti who may benefit from the relative petitions (Forms I-130) filed and approved on their behalf, and who may be paroled into the United States if approved under the HFRP Program. Beneficiaries include the principal beneficiary, derivative beneficiaries and add-on derivative beneficiaries.
Principal beneficiary	The Haitian family member for whom the petitioner filed the Form I-130. For example, the principal beneficiary could be an LPR’s spouse or child, or the adult son, daughter or sibling of a U.S. citizen.
Derivative beneficiaries	The principal beneficiary’s spouse and unmarried children under age 21. They may also be listed on the approved Form I-130. These beneficiaries may be eligible for parole based on their relationship to the principal beneficiary. If the principal beneficiary is not approved for parole, the derivative beneficiaries will not be approved.
Add-on derivative beneficiary	If a principal beneficiary has married or has had a child since the underlying Form I-130 was approved, you may file an HFRP Program application on behalf of that principal beneficiary’s spouse and/or child under 21.

Who Is Eligible to Apply?

If you filed a Form I-130 for your relative, you are known as the petitioner and your relative is known as the beneficiary. To be eligible to apply for the parole of your qualifying relatives in Haiti, you must meet the following requirements:

• You are either a U.S. citizen or LPR;
• You filed a Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, for a Haitian family member and it was approved on or before Dec. 18, 2014;
• An immigrant visa is not yet available for your relative; and
• You received an invitation from the Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC) to participate in the HFRP Program. Please see the Invitation Process section on this page for more information.

Note: We will deny your applications if you do not meet all of the above requirements at the time the application for HFRP benefits is adjudicated. We will not refund your fees.

A qualified petitioner will only be able to apply on behalf of a family member (beneficiary) who is:

• A Haitian national, if the principal beneficiary; and
• The beneficiary of a Form I-130 that was approved on or before Dec. 18, 2014 (including any accompanying or following to join spouse or child*).

*See section 203(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 United States Code (U.S.C.) 1153(d).

Who is Not Eligible

Participation in the HFRP Program will not be available to:

• Individuals who qualify as immediate relatives.** Parole will not be available to these individuals since they may immediately seek immigrant visas for travel to the United States once their Forms I-130 are approved. Immediate relatives are:
  • Spouses of U.S. citizens;
  • Unmarried children under 21 years of age of U.S. citizens; and
  • Parents of U.S. citizens over 21 years of age.
• Individuals who are not able to attend an in-person interview in Haiti. Implementation of this program is only being established in Haiti;
• Beneficiaries of Forms I-130 that were approved after Dec. 18, 2014; and
• Beneficiaries of approved Forms I-130 whose petitioning relatives in the United States have not received an invitation from the NVC indicating that they are eligible to apply for the HFRP Program.

**See INA § 201(b)(2)(A)(i), 8 U.S.C. § 1151(b)(2)(A)(i).

Note: If you are the beneficiary of an approved Form I-130 living in Haiti, you cannot apply to the HFRP program for yourself or your family members. Your U.S. petitioner must file on your behalf.

Spouses and Children of the Principal Beneficiary (Derivative Beneficiaries)

If the principal beneficiary’s spouse and unmarried children under age 21 (known as derivative beneficiaries) are named on the approved Form I-130, they may be eligible for benefits under the HFRP Program. Any parole request filed on their behalf must be filed at the same time that the parole request is filed for the principal beneficiary. They will only be eligible for parole if the principal beneficiary is found eligible for parole, and they will also independently need to establish that they are admissible to the United States.

If an HFRP Program application is not filed for the principal beneficiary, or if we determine that the principal beneficiary is not eligible for the HFRP Program, their spouse and children will not be eligible for parole under the HFRP Program.

Requesting the Addition of a Spouse or Child to an Approved Form I-130 (Add-on Derivative Beneficiaries)

If a principal beneficiary has married or has had a child since the underlying Form I-130 was approved, you may file an HFRP Program application on behalf of that principal beneficiary’s spouse and/or child under 21 (often referred to as “add-on” derivatives).

