SettleIn https://settleinus.org/ is the best online platform to find trusted and accurate information about resettling in the United States. It has content available in 12 different languages on its website, mobile app, and Facebook groups, so it is accessible to many refugees around the world.

• Check your email and search for email subject “Beneficiary Sign Up Confirmation” sent from No-Reply-IMU@iom.int.
• Make sure to check all folders in your email such as spam or junk folders.
• Follow the instructions in the email to activate your account.
• If you have tried the above but the issues persist, please contact RSC MENA at ic@iom.int describing the issue you are facing or call one of the RSC MENA hotline numbers.  

• Check your email and search for email subject “Beneficiary Sign Up Confirmation” sent from No-Reply-IMU@iom.int.
• Make sure to check all folders in your email such as spam or junk folders.
• Follow the instructions in the email to activate your account.
• If you have tried the above but the issues persist, please contact RSC MENA at ic@iom.int describing the issue you are facing or call one of the RSC MENA hotline numbers.  

Make sure your password includes at least:

• 1 uppercase letter
• 1 lowercase letter
• 1 digit/number
• 1 special character (@, _, !, …)

• Make sure that you have entered a valid email address that was shared with RSC MENA as your current email address.
• Make sure your browser is up to date.
• Make sure to use English keyboard while filling the required fields.
• Try using a laptop instead of a mobile phone.
• If you have tried the above but the issues persist, please contact RSC MENA at ic@iom.int describing the issues you are facing or call one of the RSC MENA hotline numbers.  

·      Check the data entered in all fields:

• Case Number: composed of two letters, a dash, and then eight numbers. i.e. IZ-12345678
• First Name: enter principal applicant first name as shown on ID / Passport.
• Last Name: enter principal applicant last name as shown on ID / Passport.
• Email: enter a valid principal applicant email address that was shared with RSC MENA as your current email address.
• Password: Password Must Contain at least 1 uppercase letter, 1 lowercase letter, 1 digit, and 1 special character.
• Confirm Password: must match the entered password.

·      Make sure your browser is up to date.

·      Make sure to use English keyboard while filling the required fields.

·     Try using a laptop instead of a mobile phone.

·     If you have tried the above but the issues persist, please contact RSC MENA at ic@iom.int describing the issues you are facing or call one of the RSC MENA hotline numbers.  

1. Navigate to RefInfo Beneficiary Registration page through this link

2. Enter the following fields:

·      Case Number: composed of two letters, a dash, and then eight numbers. i.e. IZ-12345678

·      First Name: enter principal applicant first name as shown on ID / Passport.

·      Last Name: enter principal applicant last name as shown on ID / Passport.

·      Email: enter a valid principal applicant email address that was shared with RSC MENA as your current email address.

·      Password: Password Must Contain at least 1 uppercase letter, 1 lowercase letter, 1 digit, and 1 special character.

·      Confirm Password: must match the entered password.

3. Click on “Register” button

·      You will receive “Beneficiary Sign Up Confirmation” email from No-Reply-IMU@iom.int.

4. Check your email and make sure to check all folders in your email including spam or junk folder.

5. Follow the instructions in the email to activate your account.

Please visit Refugee Information Website | Learn More (iom.int) for a video tutorial on “How to Register”.

If your case is released from suspension, you can check your case status by registering for and activating a RefInfo account. Please visit the following link for more information on how to register on RefInfo. Refugee Information Website | Learn More (iom.int)

If your case is still suspended, you won’t be able check your case status on RefInfo or register for an account. RSC MENA will contact you once your case has been released from hold. You may call RSC MENA hotline numbers for case status update: +962 79 320 6130 (for all locations); +20 2 19472 (for cases located in Egypt).  

If your case is still on hold because of the suspension, you will not be able to find out the status of your case on the RefInfo website. Once/ If your case is released from hold, you will receive a confirmation email, and will be able to check the status of your resettlement case.Please refer to the U.S. Department of State’s website for the latest information on the status of the Iraqi P-2 program at: https://www.state.gov/ensuring-our-safety-and-security-through-a-90-day-suspension-of-the-direct-access-program-for-u-s-affiliated-iraqis/

Admission to the United States as a refugee allows you to reside there permanently and eventually to apply for citizenship.

Almost three million refugees have come to the U.S. in the last 35 years. Resettlement in any new country presents challenges, but most refugees have successfully adapted to life in their new communities and found new opportunities for themselves and their families.

Every refugee family is assigned to a Resettlement Agency, a non-governmental organization that will assist you upon arrival in the U.S. The initial assistance you receive for housing, household supplies, and furniture is very basic. Many items such as clothing and furniture may be used, or very inexpensive, but all items provided will be clean and in good condition.

