Retention Date: 12/22/2023
Summary of Changes
Section A.
- Updated section A. to include information received from USCIS noting that certain Afghan and Ukrainians are inherently work authorized incident to their parole status.
Section B.
- Added information to inform technicians that certain Ukrainians and Afghan parolees, and their qualifying family members are now employment authorized incident to their status.
Section C.
- Added language that details the criteria for Afghan parolees who are now work authorized incident to their status.
- Added language that details the criteria and instructions for processing SSN card requests from certain Ukrainian parolees who are now work authorized incident to status.
- Added a Parolee Example/Scenario.
- Added a note to reflect that certain Ukrainian Parolees may have a U4U annotation listed on their parolee stamp.
The revised EM also includes minor grammatical and formatting changes.
A. Purpose
This emergency message (EM) provides guidance for enumeration requests from Ukrainian and Afghan parolees with certain classes of admission who are employment authorized incident to their status.
B. Background
In April 2022, President Biden announced Uniting for Ukraine, a streamlined process to provide Ukrainian citizens opportunities to come to the United States. In our efforts to support this initiative, SSA worked in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State to enable qualified parolees to obtain a Social Security Number (SSN). Effective May 9, 2022, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the new class of admission (COA) Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolee (UHP) for Ukrainians admitted as Parolees.
Ukrainians applying for work authorization may have filed for an SSN card at the same time via the Enumeration Beyond Entry process, using USCIS’ Form I-765 (Application for Work Authorization).
On November 21, 2022, USCIS announced that Ukrainian and Afghan parolees, and their qualifying family members, with certain COAs are employment authorized incident to their status. These individuals can work in the United States prior to the approval of their Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization).
C. Field Office Processing Instructions
1. Afghans
Afghan parolees who are worked authorized incident to status may possess the following document:
- Unexpired Form I-94 which contains a COA of Operation Allies Refugee (OAR). Enumeration applications for individuals with the appropriate documentation and a COA of OAR should be processed through the Social Security Number Application Process (SSNAP) following normal procedures.
NOTE: If an Afghan parolee believes they should have received a COA of OAR but did not, the individual should be referred to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
2. Ukrainians
Ukrainian parolees admitted into the United States under the Uniting for Ukraine process may have a COA of UHP. Additionally, other Ukrainians may be admitted with a COA of DT.
NOTE: Individuals may have a U4U annotation on their parolee stamp, which is
shorthand for Uniting for Ukraine. The SAVE response should return a COA of
UHP.
- Ukrainian Parolees with a COA of UHP
Ukrainian parolees with a COA of UHP are work authorized incident to status and may possess one of the following documents:
- An unexpired Form I-94 with a COA of UHP, or
- An unexpired foreign passport with a paroled stamp that returns a COA of UHP in SAVE.
Enumeration applications for individuals with the appropriate documentation and a COA of UHP should be processed through SSNAP following normal procedures.
- Ukrainian Parolees with a COA of DT
Ukrainian parolees with an I-94 issued between February 24, 2022, and September 30, 2023, with a COA of DT and Ukraine as the country of citizenship on the document are work authorized incident to status.
To process an SSN card for an applicant with a COA of DT, verify it was issued between February 24, 2022, and September 30, 2023, and indicates Ukraine as a country of citizenship. Technicians must use the One Time Special Processing (OTSP) option in SSNAP and do the following:
o Verify the I-94 via SAVE located in I-MAIN (prior to loading the application in SSNAP)
§ SAVE response should return a COA of DT
o Load the SS-5 into SSNAP
o Select “Lawful Alien” for citizenship on the Number Holder Information screen
o Select the appropriate document for age, identity, and proof of legal alien status.
o The technician should add a comment on the summary screen as follows: “The SAVE Verification Number is: (insert number obtained from SAVE response).”
Parolee Example/Scenario: An individual provides an I-94 with a COA of DT and Ukraine listed as the country of citizenship. The I-94 was issued between February 24, 2022, and September 30, 2023. Technician verifies the I-94 via I-MAIN SAVE. SAVE returns a response of “Parolee” with a COA of DT.
Technician Response: The technician loads the SS-5 into SSNAP and processes the application using the OTSP option.
Applicants must submit evidence of age, identity, and alien status. Per RM 10211.190, parolees may submit only one document to prove age, identity, and immigration status for an SSN card.
This EM supersedes guidance provided in RM 10211.195 since USCIS determined that these individuals are inherently work authorized incident to their parolee status.
If an applicant submits Form I-766 then the technician should follow RM 10211.200.
Direct all program-related and technical questions to your Regional Office (RO) support staff using vHelp or Program Service Center (PSC) Operations Analysis (OA) staff. RO support staff or PSC OA staff may refer questions, concerns or problems to their Central Office contacts.
References:
RM 10211.190 Evidence of Parolee Status for an SSN Card
RM 10211.195 Evidence of Parolee Status When Form I-94 is Submitted
RM 10211.200 Evidence of Parolee Status when an Employment Authorization
RM 10211.420 Employment Authorization for Non-immigrants