CHNV stands for Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The CHNV parole program, also called CHNV humanitarian parole, the CHNV parole program, or sometimes mistyped CVNH, CNHV, or CHNV visa, was the humanitarian parole program for nationals of those four countries. It was created in 2022-2023. The Department of Homeland Security terminated the program in 2025. The termination ended the remaining CHNV paroles, affecting hundreds of thousands of people. Terminated parolees may still pursue other relief: asylum (Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) 208), withholding of removal (INA 241(b)(3)), Convention Against Torture protection, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) where available, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petitions, U-visas, T-visas, family-based adjustment, and cancellation of removal. Court challenges to the termination did not stop it.
CHNV is not a visa. It is a form of humanitarian parole under INA 212(d)(5)(A), a temporary, discretionary permission to enter and remain in the United States. It does not lead directly to a green card or to citizenship the way a visa does, and it can be revoked at any time. Former parolees can talk with an immigration attorney about whether any of the options above fit their situation.
Hundreds of thousands of people came under the program for nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, and the federal government ended it in 2025. Many people affected may still have legal options, and some have deadlines, so the time to ask an attorney is now.
DHS has sent termination notices ending CHNV parole and the work permits based on it, and court challenges did not stop the termination (Supreme Court, 2025). But asylum, withholding of removal, Convention Against Torture protection, family-based green cards, VAWA, and crime-victim visas may still be possible for many former parolees. Below are the questions attorneys and families keep asking.
Nicaragua, Venezuela
ended the program
In This Guide
- What was the CHNV parole program?
- Why did the government terminate CHNV parole?
- What happened in court?
- What does the termination notice mean for parolees?
- What legal options do CHNV parolees have now?
- How does a psychological evaluation help former CHNV parolees?
- What about the asylum one-year filing deadline?
- Country conditions: why return is dangerous
- California resources for CHNV parolees
- What options may be available to former CHNV parolees?
- CHNV termination case examples (composite)
- Frequently asked questions
What was the CHNV parole program?
The CHNV parole program was a DHS humanitarian program that let a limited number of people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela come to the United States for up to two years, with the chance to apply for a work permit. It started in 2022-2023 and was ended in 2025.
It was authorized under INA 212(d)(5)(A), which lets the government parole people into the country case by case for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. USCIS has posted updates on the program's termination and the court cases about it, such as its update on the Supreme Court's stay; check USCIS and an attorney for the current status.
A U.S.-based supporter had to apply for each person, who then went through security vetting and paid for their own travel. On arrival, each person got a period of parole and could apply for a work permit. Before the program ended, the government said there would be no re-parole, so parolees were expected to find another status before their parole ran out.
Why did the government terminate CHNV parole?
In 2025 the administration ordered categorical parole programs like CHNV ended, and DHS published a Federal Register notice terminating them, saying they no longer served a significant public benefit or the government's foreign policy goals. Parolees challenged the termination in court, arguing that parole granted case by case has to be ended case by case; the courts allowed the termination to go ahead.
This is happening now. DHS has sent notices ending CHNV parole and parole-based work permits. If you or someone you love came in under CHNV, do not wait.
What happened in court?
The termination, and related DHS policies, have been fought in several federal courts, and the legal picture has changed quickly. The Supreme Court allowed the termination to proceed in 2025, and court orders on related questions, such as expedited removal and USCIS processing holds, have been issued, paused or reversed since. These cases can still change, so ask your attorney about their current state alongside your own application.
Expedited removal is a real risk. Former CHNV parolees can be placed in expedited removal, a fast process without a hearing before an immigration judge, unless a court order or rule applies. People in expedited removal who say they fear return get a credible fear interview. If you get detained, ask for an immigration attorney right away.
What does the termination notice mean for parolees?
A termination notice from DHS means your parole and the work permit based on it have ended. Three things generally follow:
- Your parole ends. Parole was permission to be here, not a status, and it no longer protects you.
