Key Points
- DOS has provided updated guidance for individuals in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, and Ukraine
- US citizens may file a Form I-130 petition for their family members to escape the ongoing conflict
- The guidance applies to immediate family members (spouses, unmarried children under age 21, or parents) of US citizens from the three affected countries
- US citizens may contact the nearest US Embassy’s Immigrant Visa Unit
Overview
The US Department of State (DOS) has provided more immigrant visa information for US citizens filing Form I-130 petitions on behalf of certain immediate relatives from Afghanistan, Ethiopia, and Ukraine who are fleeing conflict in their respective countries.
The updated DOS guidance applies to US citizens with Afghan, Ethiopian, and Ukrainian immediate family members impacted by ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, and Ukraine. US citizens may request to file a Form I-130 petition on their relatives’ behalf at the closest US Consulate or Embassy that processes immigrant visas. Applicants must be physically present in the country where they wish to file a petition. Petitions may be filed locally on behalf of a spouse, unmarried children under age 21, and parents. Individuals must have fled Afghanistan after Aug. 2, 2021; Ethiopia after Nov. 1, 2020; or Ukraine after Feb. 1, 2022.
Looking Ahead
US citizens who believe they are qualified to file a Form I-130 petition locally can email the Immigrant Visa Unit at the closest US Consulate or Embassy.
Written by: Lucy Halse, Content Marketing Associate, Envoy Global
Edited by: Dmitri Pikman, Supervising Attorney, Corporate Immigration Partners
Source: US Department of State
