Legal help for Americans and their families in Ukraine in 2022
EMERGENCY WARNING - CAUTION - DANGER!
On February 10, 2022 American President Joe Biden and the U.S. State Department have advised American citizens to leave Ukraine ASAP due to the treat of Russia invading Ukraine.
Please read below on this issue!
Legal help for Americans and their Families in Ukraine
February 16, 2022
Video Part 2:
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The Law Offices of Gregory Krasovsky and attorneys working with us in Ukraine can provide American citizens, lawful permanent residents ("green-card" holders), their families and loved ones with competent legal representation in all areas of American and Ukrainian law, including but not limited to:
- Immigration Law,
- Family Law,
- Personal Injury Law,
- Consumer Protection Law,
- Administrative Law,
- Criminal Law,
- Inheritance law, wills and estates,
- Corporate Law, including protecting the rights of owners, shareholders, investors and creditors,
- Contract Law, including International Business Transactions,
- Real Estate & Construction Law,
- Finance & Banking Law,
- Securities Law,
- Customs Law,
- Cryptocurrencies, blockchain, DeFi and DAO
and all other areas of civil, administrative, criminal and international law where our lawyers -- including independent attorneys who work with and for our law office in the United States, Ukraine and other countries -- have expertise.
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WARNING - CAUTION - DANGER!
On February 10, 2022 American President Joe Biden and the U.S. State Department have advised American citizens to leave Ukraine ASAP due to the treat of Russia invading Ukraine.
Regardless of how an armed conflict starts between Ukraine and Russia (in all likelihood after the end of the 2022 Winter Olympics in China on February 20, 2022)--
(a) Despite its assurances, Russian military forces invade/enter Ukraine
(i) in response to dislocation of US/NATO troops or placement of US/NATO missile systems & other offensive weapons in Ukraine,
(ii) to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO de facto or de jure,
(iii) to support a pro-Russian Ukrainian political actors or a self-declared post-putsch government,
(iv) in retaliation to any war alleged crimes, crimes against humanity or terrorist acts against Russian citizens and/or on Russian soil, or
(b) Despite the Minsk agreements, Ukraine tries to take the separatist Donetsk & Luhansk regions by force (as indicated by recent Ukrainian military build-up along the current armistice line) and Russia sends in their troops to aid the DNR/LNR separatists,
American citizens and their families remaining in Ukraine will be in danger from use of force by military & security forces on either side of the conflict and could end up as collateral damage or political pawns.
Trust us, you don't want to be in a country that's experiencing civil war or foreign military intervention/invasion, especially Ukraine, given the massive civilian casualties during the 2014-2015 armed conflict in eastern Ukraine (Donetsk & Luhansk regions).
On August 10, 20214 attorney Gregory Krasovsky's maternal grand-mother, Antonina Lavrentyevna Krasovskaya, an American citizen and native of Ukraine, died at the age of 98, from injuries sustained during a Ukrainian Armed Forces artillery & mortar shelling of Khryaschevatoe village outside of Luhansk, Ukraine.
There were no separatist insurgents or any military targets in the village when an artillery shell or a mortar round launched by Ukrainian Armed Forces landed & exploded outside the home were she had been evacuated to from Luhansk (after the Luhansk neighborhood where she was staying with her sister, Kvartal Myrnyi, was shelled by Ukrainian Armed Forces Grad rockets). Unfortunately, the village is right on the road from Luhansk to the Russian border.
To date, no one has been held accountable for her death.
Indiscriminate rocket fire, artillery and mortar shelling of civil areas became a common staple of the eastern Ukrainian conflict -- in the event hostilities start in 2022 and spread to other Ukrainian regions, we can expect the same danger and losses to civilians, including the elderly, women and childre, aside from extrajudicial detention, torture and killing of post-puberty males.
So please don't risk having yourself or your loved ones end up in a dangerous situation like Antonina Lavrentyevna (may she rest in peace).
