Questions Relating to Supporters
1. Do supporters have to be U.S. citizens?
No. Supporters must hold lawful status in the United States or be a parolee or recipient of deferred action or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) as of the date they file Form I-134. Individuals who may serve as supporters include:
- U.S. citizens and nationals;
- Lawful permanent residents, lawful temporary residents, and conditional permanent residents;
- Nonimmigrants in lawful status (that is, individuals who have maintained their nonimmigrant status and have not violated any of the terms or conditions of such status);
- Asylees, refugees, and parolees;
- Temporary Protected Status holders; and
- Recipients of deferred action (including DACA) or DE
2. Can a nongovernmental organization (NGO) file a Form I-134 as a supporter?
An NGO may not serve as the named supporter on a Form I-134. However, if an organization or other entity is providing financial or other services to the beneficiary for the purpose of facilitating support, the supporter should provide this information as part of the evidence they submit with Form I-134. We will consider this information when determining the supporter’s ability to support the named beneficiary.
3. Does USCIS conduct background vetting on supporters?
Yes. In addition to determining a potential supporter’s financial ability to support their beneficiary during the duration of the parole period, we also conduct security and background vetting on supporters, including for serious public safety or national security concerns or red flags for exploitation or human trafficking risks.
4. Does the supporter have to state that they will provide general support, or do they have to provide specific information about their support and contributions?
When they file Form I-134, supporters must provide evidence that they have sufficient income or immediate access to sufficient financial resources to support the beneficiary listed on Form I-134 for the duration of the beneficiary’s anticipated period of parole.
Supporters may provide evidence including, but not limited to:
- Statements from the officer of a U.S. bank or other financial institution;
- A letter of employment; and
- Copies of U.S. federal tax returns.
Multiple supporters may join together to support a beneficiary. In this case, a supporter should file Form I-134 and include the following documents:
- Supplementary evidence demonstrating the identity of, and the resources to be provided by, the additional supporters who will provide support to the beneficiary; and
- A statement explaining the intent of the additional supporters to share financial responsibility to support the beneficiary. We will assess the supporters’ ability to support the beneficiary collectively./li>
The Form I-134 requires a named individual to sign the form; organizations may not serve as the named supporter on a Form I-134. However, if an organization or other entity is providing financial or other services to the beneficiary for the purpose of facilitating support, a supporter should provide this information as part of the evidence submitted with their Form I-134, and we will consider it when determining the supporter’s ability to support the named beneficiary.
5. Does USCIS consider the beneficiary’s income and financial resources in determining whether their Form I-134 is sufficient?
No. When we are determining whether a Form I-134 is sufficient, we do not consider information about the beneficiary’s income or financial resources.
6. Is a bank officer’s statement required, or are monthly bank statements sufficient?
Every supporter’s circumstances are different. We review information provided by the supporter on Form I-134 about all assets and financial resources to demonstrate their ability to support the beneficiary.
7. How much money should a supporter have to ensure they are able to financially support a beneficiary?
Every potential supporter’s circumstances are different. We review financial information provided by the supporter on Form I-134 about all assets and resources. We use the Federal Poverty Guidelines, as outlined by the Department of Health and Human Services, as a general guide in determining the supporter’s ability to support the beneficiary for the duration of the beneficiary’s anticipated period of parole. When we use the Federal poverty guidelines, we consider a supporter’s household size to include the beneficiary listed on the supporter’s Form I-134, even if they do not intend to live with the supporter.
8. What types of support should supporters expect to provide to a beneficiary they agree to support?
Supporters agree to provide financial support and other resources to the beneficiary for the duration of the parole period. Before committing to be a supporter, supporters should keep the following types of support in mind when deciding whether to support a beneficiary. Support for beneficiaries includes:
- Receiving the beneficiary when they arrive in the United States and transporting them to initial housing;
- Ensuring that the beneficiary has safe and appropriate housing for the duration of their parole, as well as initial basic necessities;
- As appropriate, helping the beneficiary complete necessary paperwork such as for employment authorization, a Social Security card, and other services for which they may be eligible;
- Ensuring that the beneficiary’s health care and medical needs are met for the duration of the parole; and
- As appropriate, assisting the beneficiary with accessing education, learning English, securing employment, and enrolling children in school.
9. Is there any mandatory training or orientation required for supporters to make sure they are aware that they are agreeing to support the beneficiary listed on Form I-134 for the duration of the beneficiary’s stay in the United States?
No. There is no mandatory training required by the government. However, the Department of State has collaborated with Welcome.us to ensure that both newcomers and receiving communities have helpful information to support beneficiaries after they are paroled into the United States under Uniting for Ukraine.
10. Will there be a way to match supporters who do not personally know a Ukrainian with displaced Ukrainians who do not personally have someone to support them?
No. The U.S. government will not match potential supporters with beneficiaries. The Department of State has collaborated with Welcome.us to provide information to potential beneficiaries and supporters about Uniting for Ukraine. Please check Welcome.us for updates on their efforts to support Uniting for Ukraine.