- Your work permit based on parole ends. Your employer may find out when it re-verifies your work authorization.
- Unlawful presence can start to count. Time after parole ends can count toward bars on coming back to the United States (INA 212(a)(9)(B)), with exceptions such as a pending asylum application filed in good faith. Your attorney calculates it.
A termination notice does not by itself start removal proceedings; that takes a separate step, such as a Notice to Appear or expedited removal. DHS said it would prioritize for removal people who had not properly filed for an immigration benefit before the termination notice was published and were not the beneficiary of a request someone else filed for them. Ask an immigration attorney what applies to you.
If your heart is pounding right now, that is normal. Breathe. You have options, and this guide walks through the main ones.
DHS also encourages "self-deportation" through the CBP Home app and has offered travel help and a payment (DHS). Do not use it without talking to an immigration attorney first. Leaving can trigger bars to coming back; an immigration attorney can explain what it would mean for you.
What legal options do CHNV parolees have now?
Options former CHNV parolees often review with an attorney include asylum if there's a well-founded fear of persecution on a protected ground, Temporary Protected Status if your country still has a live designation, a VAWA self-petition if a U.S. citizen or green card holder spouse or parent abused you, or a U-visa if you were the victim of a qualifying crime in the U.S. and helped law enforcement. Each one has its own rules, deadlines, and path (or no path) to a green card. The right one depends on the facts of your life. The earlier an immigration attorney looks at it, the more options stay open.
| Relief Pathway | Key Requirements | One-Year Deadline? | Path to Green Card? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asylum | Well-founded fear of persecution on protected ground | Yes (exceptions may apply) | Yes, after time as an asylee, if other conditions are met |
| Withholding of Removal | More likely than not face persecution on a protected ground | No | No |
| CAT Protection | More likely than not face torture by, or with the consent or acquiescence of, a public official | No | No |
| TPS | Nationality-specific designation; physical presence | No (registration periods) | No (status only) |
| Cuban Adjustment Act | Cuban national; 1 year physical presence; paroled | No | Yes, directly |
| Family-Based | U.S. citizen or LPR relative; inspected and paroled | No | Yes |
| VAWA | Abuse by USC/LPR spouse or parent | No | Yes |
| U-Visa | Crime victim in U.S.; law enforcement cert | No | Can apply after a period in U status, if other conditions are met |
| T-Visa | Trafficking victim; extreme hardship | No | Can apply after a period in T status, if other conditions are met |
Asylum (INA 208)
Asylum is the path for former CHNV parolees who fear persecution at home. The legal standard is a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group; a reasonable possibility of persecution can be enough, without proof that it is more likely than not. A person granted asylum can later apply for a green card if they meet the requirements, and asylum can also extend to a spouse and children.
The biggest hurdle is the one-year filing deadline; the next section covers it. There are practical barriers too. USCIS processing holds on asylum cases, and court orders about them, have changed more than once, so check USCIS's court-order alert. Immigration judges have also been ending more asylum cases early, without a full hearing (called pretermission). And recent federal law added asylum fees, some of them challenged in court, so check the current amounts on USCIS's official G-1055 fee schedule before filing.
Withholding of removal (INA 241(b)(3))
Withholding usually goes in alongside an asylum application. The standard is harder. You have to show it is "more likely than not" that your life or freedom would be threatened because of a protected ground (race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group). But the trade-off can be worth it. Withholding has no one-year filing deadline, and if you meet the standard and no bar applies, the judge has to grant it. The catch: it does not lead to a green card, it does not cover family members, and leaving the United States generally ends it.
Convention Against Torture (CAT)
CAT requires you to show it is more likely than not that you'd be tortured if sent back, by or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official. It applies whether or not you qualify for asylum or withholding. Haitians facing gang violence with police complicity, Venezuelan opposition figures who fear SEBIN or FAES torture, Nicaraguan dissidents targeted by Ortega's security forces, Cuban political prisoners pulled into interrogation rooms: those are the kinds of facts CAT claims are built on; whether one succeeds is for the judge. No one-year deadline, and deferral of removal under CAT can be available even to people barred from other relief (8 CFR 1208.17).
