Here, you'll find detailed answers to commonly asked questions about sponsoring refugees through the Welcome Corps.
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Contents
About the Program
What is the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program?
The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program is the legal pathway through which individuals who are refugees under U.S. law may be resettled to the United States and then become permanent residents and, if they choose, later apply to become U.S. citizens. Refugees are considered for resettlement to the United States when they have left their home country and cannot safely return or integrate into the country where they currently live. The Welcome Corps makes it possible for Americans and lawful permanent residents to sponsor people for approval and resettlement as refugees through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
What is the Welcome Corps?
The Welcome Corps empowers everyday Americans to sponsor refugees, building on our country’s long tradition of providing a safe haven for those in need. Through the Welcome Corps, Americans can form a private sponsor group and apply to welcome refugees into local communities. Together, groups directly assist refugees as they build new lives in the United States. As a Welcome Corps sponsor, you will work with members of your private sponsor group to take on tasks like securing and furnishing initial housing, greeting the refugees at the airport, enrolling children in school, and helping adults find employment. These acts of service make it easier for newly arrived refugees to adjust to life in the United States and strengthen all of our communities. While welcoming refugees is a significant responsibility, you already have the most important skill you need to succeed—knowledge of your local community—and you will receive support from the Welcome Corps team throughout your journey.
The Welcome Corps launched on January 19, 2023, by the U.S. Department of State in coordination with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Department of State is funding a consortium of non-profit organizations with expertise in refugee resettlement. This consortium includes Church World Service/Refugee Welcome Collective, the Community Sponsorship Hub (CSH), HIAS, Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS), the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and Welcome.US.
Where is the Welcome Corps offered?
The Welcome Corps makes it possible for communities to welcome refugees across the United States, recognizing that every community is unique.
During the application process, you will be asked to explain how you will support refugees arriving to your local community. Once your application is approved, your sponsor group will be connected to virtual, ongoing support offered by Welcome Corps experts and additional tools and resources, including those focused on how to help refugees access local benefits and services in your community.
How is the Welcome Corps different from other forms of sponsorship?
Through the Welcome Corps, you can form a private sponsor group and make a difference in the lives of refugees. There are two ways to sponsor through the Welcome Corps. Applicants can apply to sponsor a refugee or family who are already in the process of being resettled to the United States or identify a refugee or refugee family they already know and refer them to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
Since the formal inception of the US Refugee Admissions Program in 1980, the Department of State partnered primarily with non-profit resettlement agencies to provide initial resettlement assistance to newly arriving refugees. These 10 resettlement agencies, through their extensive networks around the country, have a long history of partnering with individuals and groups in the community to resettle refugees. The Welcome Corps creates new opportunities for Americans to engage directly in refugee resettlement through private sponsorship, independent of and complementary to the existing work of resettlement agencies.
Welcome Corps is different from temporary humanitarian parole programs (such as Uniting for Ukraine or the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans) because the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program offers individuals a pathway to permanent residence and citizenship in the United States. Note: Applicants to Processes for CHNV (Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans) may also be eligible to apply to the Welcome Corps if they are still living outside the United States.
Are there opportunities for colleges and universities to sponsor refugee students through the Welcome Corps?
Yes. The Welcome Corps on Campus creates opportunities for colleges and universities across the United States to sponsor refugee students on their campuses, providing critical financial, academic, and integration support to sponsored students. College and university sponsorship allows diverse campus stakeholders, including staff, faculty, and students, to support refugee students with their arrival, provide them with a softer landing, and set them up for academic and overall success.
Is the Welcome Corps hiring?
The Welcome Corps is a program of the U.S. Department of State, administered by a consortium of non-profit organizations with expertise in welcoming, resettling, and integrating refugees into U.S. communities. This consortium is led by the Community Sponsorship Hub, and includes Church World Service, HIAS, IRIS – Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, the International Refugee Assistance Project, the International Rescue Committee, and Welcome.US. Career and consulting opportunities can be found on consortium members’ sites respective sites when available.
Sponsored Refugees
Can you tell me a little more about the refugees who will be welcomed under this program?
Refugees are individuals outside of the United States who have been forced to flee their home countries due to persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. If they cannot return home or locally integrate within the country to which they fled, some refugees may be permanently resettled to another country like the United States.
The first refugees that arrived in the United States through the Welcome Corps were from Sub-Saharan Africa. The Welcome Corps is now able to match private sponsor groups with refugees from all over the world who are approved for resettlement to the United States through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).
Through the Welcome Corps, you will support individuals who the U.S. government has approved for resettlement to the United States through the USRAP. Refugees are referred for resettlement when resettlement is their best possible long-term solution—meaning they cannot return home and do not have any prospects for local integration in the country to which they fled. All refugees admitted through the USRAP, including refugees supported through the Welcome Corps, must complete thorough security vetting and health screening before coming to the United States. Only those refugee applicants who are cleared through an extensive security vetting process, including vetting by U.S. government law enforcement and intelligence agencies, are approved for resettlement to the United States.
