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July
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New Biden-Harris Initiative Allows Non-Citizen Spouses and Stepchildren
New Biden-Harris Initiative Allows Non-Citizen Spouses and Stepchildren to Remain Within the United States for Green Card Processing
On August 19, 2024, USCIS will begin a new program for spouses and stepchildren of United States citizens who are eligible for lawful permanent resident status. This new program will allow non-citizen spouses to petition for parole without having to leave the United States to be processed and re-admitted abroad. After parole is granted, non-citizen spouses may proceed to apply for a green card while remaining in the United States.
If you are the non-citizen spouse of a United States citizen, and you entered the United States on or before June 17, 2014, you may be eligible to apply for parole and subsequent LPR status if all the following are true:
- You are currently present in the United States and were not admitted or paroled;
- You are or were in a legally valid marriage to a U.S. citizen as of June 17, 2024;
- You are continually present in the United States for at least ten years as of June 17, 2024;
- You have no disqualifying criminal history and are not a threat to national security;
- Your petition would otherwise merit a favorable exercise of discretion.
If you have a child who is also a non-citizen, they may also be eligible. To qualify, they must be present in the United States without being admitted or paroled and have a qualifying stepchild relationship with a U.S. citizen as of June 17, 2024.
We recommend consulting with an attorney as soon as possible if you have questions about whether you or any of your loved ones are eligible. This program is an initiative of the Biden-Harris administration, and as such is subject to change at any time by future administrations.
USCIS will begin accepting petitions on August 19, 2024. Interested petitioners should aim to file as soon as possible to this date so that their petitions are processed in a timely manner.
