Parole — an enigmatic word most commonly associated with being released early from prison as a form of conditional reprieve for good behavior or, to some of our kababayans whose grasp of the English language is less than pellucid, it calls to mind a type of luminescent Christmas décor that dots every corner of the Philippine islands during the "ber" months of the year.

However, there is a different kind of parole, one that has nothing to do with prison time or good behavior, but rather, one that is well-known within the immigrant community in the US.

We're referring to a type of parole that is not only visible during the season of giving but available all-year round.

It is the kind of parole that occurs whenever Uncle Sam extends its benevolent hands towards those lucky souls who are allowed to set foot on US soil sans legal basis.

In simple terms, being paroled means being allowed entry into the US without a visa due to compelling humanitarian reasons.

Yes, no entry visa or parole board clearance is required. Neither is a best "parol" award.

Of course, the most well-known beneficiaries are the Cubans, Haitians, Afghans, and most recently, Ukrainians.

However, there is also a special parole program in place for our own kababayans — specifically the relatives and family members of Filipino World War II veterans.

As a brief historical backdrop, a special program called the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Program or FWVP was established in June 2016 during the waning days of the Obama presidency.

Its objective was to let relatives of aging — if not dying –Filipino WW II veterans join them in the US while waiting for immigrant visas to become available.

Unfortunately, the program's implementation hit a brick wall when the Trump administration took over, which culminated in the FWVP's virtual demise a few years later. Conversely, with the ascent of a Democratic president in January 2021, the program was eventually reinstated.

How does the program work? First off, the FWVP only applies to beneficiaries (including their derivative family members) of immigrant petitions filed by Filipino WW II veterans who were granted US citizenship by virtue of their US wartime service.

It also covers the beneficiaries (including derivatives) of immigrant petitions filed by the surviving spouses of deceased WW II veterans who are either US citizens themselves or US permanent residents.

The benefit even extends to beneficiaries of immigrant petitions whose original petitioner and spouse are already deceased, provided that the underlying petition has been reinstated on humanitarian grounds (or at least eligible for reinstatement under certain circumstances) and that the WW II veteran was residing in the US at the time of death.

In all cases, the qualifying immigrant petition should have already been approved by the time that an application for parole is filed with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Also, a qualifying relationship should have been existent as of May 2016.

If either the original petitioner or his/her spouse is still of this world, the parole application must be filed by either the petitioner or his/her spouse on behalf of the beneficiary. Otherwise, the beneficiary must self-file as a petitioner.

A FWVP parole can be granted with a maximum duration of three years, at the border officer's discretion. It can be renewed indefinitely until an immigrant visa becomes available.

As part of the process, the beneficiary (or self-petitioner) must undergo an in-person interview at the USCIS office or a local US consulate.

Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic has rendered the FWVP program virtually inutile, for lack of a better word, due to the lengthy consular processing and visa interview delays and cancellations.

Maybe a time will come, hopefully soon, that it will finally serve its purpose as a parol(e) for all seasons.