DHS Modernizes Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program
The Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program (CFRP) has been modernized by the United States Department of Homeland Security, making most of the steps available online. The program, created in 2007, allows citizens and legal permanent residents of the United States to apply for parole for their family members in Cuba.
The modernization of the program, announced in August 2023, allows applicants to complete most of the CFRP process online, except for the examination by a panel doctor abroad and the in-person parole determination made upon arrival via air to an inland port of entry in the United States.
As per a message by the United States Embassy in Havana, there are two cases of people who received an invitation to participate in the CFRP, either in 2016 or in 2023.
For those who received an invitation in 2016 and also received an “opt-in” notification, they have the option to apply to the modernized program, which is almost completely digital, or continue with their current process. USCIS sent a letter to applicants with pending CFRP Form I-131 applications, notifying them of the option to participate in the modernized process and providing a deadline for submission of supporting documentation for each eligible beneficiary.
Cubans who received an invitation letter for the CFRP in 2023 must submit Form 134 A to participate in the modernized and almost entirely digital process. The USCIS Havana field office will not process Humanitarian Family Reunification Permits (FRP) cases for participants who have received an invitation to participate in the modernized process during 2023.
This modernization comes after the suspension of operations at the US Embassy in Havana due to staff reductions. The modernization of the program is expected to streamline the process for families seeking to reunite with their loved ones in the United States, while navigating the challenges posed by the reduction in embassy staff in Cuba.