Cuban Adjustment Act
Cubans have one option no other CHNV nationality has. The Cuban Adjustment Act lets a Cuban national who was admitted or paroled into the U.S. and has been physically present for at least a year apply for a green card, without an asylum claim. A spouse or child who lives with the Cuban applicant may be able to apply too, even if not Cuban, and some rules that block other adjustment applicants do not apply. USCIS has at times held applications from Cuban nationals, and courts have ruled on those holds, so check USCIS's current alert and ask your attorney.
Family-based immigration
Because CHNV parolees were "inspected and admitted or paroled," they clear the threshold for adjustment of status under INA 245(a). That is a real advantage over people who came in without inspection. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens can file the I-130 and I-485 together, and visas are always available in that category.
VAWA, U-visa, and T-visa
If you lived through domestic violence, became a crime victim, or were trafficked, you have your own paths to relief:
- VAWA self-petitions protect parolees in abusive relationships with a U.S. citizen or green card holder spouse. They open a separate path to a green card that does not depend on the abuser, and federal law (8 U.S.C. 1367) limits disclosure of the case, with exceptions.
- U-visas protect parolees who were victims of qualifying crimes in the United States. The wait can be long (USCIS), and after a period in U status a person may be able to apply for a green card.
- T-visas are for parolees who were trafficked, whether on the journey or after they got here.
Cancellation of removal
Cancellation under INA 240A(b) requires 10 years of continuous physical presence, good moral character, and "exceptional and extremely unusual hardship" to a U.S. citizen or green card holder family member, so most CHNV parolees are years away from it. VAWA-based cancellation, for some people abused by a U.S. citizen or green card holder spouse or parent, has a shorter presence requirement, and a psychological evaluation can document the abuse's impact for it.
How does a psychological evaluation help former CHNV parolees?
A psychological evaluation can do three things for a former CHNV parolee. It documents trauma symptoms (PTSD, depression, anxiety) and whether they are consistent with what the person reports happened. It describes the fear the person reports, which goes to the subjective side of the "well-founded fear of persecution" question under INA 101(a)(42); whether the fear is well-founded, and whether the person is credible, is for the judge. And for Convention Against Torture claims, it can document symptoms consistent with reported past torture, one kind of evidence the regulations list (8 CFR 1208.16(c)(3)).
In CHNV-to-asylum cases, an evaluation can help in five ways:
1. Clinical evidence of persecution-based trauma
A well-done evaluation with validated instruments documents symptoms in standardized terms alongside your own account of what happened. Common measures include the PCL-5 for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, the PHQ-9 for depression and the GAD-7 for anxiety, chosen for each case. A score is a self-report symptom measure, not a diagnosis or proof of what happened; the psychologist reads it with the interview and the rest of the evaluation and can document whether the symptoms are consistent with what the person reports.
2. The inconsistencies that sink asylum cases
Under the REAL ID Act, immigration judges can weigh inconsistencies in testimony even on points that are not central to the claim. That is hard on trauma survivors. Trauma can affect memory, and PTSD and depression are linked with memory problems, which can be one reason survivors give incomplete or inconsistent accounts. A qualified evaluator can explain how that may apply to the person evaluated; whether the testimony is credible is for the judge.
3. The narrative gap from CHNV to asylum
A question that can come up: why would someone who arrived through a sponsorship program be seeking asylum? The psychological evaluation can add clinical information. It documents the person's reported history, from the conditions they fled to anything that has happened since they arrived, such as detention, and their current symptoms, and it can say whether those symptoms are consistent with that history. Whether the person qualifies for asylum is for the judge.
