Refugees

Find a safe haven in Connecticut.

Connecticut for Ukraine aims to provide matching services with someone compatible with your needs and preferences, allowing you to meet and make an informed decision about your future living conditions.

What does it mean to be a beneficiary?

The federal Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) program allows displaced Ukrainians to travel to the U.S. based on an individual sponsorship offered by a person with legal status here. Through the program, Ukrainian citizens are granted humanitarian parole, which allows them to stay in the U.S. for at least a year and up to two years. With this status, you can apply for work authorization which arrives in approximately six weeks, and your children can be enrolled in public school. After a year, they can apply for asylum if it is unsafe to return to their homeland.

The program is addressed to any Ukrainian that was a resident of Ukraine at the start of the invasion.

WE ONLY MAKE AN EMAIL INTRODUCTION SO THE PARTIES (SPONSOR & BENEFICIARY) CAN COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY AND CHECK THEIR OWN COMPATIBILITY AND AS SUCH THE CONSULATE, THE LAW FIRM AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AGENTS AND REPRESENTATIVES DISCLAIM ANY RESPONSIBILITY IN THE ULTIMATE SUCCESS OF SUCH A MATCH OR IN ANY DAMAGES THAT MAY RESULT TO ANYONE AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THIS REQUESTED MATCH. THE US GOVERNMENT (USCIS) IS THE ONLY ONE AUTHORIZED TO CONDUCT BACKGROUND AND SECURITY VETTING OF ALL INVOLVED, FINANCIAL VIABILITY VETTING OF THE SPONSOR AND PUBLIC HEALTH VETTING (INCLUDING VACCINATION VETTING) OF BENEFICIARIES AND AS SUCH WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY SUCH VETTING, ALTHOUGH WE WILL UTILIZE OUR SCREENING FORM TO VET OUT ANY CLEARLY INELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS. WE DO NOT EVER MATCH UNACCOMPANIED MINORS TO SPONSORS, BUT ONLY FAMILIES WHERE THE ADULTS ARE DEMONSTRABLY RELATED TO THE CHILDREN.

NOTE: Keep in mind that registering with Connecticut for Ukraine is not analogous to an application to Uniting for Ukraine, nor are you required to apply for the program if you complete the pre-screening forms! Beneficiaries are not formally vetted by CT4U program, although they do undergo criminal, security, and public health background checks by DHS once they apply for U4U.

Sponsor and each beneficiary fill out their respective pre-screening forms. We will try our best to match according to your collective requirements, taking into consideration desire to come to CT, job prospects, number of people who could be hosted, genders, ages, schooling options for children, etc. We then notify the sponsor about the match and offer them the opportunity to speak directly to the beneficiaries in order for them to navigate personality fit directly and address any questions and concerns.

All the information you provide is strictly confidential and will not be shared with anyone outside this team.

"I am building my new life, career here and dream to become a useful and successful member of the new community."

I am Ukrainian. My 8 years old son and I came to the US on June 27th under the U4U program. The reason is the WAR in my beautiful country. I left everything I valued there in Ukraine: my parents, my home, my friends and heart. But I decided to leave because I wanted to protect my child and myself, to stay at safe and peaceful place, and the US, accepting us, gave me the chance and hope for future. I am building my new life, career here and dream to become a useful and successful member of the new community. I would not be able to do that without support of Dana R.Bucin, who helped us to meet our sponsor, Mary. First of all, Mary is an amazing woman, kind, supportive, friendly and understanding. She did and does so much for me and my son during all the time. Mary helped us to get all the required documents, registered my son to school, spent a lot of her personal time with us. We live at her house, in beautiful place, called Plainview, Long Island, NY. But the most important thing is that we became true friends. Even more, for me Mary became a part of my heart and family. I couldn’t even dream about such person in my life. My gratitude and appreciation are endless.
I have two master’s degrees in Pedagogics and Management of Organizations. I tried myself in different business spheres in Ukraine: management, recruiting, finance and I even worked as the professor at the University. But my calling is Human resource management. I am fond of interacting with a lot of different people, helping them. It makes me feel useful and happy. I have 7+ years of working experience as HR generalist/manager. That is the reason I wanted to continue building my career in HRM here in the US. In October, in one week after getting my Employment authorization card, I found my first perfect for me job. That was so exiting. So, now I work as the technical recruiter at the IT company for almost 4 months. Also, I was approved for education. I study at Molloy college at the HR management course since the beginning of January 2023. I want to get knowledge about US job market, laws, labor relations, etc, improve my skills, grow as a professional in the US. Also, I found some friends here. They all are so cool people. Just several days ago I achieved my next small goal – I bought my first car here. I was so happy and excited. I have a lot of dreams, plans and goals, I truly believe that with such people as Mary and Dana, we all are able to start over. I was blessed to meet great people in the US. I am so grateful and highly appreciate this chance to be in the US.

