FAQ

Can you help me apply for Humanitarian Parole?

Unfortunately, we had to close our form for assistance. However, we have technical assistance resources, and an application checklist, if you are applying for parole yourself or assisting someone else with it. This does not constitute legal advice. We encourage you to seek out assistance from a lawyer, and to pursue all pathways available to you and read more below about the current realities of Afghan Humanitarian Parole.

How are applications being adjudicated? What are the latest adjudication numbers?

The majority of applications remain pending, but there are some general trends, and also notable differences in processing for applicants within Afghanistan and those outside of the country. It is always best to speak with an attorney before deciding what the best decisions are for your individual case.

The most comprehensive publicly accessible data remains the Reveal FOIA data, which covers applications filed between July 2021 and May 2022, and can be accessed here.

The latest aggregate numbers we can offer are below: 48,000 applications remain pending. 8540 have been processed. Of those adjudicated, 132 have been approved, 632 have been closed or suspended, and 8045 have been denied.

Since the withdrawal in August 2021, applicants within Afghanistan generally receive either a denial or a decision that tells them they may be eligible for parole. That decision is either an Administrative Closure, or a Notice of Continued Parole Processing. Those notices typically consist of a letter, stating that if an applicant reaches a third country on their own, they can update USCIS about this, and may be able to pursue consular processing, however a final approval is not guaranteed.

There have been a small number of approvals this year, primarily for Afghans in third countries.

Some applicants have also received Requests for Evidence, or RFEs. These have mainly been for Afghans in third countries, and offer an opportunity to submit further evidence.

*Update early 2023: We have begun to see a small number of RFEs and approvals for Afghans within Afghanistan. We have not seen these applications be fully processed yet, and have no comprehensive data—primarily just anecdotes.

How does someone apply for Humanitarian Parole?

For information about completing HP applications, please visit our resources pages here. There is an application checklist that can be accessed from the main resources page.

How can I supplement my application after it has already been filed?

If you already submitted your HP application and there have been substantial updates to your application, we suggest emailing the Humanitarian Affairs Branch, HumanitarianParole@uscis.dhs.gov, and mail the updated information to both the Texas lockbox, and the RAIO Humanitarian Affairs Branch (HAB) 999 North Capitol St., NE, Mailstop 2295, Washington, DC 20529-2295. You should attach a PDF signed cover letter detailing the updates with each applicable applicant listed on the cover letter with their receipt numbers. You should also attach a PDF of their receipt notices along with a PDF of any relevant evidence of the update.

What is being done to address the way that the government has been treating Afghan Humanitarian Parole applicants?

There is ongoing advocacy and engagement. We encourage folks to share their stories and to engage in individual advocacy with their members of Congress.

Visit our Take Action page, and use our toolkit to support our efforts.

There is also ongoing litigation on this issue. Learn more about the ACLU of Massachusett’s lawsuit here, which addresses the policy changes towards Afghan HP applicants. Learn more about the American Immigration Council’s lawsuit here, in which they are suing (alongside IRAP) for FOIA data related to how Afghan HP applications have been adjudicated.