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Immigration Update Pertaining to Recent Changes to the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act (LRIFA) of 2019

On December 20, 2019 the United States Congress passed a new law as part of the Liberian Refugee Immigration Act (LRIFA) in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that allows certain Liberian nationals the opportunity to file for permanent residence in the United States. 

The deadline for eligible individuals to apply is December 20, 2020.

Who is Eligible to Apply?

Liberian nationals who have been “continuously present” in the United States from November 20, 2014 up to the date of submitting an application, or the spouses, children, unmarried sons or daughters of such a person.  Applicants must meet the following requirements in order to apply: 

  • Be a national of Liberia;
  • Be continuously physically present in the United States from November 20, 2014 to the date of the filing of their application (Note: this physical presence requirement does not apply to spouses, children, or unmarried sons or daughters of the principal applicant) ;
  • Be eligible for an immigrant visa; and
  • Be admissible to the United States for lawful permanent residence or eligible for a waiver of inadmissibility or other form of relief.

A licensed immigration attorney or accredited immigration counselor can explain these eligibility requirements and whether you may be eligible to apply.

If you believe you may be eligible to apply for residency under this act, please contact Catholic Migration Services to schedule an appointment in Brooklyn at (718) 236-3000 or in Queens at (347) 472-3500.

Catholic Migration Services will continue to update information in the near future to reflect any further changes. All are encouraged to visit our website for future updates, training sessions and workshops.

Download this immigration update as a PDF.