As such, the Law Offices of Gregory Krasovsky advises all U.S. citizens, permanent residents and their loved ones to leave Ukraine ASAP before any armed conflict starts.
If you or your loved ones need legal advice and representation in Ukraine and the United States, then please contact our Law Offices ASAP!
Our attorneys, including Ukrainian attorneys working with our law offices in all regions of Ukraine (including DNR/LNR), can assist you with Ukrainian & U.S. immigration law issues.
Ukrainian & American Immigration Law
If your loved ones (who are not U.S. citizens or green-card holders) do not have a visa or a travel document to enter the United States, then please contact our Law Offices for legal advice and representation on obtaining authorization from US DHS (including USCIS and US CBP) and U.S. Department of State to enter the United States, including on humanitarian grounds
Please contact our Law Offices if you have children or relatives who are minors (below 18 years of age) and citizens of Ukraine and need legal advice and/or legal representation in obtaining authorization from both parents (legal guardians), child protective services or a court of law for these children to leave Ukraine.
Ukrainian & American Family Law
If you, your loved ones, including minor children, may have any outstanding Family Law issues, such as
- Legal custody of minor children, including determination or deprivation or parental rights,
- Physical custody of minor children, including child's place of residence with either parent, visitation and custody, phone/video/email communications with minor child
- Paternity determination: obtaining proof for immigration or parental rights, DNA testing, court proceedings, re-issuance of birth & paternity certificates, name changes,
- Parental permission for minors to leave Ukraine, including for visits or permanent relocation to the United States,
- Child support obligations: determination, modification and collection in Ukraine, America and other countries,
- Spousal support (alimony),
- Division / apportionment of the Marital Estate (joint marital property)
- Premarital and post-marital (prenuptial & post-nuptial) agreements: drafting, modification and enforcement
then please contact US ASAP to make sure that these issues do not prevent or complicate your or your loved ones' recommended departure from Ukraine!
Other Legal Issues
If leaving Ukraine has raised concerns about your or your family members'
- property,including real estate, motor vehicles, ownership/shares/investments in Ukrainian business (companies, corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships),
- financial assets, including bank & brokerage accounts, securities, cryptocurrencies,
- legal & financial liabilities,
- contractual obligations,
- employment / labor law issues,
- medical requirements (COVID-19 vaccination & testing),
- tax obligations,
- customs & currency control requirements,
then please contact The Law Offices of Gregory Krasovsky ASAP so that we can start reviewing your legal rights and obligations and proceed to provide you with legal advice and representation!
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Travel Advisory: Ukraine – Level 4: Do Not Travel – Updated
March 8, 2022 at 10:59pm
Ukraine – Level 4: Do Not Travel
Do not travel to Ukraine due to armed conflict and COVID-19. U.S. citizens in Ukraine should depart immediately if it is safe to do so using any commercial or other privately available ground transportation options. U.S. citizens should not travel to Ukraine due to the active armed conflict. All U.S. citizens should carefully monitor government notices and local and international media outlets for information about changing security conditions and alerts to shelter in place. Those remaining in Ukraine should exercise increased caution due to the potential for active combat, crime, and civil unrest. Read the entire Travel Advisory.
The U.S. Department of State suspended operations at U.S. Embassy Kyiv, effective February 28, 2022. All in-person consular services in Ukraine are suspended until further notice.
Since February 24, Russia’s forces have attacked major Ukrainian cities, and the Ukrainian government closed its airspace to commercial flights due to Russia’s military actions.
On February 24, the Ukrainian government declared a state of emergency. Each province (oblast) will decide on the measures to be implemented according to local conditions. Measures could include curfews, restrictions on the freedom of movement, ID verification, and increased security inspections, among other measures. Follow any state of emergency measures imposed in your oblast.
The security situation throughout Ukraine is highly volatile, and conditions may deteriorate without warning. U.S. citizens should remain vigilant and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. Know the location of your closest shelter or protected space. In the event of mortar and/or rocket fire, follow the instructions from local authorities and seek shelter immediately. If you feel your current location is no longer safe, you should carefully assess the potential risks involved in moving to a different location.
