[Blog]

The Parole in Place program allows someone who entered the US without authorization to avoid having to return to their home country in order to obtain their permanent residence. Normally, the spouse of a US citizen who did not enter with authorization would have to leave the country and apply for a waiver outside. Because of the Parole in Place program, that spouse now does not have to leave, so does not accrue the bar to returning, and therefore needs no waiver. While this program has existed for some time, it was almost never used. Now, thanks to some media attention, it is being used more and more for family members of active-duty US military personnel. Maybe someday it will be extended, but for now, this is an important program to help ease the minds of soldiers, at least as far as the status of their family in the US is concerned.