Add-on derivatives will not be listed on the NVC’s invitation letter. A qualified petitioner may still file an HFRP Program application on their behalf, as long as the add-on applications are received with the application packet filed for the principal beneficiary and you, the petitioner, provide the necessary evidence to establish the qualifying relationship of the add-on derivative relative.

Age Limit for Beneficiaries

There is no age limit for principal beneficiaries of Forms I-130. However, any derivative children must be under the age of 21 on the date that we receive your properly filed application. The invitation letter will advise you not to file HFRP Program applications for derivative children who will be 21 years of age or older when the application is filed.

Forms I-131 submitted for derivative children 21 years of age or older on the date we receive the properly filed application will be denied. We will not return the associated filing fees.

We will continue to process the applications for any other beneficiaries, including the principal beneficiary and his or her spouse and unmarried children under 21.

Circumstances That Could Affect Eligibility

Haitians living outside Haiti	While the HFRP Program is intended for Haitians in Haiti, Haitians who are living outside of Haiti are not precluded from accessing the program and may still be eligible for the program. If the beneficiary is in the United States or another country, the beneficiary must travel to Haiti for an HFRP Program interview to be considered for parole. Beneficiaries in the United States, including those with TPS, who decide to travel to Haiti for their interview, should first obtain advance parole from us. Without advance parole, they may not be able to return to the United States if their HFRP Program applications are denied. If the principal beneficiary is in the United States or another country and will not return to Haiti for interview under the HFRP Program, you should not file for the principal beneficiary’s derivative relatives in Haiti as these applications will be denied. Derivative family members can only be approved for parole if the principal beneficiary on the approved Form I-130 is approved for parole.
Becoming a U.S. Citizen	If you are an LPR and become a U.S. citizen after you have properly filed your HFRP Program application(s) with us, you may choose to have your “immediate relatives” continue to be processed for parole. Alternatively, you may choose to have them processed for immigrant visas after payment of all applicable immigrant visa fees. If you become a U.S. citizen before you apply for the HFRP Program, we will deny any applications filed on behalf of “immediate relatives."
Marriage	A change in the marital status of a Form I-130 beneficiary relative could affect your relative’s eligibility for the HFRP Program. Relatives who are not eligible for the HFRP Program if they are married include: A child for whom you filed a Form I-130 under the second family-based preference. If your child has married since we approved the Form I-130, they are no longer a child under the INA*** and are not eligible to benefit from the visa petition. The second preference is available to LPRs who wish to bring spouses and unmarried children to the United States, regardless of the age of the children. A child of the principal beneficiary for whom you filed the Form I-130, otherwise known as a derivative child. If the child has married since the Form I-130 was approved, they are no longer a child under the INA*** even if under 21 years of age, and may not derive status from the principal beneficiary. ***Section 101(b)(1) of the INA defines a child as “an unmarried person under 21 years of age."

If you are eligible to apply for the program on behalf of your relatives in Haiti, you will receive an invitation letter from the NVC. The invitation will be mailed to the last address that the NVC has for you. You must receive notification from the NVC of your eligibility to apply for the HFRP Program before submitting your application.

The number of invitations sent each year depends on the number of beneficiaries whose visas are expected to be available within approximately 18 – 42 months from the date the invitations are sent. The number of invitations sent each year may be limited based on U.S. government operational capacity in Haiti and the availability of U.S. government resources to aid program beneficiaries.

Note: If you are a petitioner who believes that you may be eligible for the HFRP Program, please make sure that the NVC has your current mailing address. You can contact the NVC through their Public Inquiry Form. If your attorney of record is no longer representing you, please inform the NVC.

How Invitations Are Issued

Under the HFRP Program, the NVC will issue written invitations to petitioners of approved Forms I-130 based on the date when the immigrant visas for their family members are expected to become current. Generally, once each year, the NVC will identify approved Forms I-130 with filing dates (priority dates) that are expected to become current in approximately 18 – 42 months and will issue invitations to U.S. petitioners.

You will not be invited to apply for the HFRP Program if:

• You have less than 18 months to wait from the time invitations are issued before your family members are expected to receive their immigrant visas, because it is likely that they will be able to immigrate to the United States almost as quickly through traditional immigrant visa processing.

