The family unity program implements the provisions of section 301 of the Immigration Act of 1990, Public Law 101-649. This Act is referred to in this subpart as “IMMACT 90”.

In this subpart, the term:

Eligible immigrant means a qualified immigrant who is the spouse or unmarried child of a legalized alien.

For purposes of §§ 236.10 to 236.18 only, Legalized alien means an alien who:

(1) Is a temporary or permanent resident under section 210 or 245A of the Act;

(2) Is a permanent resident under section 202 of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (Cuban/Haitian Adjustment); or

(3) Is a naturalized U.S. citizen who was a permanent resident under section 210 or 245A of the Act or section 202 of the Immigrant Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) (Cuban/Haitian Adjustment), and maintained such a status until his or her naturalization.

(a) General. An alien who is not a lawful permanent resident is eligible to apply for benefits under the Family Unity Program if he or she establishes:

(1) That he or she entered the United States before May 5, 1988 (in the case of a relationship to a legalized alien described in subsection (b)(2)(B) or (b)(2)(C) of section 301 of IMMACT 90), or as of December 1, 1988 (in the case of a relationship to a legalized alien described in subsection (b)(2)(A) of section 301 of IMMACT 90), and has been continuously residing in the United States since that date; and

(2) That as of May 5, 1988, (in the case of a relationship to a legalized alien described in subsection (b)(2)(B) or (b)(2) (C) of section 301 of IMMACT 90) or as of December 1, 1988, (in the case of a relationship to a legalized alien described in subsection (b)(2) (A) of section 301 of IMMACT 90), he or she was the spouse or unmarried child of a legalized alien, and that he or she has been eligible continuously since that time for family-sponsored immigrant status under section 203(a) (1), (2), or (3) or as an immediate relative under section 201 (b)(2) of the Act based on the same relationship.

(b) Legalization application pending as of May 5, 1988 or December 1, 1988. An alien whose legalization application was filed on or before May 5, 1988 (in the case of a relationship to a legalized alien described in subsection (b)(2)(B) or (b)(2)(C) of section 301 of IMMACT 90), or as of December 1, 1988 (in the case of a relationship to a legalized alien described in subsection (b)(2)(A) of section 301 of IMMACT 90), but not approved until after that date will be treated as having been a legalized alien as of May 5, 1988 (in the case of a relationship to a legalized alien described in subsection (b)(2)(B) or (b)(2)(C) of section 301 of IMMACT 90), or as of December 1, 1988 (in the case of a relationship to a legalized alien described in subsection (b)(2)(A) of section 301 of IMMACT 90), for purposes of the Family Unity Program.

The following categories of aliens are ineligible for benefits under the Family Unity Program:

(a) An alien who is deportable under any paragraph in section 237(a) of the Act, except paragraphs (1)(A), (1)(B), (1)(C), and (3)(A); provided that an alien who is deportable under section 237(a)(1)(A) of such Act is also ineligible for benefits under the Family Unity Program if deportability is based upon a ground of inadmissibility described in section 212(a)(2) or (3) of the Act;

(b) An alien who has been convicted of a felony or three or more misdemeanors in the United States;

(c) An alien described in section 241(b)(3)(B) of the Act; or

(d) An alien who has committed an act of juvenile delinquency (as defined in 18 U.S.C. 5031) which if committed by an adult would be classified as:

(1) A felony crime of violence that has an element the use or attempted use of physical force against another individual; or

(2) A felony offense that by its nature involves a substantial risk that physical force against another individual may be used in the course of committing the offense.

(a) General. A Form I-817, Application for Family Unity Benefits, must be filed with the correct fee required in 8 CFR 106.2 and the required supporting documentation. A separate application with appropriate fee and documentation must be filed for each person claiming eligibility.

(b) Decision. The service center director has sole jurisdiction to adjudicate an application for benefits under the Family Unity Program. The director will provide the applicant with specific reasons for any decision to deny an application. Denial of an application may not be appealed. An applicant who believes that the grounds for denial have been overcome may submit another application with the appropriate fee and documentation.

(c) Referral of denied cases for consideration of issuance of notice to appear. If an application is denied, the case will be referred to the district director with jurisdiction over the alien's place of residence for consideration of whether to issue a notice to appear. After an initial denial, an applicant's case will not be referred for issuance of a notice to appear until 90 days from the date of the initial denial, to allow the alien the opportunity to file a new Form I-817 application in order to attempt to overcome the basis of the denial. However, if the applicant is found not to be eligible for benefits under § 236.13(b), the Service reserves the right to issue a notice to appear at any time after the initial denial.

