Skip to main content
This is the USCIS preview website. Visit uscis.gov for the official USCIS site.
USCIS Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
U.S. flag
An official website of the United States government    Here's how you know
Español
Multilingual Resources
Official Government Website

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Website

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( A locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Seal, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
 
Sign In  
Access USCIS online services.
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
Sign In
Create Account
Horizontal Menu
  • Topics
  • Forms
  • Newsroom
  • Citizenship
  • Green Card
  • Laws
  • Tools
  • Contact us
  • Multilingual Resources
  • Ask Emma
Main navigation
Skip to main content
  • Humanitarian
    • Abused Spouses, Children and Parents
      • Questions and Answers
    • Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans
      • Frequently Asked Questions About the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans
    • Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
      • DACA Litigation Information and Frequently Asked Questions
      • Filing Tips for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Deferred Enforced Departure
      • DED Covered Country - Liberia
      • DED Covered Country – Certain Hong Kong Residents
      • DED Covered Country – Venezuela
    • Information for Afghan Nationals
    • Uniting for Ukraine
      • Frequently Asked Questions About Uniting for Ukraine
    • Humanitarian Parole
      • Information for Afghan Nationals on Requests to USCIS for Humanitarian Parole
        • Frequently Asked Questions About Urgent Humanitarian and Significant Public Benefit Parole for Afghans
      • Parole Processing
      • Haitian Family Reunification
      • Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Program
      • Cuban Medical Professional Parole (CMPP) Program
      • Cuban Family Reunification
    • Refugees and Asylum
      • Refugees
        • Refugee Eligibility Determination
        • Refugee Adjudications: Policy and Procedures
        • Refugee Processing and Security Screening
      • Asylum
        • Affirmative Asylum Frequently Asked Questions
        • Affirmative Asylum Interview Scheduling
        • Asylum Merits Interview with USCIS: Processing After a Positive Credible Fear Determination
        • Establishing Good Cause or Exceptional Circumstances for Rescheduling Affirmative Asylum Interviews
        • The 180-Day Asylum EAD Clock Notice
        • FACT SHEET: Implementation of the Credible Fear and Asylum Processing Interim Final Rule
        • Types of Affirmative Asylum Decisions
        • The Affirmative Asylum Process
        • Preparing for Your Affirmative Asylum Interview
        • Obtaining Asylum in the United States
    • Temporary Protected Status
      • Afghanistan
      • Burma (Myanmar)
      • Cameroon
      • El Salvador
      • Ethiopia
      • Haiti
      • Honduras
      • Nepal
      • Nicaragua
      • Syria
      • Somalia
      • Sudan
      • South Sudan
      • Ukraine
      • Venezuela
      • Yemen
    • Victims of Human Trafficking and Other Crimes
      • Victims of Criminal Activity: U Nonimmigrant Status
      • Victims of Human Trafficking: T Nonimmigrant Status
      • Resources for Victims of Human Trafficking and Other Crimes
    • Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting (FGM/C)
    • Forced Marriage
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Humanitarian
  3. Refugees and Asylum
  4. Refugees
  5. The United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) Consultation and Worldwide Processing Priorities

The United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) Consultation and Worldwide Processing Priorities

Alert: On Aug. 2, 2021, the Department of State announced a new Priority 2 Designation for certain Afghan nationals and eligible family members.  For further information, please visit www.wrapsnet.org.

Every year, immigration law requires that Executive Branch officials:

  • review the refugee situation or emergency refugee situation.
  • project the extent of possible participation of the United States in resettling refugees.
  • discuss the reasons for believing that the proposed admission of refugees is justified by humanitarian concerns, grave humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest.

Following consultations (discussions) with cabinet representatives and Congress, a determination is drafted for signature by the President. The Presidential Determination establishes the overall admissions levels and regional allocations of all refugees for the upcoming fiscal year.

No refugees may be admitted in the new fiscal year until the Presidential Determination has been signed.

