top of page
FIRST MONTHS & YEAR
FIRST MONTHS

First month (or so) after arrival:​

​​

  • Initial doctor, dentist, and eye appointments. DSS usually provides a list of MEDICAID insurance numbers that the provider will need in order to see them.

  •  Vaccinations. Usually, the school will know which vaccinations might be needed for children.

  •  Transportation - locate resources for bus and uber if a car is not available.

  •  Loaner/donated car–Ukrainians can drive in SD with a valid Ukrainian license and proof of their legal presence in the US (passport and I-94).

  • Once the refugee has a SSN, they can register a car in their name at the County Treasurer’s office. In addition to their SSN and the car’s title, they will need their passport(s) and I-94(s). If they have their EAD card, that’s preferable (to their Ukrainian passport) since it’s a US-issued identity document. It’s possible to register and title a car BEFORE they have an SD driver’s license.

  • They can purchase car insurance before they have an SD driver’s license, but you may need to shop around.

  • SD driver’s license. DPS allows translation for the written driver’s test. The DPS doesn’t permit translation for the behind-the-wheel test. The refugee will need an Employment Authorization Card, or a Foreign Passport with a U.S. Visa/I-94 and two documents proving their residential/physical address. See https://dps.sd.gov/driver-licensing/required-documents for specifics.

FIRST YEAR

What happens after Humanitarian Parole Ends:

​

  •  Apply for asylum by the 1-year mark of parole. Will need a lawyer to help. Note, this can take years to adjudicate asylum claims. In the meantime, they will need to renew EAD every 2 years. If asylum is granted, they can apply for Green Card and eventually citizenship.

  •  Enroll in the Green Card lottery when window is open (currently through Nov 7, 2023). (https://dvprogram.state.gov)

  •  Apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), if the current TPS window ends later than their humanitarian parole, it’s probably smart to apply for TPS (as of this writing, TPS was recently extended to April 19, 2025 for Ukrainians). This may need the help of an immigration lawyer. It requires a form I-821. This can be done in conjunction with an I- 765 for renewed employment authorization.

  • File first year Income Tax, contact your sponsor for advice.

bottom of page