Status Determination

In order to access refugee resettlement program benefits, individuals must provide acceptable documentation of one of the statuses eligible for Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) benefits and services.

Refer to the ORR PL 16-01 for Status and Documentation Requirements for the ORR Refugee Resettlement Program.

Per ORR PL 16-01:

Along with confirming status, eligibility determinations must include confirmation of identity, the date that an individual initially became eligible for benefits (i.e., “entry” date) and, in cases involving Cuban and Haitian entrants and Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrants, nationality. More than one piece of documentation may be needed to make all of these determinations.

Refer to Policy and Guidance page footnote.

Process

Use the following process when determining eligibility for Refugee Resettlement Program benefits.

1. Workers should review documentation of immigration status as outlined in charts included in the ORR PL 16-01 Documentation Guide.
2. If status is supported by documents, workers may conclude that the applicant has a qualified status and continue with other eligibility verifications, such as verification of entry date and specific program requirements.
3. If unable to confirm status after checking documentation which suggests eligibility, please contact the CRU via MS Teams chat.