Refugee Adjudications: Policy and Procedures
In accordance with section 4(m) of Executive Order 14013, Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs To Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration, 86 F.R. 8839 (Feb. 9, 2021), and considering necessary safeguards for program integrity, USCIS is publishing several current policies and procedures related to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).
When we evaluate policies and procedures for publication, we carefully consider the criteria outlined in Executive Order 14013. This includes an individualized determination as to whether:
- The policy or procedure is current;
- The policy or procedure is USRAP-related; and
- We can share the policy or procedure publicly while maintaining necessary safeguards for program integrity.
Please note that while USCIS strives for transparency wherever possible, some published documents may contain redactions that conform with FOIA requirements or maintain necessary safeguards for program integrity. We will update this page periodically as we issue new adjudicative policy and procedures for refugee processing. There may be some delay between when we issue new policies and when we update this page, but we will try to publish relevant materials within 30 days of issuance, in accordance with Executive Order 14013.
| Document Name | Description | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|
| Revised Guidance on Informal (“Camp”) Marriages (PDF, 997.34 KB) |
This RAIO-wide memorandum provides adjudicators with revised guidance for recognizing informal marriages for the purpose of obtaining derivative refugee or asylee status when processing certain USCIS form types (including Form I-590, Registration for Classification as Refugee, as well as Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, and Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition). RAIO will reconsider Form I-590 applications and Form I-730 petitions denied solely because the evidence of an informal marriage was not sufficient to establish a qualifying relationship under the previous guidance. For additional details, review the How to Request Reconsideration webpage. |
Feb. 14, 2022 |
| I-590 Adjudicator’s Manual (PDF, 1.79 MB) | This resource is the International and Refugee Affairs Division’s centralized, online repository for adjudicators seeking processing or procedural guidance while adjudicating refugee claims. We are currently updating it, and then we plan to retire separate, free-standing guidance materials. We will also include appropriate content in the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 4, Refugees and Asylees. | April 12, 2021 |
| Field Guidance on Interpreter’s Roles and Responsibilities (PDF, 202.52 KB) | This document provides instruction and guidance to interpreters participating in refugee interviews. | Oct. 26, 2017 |
| Working with an Interpreter SOP (PDF, 1.91 MB) | This document provides officers with guidance on working with interpreters while conducting refugee interviews. | Oct. 24, 2017 |
| Introduction SOP (PDF, 98.07 KB) | This document provides officers with guidance on conducting introductions during a refugee interview. | July 11, 2017 |
| Attorneys at Refugee Interviews (Interim Guidance for SIV and P-2 Iraqis) (PDF, 103.45 KB) | This document provides officers with general guidance when working with attorneys representing Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders and Priority 2 (P-2) Iraqi refugee applicants during the refugee interview. | Feb. 25, 2014 |
| Clarification on Guidance for Access to the Iraqi P-2 Program (PDF, 403.96 KB) | This document clarifies access to the Iraqi P-2 Program. | July 24, 2012 |
| Guidance for Adjudicating Priority 3 Derivative Child Applicants Who Have Reached the Age of 21 (PDF, 631.55 KB) | This document reiterates USCIS policy concerning derivative children who age out of a USRAP Priority 3 case. | Aug. 15, 2005 |