In the United States, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a refugee is termed as someone who is located outside of the United States, is of special humanitarian concern to the U.S., demonstrates that they were persecuted or fear persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group, is not firmly resettled in another country, and is admissible to the United States.
Step 1
Submit a referral from the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNCHR) to U.S. Resettlement Program (USRAP) from your place of refuge outside the U.S.
Requirements
You must:
- be located outside of the U.S.
- be of special humanitarian concern to the U.S.
- demonstrate that you were persecuted or fear persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group
- not be firmly resettled in another country
- be admissible to the United States
Roadblocks
Only 1% of cases are referred for resettlement in a third country such as the United States. It is much harder to get a referral if a UNCHR office is not accessible to you. You can try an NGO that provides assistance to refugees in your area, then you could also ask the NGO staff whether they have been authorized to make referrals to USRAP.
Step 2
Receive a referral and get interviewed by a USCIS officer.
Requirements
Eligibility is determined by USCIS officers. They determine if you are a refugee and admissible to the U.S. Officers examine conditions in your country of origin and your credibility. They also confirm completed security checks and analyze the results. (Source: USCIS)
Roadblocks
The Trump administration has lowered the cap on refugees from 30,000 this year to 18,000 in the coming fiscal year, which starts October 1, 2019. This is down from a cap of 231,700 when the resettlement program was first enacted with the Refugee Act of 1980.
Step 3
Be approved as a refugee. Go to the U.S. and start working.
Help is offered from a refugee resettlement program to help you find work to support yourself after arrival. In Colorado, that’s the Colorado Refugee Services Program.
Step 4
Apply for permanent residency (a green card) with the I-485 form.
Requirements
Refugees must apply for permanent residency one year after arrival in the U.S. You must have physical presence in the U.S. for one year.
You must also meet other eligibility requirements as a refugee.
Step 5
Get approved for a green card.
The Numbers
Wait Time: Total processing time varies depending on your location as well as other circumstances and policy changes. The vetting time — from your initial UNHCR referral to your arrival in the U.S. — has averaged approximately 18 to 24 months in recent years.