(a) Authority. Voluntary departure under this section implements the provisions of section 301 of IMMACT 90, and authority to grant voluntary departure under the family unity program derives solely from that section. Voluntary departure under the family unity program shall be governed solely by this section, notwithstanding the provisions of section 240B of the Act and 8 CFR part 240.

(b) Children of legalized aliens. Children of legalized aliens residing in the United States, who were born during an authorized absence from the United States of mothers who are currently residing in the United States under voluntary departure pursuant to the Family Unity Program, may be granted voluntary departure under section 301 of IMMACT 90 for a period of 2 years.

(c) Duration of voluntary departure. An alien whose application for benefits under the Family Unity Program is approved will receive voluntary departure for 2 years, commencing with the date of approval of the application. Voluntary departure under this section shall be considered effective from the date on which the application was properly filed.

(d) Employment authorization. An alien granted benefits under the Family Unity Program is authorized to be employed in the United States and will receive an employment authorization document. The validity period of the employment authorization document will coincide with the period of voluntary departure.

(e) Extension of voluntary departure. An application for an extension of voluntary departure under the Family Unity Program must be filed by the alien on Form I-817 along with the correct fee required in 8 CFR 106.2 and the required supporting documentation. The submission of a copy of the previous approval notice will assist in shortening the processing time. An extension may be granted if the alien continues to be eligible for benefits under the Family Unity Program. However, an extension may not be approved if the legalized alien is a lawful permanent resident, or a naturalized U.S. citizen who was a lawful permanent resident under section 210 or 245A of the Act or section 202 of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA), Pub. L. 66-903, and maintained such status until his or her naturalization, and a petition for family-sponsored immigrant status has not been filed on behalf of the applicant. In such case, the Service will notify the alien of the reason for the denial and afford him or her the opportunity to file another Form I-817 once the petition, Form I-130, has been filed on his or her behalf. No charging document will be issued for a period of 90 days from the date of the denial.

(f) Supporting documentation for extension application. Supporting documentation need not include documentation provided with the previous application(s). The extension application should only include changes to previous applications and evidence of continuing eligibility since the date of prior approval.

An alien granted Family Unity Program benefits who intends to travel outside the United States temporarily must apply for advance authorization in accordance with 8 CFR 223.2(a). The authority to grant an application for advance authorization for an alien granted Family Unity Program benefits rests solely with USCIS. An alien who is granted advance authorization and returns to the United States in accordance with such authorization, and who is found not to be inadmissible under section 212(a)(2) or (3) of the Act, shall be inspected and admitted in the same immigration status as the alien had at the time of departure, and shall be provided the remainder of the voluntary departure period previously granted under the Family Unity Program.

An alien granted Family Unity Program benefits based on a relationship to a legalized alien as defined in § 236.11 is ineligible for public welfare assistance in the same manner and for the same period as the legalized alien who is ineligible for such assistance under section 245A(h) or 210(f) of the Act, respectively.

(a) Grounds for termination. The Service may terminate benefits under the Family Unity Program whenever the necessity for the termination comes to the attention of the Service. Such grounds will exist in situations including, but not limited to, those in which:

(1) A determination is made that Family Unity Program benefits were acquired as the result of fraud or willful misrepresentation of a material fact;

(2) The beneficiary commits an act or acts which render him or her inadmissible as an immigrant ineligible for benefits under the Family Unity Program;

(3) The legalized alien upon whose status benefits under the Family Unity Program were based loses his or her legalized status;

(4) The beneficiary is the subject of a final order of exclusion, deportation, or removal issued subsequent to the grant of Family Unity benefits unless such final order is based on entry without inspection; violation of status; or failure to comply with section 265 of the Act; or inadmissibility at the time of entry other than inadmissibility pursuant to section 212(a)(2) or 212(a)(3) of the Act, regardless of whether the facts giving rise to such ground occurred before or after the benefits were granted; or

(5) A qualifying relationship to a legalized alien no longer exists.

(b) Notice procedure. Notice of intent to terminate and of the grounds thereof shall be served pursuant to the provisions of 8 CFR 103.8(a)(2). The alien shall be given 30 days to respond to the notice and may submit to the Service additional evidence in rebuttal. Any final decision of termination shall also be served pursuant to the provisions of 8 CFR 103.8(a)(2). Nothing in this section shall preclude the Service from commencing exclusion or deportation proceedings prior to termination of Family Unity Program benefits.

(c) Effect of termination. Termination of benefits under the Family Unity Program, other than as a result of a final order of removal, shall render the alien amenable to removal proceedings under section 240 of the Act. If benefits are terminated, the period of voluntary departure under this section is also terminated.