U.S. citizens seeking emergency assistance and those who decide to remain in Ukraine should complete this online form and the State Department will respond. The U.S. government will not be able to evacuate U.S. citizens from Ukraine. Please review what the U.S. government can and cannot do to assist you in a crisis overseas. U.S. citizens may seek consular services, including requests for repatriation loans, passport, and visa services, at U.S. embassies and consulates in neighboring countries.
https://ua.usembassy.gov/travel-advisory-ukraine-level-4-do-not-travel-updated/
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The Law Offices of Gregory Krasovsky offers a full spectrum of legal services to Ukrainian refugees, immigrants and visitors to the United States, including in the following areas of law:
- U.S. Immigration Law
-- Uniting for Ukraine program: legal support for sponsors and beneficiaries
-- Lautenberg Amendment (Lautenberg Program for the Former Soviet Union): legal support for sponsors & beneficiaries
-- Refugees / Asylum seekers
-- Humanitarian Parole
-- Temporary Protected Status
-- Non-Immigrant Visas
-- Immigrant Visas
- Transportation Law
- Consumer Protection Law
- Real Estate Law
-- Landlord & Tenant Law
- Banking & Finance Law
- Employment / Labor Law
- Healthcare Law
- Family Law
- Education Law
- Criminal Law
- Customs Law
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President Biden to Announce Uniting for Ukraine, a New Streamlined Process to Welcome Ukrainians Fleeing Russia's Invasion of Ukraine
Release Date: April 21, 2022
WASHINGTON – Today, the President will announce Uniting for Ukraine, a new streamlined process to provide Ukrainian citizens who have fled Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression opportunities to come to the United States, fulfilling President Biden’s commitment to welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russia’s aggression as a result of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis. In addition, the State Department is announcing increased refugee resettlement processing and broadened access to visa processing at consular posts overseas. This builds on the robust humanitarian assistance the U.S. government is providing to complement the efforts of generous countries throughout Europe who are hosting Ukrainian citizens who have been displaced.
“We are proud to deliver on President Biden’s commitment to welcome 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russian aggression to the United States. The Ukrainian people continue to suffer immense tragedy and loss as a result of Putin’s unprovoked and unjustified attack on their country,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “DHS will continue to provide relief to the Ukrainian people, while supporting our European allies who have shouldered so much as the result of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.”
“The U.S. Department of State stands with the people of Ukraine,” said Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken. “We will help deliver on the President’s commitment to welcome 100,000 Ukrainian citizens and others forced to flee their homes in Ukraine, and our partnership with the Department of Homeland Security will help us fulfill that commitment.”
Uniting for Ukraine is a streamlined process for Ukrainian citizens who have been displaced by Russia’s aggression to apply for humanitarian parole in the United States. To be eligible, Ukrainians must have been residents in Ukraine as of February 11, 2022, have a sponsor in the United States, complete vaccinations and other public health requirements, and pass rigorous biometric and biographic screening and vetting security checks. Ukrainians approved via this process will be authorized to travel to the United States and be considered for parole, on a case-by-case basis, for a period of up to two years. Once paroled through this process, Ukrainians will be eligible for work authorization.
Beginning on April 25, 2022, U.S.-based individuals and entities can apply to DHS to sponsor Ukrainian citizens who have been displaced by Russia’s aggression through the Uniting for Ukraine process, which will go live that day on the DHS website. Any U.S. citizen or individual, including representatives of non-government organizations, can sponsor Ukrainian applicants. Individuals and organizations seeking to sponsor Ukrainian citizens in the United States will be required to declare their financial support and pass security background checks to protect against exploitation and abuse. The Department of Homeland Security will administer the program. Eligibility requirements will include required vaccinations and other public health requirements, as well as biographic and biometric screening, vetting, and security checks.
