The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) introduced a new opportunity for citizenship for qualifying individuals from select Central American countries and Colombia for a path to citizenship. The program is meant to discourage illegal crossings at the southern border of the United States. Starting July 10, 2023, eligible migrants from Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras can choose to enter the U.S. by air and receive government work permits if their relatives in the U.S. have legal status and have filed a visa application on their behalf.

The Biden administration previously expressed their commitment to welcoming up to 100,000 individuals from Central America through this program, known as the Family Reunification Parole Process. There is no specific target date to reach the 100,000 number, and there is no limit on the number of Colombian applicants yet specified.

To qualify for the program, migrants must have family members in the U.S. who have legal status. These family members must either be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The U.S. family members need to submit a visa request for their relative from one of the four eligible countries. Visas can be requested for adult children and siblings of U.S. citizens, and for children and spouses of permanent residents.

The U.S. citizen or permanent resident may receive an invitation to apply for their relatives once the petition is approved. This is expected to be a faster process compared to the current backlog and capped visa system. The State Department anticipates sending invitations to qualifying individuals later in July.

If approved, the relatives of the U.S. citizen or permanent resident can enter the country under humanitarian parole authority, which allows them to legally work in the U.S. Once their visa becomes available, they are eligible for permanent residency, a pathway to citizenship.

It’s important to note that individuals who cross the southern border without a legal basis or who attempt to reach the U.S. by sea after July 10 will not be eligible for this program. Government data suggests that approximately 70,000 individuals may immediately qualify for this program. However, not all of these migrants are expected to receive invitations to participate.

If you have any questions about the Family Reunification Parole Process or any other immigration-related matters, please don’t hesitate to contact us.