Applications for Re-Parole and Work Authorization Renewal Are Fee-Exempt for Certain Afghan Nationals

Effective June 9, 2023, through July 31, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will consider, on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit, a two-year extension of the original parole period for Afghan parolees who have already applied for asylum or for adjustment to lawful permanent resident (LPR) status (such as adjustment of status as a special immigrant). This is in recognition of the continued urgent humanitarian reasons and significant public benefit underlying the original parole grant and the time necessary for Afghan parolees to accomplish the purpose of their parole and regularize their immigration status. These Afghan parolees who have already applied for asylum or LPR status do not need to apply for re-parole. If approved, USCIS will extend their original employment authorization and send a Form I-797C, Notice of Additional Action, to their last address of record with USCIS. If these Afghan parolees require an updated Employment Authorization Document (EAD) in addition to the Form I-797C, they may file a fee-exempt Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with USCIS under category c(11). We understand the need for re-parole to provide continuity in lawful presence and the ability to work and support one’s family while pursuing a more permanent immigration status. For this reason, certain Afghan parolees in the United States who have not yet filed for any immigration benefit, or who have applied for a temporary benefit such as Temporary Protected Status, may now apply for re-parole and employment authorization through a new streamlined and fee-exempted application process that is available online and on paper.  USCIS will exempt application fees for these applicants for re-parole by using Form I-131, Application for Travel Document. These applicants who self-file for re-parole will also be able to request an EAD using the same Form I-131. USCIS will accept and consider, on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit, re-parole requests under section 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act from certain noncitizen Afghans paroled into the United States. Afghan nationals who were paroled into the United States from July 31, 2021, through June 8, 2023, and have an “OAR” or “PAR” class of admission on their Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, are eligible for the fee exemption from June 8, 2023, through July 31, 2024. This reflects the DHS’s commitment to providing Afghan nationals with a streamlined process to request re-parole and an EAD. The process to request fee-exempt re-parole for certain Afghan nationals will be available both online and via paper filing. A new Re-Parole Process for Certain Afghans webpage will provide information on the process and step-by-step instructions on how to apply for re-parole. To apply for fee-exempt re-parole and an EAD on the 06/06/23 edition of Form I-131, the applicant must: Select “I am outside of the United States, and I am applying for Advance Parole Document” on the paper application in Part 2, Item 1.e.; Mark “Y” for the question, “Are you applying for re-parole?”; and Mark “Y” in Part 8 for the question, “I am requesting an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) upon approval of my new Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) period of parole” to request a fee-exempt EAD. Do not submit a separate Form I-765 with your Form I-131. If you submit Form I-765 with your request for re-parole, we may reject your application or take longer to process it. Applicants filing by paper and using the 10/31/22 edition of Form I-131 before Aug. 8, 2023, should write “OAW EAD” on the top of the form, regardless of whether they have a PAR or OAR class of admission.   If your initial EAD is expiring, you must indicate you would like to renew your EAD when filing Form I-131 through this new streamlined process. If you are an Afghan national and applied for re-parole through Form I-131 before June 8, 2023, when this new streamlined application process was not yet available, you may submit a new request using the process announced in this message to receive the fee exemption and concurrent EAD processing. Please see the Afghan Nationals Re-Parole FAQs webpage for more information on the options available to you.