4. Fear of return, with clinical precision
Instead of leaning on your testimony alone that you are afraid to go back, the evaluation gives the judge a clinical account of your symptoms and of how they may be affected by return, such as worsening PTSD or depression. How much weight the evaluation gets is up to the judge.
5. Every other form of relief
A psychological evaluation is not just for asylum:
- In U-visa cases, it documents symptoms and functioning consistent with the reported crime; whether the harm was substantial physical or mental abuse is USCIS's decision.
- In VAWA cases, it documents the psychological impact of the reported abuse. That matters most for non-physical abuse, the kind that leaves no scars to photograph.
- In cancellation of removal cases, it documents the clinical side of the hardship your removal would cause to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse, parent or child; whether that meets the "exceptional and extremely unusual hardship" standard is for the judge.
- In hardship waivers, it documents psychological dependence and the toll of family separation.
What makes a strong evaluation? A thorough report usually draws on a clinical interview, DSM-5-TR diagnoses, validated psychometric testing (PCL-5, PHQ-9, GAD-7), cultural context, and a clinical opinion from a licensed psychologist.
What about the asylum one-year filing deadline?
Under INA 208(a)(2)(B), asylum applicants generally have one year from their last arrival in the U.S. to file. For most people who arrived on CHNV parole, that year has passed.
Two exceptions may apply to many former CHNV parolees:
Extraordinary circumstances: you held lawful parole
The regulations at 8 CFR 208.4(a)(5)(iv) list holding lawful status or parole among the extraordinary circumstances that can excuse a late asylum filing. If your parole was valid until DHS terminated it, this exception may apply, but the application then has to be filed within a "reasonable period" after the parole ends. Long delays have generally not been treated as reasonable, and shorter ones are judged case by case (Matter of T-M-H- & S-W-C-, 25 I&N Dec. 193 (BIA 2010)). There is no fixed grace period; an immigration attorney can say what applies to you.
Changed circumstances: country conditions got worse
Under 8 CFR 208.4(a)(4), changed circumstances that materially affect asylum eligibility can also excuse a late filing when the application follows within a reasonable period. Changes in conditions in the home country can be such a change, and reports from the UN, the State Department and human rights groups describe serious, ongoing problems in all four countries: gang violence in Haiti, the security services that remained after Maduro's removal in Venezuela, the jailing of opponents in Nicaragua, and political repression in Cuba. Whether a change fits your case, and when you had to file after it, is a question for your attorney.
How a psychological evaluation can relate to a late filing
Serious mental health conditions, such as PTSD or major depression, can count as an extraordinary circumstance for a late filing; whether they do in your case is for the officer or judge to decide, with your attorney's argument. A forensic psychological evaluation can document your symptoms and when they began relative to the filing deadline. The regulations at 8 CFR 208.4(a)(5) list "serious illness or mental or physical disability, including any effects of persecution or violent harm" among the extraordinary circumstances.
The evaluation can describe symptoms that may help explain a delay even in someone who looked functional on the outside (working, caring for kids). Avoidance is a core feature of PTSD. Survivors steer clear of anything that reminds them of their persecution. Immigration proceedings are exactly that.
If you came in on CHNV parole
Timing matters. If your parole was terminated in 2025, much of the time the rule calls reasonable may already have passed, and any later filing turns on the specific facts. An immigration attorney can tell you whether an asylum filing still makes sense for you.
Why is return to Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, or Venezuela dangerous?
Return to Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, or Venezuela is dangerous because each country presents documented persecution, gang violence, or political repression that can be relevant to asylum and withholding claims. State Department human rights reports describe extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, and targeted violence. Country conditions evidence and a psychological evaluation document different parts of the record.
Return to any of the four CHNV countries carries documented risks. Those risks can be relevant to claims for asylum, withholding of removal, and Convention Against Torture protection. Haiti faces a severe security crisis, with gangs controlling much of Port-au-Prince (UN News). Cuba represses political dissent. Nicaragua has stripped citizenship from opposition figures. In Venezuela, the security services remained after Maduro's removal. The country-conditions evidence you need depends on which country, and which form of relief you are pursuing.
