Welcome Corps for Afghans
How does private sponsorship through Welcome Corps work?
The Welcome Corps lets everyday Americans support Afghan allies who bravely stood with our soldiers, aid workers, and diplomats for more than two decades. Honor their service by helping them reach safety and rebuild their lives in the United States.
You can play an important role in welcoming our Afghan allies to the U.S. by forming a private sponsor group.
These groups are made up of at least five U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents (sometimes known as “Green Card holders”). They must be at least 18 years old and live in or near the same community. Sponsor groups provide core resettlement services for the refugee for first 90 in the United States including:
- Locating and facilitating affordable housing
- Assisting in the enrollment of children in school
- Helping refugees and SIV holders find jobs
- Helping to sign refugees and SIV holders up for federal and state benefits they qualify for
- Supporting refugees’ and SIV holders’ integration into their new communities
How do I sponsor an Afghan refugee or Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicant?
There are three ways to sponsor Afghans through the Welcome Corps:
1. Match with Afghan refugees and SIV holders you don’t yet know:
If you don’t have a specific friend or family member you want to bring to the United States, you can apply to be matched with an Afghan refugee or SIV holder already approved for resettlement to the United States.
On your application, state your preference for being matched with Afghan nationals and/or Dari or Pashto speakers.
2. Sponsor Afghans you know who already have a case with the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program or the Special Immigrant Visa program:
You can apply to sponsor Afghans who have a case with the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) or the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program. This option is available for Afghans who live anywhere, including in Afghanistan.
Once the Afghans are ready for travel, they will be assigned to your sponsor group instead of a resettlement agency.
To sponsor Afghans who already have a case with the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program: You will be asked to provide their USRAP case number. This number starts with 2 letters followed by 6 or 8 numbers. For example, XX-123456 or XX-12345678. This is not a case number from the United Nations (UNHCR).
To sponsor Afghan SIV applicants: The Afghan SIV applicant must first receive Chief of Mission approval to be eligible for Welcome Corps. You will be asked to include their Immigrant Visa case number. This number is also known as the CEAC or KBL number. This number starts with 3 letters followed by 10 numbers. For example, KBL1234567890. This is not the NVC SIV Case Number.
For more information on eligibility for U.S. government relocation assistance for those remaining in Afghanistan, please visit: https://www.state.gov/afghanistan-inquiries/.
3. Sponsor Afghan refugees you know who are outside of Afghanistan, but do not already have a U.S. Refugee Admissions Program or Special Immigrant Visa Case:
You can form a sponsor group of five Americans and permanent residents and apply to sponsor Afghan refugees who are outside of Afghanistan, do not already have a case with the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program or Special Immigrant Visa program, and meet all of the program’s eligibility requirements. You will submit a referral on their behalf.
What are the eligibility requirements for Afghans you know who do not already have a U.S. Refugee Admissions Program or Special Immigrant Visa Case?
To be eligible, Afghans must meet the definition of a refugee under U.S. law and all of these criteria:
- They do not live in Afghanistan.
- They do not live in the United States.
- They live in a country where the U.S. government is able to interview sponsored refugee applicants and process their cases. This includes Pakistan.
- They were registered by September 30, 2023, with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) or with the government where they currently live. [Note: If the individuals were in the country where they currently live by September 30, 2023, but were not able to be registered, you can submit an exemption in the application. We grant exemptions on a limited basis after a case-specific review.]
- They are at least 18 years old. Or, if they are a child, they are referred with their parent. Without exception, anyone under 18 must be referred with their parent (biological, step, or adoptive).
- They have not been previously denied resettlement to the United States through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
Refugees sponsored through the Welcome Corps are screened and vetted via the same process as all refugees admitted through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
Is this faster than other pathways?
No, the Welcome Corps is not necessarily a faster option. Privately sponsored refugees are subject to the same processing requirements as all other refugees.
Will Afghan refugees and SIV holders coming through the Welcome Corps be able to work and get benefits?
Yes. Sponsored refugees and SIV holders who come through this program are able to work upon arrival. They will also be eligible for resettlement benefits. The private sponsor group welcoming them to the U.S. commits to providing a set of core services.
How many Afghans can I sponsor through Welcome Corps?
Your sponsor group can apply to support one family at a time, up to 10 people. The family must currently live in the same country and intend to live in the same household in the United States. Your sponsor group will have to wait until you’ve successfully completed the 90-day sponsorship period beginning when the individual or family arrives in the United States before you can submit another application.