A refugee is a person who is persecuted in his homeland on religious, political, economic, sexual or ethnic grounds.
Green Card [Green Card] – Refuge. Appointment
The category of refugees includes persons:
outside the borders of their home country or country of residence, but also outside the United States.
in some cases, this group can include persons still in their countries, as well as those who cannot return to their place of permanent residence due to large-scale natural disasters. It is quite simple to declare yourself as a refugee. It is enough to get to the desired country and declare that you are a refugee. This should be done immediately upon arrival and as far from the border as possible.
The number of people entering refugee status is limited by a quota set by the US President annually.
For persons who can be recognized as refugees, but who are unable to enter the United States in this status, due to the fact that the annual quota has already been exhausted, a special regime of entry has been established. They can enter in the so-called “password” status (parole – “promise”, that is, a conditional entry permit with a “promise” to grant immigration status in the future).
Individuals in this category can live and work in the United States, but their status is less certain than refugee status. This uncertainty stems from the fact that persons who have entered the “password” status cannot immediately apply for the status of a permanent resident of the United States. Individuals classified in this category must prove that they will not apply for government assistance. This, as already mentioned, is due to the fact that among the grounds for denying entry to the United States there is a clause prohibiting entry for permanent residence for people who may become a “burden for society” (public charge).
Green Card [Green Card] – Refuge. Restrictions:
Those who:
he himself participated in the persecution of third parties on the basis of their belonging to a different race or nationality, social group, professing a certain religion or because of political views;
firmly settled in any third country (received citizenship or permanent residence in this country; acquired permanent housing; gained economic independence due to his education, profession, business, etc.);
previously applied for refugee status and was refused at all levels of the INS;
failed to prove that the actions taken against him, or actions that, according to his fears, may be taken against him, are related to his race, nationality, belonging to a particular social group, political views, etc .;
lives in a country in which living conditions have changed to such an extent that, despite persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution that the complainant has experienced in the past, no such fear currently exists.
Green Card [Green Card] – Refuge. Filing an application:
An application for refugee status is submitted outside the United States at the INS overseas office closest to the refugee’s location or the American embassy (consulate). For the purpose of accepting and considering applications for refugee status, the INS has its overseas offices in the following cities:
Athens, Greece),
Bangkok (Thailand),
Vienna, Austria),
Guadalajara (Mexico),
Hong Kong,
Delhi (India),
Manila (Philippines),
Mexico City (Mexico),
Monterey (Mexico),
Moscow, Russia),
Panama (Panama),
Rome, Italy),
Seoul (South Korea),
Singapore,
Frankfurt (Germany) If an application is filed with one of the US consular offices, it forwards the documents to the appropriate INS bureau, where the applicant must appear in person.
Green Card [Green Card] – Refuge. Registration procedure:
The documents.
Due to the specifics of refugee status, the INS does not establish a mandatory list of required documents. In general, the following documents are provided for granting refugee status:
Form I-590 Registration for Classification as Refugee
evidence of persecution in the home country or country of permanent residence:
evidence of belonging to a persecuted group;
evidence published in the media about the nature of the persecution of persons belonging to this group;
written testimonies of persons who were subjected to the same persecution or who know the potential refugee personally;
reports from human rights organizations (For example: Amnesty International Central, American Resource Center, America’s Watch Committee.) on the nature of the persecution of individuals belonging to this group;
Form G-325A Biographic Information;
passports, birth certificates, marriage certificates and other family documents for the applicant and all members of his family or any other personal identification documents;
an application for financial support from a sponsor in the United States (or other evidence of the possibility of paying for travel and maintaining oneself in the United States).
The refugee process begins by filling out a standard questionnaire, which contains questions about the refugee’s identity, marital status, education, residence and work places, relatives in the United States, membership in the Communist Party, military service, convictions, previous illnesses, etc. …
Attached to the questionnaire is an Affidavit of Relationship, which must be completed by the potential refugee’s relatives living in the United States. Further, the questionnaire and the certificate are sent directly or through the embassy to the Washington Application Processing Center, which decides on the interview and sets the date. At the same time, preference is given to people with close relatives in the United States and who are supported by their community in the United States.
The interview notification will be sent to the applicant by mail. Children over the age of 14 must show up for the interview with their parents. Children under the age of 14 may not show up for interviews.
Important!
Refugees can apply for immigration visas for their family members – minor children and spouses. If there are no grounds for refusing entry and the facts of eligibility for refugee status are established, the applicant and his family members will be issued with immigration visas.
Following the interview, those who have been granted refugee status or “passwords” are invited to meet with the staff of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). MOM provides referrals for medical examinations and assists refugees with a range of issues.
Green Card [Green Card] – Refuge. Entry, stay, change of status
Entry and stay.
An overseas immigrant visa is valid for a maximum of six months, during which the holder must enter the United States. Upon arrival in the United States, the Form I-94 is stamped with refugee status (or “password”). To obtain a work permit, a refugee submits a Form I-765 Application for Employment Authorization to the nearest INS office. More often, the applicant must wait several weeks (by law no more than 60 days) before receiving the document authorizing the employment. If a permanent work permit is not obtained within 60 days, the applicant can obtain a temporary permit for 120 days by showing a receipt for payment of the state fee at the INS office where the original application was filed. If you try to enter on a nonimmigrant visa, your refugee status may be lost.
Change of status.
Refugees granted status overseas are eligible to acquire immigration status within one year of their arrival in the United States. During this time, they are automatically notified by the INS that they have been interviewed. If the refugee did not violate the conditions of his status, and the status itself was obtained legally, a few months after the interview he receives a green card by mail. Prior to obtaining immigration status, refugee status holders cannot leave the United States.
Refusal.
In case of refusal to issue an immigrant visa (usually only if a legal basis for refusal of entry is found or there is insufficient evidence of persecution), the applicant receives a written notification from the embassy stating the reasons for the refusal. There is no way to make any complaints. However, applications can be submitted an unlimited number of times.
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