Haiti
Haiti faces a severe security crisis. Gangs control much of Port-au-Prince and have spread beyond it, and the UN Human Rights Office has reported thousands of people killed in violence by gangs and in operations against them, as well as widespread sexual violence. The police have not been able to protect much of the population.
For Haitian asylum seekers, the protected ground depends on the facts: it can be any of the five in the law (INA 101(a)(42)), such as political opinion or membership in a particular social group. General violence alone usually is not enough. When the harm comes from gangs rather than the government, how the government's failure to protect is shown is a question for the attorney. CAT is narrower: it needs torture by, or with the acquiescence of, a public official, which means an official who, before the torture, knew of it or was aware of a high probability of it and deliberately avoided learning the truth, and then breached a legal duty to intervene; a government that simply cannot protect people is not the same thing (8 CFR 1208.18(a)(7)).
Venezuela
A U.S. military operation removed Nicolas Maduro from power in early 2026, and his vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, became interim president. The security apparatus, including the SEBIN intelligence police and armed colectivos, did not go with him, and human rights organizations report continued arbitrary detention and targeting of perceived opponents.
The government may argue that conditions have improved since Maduro's removal. How judges are treating that question is still developing; ask an attorney how it applies to your facts.
Nicaragua
Nicaraguan former parolees can ask an immigration attorney which options fit their own circumstances. Since the 2018 protests, the government has jailed political opponents, stripped citizenship from dissidents, seized property, and shut down independent media and civil society groups (Human Rights Watch).
Cuba
Cuban parolees have an option the other three nationalities lack: the Cuban Adjustment Act. Whether someone who fears persecution should also apply for asylum, and when, is a question for an immigration attorney. Human rights groups report continued political repression in Cuba, including the detention and prosecution of people who took part in the 2021 protests, surveillance, and harassment of independent journalists, activists and their families.
California resources for CHNV parolees
California funds community organizations that give free legal help to immigrants who live, or used to live, in California, including defense in deportation cases, and the state has added emergency funding for legal help and basic needs. The California Department of Social Services map shows the nearest provider.
Where to find legal help in California. Start with the state's map of state-funded legal service providers. Nonprofits that help immigrants in Southern California include CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights), CARECEN (Central American Resource Center) and Public Counsel.
What options may be available to former CHNV parolees?
The most important thing you can do is talk to a qualified immigration attorney now. Court rulings on expedited removal and on USCIS holds keep changing, and DHS said it would prioritize for removal people who had not properly filed for an immigration benefit before the termination notice was published and were not the beneficiary of a request someone else filed for them.
If you are Cuban
You may have options under the Cuban Adjustment Act. An immigration attorney can tell you whether adjustment of status, asylum, or both fit your situation.
If you are Haitian
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti has ended after court decisions in 2026 (8 U.S.C. 1254a is the TPS law); check USCIS's Haiti TPS page for the current status and talk to an immigration attorney about other options. Having held TPS can count as an extraordinary circumstance for the asylum one-year deadline when the application is filed within a reasonable period after it ends (8 CFR 208.4(a)(5)(iv)); how that applies to your dates is a question for your attorney.
If you are Venezuelan or Nicaraguan
An immigration attorney can tell you whether asylum, withholding of removal, CAT protection, or a family-based path fits your facts. Some options have deadlines, so talk to one soon.
Everyone, regardless of nationality
Pull these documents together now:
- Your original CHNV parole paperwork and I-94
- The DHS termination notice itself
- Any evidence of country conditions or persecution: news articles, photos, messages, witness statements
- Medical records that document injuries
- Police reports if you were the victim of a crime in the U.S.
- Proof of your roots here: pay stubs, tax returns, your kids' school records
Do not self-deport without talking to an attorney first, however tempting an exit offer looks. Leaving can trigger bars to coming back. Do not ignore a Notice to Appear. Missing the hearing can lead to a removal order issued in your absence. If you are detained and you are afraid of being sent back, you have the right to say that out loud to the immigration officer. An attorney can walk you through your options from detention.
