President Biden will be announcing a major executive action today to permit spouses of U.S. Citizens who entered the United States without inspection to apply for a status known as Parole in Place which will protect them against removal. Permit them to apply for employment authorization and, most importantly, once granted, allow them to apply for lawful permanent resident status in the United States without having to apply for a “green card” abroad.
Presently, husbands and wives of United States citizens who have entered the United States without authorization not only have to travel to the U.S. Consulate in their home country for their immigrant visa interview and have to obtain a provisional unlawful status waiver; a process which not only takes approximately four years to complete but often can result in prolonged periods of family separation.
It is not yet clear when the new policy will take effect but it most likely will resemble existing programs for the family members of U.S. military personnel and for urgent humanitarian reasons. Those who believe they may be eligible for this new program should schedule an appointment as soon as possible by calling (732) 780-3090 as there will undoubtedly be tremendous interest in applying as well as possible judicial challenges to its constitutionality.
For further information on USCIS and its programs, visit uscis.gov.
If you need assistance or have any questions about this process please call our office at:
- Freehold, NJ: (732) 780-3090
- Somerville, NJ: (908) 707-4560
