Resettlement Support Center Eurasia

What does the Resettlement Support Center do?

The purpose of the Resettlement Support Center (RSC) is to assist the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) of the U.S. Department of State (DoS) in preparing the necessary casework for persons in selected locations eligible for interview under the United States Refugee Admissions Programme (USRAP) by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and in completing the additional requirements for refugee admission, including, but not limited to, completing the required security checks, undertaking a medical exam, facilitating cultural orientation, and forwarding the necessary data to the Refugee Processing Center (RPC) for distribution to U.S. Reception and Placement agencies according to procedures established by PRM.

For locations in Europe and Central Asia (except Austria), this process is undertaken by RSC Eurasia, which is operated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and funded by PRM.

The Lautenberg Programme

The Lautenberg Amendment, first enacted in 1989, establishes categories of aliens whose refugee claims are considered under a reduced evidentiary burden, where applicants are required to prove they are members of a protected category with a credible, but not necessarily individual, fear of persecution. While the Amendment reduces the evidentiary burden for category members, the responsibility and authority for determining who will be given initial access to the USRAP rests entirely with PRM.

Applying for the Lautenberg Programme

Applications need to be submitted by the relatives residing in the United States (referred to as the U.S. tie) to one of the local affiliates of the U.S.-based Resettlement Agencies. Relevant forms and supporting documentation to demonstrate eligibility into the Programme should be submitted when applying. The Affidavit of Relationship (AOR) is completed by the U.S. tie, and the Preliminary Questionnaire (PQ) is completed by the applicant overseas (i.e. in Eurasia) and mailed to the U.S. tie.

RSC EURASIA CONTACT INFORMATION

Email: ICC@iom.int

Phone: +380 44 5685020

Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 09:00 to 14:00 (CET), excluding official holidays.

All resettlement services are free of charge. RSC Eurasia does not cooperate with any unauthorized third party; agencies or individuals charging for application assistance may be fraudulent. Report suspected fraudulent activity to: FraudRSCEurasia@iom.int

FACT SHEET AND FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ІНФОРМАЦІЙНИЙ БЮЛЕТЕНЬ ТА ЧАСТІ ЗАПИТАННЯ

ИНФОРМАЦИОННЫЙ БЮЛЛЕТЕНЬ И ЧАСТО ЗАДАВАЕМЫЕ ВОПРОСЫ

You can learn more about refugee resettlement to the United States and about life in the US here.