If you have lived through domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233) and ask about VAWA self-petition options. If a crime happened to you in the U.S., ask your attorney about U-visa eligibility. If you were trafficked, on the journey or once you got here, ask about T-visa eligibility.
What do CHNV termination case examples look like?
The composites below show how a former parolee's record can come together: evidence of what happened in the home country alongside a psychological evaluation documenting trauma symptoms. Which paths fit depends on the facts, including the one-year asylum filing deadline; an immigration attorney can say which apply.
Three composite, illustrative cases, not real ones. Country conditions, deadlines, Temporary Protected Status and court cases may have changed since they were written.
Yenisleidy, 34, Cuba, terminated CHNV parolee, Cuban Adjustment Act after the asylum deadline passed
Yenisleidy entered the United States through the CHNV parole program and lived with her aunt. She had not filed for asylum within her first year because her parole was still valid and she did not expect the program to end. When the termination notice arrived, her one-year asylum filing deadline had already passed. The attorney evaluated changed-circumstances and extraordinary-circumstances exceptions to the one-year bar, but neither was a clean fit. Because Yenisleidy is Cuban and was paroled into the United States, the attorney focused on the Cuban Adjustment Act, which lets many Cuban parolees who have been physically present for at least one year apply for a green card.
What the case file showed: Yenisleidy provided proof that she was paroled into the United States and had been physically present for more than a year. The attorney also asked a licensed psychologist to document her mental health during the period of uncertainty. The evaluator documented symptoms consistent with Major Depressive Disorder (PHQ-9 score of 17) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7 score of 15), which she described as starting when her status became uncertain.
What makes this example strong: The attorney looked past the closed asylum deadline to the path her facts supported, and the evaluation documented her depression and anxiety for the file. Whether the Cuban Adjustment Act or a family petition is the right long-term path is a legal question for her attorney, and outcomes depend on many factors.
Jean-Marc, 41, Haiti, terminated CHNV parolee, asylum claim filed within the one-year window
Jean-Marc entered through CHNV parole. In Haiti, he had been a low-level community organizer who advocated against gang control of his Port-au-Prince neighborhood. He had received specific threats from a named gang leader, including an incident where his motorcycle was set on fire outside his home. He filed for asylum within his first year in the United States. The CHNV termination did not change his asylum filing itself.
What the case file showed: Jean-Marc had documentary evidence of his community organizing (photographs at protests, signed petitions he had delivered to local government), a contemporaneous police report from the motorcycle arson, and three witness affidavits from neighbors who had relocated within Haiti or to the Dominican Republic. The psychological evaluation, conducted in Haitian Creole with a professional interpreter, documented Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for the DSM-5 (PCL-5) score of 49, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) score of 19, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) score of 17. The country-conditions section of his asylum packet cited UN reporting on gang control and killings in Port-au-Prince.
What makes this example strong: Documents and neighbor affidavits support the reported events, a clinical evaluation documents symptoms consistent with them, and the filing came inside the one-year window. This example is illustrative; whether asylum is granted depends on many factors beyond any single piece of evidence.
Carolina, 38, Venezuela, terminated CHNV parolee, asylum filed soon after the parole ended
Carolina entered through CHNV parole with her two young children. In Venezuela, her husband had been a member of a Voluntad Popular opposition party youth group; he had been arrested twice by Servicio Bolivariano de Inteligencia Nacional (SEBIN) and remained in Venezuela in hiding when she fled. Her one-year asylum deadline had passed by the time CHNV was terminated, so soon after her parole ended her attorney filed an asylum application arguing the extraordinary-circumstances exception for people who held parole until a reasonable period before filing (8 CFR 208.4(a)(5)(iv)). Venezuela TPS was not a reliable backup, because most Venezuela TPS protections have been terminated (see above). The attorney's argument on country conditions after Maduro's removal: the security apparatus, including SEBIN, remains, and political opponents continue to be targeted.
