Filipino WW II Veterans Parole Program Is Finally Here!

If you are one of the many thousands of Filipino nationals who are waiting for a visa number to immigrate to the U.S., the wait could be over if you are a family member of a Filipino national who fought in the World War II.  Beginning June 8, 2016, Filipino World War II veteran family members whose immigration visa petitions have been approved may be able to be "paroled" into the United States, according to the USCIS.   

This parole policy was first announced by the Obama Administration as part of its executive actions for immigration reform in November 2014.  There are approximately 2,000 to 6,000 Filipino-American World War II veterans who are living in the United States today.  However, despite their status as U.S. citizens and legal residents, their family members usually must wait for decades before they can immigrate to the U.S. due to visa number limitations. As a result, these Filipino veterans must be separated from their family members indefinitely.  The new policy will allow their family members to enter the U.S. while waiting for a visa number to be available; it will also provide the much needed care and support for these aging veterans.  

According to USCIS, each case will be reviewed individually to determine if parole is warranted. It is important to note that it is a discretionary parole, meaning that not all cases will be approved.  Further, even after parole is authorized by USCIS, when the family member arrives at a port of entry, the Custom and Border Patrol (CBP) will review the case again before granting parole. 

Under the new policy, you may still seek parole on your own even if your veteran family member and his/her spouse are both deceased.  Once you are paroled into the U.S., you will be allowed to stay and work while waiting for your final immigration.