In order to join the Uniting for Ukraine program, Ukrainians need to find a sponsor who meets a number of criteria. Find out who can be a sponsor and under what conditions, as well as what responsibilities are assigned to such a person

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To participate in the Uniting for Ukraine program, Ukrainians need to find a sponsor who meets certain criteria. A sponsor can be a person who legally resides in the United States, has a stable income, and is willing to provide financial support to a Ukrainian. The details of who exactly can act as a sponsor, the conditions for participation in the program, and the responsibilities of such persons are described in the article below.

Read this article for tips to help you apply to the Uniting For Ukraine (U4U) program in the United States in 2024.

Who can be a U4U sponsor?

Sponsors who file Form I-134 in favor of a participant in the Uniting for Ukraine program must have legal status in the United States, or a humanitarian password, and be willing and able to accept, maintain, and provide support to the person traveling under the program. 

At the same time, the prospective sponsor must have legal status in the United States (categories are listed below), pass a security and background check, and prove that they have sufficient financial resources to accept, maintain, and support the person they invite.

Categories of persons who can become sponsors:

— U.S. citizens

— Green Card holders,

— non-immigrants who have legal status and work permits (for example, H-1B or L-1 visa holders)

—  refugees and asylum seekers,

— persons who have been granted TPS, as well as several other categories.

What kind of support should a sponsor provide?

In assessing their ability to fulfill this obligation, sponsors should consider the following examples of types of support:

— The ability to meet the individual upon arrival in the United States and transport him or her to his or her original place of residence;

— Provide the individual with safe housing that meets his or her needs, as well as basic necessities for the duration of the parole period;

— If necessary, assist in the preparation of the necessary documents for obtaining an employment authorization, social security card, services to which they may be entitled, etc;

— Ensure that the necessary medical care is provided and that medical needs are met during the term of the humanitarian parole;

— If necessary, help the person with education, learning English, employment and enrollment of children in educational institutions.

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Other important conditions and requirements for sponsors under the U4U program

Sponsors must indicate the name of the individual on the Form I-134. This means that sponsors cannot file Form I-134 in favor of an unidentified person. At the same time, a sponsor may agree to support more than one person, for example, different members of the same family, but in this case, he or she must file a separate Form I-134 for each person.

It is also important to note that several sponsors may join together to provide support to one person. In this case, the sponsor must file Form I-134 and include additional evidence of the identity and resources to be provided by the other sponsors, as well as a statement explaining the intent to share responsibility for supporting the individual. The ability of these sponsors to provide support will be assessed as joint.

Form I-134 must be signed by an individual; organizations cannot be listed as a sponsor on Form I-134. However, if an organization or other entity provides financial or other services to provide support, this information should be provided along with other evidence in the Form I-134 and will be taken into account in determining the sponsor's ability to provide support.

If you need assistance in finding a sponsor, submitting documents, and obtaining a humanitarian parole to enter the United States, please contact Visit Ukraine's lawyers. Our specialists can provide the necessary advice and full legal support to help you get into the U4U program quickly and easily. Read more about the service of obtaining a turnkey entry permit to the United States here.

To order a legal consultation or legal support, follow this link.

For more information, please contact Visit Ukraine's support service (Telegram | WhatsApp).

We remind you! Many countries continue to provide assistance to refugees from Ukraine. The United States is no exception. The country will continue to accept Ukrainians and provide them with protection under the Uniting for Ukraine program. In addition to the right to reside, Ukrainian citizens can benefit from social support. Read more about what programs are available in our previous article.

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Ihor Usyk is the Head of Legal Department at Visit Ukraine

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