What the case file showed: Carolina had photographs of her husband at Voluntad Popular events, a copy of one of his arrest records (smuggled out by a sister), and three corroborating affidavits from former neighbors. The psychological evaluation documented Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for the DSM-5 (PCL-5) score of 56, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) score of 21, and a documented panic disorder triggered by news coverage of conditions in Venezuela. The evaluation documented her symptoms and their connection to the events she described; which legal ground to argue (political opinion, imputed through her husband) was her attorney's call.
What makes this example strong: Documentary evidence of the husband's activity and arrest and neighbor affidavits support the reported events, a clinical evaluation documents symptoms consistent with them, and the application was filed soon after the parole ended. How conditions after Maduro's removal affect political-opinion claims is still developing. This example is illustrative; outcomes depend on many factors.
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Frequently asked questions
What does CHNV stand for?
CHNV stands for Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, the four countries whose nationals could come to the United States under the humanitarian parole program created in 2022 and 2023. The acronym is sometimes mistyped as CVNH, CNHV, or written as "ch nv" with a space. All variations refer to the same program. The program was authorized under Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) 212(d)(5)(A) and was modeled on the earlier Uniting for Ukraine program.
Is CHNV a visa, a green card, or something else?
CHNV is not a visa and not a green card. It is a form of humanitarian parole, a temporary, discretionary permission to enter and remain in the United States, granted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on a case-by-case basis. Parole does not provide lawful immigration status. It does not lead directly to permanent residence or citizenship. It can be revoked at any time, which is exactly what happened in 2025 when the Department of Homeland Security terminated the entire program. To pursue a permanent path to lawful status, a former CHNV parolee would need to apply for asylum, a VAWA self-petition, a U-visa or T-visa application, a family-based petition, or another qualifying form of relief.
What is the CHNV humanitarian parole program in plain language?
It was a program that let people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela fly to the United States with a U.S.-based supporter, after security vetting, and stay for up to two years with permission to apply for work authorization. Hundreds of thousands of people came through it before the government stopped it in 2025.
What happens if my CHNV parole is terminated?
Your parole and the work permit based on it end. DHS said it would prioritize for removal people who had not properly filed for an immigration benefit before the termination notice was published and were not the beneficiary of a request someone else filed for them. A termination notice does not by itself place you in removal proceedings. Talk to an immigration attorney about your options as soon as you can.
Can I apply for asylum after CHNV parole ends?
Possibly. The one-year filing deadline has an explicit regulatory exception at 8 CFR 208.4(a)(5)(iv) for individuals who were given parole. The filing must occur within a reasonable period after parole ends. An immigration attorney can advise on the appropriate timing.
What is the one-year asylum filing deadline?
Under federal law, an asylum application must generally be filed within one year of your last arrival in the United States. For most CHNV parolees this deadline has passed. However, having been given parole is listed as an extraordinary circumstance (8 CFR 208.4(a)(5)(iv)) when the application is filed within a reasonable period after the parole ends. Worsening conditions in your home country may also be argued as changed circumstances.
Can CHNV parolees get Temporary Protected Status?
Not at present for most. DHS terminated TPS for Haiti, Venezuela and Nicaragua, and court challenges did not keep those designations in place; Cuba has never had TPS. Court cases and designations can change, so check USCIS's TPS pages and ask an immigration attorney about other options.
What happens at a master calendar hearing?
This is your first appearance in immigration court. The judge will review the charges against you, confirm your identity and address, ask about your legal representation, and ask whether you will apply for any relief from removal. Your attorney will advise you on which forms of relief to request at this hearing, which may include asylum, withholding of removal, and CAT protection. A former parolee may instead be placed in expedited removal, without this hearing (see what happened in court); ask for an attorney right away if you are detained.