The United States strongly encourages Ukrainians seeking refuge in the United States who do not have and are not eligible for a visa to seek entry via Uniting for Ukraine from Europe, this will be the safest and most efficient way to pursue temporary refuge in the United States. The U.S. government is working with European partners to ensure Ukrainians can meet the vaccination requirements of Uniting for Ukraine.
Ukrainians should not travel to Mexico to pursue entry into the United States. Following the launch of Uniting for Ukraine, Ukrainians who present at land U.S. ports of entry without a valid visa or without pre-authorization to travel to the United States through Uniting for Ukraine will be denied entry and referred to apply through this program.
In addition to Uniting for Ukraine, the United States is announcing a series of measures designed to expand access to existing legal pathways for Ukrainian citizens.
The Department of State will expand U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) operations in Europe to provide eligible Ukrainians with greater access to refugee resettlement processing under the Lautenberg program, while also expanding referral mechanisms for Ukrainians and others fleeing Russia’s war in Ukraine who are in need of permanent resettlement.
https://www.dhs.gov/news/2022/04/21/president-biden-announce-uniting-ukraine-new-streamlined-process-welcome-ukrainians
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Uniting for Ukraine
On April 21, 2022, the United States announced a key step toward fulfilling President Biden’s commitment to welcome Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion.
Uniting for Ukraine provides a pathway for Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who are outside the United States to come to the United States and stay temporarily in a two-year period of parole.
Ukrainians participating in Uniting for Ukraine must have a supporter in the United States who agrees to provide them with financial support for the duration of their stay in the United States.
The first step in the Uniting for Ukraine process is for the U.S.-based supporter to file a Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support, with USCIS. The U.S. government will then vet the supporter to ensure that they are able to financially support the individual whom they agree to support.
https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/uniting-for-ukraine
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Uniting for Ukraine
On April 21, 2022, President Biden announced Uniting for Ukraine, a new streamlined process to provide Ukrainian citizens who have fled Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression opportunities to come to the United States. This represents a key step toward fulfilling the President’s commitment to welcome Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Uniting for Ukraine builds on the robust humanitarian assistance the U.S. government is providing as we complement the generosity of countries throughout Europe that are hosting millions of Ukrainian citizens and others who have been displaced.
For more information on how to apply, eligibility requirements, and what to expect after the Form I-134 is filed, visit USCIS.
Note: this webpage will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.
https://www.dhs.gov/ukraine
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What Is the US-Launched 'Uniting for Ukraine' Program?
April 29, 2022 10:56 AM
Aline Barros
Washington —
U.S. President Joe Biden recently announced the Uniting for Ukraine program, which aims to streamline the process for Ukrainians who have fled their country and are seeking safety in the United States.
The new program, which took effect Monday, will complement existing legal pathways available to those fleeing Russian aggression due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis, Biden administration officials said.
"The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will continue to provide relief to the Ukrainian people, while supporting our European allies who have shouldered so much as the result of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine," Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement to reporters on April 21.
What is Uniting for Ukraine?
The program allows U.S. citizens and residents to sponsor Ukrainian refugees under different immigration statuses. The online portal, open to potential sponsors or organizations, is accepting applications and has received more than 4,000 requests so far, CNN reported.
https://www.voanews.com/a/what-is-the-us-launched-uniting-for-ukraine-program-/6550535.html
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Lautenberg Program for Former Soviet Union
March 30, 2022
The Lautenberg Program is a family reunification program that allows certain individuals legally residing in the United States to bring their family members to the U.S. through the U.S Refugee Admissions Program.
Application period: 3/15/2022 – 9/23/2022
Eligible applicants include: Jews, Evangelical Christians (Baptists, Pentecostals, Seventh Day Adventists, and others), Jehovah’s Witnesses, Ukrainian Greek Catholics, and members of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.
Applicants must have immediate relatives in the United States.
https://www.rescue.org/announcement/lautenberg-program-former-soviet-union