Will privately sponsored refugees supported through the Welcome Corps be able to come to the United States more quickly than other refugees?
No. Privately sponsored refugees will not be expedited or receive preferential treatment in completing the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) processing requirements. All privately sponsored refugees who are supported through the Welcome Corps must be approved for resettlement through the USRAP. Privately sponsored refugees are subject to all the same processing requirements as all other refugees, including the determination of eligibility for refugee status through an interview overseas conducted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), security vetting by U.S. government law enforcement and intelligence agencies, and a medical screening.
Private Sponsor Groups
Who can sponsor through the Welcome Corps?
All sponsors must meet the same minimum eligibility requirements to form a Private Sponsor Group. To qualify, groups must have a minimum of five members who are American citizens or permanent residents, who are over the age of 18 and who live in or near the same community. Private sponsor groups can be formed with family members, friends, neighbors, work colleagues, members of faith groups, book club members—any group of adults who together meet the requirements. Collectively, sponsor group members must demonstrate that they have the capacity to provide the core minimum requirements for sponsorship.
Private sponsor groups can either be matched with a refugee/family who is already in the process of being resettled to the United States, or groups can apply to support someone they already know. Before starting your application, use the Refugee Eligibility Tool to check if the individuals you would like to sponsor may be eligible for consideration for resettlement in the United States.
What are a private sponsor group’s responsibilities?
Sponsor groups must provide core sponsorship services for 90 days, which can be challenging. For example, helping refugees access public benefits and medical screenings can require traveling long distances. Housing can be expensive and difficult to find. It can take a long time for refugee(s) to find employment in your community.
The Welcome Corps provides sponsor groups with access to tools and resources, including a budget template, fundraising support, an arrival checklist, and ongoing guidance throughout the sponsorship period.
Can my group be matched with a refugee family with a certain nationality, language spoken, or family size?
Yes. Private sponsor groups applying to be matched can indicate their group’s preference in sponsoring a refugee or refugee family with specific characteristics, including:
- Spoken language;
- Nationality; and/or,
- Household composition (the number of refugees in a family and children)
We are committed to making the best possible match for private sponsor groups and refugees and encourage you to be open-minded and flexible about your preferences. It may not always be possible to identify a match that meets your preferences, or you may need to wait longer for an optimal match.
What is the financial commitment to sponsor refugees?
Sponsors must secure a minimum of $2,425 in cash and in-kind contributions per refugee they plan to sponsor. You may have to fundraise or rely on in-kind support or donations. This is used to secure and furnish housing and provide for the refugee’s initial basic needs, until they secure employment. To apply, you must upload a document that shows you have already raised 60 percent of this amount ($1,455 per refugee).
Please note: Depending on the cost of living in your community, you may need to raise more than the minimum requirement of $2,425 per refugee.
What if someone offers me or asks me for money or services to prepare an application?
Don’t pay it! Your access to application resources, including weekly webinars and meetings with application coaches, is completely free. While private sponsors eventually do need to raise funds as part of the application process to welcome refugees, the Welcome Corps itself does not collect funds from private sponsor groups or refugees. Refugees should never pay money to be resettled. Private sponsors should never solicit or accept money from refugees to submit an application for them. Beware of scams and anyone who asks for or offers payment or services to complete an application. If anyone contacts you with these requests, please report it to the Welcome Corps at fraud@welcomecorps.org.
My community doesn’t have affordable housing. Should I apply to sponsor?
Finding affordable housing that provides the best start for refugees can be a challenge. The Welcome Corps has prepared some Tips on Securing Housing to guide you in your search and outreach to your private sponsor group’s network. Additionally, social service providers in your community may provide helpful housing referrals or provide advice on the quality of life for refugees in your community.
It is important that the refugees be able to afford to stay in the housing you have identified after the 90-day sponsorship period ends. If you encounter difficulties in finding affordable housing in your community, you may consider welcoming a family to a more affordable community nearby where you can continue to commute during the sponsorship period.
How long is the commitment to sponsor refugees through the Welcome Corps?
Sponsors commit to providing friendship, guidance, and financial support for the refugees’ initial 90 days in the United States. As it often takes longer for an individual to integrate in their new community, sponsors also commit to making connections to ongoing support and services available from local organizations.
Even though the sponsorship commitment is just 90 days, the relationships built, both between the sponsors and refugees as well as among members of the sponsoring community, may last a lifetime.
Application Process
Join Welcome Corps coaches for an Application Support Session, available on-demand to watch at a time that works best for you. This webinar is for Americans living in the United States who are interested in applying to form a private sponsor group and welcome refugees through the Welcome Corps.
