U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced that the agency will extend the initial parole granted to Afghan children under age 14 on 26 September 2023. The extension applies to Afghan children paroled by Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) between 30 July 2021 through 30 September 2022 with an OAR or PAR admission class. Similarly, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will accept re-parole applications from Afghan adults admitted by Customs and Border Protection in the OAR or PAR admission class. USCIS will extend parole by 2 years. Parole extensions for Afghans will allow the beneficiaries to remain in the U.S. during the approved parole period.

Customs and Border Protection electronically issues I-94 Forms after an officer inspects a foreign national at a border checkpoint. A parole applicant can find the admission class on an I-94 Form issued by Customs and Border Protection. Applicants apply for re-parole by filing the I-131 Form by paper or online. For Afghan self-petitioners, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services waives the filing fee for re-parole applications (I-131 Form) and the I-765 Form (work authorization). For self-petitioning applicants, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services also waives the requirement to file the I-134 financial support declaration.

Parole extensions for Afghans do not automatically lead to permanent resident status. Parole only authorizes the parolee to temporarily stay in the United States. Paroled Afghans may become eligible for permanent residency if granted asylum. Afghans may become eligible for permanent residency through family-based immigration. If USCIS or an immigration court grants a family member asylum status, an approved I-730 petition may lead to permanent residency for an Afghan parolee. Similarly, if CBP admits a family member as a refugee, the refugee may file an I-730 petition for some relatives.