It is important that you cooperate with the resettlement plan that you and your resettlement agency develop together. You will be assisted with your job search wherever you are resettled. Finding employment in the U.S. may take some time and your first job will probably not be in the same profession or field as your job in your home country. It may be an entry level non-professional job, and may even be temporary or part-time. The cost of living and availability of public support varies throughout the United States. The assistance that is provided to you will not be identical to that provided refugees in other states. Public transportation is available in most U.S. cities. Cars are not provided as part of the resettlement process.

Admission to the United States as a refugee allows you to reside there permanently and eventually to apply for U.S. citizenship. Your decision to resettle in the United States does not eliminate the possibility of return to your home country, but doing so could affect your status in the United States.

Resettled refugees should consult their local resettlement agency before travelling internationally. Anyone with refugee status or lawful permanent resident status must obtain a refugee travel document before leaving the United States. More information about the travel document can be found here:

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-131instr.pdf.

Medical exams are a requirement prior to travelling to the United States through the United States Refugee Admissions Program. However, finishing a medical exam does not mean you and your family members on your case are ready to depart. You may be scheduled for a medical exam before a final decision is made regarding your case. In the event a decision has been made, your case is continuously subject to U.S. Government security checks and the status of your security clearance could change at any time.

In accordance with the laws and policies governing the confidentiality of Department of State refugee processing records, we are unable to provide information to you regarding specific refugee cases unless the Principal Applicant of the case authorizes a release of information to you. The refugee applicant may obtain information about his or her case by inquiring directly to IC@iom.int or by checking their status via their account on the Refugee Information Website. We appreciate your understanding of the importance of ensuring confidentiality in the U.S. Refugee Program.

Please visit the Refugee Information Website Account: Learn More section of this website to read more about how to register an account.

If you already have an account but forgot your password, please go to the Log In page and click on “forgot password”. Your password will be sent to the email address you used to register your account.

There are two primary reasons why your case could be denied and you would not be allowed to resettle in the United States.

First, your case may be denied because an officer from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services determines, after conducting an interview with you, that you are not eligible for refugee resettlement in the United States according to U.S. law. A denial could result from not meeting the definition of refugee under U.S. law or for being found to not have been truthful when presenting your story.

Second, before you can be admitted for resettlement, the U.S. Government must complete a number of security clearances, some of which are finalized in the days and weeks prior to departure for the United States. It is possible, and it sometimes happens, that your case may be placed on hold at any stage of the process because one or more of these security checks has not cleared. In some cases, this has happened very close to or during travel to the United States. Although it is unlikely that your case will be placed on hold after receiving notification of your travel date, it has happened on some occasions.

The decision to approve or deny resettlement to the United States is undertaken solely by the U.S. Government, and not by the Resettlement Support Center or IOM.

The USCIS officer will make the decision as to whether or not you are eligible for refugee status and admission to the United States based on the evidence you provide, including your testimony and information about conditions in your country and how they impact you. For various reasons, USCIS may not make an immediate decision on your case.

Resettlement to the United States is a long process that can take months or even years. RSC MENA processes all cases as efficiently as possible. Delays may occur at any stage of the process, and are often unexpected and unavoidable. Some cases that are put on hold for failure to pass a security clearance will never be cleared for travel to the United States.

All resettlement processing services are free of charge. At no time in the process should anyone from RSC, IOM, Medical Clinics, NGOs or UNHCR request payment for any of its resettlement services. If anyone asks for money, claims to be able to intervene/expedite the process or threatens you or anyone on your case in any way, please inform RSC MENA at RSCMENAfraud@iom.int

It is important to note that if you are approved for resettlement to the United States, you will be asked to sign a promissory note for your family’s airplane tickets and will be required to repay the cost of the ticket over a period of time after you have arrived in the U.S.

Persons of special humanitarian concern who can establish persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion may be considered for admission to the United States as refugees.

These individuals determined by the President to be of special humanitarian concern to the United States must also be admissible to the United States under U.S. law, they must not be firmly resettled or have citizenship in any foreign country outside their country of origin.

The United Nations Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of a Refugee defines a refugee as a person who:

owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it (http://www.unhcr.org/3b66c2aa10)

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there are three durable solutions for refugees:

1. Repatriation to his/her country of origin
2. Local Integration in the country of asylum
3. Resettlement to a third country

Sometimes it is not realistic for a refugee to return (repatriation) to their homeland, or to stay long-term (local integration) where they are. For some refugees, the best option is to relocate to a third country (resettlement). Less than 1% of the world’s displaced individuals are considered for resettlement.