General Eligibility for the Keeping Families Together Parole-in-Place Program
The Keeping Families Together Parole-in-Place (PIP) program is designed to help certain noncitizen spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens remain in the United States legally. However, eligibility for this program is specific and must be understood before applying.
Who is Eligible?
The program is available to two groups:
Noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens.
Noncitizen stepchildren of U.S. citizens.
Eligibility for Spouses of U.S. Citizens
To qualify, the noncitizen spouse must:
Be present in the United States without admission or parole.
Have been continuously present in the U.S. for at least 10 years as of June 17, 2024.
Be in a legally valid marriage to a U.S. citizen as of June 17, 2024.
Additional Considerations for Spouses
The U.S. citizen spouse must have held citizenship by June 17, 2024. If the spouse was a lawful permanent resident on that date and later became a U.S. citizen, the noncitizen spouse is not eligible.
Common law spouses can apply, provided the marriage took place by June 17, 2024.
Marriages must be legally valid where they were performed, but USCIS may not recognize certain marriages, such as those that contradict public policy or involve minors or close relatives.
In some cases, widowed spouses may also be eligible if the marriage occurred before June 17, 2024, and the applicant has not remarried.
Eligibility for Stepchildren of U.S. Citizens
Stepchildren can apply separately from their noncitizen parents and must:
Be present in the United States without admission or parole.
Have a qualifying stepchild relationship with a U.S. citizen parent by June 17, 2024.
Stepchildren must be unmarried and under the age of 21 as of June 17, 2024. Importantly, they are not subject to the 10-year presence requirement but must have been present in the U.S. since June 17, 2024, and maintained continuous physical presence.
Navigating the application process for the Keeping Families Together PIP program can be complex. For personalized assistance, reach out to D'Andrea Law Corporation: 626-852-8600, info@dandrealaw.com.
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