  For example, your spouse in Haiti would not be eligible for an invitation now if:

  • They are the beneficiary of a Form I-130 that was approved before the HFRP program’s announcement, and
  • Their visa is expected to become available within seven months.

• Your family members’ immigrant visas will not become available for more than 42 months from the time invitations are issued.

  For example, your sister in Haiti would not be eligible for an invitation now if:

  • She is the beneficiary of a Form I-130 that was approved before the HFRP program’s announcement, and
  • Her visa will not become available for four years.

However, she may be eligible for an invitation once her visa priority date is within approximately 18 – 42 months.

If we authorize parole under the HFRP Program, USCIS or DOS will issue the necessary travel documents to the beneficiary in Haiti. These travel documents will allow the beneficiary to travel to the United States and seek parole from a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at a port of entry.

Parole allows an individual to be lawfully present in the United States and to apply for work authorization. Parole itself does not give you any legal immigration status in the United States.

However, HFRP Program beneficiaries paroled into the United States are expected to apply for lawful permanent resident status as soon as their immigrant visa becomes available—generally within two years of being paroled into the United States.

Parole Under the HFRP Program

If you are paroled under the HFRP Program, you will enter the United States as a parolee.

When you arrive at a U.S. port of entry, you will present your travel documents to a CBP officer. CBP will review the documents and, assuming all is in order, parole you into the United States for 3 years.

Parole is temporary and, in and of itself, does not make you eligible for a Green Card. It simply allows you to remain in the United States for the period of time that parole is authorized and to apply for work authorization. To obtain a permanent status (a Green Card), you must apply for and meet the eligibility requirements of permanent status.

Applying for a Green Card

Once your immigrant visa becomes available, generally within two years of your parole into the United States, you must then apply for lawful permanent resident status (a Green Card).

To apply for a Green Card, you must file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, with the required fee. Instructions on how to file the Form I-485 are provided at uscis.gov/i-485.

If an Immigrant Visa is Unavailable When Parole Expires

If your immigrant visa is still unavailable at the time your parole expires, you must apply to USCIS for a new parole authorization and pay the required fee (or request a fee waiver).

If you remain in the United States past the period of your parole without applying for adjustment of status or applying for an extension of your parole period, you will be in unlawful status, which can have serious immigration consequences.

Applying for Work Authorization

Once you are paroled into the United States under the HFRP Program, you will be eligible to apply for work authorization from USCIS.

To apply for work authorization, you must submit Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with the required fee.

Eligibility for Certain Benefits

Once you are paroled into the United States under the HFRP Program, you meet the definition of a Cuban/Haitian entrant and may be eligible to receive public benefits.*

You will be eligible to apply for benefits and services from the date you first enter into Cuban/Haitian entrant status. This is the date you enter the United States with parole status.

You will also be eligible for initial orientation services through USCIS’ Cuban Haitian Entrant Program (CHEP). While orientation services are currently available only in Miami, we are working with our CHEP partners to explore the possibility of expanding these services to other locations. Additional information is available on our CHEP webpage.

*See section 501(e)(1) of the Refugee Education and Assistance Act (REAA) of 1980.

You must pay the Form I-131, Application for Travel Document and filing fee, currently $575, for each HFRP Program application you submit for a family member, or apply for a fee waiver. As fees are subject to change, you should check the USCIS fee schedule before filing any petition or application. You must also cover all costs associated with attending an interview in Port-au-Prince, including completion of a medical examination and travel to the United States.

To work in the United States, HFRP Program beneficiaries will have to file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, after arriving in the United States. The fee is $410. Applicants can request a fee waiver by submitting Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver. For instructions, please see our Fee Waiver Guidance.

As beneficiaries of this program, your relatives will be expected to apply for lawful permanent resident status once their visas become available. We anticipate that visas for HFRP Program beneficiaries will become available within approximately two years after they are paroled into the United States.

Your relatives must pay a fee to apply for lawful permanent resident status (Green Card). To apply for a Green Card, they must file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, once their visa is available. The fee is currently $1,225 (including the Biometric Services fee of $85). No fee waiver is available. As fees are subject to change, you should check the USCIS fee schedule before filing any petition or application.