Annually, processing priorities (for definition see the Glossary page) are established to determine which of the world’s refugees are of special humanitarian concern to the United States. Fulfilling a processing priority enables a refugee applicant the opportunity to interview with a USCIS officer, but does not guarantee acceptance.

Process Priorities

The priorities currently in use are:

  • Priority 1: Cases that are identified and referred to the program by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), a United States Embassy, or a designated non-governmental organization (NGO).
  • Priority 2: Groups of special humanitarian concern identified by the U.S. refugee program.
  • Priority 3: Family reunification cases (spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of persons lawfully admitted to the United States as refugees or asylees or permanent residents (green card holders) or U.S. citizens who previously had refugee or asylum status). For information on the current nationalities eligible for Priority 3 processing, see the U.S. Department of State page.

Refugees must generally be outside their country of origin, but we can process some individuals in their home countries if authorized by the President.

United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) Partners and their Roles

The USRAP is an interagency effort involving a number of governmental and non-governmental partners both overseas and in the United States.

The following agencies are involved in this effort:

  • Department of State/Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) – PRM has overall USRAP management responsibility overseas and has lead in proposing admissions ceilings and processing priorities.
  • United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – UNHCR refers cases to the USRAP for resettlement and provides important information with regard to the worldwide refugee situation.
  • Resettlement Support Centers (RSC) – Under cooperative agreement with the Department of State, RSCs consist of international organizations or non-governmental organizations that carry out administrative and processing functions, such as file preparation and storage, data collection and out-processing activities.
  • Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – Within DHS, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has responsibility for adjudicating applications for refugee status and reviewing case decisions; the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) screens arriving refugees for admission at the port of entry.
  • Department of Health and Human Services/Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) – ORR administers domestic resettlement benefits for arriving refugees.
  • International Organization for Migration (IOM) – Department of State contractors serve primarily as the travel agent for the USRAP and the OPE in certain locations.
  • Non-Governmental Organizations – Provide resettlement assistance and services to arriving refugees.

Related Links

More Information

  • USRAP Flowchart (PDF, 242.41 KB)
  • USRAP Consultation and Worldwide Processing Priorities
  • Refugee Eligibility Determination
  • Refugee Processing and Security Screening
  • Refugee Security Screening Fact Sheet (PDF, 695.26 KB)
  • Request for Review Tip Sheet
  • Questions and Answers: Refugees
  • Central American Minors – CAM
  • Immigration and Nationality Act
  • USCIS Welcomes Refugees and Asylees (PDF, 1.78 MB)

Forms

  • I-730, Refugees/Asylee Relative Petition
  • I-485, Application to Register for Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
  • I-765, Application for Employment Authorization

Other USCIS Links

  • How Do I Get a Refugee Travel Document? (PDF, 622.89 KB)
  • Green Card through Refugee
  • How Do I Show My Employer That I Am Authorized to Work in the U.S.? (PDF, 686.31 KB)
  • Green Card for a Refugee
  • Family of Refugees and Asylees

External Links

  • Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2023
  • U.S. Department of State Report to Congress: Proposed Refugee Admissions FY 2023
  • U.S. Department of State: Refugee Admissions Statistics
  • Improved Security Procedures for Refugees Entering the United States, Oct.24, 2017
Last Reviewed/Updated:
08/06/2021
Was this page helpful?
0 / 2000
To protect your privacy, please do not include any personal information in your feedback. Review our Privacy Policy.
Return to top
  • Topics
  • Forms
  • Newsroom
  • Citizenship
  • Green Card
  • Laws
  • Tools
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Seal, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Instagram
LinkedIn
Email
Contact USCIS
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Seal

USCIS.gov

An official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Important links
  • About USCIS
  • Accessibility
  • Budget and Performance
  • DHS Components
  • Freedom of Information Act
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Privacy and Legal Disclaimers
  • Site Map
  • Office of the Inspector General
  • The White House
  • USA.gov
Looking for U.S. government information and services?
Visit USA.gov