Refugee Eligibility Determination

Eligibility for refugee status is determined on a case-by-case basis through an interview with a specially-trained USCIS officer. The interview is non-adversarial and is designed to obtain information about an individual’s refugee claim and eligibility for resettlement to the United States.

During the interview, we examine all relevant evidence, including testimony, to determine if the applicant:

• qualified under a designated processing priority.
• meets the definition of a refugee.
• is not firmly resettled in a third country.
• is otherwise admissible under U.S. law.

In making this determination we consider the conditions in the country of origin and evaluate the individual’s credibility. We also confirm that security checks have been completed and the results of the checks are reviewed and analyzed before approval.