Airfare Tips
1) It’s generally cheaper to fly on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
2) LOT Airlines from Poland had special rates in May, available only by phone. You may want to call them and ask if they have any other unadvertised specials.
3) Check the cost of round trip vs. one way. It may be cheaper to purchase a round trip ticket and cancel the return trip upon arrival in the US. Some airlines may give a refund or credit.
4) If flying inland (North, South or Midwest), it may be cheaper to purchase a ticket to a port of entry and then a separate ticket from there to the final destination, rather than a direct ticket. Also, be sure to allow enough time to pass through customs at the port of entry. Sometimes there may be a delay.
A few organizations may be able to offer assistance with flights, such as Safe Passage 4 Ukraine.
Letter for Customs and Border Patrol (CBP)
While not required, many people suggest that the Ukrainian(s) present a letter from their sponsor to the Customs and Border Patrol Officer when they first arrive in the USA. Following is an example of such a letter. Sponsors will need to fill in the appropriate information and personalize accordingly:
SPONSOR NAME
SPONSOR ADDRESS
SPONSOR PHONE
SPONSOR EMAIL
RE: BENEFICIARY NAME(S)
A#
DATE
LETTER IN SUPPORT OF THE REQUEST FOR HUMANITARIAN PAROLE
Dear CBP Officer,
My name is SPONSOR NAME. I am a US Citizen. I am asking for BENEFICIARY NAME(S), A#, Citizen of Ukraine, to be temporarily admitted to the US under the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) program. They have been approved through USCIS and have received a Travel Authorization document and they will present this to you. They do not speak fluent English, so please read over these documents to find the information you may need.
They are in a humanitarian emergency right now. They will be staying at my home, at SPONSOR ADDRESS. They have a connecting flight to WHEREVER APPLIES shortly after they will be landing in AIRPORT NAME: this flight is operated by AIRLINE, FLIGHT NUMBER, and I will be picking them up from FINAL AIRPORT NAME. If you need to call me, my phone number is SPONSOR PHONE.
(If there are any errors including misspelled names, erroneous birthdates or passport info, please request corrections in this letter.)
I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the APPLICABLE STATE that the foregoing is true and correct.
Regards,
SPONSOR NAME
SPONSOR SIGNATURE