What is the application process to become a sponsor?
To apply to sponsor through the Welcome Corps, you must form a group with a minimum of five adults who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and live in or near the same community where you plan to welcome refugees. Group members don’t need to be experts in resettlement; they just need to be willing to share their time and knowledge of your community. Be creative about reaching out to various groups in your community as a first step. Members of local faith communities, Rotary clubs, diaspora communities, book groups, veterans’ groups, neighbors, work colleagues, fellow students, and others may share your interest in forming a private sponsor groups.
Once you have formed a group, you’re ready to begin the application process:
- Each group member must complete a background check and sign a commitment form that will be emailed to them once the Group Coordinator submits the application. In addition to committing to sponsor responsibilities, they will be asked to confirm their personal information, upload a document proving their identity and immigration status (such as a passport or birth certificate), and agree to our code of conduct.
- At least one member of your group must take the Sponsorship Essentials Training, although we recommend all group members complete the training before the refugee arrives.
- Your group must meet the minimum fundraising requirements, which is based on the family size you are willing to sponsor and at least $2,425 per refugee you plan to sponsor. You may have to fundraise or rely on in-kind support or donations. You can begin that work now by setting up a fundraising account and reaching out to members of your community to encourage them to donate.
- Applications must be submitted in English.
Each group should have a designated “group coordinator,” who will create an account and fill in the application. The Welcome Corps application allows you to complete the application in increments, including saving as a draft. For Application Support, register for an upcoming webinar with Welcome Corps coaches. If you are applying to sponsor someone you know, get ready with this optional tutorial.
How are approved private sponsor groups matched with refugees?
As part of your Welcome Corps application, your group will indicate the family size you are able to support and information about your community’s resources. This information is used to identify a refugee family that can benefit from the support of your group and your community. We encourage you to be open-minded and flexible about your preferences. It may not always be possible to identify a match that meets your specific preferences, or you may need to wait longer for an optimal match. The more flexible you are, the more quickly we will be able to match you with a refugee or refugee family who needs your support.
When will refugees arrive?
Each application is unique, and review times vary based on the circumstances of each case. It may take several months before your application is reviewed.
If you are applying to support a refugee you do not know, it typically takes between two and three months after your application is approved to be matched with a refugee or refugee family and for travel arrangements to be made. This provides your group with time to complete fundraising and make final preparations. After applying, you will be paired with a private sponsor organization to guide you through the rest of your sponsorship journey. Once matched, your group will receive updates throughout the process, including flight details, so that you can greet the refugee newcomer(s) at the airport and take them to their first home in the United States.
If you are applying to sponsor someone you know, you should expect that it will take a minimum of six months up to a few years from the time you submit a completed application.
Sponsoring Someone You Know
Can I sponsor a friend or family member?
Yes! The program allows private sponsors to identify a specific refugee individual or refugee family overseas whom they wish to sponsor and refer them to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for consideration to be resettled in the United States. All refugees referred to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program by private sponsors must meet eligibility criteria established by the U.S. government. Use the Refugee Eligibility Tool to check if the individuals you would like to sponsor may be eligible for consideration for resettlement in the United States or learn more about sponsoring someone you know here.
What is a referral?
A referral is a way for you to provide information to the U.S. government about a refugee whom you would like to sponsor. Your referral will help us determine whether that individual may qualify as a refugee. Submitting a referral does not guarantee someone will be admitted to the United States through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. Individuals who you refer will be interviewed overseas by U.S. Government officials to determine if they are refugees under U.S. law. Only people who are approved as refugees will be resettled to the United States.
Your Welcome Corps application serves as your referral, and you can only submit one application at a time. If approved, you’ll have to wait three months after the refugees arrive in the United States to apply again. Timelines vary depending on each unique case. You should expect that it will take a minimum of six months up to a few years from the time you submit a completed application.
What happens after I submit an application?
Your application will be reviewed by the Welcome Corps team. You can only submit one application at a time. If approved, you’ll have to wait three months after the refugees arrive in the United States to apply again.
If your application is accepted, you will be notified by the Welcome Corps and the individuals you want to sponsor will be referred to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. When all their paperwork is complete, they will be interviewed overseas by the U.S. government to determine if they qualify as refugees under U.S. law. This process will also include a security screening and a medical exam, and it will take time. Only refugees approved by the Department of Homeland Security may be resettled in the United States.
Once the refugees you want to sponsor are approved for resettlement by the Department of Homeland Security, the International Organization for Migration will arrange their travel to your city or town. Privately sponsored refugees will not receive expedited or preferential treatment in USRAP processing. All refugees supported through the Welcome Corps will be subject to the same processing and vetting requirements as all other USRAP refugee applicants. For more information about the overseas U.S. Refugee Admissions Program process, visit https://www.state.gov/refugee-admissions/.