The total cost to obtain work authorization and become a lawful permanent resident if first paroled into the United States under the HFRP Program (including the cost of the HFRP Program application) is around $2,210. In comparison, the cost for an individual to enter the United States with an immigrant visa is approximately $665. An individual entering as an immigrant has lawful permanent resident status and is authorized to work upon admission, so no additional costs are required to apply for work authorization.

In rare cases, a person’s immigrant visa may become available while his or her case is being processed under the HFRP Program. In those cases, the person may continue to be processed for parole, or he or she may choose to be processed by DOS for an immigrant visa. The person will be required to pay any fees associated with that process, and we will not refund the HFRP Program application fee.

The table below explains the total fees you will pay depending on how you come to the United States and obtain lawful permanent residence (Green Card).

If you come to the United States:	Then file:	And pay:	Total cost per person*
Through the HFRP Program, then file to adjust your status	Form I-131, Application for Travel Document Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization ** Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status + biometrics ($1,140 + $85)	$575   $410   $1,225	$2,210
Through an immigrant visa	Immigrant visa application processing fee (for approved Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative) Department of State Affidavit of Support Review fee USCIS Immigrant Fee	$325   $120   $220	$665

*Fees valid as of December 23, 2016, and are subject to change.

** Not required to adjust to lawful permanent resident status. However, if an HFRP beneficiary wishes to work in the United States before obtaining their Green Card, they must apply for work authorization.

The costs are associated with the immigration paths outlined in the table to become a lawful permanent resident and are not meant to represent any other costs or benefits which may be associated with parole or lawful permanent resident status in the United States.

We created the HFRP Program on Dec. 18, 2014, to promote family unity by reducing the time that U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents are separated from their relatives in Haiti. The program also supports broader U.S. goals for Haiti’s long-term reconstruction and development by allowing the beneficiaries of the HFRP Program to work in the United States and contribute to Haiti through their remittances, if they wish to do so.

We aim to benefit as many individuals as possible with the HFRP program while also considering the operational capabilities of the U.S. government, especially the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, and the resources available to aid program beneficiaries.

We anticipate conducting approximately 5,000 HFRP Program interviews annually. This volume may fluctuate each year depending on the operational capabilities of the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince and on the number of individuals who apply for the program when invited.

As you begin applying for the HFRP Program, it is helpful to remember:

• The NVC will only contact you in writing and will only send correspondence to an address in the United States. The NVC began contacting eligible petitioners in the United States beginning in March 2015. Any contacts or requests made before this date were not authorized by us and are not valid. Please visit our Report Immigration Scams webpage to learn more about reporting suspicious correspondence.
• USCIS and the Department of State strongly urge you and your family members to remain vigilant about the possibility of individuals who claim to be U.S. government representatives asking for money. These individuals, often called “scammers,” may attempt to trick you into paying them by offering to help file applications for the HFRP Program. To learn more about common immigration scams and how to report scammers, please visit our Avoid Scams webpage.
• Websites ending in “.gov” are official government websites. Information on official U.S. government websites ending in “.gov” is official and correct. Official U.S. government email addresses also end in “.gov,” and any correspondence coming from an address that does not end with “.gov” should be considered suspect.

• Memorandum Of Agreement between CBP, ICE and USCIS regarding Parole Authority (PDF)
• Pwogram Eksepsyon pou Reyini Fanmi Ayisyen a (The Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program)
• Pwogram Reyinifikasyon Fanmi Ayisyen (HFRP) Feyè enfòmasyon (PDF, 36.31 KB)
• Kisa-w Bezwen Konnen Konsènan Aplikasyon pou Pwogram HFRP an (Applying for the HFRP Program)
• Ki sa kap Rive nan Etazini nan Kad Pwogram HFRP an (Arriving in the United States Under the HFRP Program
• In-Country Refugee/Parole Processing for Central American Minors

Forms

• I-730, Refugees/Asylee Relative Petition
• In-Country Refugee/Parole Processing for Central American Minors