Parole Definition

Parole is a permission granted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to a foreign national that allows them to physically enter the United States yet still be considered to have not legally entered the country. A person paroled into the U.S. is treated in a legal sense as if he or she were still at the border seeking permission to enter. While parolees are not afforded any legal rights or benefit greater than those seeking admission, they are provided with legal documents that permit their presence in the United States. Examples include parole for humanitarian or family unification purposes, and parole to proceed with the process of adjustment of status.

Parole is granted on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. Parole is not an “admission” or “entry.” The paroled foreign national is treated as an applicant for admission.

Advance Parole

Another use related to immigration is advance parole, in wshich a person who already legally resides in the U.S. needs to leave temporarily and return without a visa. This typically occurs when a person's application to adjust status to permanent residency (to obtain a green card) is pending, and the person must leave the U.S. for emergency or business reasons. It is also used for a temporary travel of those who received deferred action status by the USCIS, or have an asylum application pending. In the wake of September 11, 2001, there has been greater scrutiny of applications for parole and advance parole.