PAROLE PROCESSING FOR CUBAN MEDICAL PERSONNEL

UNCLAS STATE 135733 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CVIS CU SMIG SUBJECT: PAROLE PROCESSING FOR CUBAN MEDICAL PERSONNEL ¶1. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that effective immediately it will consider Significant Public Benefit Parole (SPBP) requests from Cuban medical personnel who are currently conscripted to work or study in third countries under the direction of the Cuban Government and their accompanying spouses and minor children who wish to resettle in the United States. Some officers have already been contacted by potential Cuban applicants, and the Department anticipates that others will likely be contacted about this program. You should immediately begin accepting requests for parole from Cuban medical professionals present in your consular district. ¶2. Cuban medical personnel wishing to request SPBP should be directed to the USCIS representative in country. For countries that do not have a USCIS presence, the following procedure should be followed. Candidates for parole should fill out forms DS-156, DS-157, and DS-158. Spouses and minor children who are accompanying Cuban medical personnel should also fill out these three forms and submit them to the consular section. Officers should carefully review the forms for completeness and legibility and should ensure that information on family members in both Cuba and the United States is complete. Even though no affidavit of support is required for parole, applicants should also indicate on the forms if they have potential sources of financial support or sponsorship in the United States, including addresses and telephone numbers if possible. ¶3. You should make photocopies of the passport, any credentials that identify the individual as medical personnel, and any other documentation that could assist DHS in making a determination as to whether or not the individual qualifies for this parole. You should ensure that you have local contact information for the individual. To the greatest extent possible, you should expedite acceptance of parole applications, by accepting walk-ins or rapidly scheduling any requests that you receive via phone/fax/e-mail. ¶4. Once this data is collected, you should immediately send a VISAS EAGLE SAO cable through the INK system. You should scan all documentation and e-mail the entire file to REFUGEEAFFAIRS@DHS.GOV and CubaIMM@state.gov. Posts are not expected to make any recommendations on these cases. Once you receive clearance on the SAO cable, you should forward that clearance to the same e-mail addresses. ¶5. If the individual does not appear to qualify for SPBP as outlined above, you should explain to the applicant that while he or she may not qualify, their information will be accepted and sent to USCIS for consideration. To repeat, consular officers should refer all cases to USCIS for adjudication even if the applicant does not appear to qualify. ¶6. You should be aware that there may be some risk for individuals who wish to be considered for SPBP. Where this is the case, officers from other mission sections may be able to assist individuals requesting parole in arranging delivery of parole documents in a way that reduces potential risks to parolees. Potential parolees should be aware that they may encounter difficulties departing certain countries even though they have been granted parole in the United States. Travel arrangements, costs, and exit permissions from third countries are the sole responsibility of the parolee. Additionally, parolees with immediate family members in Cuba should be told that their families are likely to encounter extreme difficulties in receiving exit permission from the Cuban government. ¶7. In the same announcement, DHS outlined a proposal for Cubans who are U.S. citizens or residents to apply for expedited entry for certain family members residing in Cuba. Further guidance on this issue will follow as it becomes available. ¶8. Officers with questions, please contact USCIS at REFUGEEAFFAIRS@DHS.GOV. RICE NNNN