How long can I stay in the U.S. after parole termination?
There is no fixed grace period, and DHS says you should depart. Whether a pending application changes anything about removal depends on the application, so ask an immigration attorney. Unlawful presence generally starts to count after parole ends, with exceptions (such as time under age 18 and some pending asylum applications, INA 212(a)(9)(B)(iii)), and it can lead to bars on coming back if you later leave.
Do I need a lawyer if my parole is terminated?
No law requires one, and in most cases the government does not provide one: the law lets you have a lawyer "at no expense to the Government" (8 U.S.C. 1229a(b)(4)(A)), so most people have to find their own. Many people in immigration court have no lawyer. A narrow exception: certain detained people without a lawyer whom a judge finds not competent to represent themselves can be given a qualified representative, under a court order covering Arizona, California and Washington or EOIR's nationwide policy (EOIR National Qualified Representative Program). California funds nonprofits that give free legal help to immigrants; the state's map shows the nearest one.
What is the difference between parole and asylum?
Parole is a temporary, discretionary permission to enter and remain in the United States. It can be revoked at any time and provides no permanent status. Asylum is a form of protection for people who have been persecuted or fear persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. A person granted asylum can later apply for a green card if they meet the requirements (USCIS).
Should I use the CBP Home app to self-deport?
Do not self-deport without consulting an immigration attorney, even if an exit payment seems appealing. Leaving can trigger bars to coming back under INA 212(a)(9)(B). An immigration attorney can explain what leaving would mean in your case.
How does a psychological evaluation help my case?
A forensic psychological evaluation documents trauma symptoms, mental health conditions and reported fear of return, with standardized measures. The legal outcome depends on the full record, and no evaluation guarantees a result. The evaluation can document PTSD or depression during the period you missed the asylum deadline (your attorney uses that to argue the late filing), explain how trauma can affect memory and testimony, and describe the psychological effects a return could have.
What's the difference between CHNV and TPS for Haitians and Venezuelans?
CHNV and TPS are two separate programs with two separate legal foundations, even though many Haitians and Venezuelans qualified for both at once. CHNV was humanitarian parole under INA 212(d)(5)(A), for up to two years, with a U.S.-based supporter. Parole is authorized presence, not a status. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is granted under INA 244 / 8 U.S.C. 1254a to nationals of countries the Secretary of Homeland Security designates because of armed conflict, environmental disaster, or extraordinary conditions. TPS is a status, not parole. It comes with work authorization and protection from removal while the designation lasts. DHS terminated TPS for Haiti, Venezuela and Nicaragua, and Cuba has never been designated, so TPS is not a path for a former CHNV parolee from these countries unless a country is designated again; check USCIS for the current status.
What forms of relief are available for terminated CHNV parolees?
Several pathways may be worth reviewing after a CHNV parole termination, and some people's situations fit more than one; an immigration attorney can say which apply. (1) Asylum under INA 208 if the person fears persecution on a protected ground. (2) Withholding of removal under INA 241(b)(3), a higher bar than asylum but required to be granted if met and no bar applies. (3) Convention Against Torture (CAT) protection if return would result in torture by or with the acquiescence of government officials. (4) Temporary Protected Status if your country of origin currently has an active TPS designation. (5) VAWA self-petition under INA 204(a)(1) if you were abused by a U.S. citizen or LPR spouse or parent, or by a U.S. citizen son or daughter aged 21 or older. (6) U-visa or T-visa if you were the victim of a qualifying crime or trafficking (both have law enforcement cooperation requirements, with some exceptions). (7) Family-based petition if a relative who can petition for you is willing to file: a U.S. citizen spouse, parent, son or daughter aged 21 or older, or brother or sister aged 21 or older, or an LPR spouse or parent. The eligibility rules for each pathway are spelled out in the USCIS Policy Manual. Talking with an immigration attorney soon after a termination notice matters because some options have deadlines, such as the one-year deadline for asylum.