PD 24-11: Extension of Federal Benefits and Services Eligibility for Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees (Revised)

Date: 07/15/24 (Revised 10/31/24)
To: DEBS
From: Vivien Phan, SSA BPIS
Reference: ORR PL 22-13, ACWDL 6/28/24

Background

On April 24, 2024, President Biden signed into law the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 (USSAA), leading the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to extend federal benefits and services eligibility for Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees (UHPs).

Guidance

Updated Categories of Eligibility for UHPs

  1. Citizens or nationals of Ukraine who the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has paroled into the United States between February 24, 2022 and September 30, 2024 (extended from the original end date of September 30, 2023) due to urgent humanitarian reasons or for significant public benefit, known as UHPs.
  2. Non-Ukrainian individuals who last habitually resided in Ukraine and who DHS has paroled into the United States between February 24, 2022 and September 30, 2024 (extended from the original end date of September 30, 2023) due to urgent humanitarian reasons or for significant public benefit.
  3. A spouse or child of an individual described in section A or B who is paroled into the United States after September 30, 2023.
  4. A parent, legal guardian, or primary caregiver of an unaccompanied refugee minor or an unaccompanied child described in section A or B who is paroled into the United States after September 30, 2023.

Populations listed above are eligible to receive mainstream benefits (TANF, Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and SSI), resettlement assistance, and other benefits available to refugees.

Note: There is currently no eligibility end date for individuals described in sections C and D.

Updated Dates of Eligibility for Eligible UHPs

For eligible UHPs who enter the United States with parole between October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024, their date of eligibility is April 24, 2024, or their date of parole, whichever is later.

Acceptable Documentation

  • I-94 noting humanitarian parole or
  • Foreign passport with admission stamp “DT”, “U4U”, “UHP” or
  • Form I-765 or I-766 Employment Authorization Document with “C11”.

For any non-Ukrainian individual who last habitually resided in Ukraine and received humanitarian parole, but without the U4U or UHP class of admission, any one of the forms or stamps listed above can be provided along with documentation of last habitual residence in Ukraine, including Crimea, is required.

Retroactive Approval of Eligible UHPs

EWs must review all denied applications submitted by potentially eligible UHPs on or after April 24, 2024, and determine if they are now eligible per the updated policy.

If found to meet all eligibility requirements, EWs must retroactively approve benefits based on the date of application.

A listing will be provided for cases that may need to be rescinded.

Implementation

The guidance in this PD is effective immediately.