-Anastasiia

"When we arrived at our house, we were pleasantly surprised by the house itself and absolutely everything in it, because every little thing was thought out."

“My name is Nina, I am from the Ukrainian border town Sumy. I am already in the USA (CT) with my children, an 8-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl. It was difficult for me to accept any help from complete strangers since the beginning of the war, because usually I am a person who solves all my problems and helps others. But the war left me no choice and now, after 4 months of wandering in an abandoned Polish house in the village, I am under the care of a family from Connecticut for 2 years. The host family bought us tickets, it was the best and easiest flight of my life. We quickly issued documents upon arrival and a stamp and were met by our sponsors. When we arrived at our house, we were pleasantly surprised by the house itself and absolutely everything in it, because every little thing was thought out. Our sponsors take care of us every day, take us to the store and on errands, and soon we will register our children for school. We already saw the ocean, the yacht club and the city library, bought food in huge supermarkets and just walked the streets. I still can’t believe that this is my wonderful new reality. It is safe and has many opportunities.

-Nina from Sumy

Step 1 - Get Informed

Get informed about humanitarian parole through the new U4U program on the DHS website and our FAQ below, then decide if this is the best program for you. If you have any additional questions, please contact us.

Read the FAQ for Refugees

Step 2 - Get Matched

Fill out the pre-screening Sponsor Form (submit one form per family). Patiently wait for the next few weeks until you receive an email having the subject line: Intro US sponsor and Ukrainian beneficiary. Through this e-mail you will be presented/matched with a potential sponsor, the most suitable for you.

You will arrange your direct video/phone/Zoom meeting with your beneficiary.

Fill out the pre-screening Sponsor Form

Step 3 - Become a Beneficiary

When USCIS is satisfied with the application of the I-134A form, it will notify you (the beneficiary) via email. Please follow the instructions provided by USCIS in that email.

NOTE: Beneficiaries must clear public health (vaccines etc.), biographic and biometric security checks with DHS (Department of Homeland Security). If you don’t have your proof of vaccination, you can also take the vaccines within 90 days after arrival. The same time limit is set for the tuberculosis test.

Frequently Asked
Questions
for Refugees

Who can be a Beneficiary?

Ukrainian citizens who resided in Ukraine before the Russian invasion (through February 11, 2022) and were displaced as a result of the invasion (i.e., not for Ukrainians who remain in their original homes) and their immediate family members of any nationality (spouse/ common-law partner; unmarried children under 21.
You must have a valid passport.
Children under 18 must be traveling with a parent/ legal guardian.

NOTE: Registering with “Connecticut for Ukraine” is not analogous to an application to Uniting for Ukraine, nor are you required to apply for the program if you complete the forms! Sponsors are not formally vetted by the CT4U program.

What types of assistance can you expect once in the US from the sponsor?

Being received and provided transportation by the sponsor.
Covering basic necessities – food, clothes, access to phone, and internet.
Completing paperwork needed for employment authorization and getting a social security number (these are on the priority to-do list after arrival).
Help accessing available federal or state benefits (food stamps SNAP, cash assistance).
Help finding adequate medical services and insurance (Husky/Medicaid, Refugee medical assistance).
Support accessing education, learning English, securing employment, and enrolling children in school.

Once paroled, can you change status to remain in the US?

U4U does not offer a direct path toward getting a green card. If you choose to apply for asylum, change of status through marrying a resident, reuniting with family members that are citizens or residents, or get an employer-sponsored visa, we advise you to consult Dana Bucin, the initiator of the CT4U program, who is a licensed immigration attorney, to understand which option might fit you.

Does only one person in the family have to apply or everyone gets their own I-134A form?

Every person in the family needs to submit their own I-134A form.

Is it possible to return to Ukraine or travel outside of the US after getting to the US?

Traveling once on U4U Humanitarian Parole is only possible by requesting advance permission via form I-131 Application for a Travel Document and only for exceptional circumstances such as medical emergencies for a close relative. If you travel without this document, you may lose your parole and not be able to return to the US.

What help can I get from the resettlement agencies?

Resettlement agencies often offer help with case management, finding employment, specialized programs, youth programs, or connecting you to ESL classes.

What a sponsor should NOT expect from a refugee

A sponsor should not ask for your identity documents, paycheck, or make sexual advances. They should not force parolees to work for them or be intimate with them.
Sponsors do not have the power to deport the guests, or force them into any form of employment or arrangement.
For any suspicion of abuse or forced labor, contact us or a local Ukrainian church or community center or call the police. There is also a government hotline you can call to clarify your situation and the options you have: 24/7 hotline 1-866-2423 or 1-888-373-7888. Ukrainian and Russian-speaking assistance is available. For more info, check the following website: https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign