USCIS 

Welcomes 

Refugees 

and Asylees

M-1186 (04/19)
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USCIS Welcomes Refugees 

and Asylees

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 

(USCIS), part of the U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security (DHS), welcomes you to 

the United States as a refugee or asylee. We 

value your skills and talents, and we want to 

help you settle into your community and be 

successful in your life in the United States. We 

also want to share information about how you 

can become a U.S. citizen. 

This brochure will help you learn about getting 

settled in the United States and about the 

rights, responsibilities, and importance of U.S. 

citizenship. Becoming a U.S. citizen gives you 

the same rights as all Americans and builds a 

sense of shared belonging for you and your 

fellow citizens. 

Rights and Responsibilities

As a refugee or asylee living in the United 

States, you have many rights, just like others 

living here. Some of these rights include 

freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and 

freedom of assembly. 
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You also have responsibilities. In the United 

States, everyone must follow the law. You need 

to understand U.S. laws because they may be 

different from the laws in other places you 

have lived. Learning about American history, 

government, and culture will help you feel at 

home here. 

You have the right to:

• Live anywhere in the United States

• Work in the United States

• Leave and return to the United States under 

certain conditions

• Attend public school until a certain age, 

according to state laws

• Apply for an unrestricted Social Security 

card

• Apply for a driver’s license or other form 

of government identification in your state 

or territory

• Apply to become a lawful permanent 

resident and U.S. citizen once you are 

eligible

• Request that your spouse or unmarried 

children receive asylum or refugee 

derivative status to live in the United States

• Report crimes or abuse to law enforcement 

and receive their assistance

You have the responsibility and are required 

to:

• Request permission to return to the United 

States before you leave by applying for a 

refugee travel document, even if you are an 

asylee

• Obey all federal, state, and local laws

• Pay federal, state, and local taxes, if 

applicable
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• Register with the Selective Service if you are 

a male between 18 and 26 years old

• Inform USCIS of your new address no later 

than 10 days after you move

• Send your minor children to school

• Apply for lawful permanent resident status 

after 1 year in the United States if you are a 

refugee

Getting Settled in the United 

States

In the United States, each level of government 

plays a different role in helping you get settled. 

You may come in contact with local, state, and 

federal government offices during your 

resettlement process.

Contact your state refugee coordinator, state 

refugee health coordinator, resettlement agency 

or a local community-based organization that 

works with immigrants to help direct you to the 

appropriate government assistance program. Many 

government assistance programs have time-limited 

eligibility periods that begin from the date you 

were granted asylum or admitted as a refugee. 

If you need help learning English, you can enroll 

in an English class. Check with your resettlement 

agency, public library, social service agency, or 

place of worship to get information on English 

classes and other classes and services.
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The Next Steps in Your 

Immigration Process

If you entered the United States as a refugee 

within the past 2 years or were granted asylum 

status within the past 2 years, you may petition 

for certain family members to join you here. 

You may petition for the following family 

members:

• Spouse 

• Child (unmarried and under 21 when you 

first applied for asylum or refugee status)

You must submit Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee 

Relative Petition, to USCIS within 2 years of 

being granted asylum or admitted as a refugee, 

or demonstrate humanitarian reasons for 

extending the 2-year period. This form is 

available at uscis.gov/i-730.

Lawful Permanent Residence

A lawful permanent resident (Green Card 

holder) is someone who has been granted 

authorization to live and work in the United 

States on a permanent basis. As proof of that 

status, a person is given a Permanent Resident 

Card, commonly called a Green Card. Acquiring 

a Green Card also puts one on the path to being 

able to apply for full U.S. citizenship (more on 

that below).

• Refugees must apply for a Permanent 

Resident Card 1 year after arriving in the 

United States. Refugees must have 1 year of 

physical presence in the United States at the 

time they file the application.

• Asylees may apply for a Permanent 

Resident Card 1 year after being granted 

asylum. Asylees must have 1 year of physical 

presence as an asylee in the United States at 

the time they file the application.
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If you are a refugee, you are required by 

law to apply for lawful permanent resident 

status 1 year after being admitted to the 

United States as a refugee.

Apply for lawful permanent residence

File Form I-485, Application to Register 

Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. 

Refugees do not pay fees to file Form I-485 

or for biometric services.

You are eligible to apply if you:

• Have been physically present in the 

United States for at least 1 year after 

being admitted as a refugee; 

• Are physically present in the United 

States at the time you file your Form I-485;

• Are admissible to the United States as 

an immigrant; and 

• Have not had your refugee status 

terminated.

Visit uscis.gov/i-485 and uscis.gov/

greencard/refugees for more information.

Apply for U.S. citizenship

You may qualify for naturalization if you 

have been a lawful permanent resident for a 

certain number of years and meet all other 

eligibility requirements. Please visit uscis.

gov/citizenship for more information.

Refugees

To apply for lawful permanent resident status 

and get a Permanent Resident Card, file Form 

I-485, Application to Register Permanent 

Residence or Adjust Status. This form is available 

at uscis.gov/i-485. While there is a fee for 

asylees to file Form I-485, there is no fee for 

refugees to file Form I-485. Community-based 

organizations, including your local resettlement 

agency, can help you with this process.
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Asylees

If you are an asylee, you are eligible to apply 

for lawful permanent resident status 1 

year after being granted asylum if you have 

maintained residence the entire time, but 

you are not required to apply. 

Apply for lawful permanent residence

File Form I-485, Application to Register 

Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, 

and pay the appropriate filing and biometric 

services fees.

You are eligible to apply if you: 

• Have been physically present in the 

United States for at least 1 year after 

being granted asylum; 

• Are physically present in the United 

States at the time you file your Form 

I-485;

• Continue to meet the definition of a 

refugee or be the spouse or child of a 

refugee; 

• Are not firmly resettled in any foreign 

country; 

• Are admissible to the United States as 

an immigrant; and

• Have not had your asylee status 

terminated.

Visit uscis.gov/i-485 and uscis.gov/

greencard/asylees for more information.

Apply for U.S. citizenship

You may qualify for naturalization if you 

have been a lawful permanent resident for a 

certain number of years and meet all other 

eligibility requirements. Please visit uscis.

gov/citizenship for more information.
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Citizenship

Citizenship is the common thread that connects 

all Americans. We are a nation bound not by 

race or religion but by the shared values of 

freedom, liberty, and equality. By becoming a 

U.S. citizen, you will have a voice in how our 

nation is governed.

Your conduct as a lawful permanent resident 

can affect your ability to become a U.S. citizen 

later. The process of becoming a U.S. citizen is 

called naturalization. You must meet all of the 

eligibility requirements to naturalize as a U.S. 

citizen.

In general, after a certain number of years as 

a lawful permanent resident, you can apply 

for naturalization. Refugees and asylees may 

apply for naturalization 5 years after the date of 

their admission to lawful permanent residence. 

Asylees are admitted to lawful permanent 

resident status as of the date 1 year before the 

approval of their Form I-485. Upon the approval 

of their Form I-485, refugees are admitted to 

lawful permanent residence as of the date of 

their arrival in the United States. 

For a list of all naturalization eligibility 

requirements, visit uscis.gov/citizenship. Some 

of the requirements include the following:
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• You need to be physically present in the 

United States for a certain period of time.

• You need to have continuous residence in 

the United States.

• You need to have good moral character.

• You need to be able to speak, read, write, 

and understand basic English and have an 

understanding of U.S. history and government 

(civics). 

• You need to support the principles and 

ideals of the U.S. Constitution and be 

willing to take an oath of allegiance to the 

United States.

To apply for naturalization, file Form N-400, 

Application for Naturalization, online at uscis.

gov/n-400. You may also pay for Form N-400 

and your biometric fee online. There are 

exceptions and modifications to the naturalization 

requirements for those who qualify. USCIS also 

provides accommodations for individuals with 

disabilities. Many community organizations, 

such as local resettlement agencies, can help 

you prepare for naturalization.

Certain benefits, rights, and responsibilities 

come with U.S. citizenship, including the ability 

to vote in federal elections, serve on a jury, 

travel with a U.S. passport, compete for federal 

jobs, and become an elected official.
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USCIS Resources

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 

(USCIS)

USCIS oversees lawful immigration to 

the United States. Learn how to apply for 

your Green Card, pursue U.S. citizenship, 

reunite with family, get permission to travel 

overseas, and more.

Resources for refugees and asylees

uscis.gov/howdoi/refugeesasylees

Welcome to the United States: A Guide for 

New Immigrants

This guide introduces the basic information you 

and your family need for everyday life in the 

United States. It describes your rights and 

responsibilities, suggests ideas for getting 

involved in your local community, and helps you 

plan for applying for U.S. citizenship once 

you become a lawful permanent resident.

uscis.gov/newimmigrants

Settling in the U.S.

This webpage provides you with information 

about the United States, education and 

child care, emergencies and safety, traveling 

outside of the United States, employment, 

getting settled in the United States, 

government benefits, health care, and 

money and finance.

uscis.gov/tools/settling-us

Contact USCIS

Visit uscis.gov for additional information, to 

check your case status, or to find a USCIS office. 

You can call USCIS toll-free at 800-375-5283. 

For people who are deaf, hard of hearing or 

have a speech disability, call TTY 800-767-

1833. Service is available in English and Spanish. 

You can also visit uscis.gov/contactcenter for 

the USCIS Contact Center.
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Citizenship Resource Center

This website provides educational tools and 

information to help you prepare for U.S. 

citizenship.

uscis.gov/citizenship

Avoid Scams

If you need legal advice on immigration 

matters, make sure the person helping you 

is authorized to give legal advice. Only an 

attorney or an accredited representative 

working for an organization recognized by 

the U.S. Department of Justice can give you 

legal advice.

uscis.gov/avoid-scams

uscis.gov/avoid-scams/find-legal-services

Forms

Use Form I-765 to apply for work 

authorization, renew your authorization, or to 

replace your document.

uscis.gov/i-765

Use Form I-730 to bring your spouse or 

children to the United States.

uscis.gov/i-730

Use Form I-131 to request permission to 

return to the United States by obtaining a 

refugee travel document.

uscis.gov/i-131

Use Form I-485 to apply for lawful 

permanent resident status if you are in the 

United States.

uscis.gov/i-485

Use Form N-400 to apply for U.S. 

citizenship.

uscis.gov/n-400

Use Form AR-11 to ensure your address is 

updated with USCIS.

uscis.gov/ar-11

USCIS Resources
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Other Federal Resources

The following chart provides additional 

information about federal government services 

for refugees and asylees.

U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services 

Administration for Children and Families 

Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)

If you are a refugee, asylee, and derivative 

family member, you may be eligible to 

receive assistance and services through 

ORR. ORR funds and administers various 

programs that include cash and medical 

assistance, employment preparation, job 

placement, and English language training. 

Many of these programs have time-limited 

eligibility periods that begin from the date 

you were granted asylum or entered the 

United States as a refugee. You should 

explore whether you qualify for any of these 

programs as soon as possible if you are 

interested in any of them.

State refugee coordinators/state refugee 

health coordinators

acf.hhs.gov/orr/resource/orr-fundedprograms-key-contacts

Federal Government Resources

myUSCIS

Find up-to-date information about the 

application process for immigration benefits, 

tools to help you prepare for naturalization, 

and resources to find citizenship preparation 

classes and doctors in your local community. 

Learn how to file an application or request 

online and access information about your 

case by registering for an online account.

my.uscis.gov

myaccount.uscis.dhs.gov

USCIS Resources
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Federal Government Resources

State programs and resources

acf.hhs.gov/orr/state-programs-annualoverview

Health insurance resources

acf.hhs.gov/orr/health

Affordable housing resources

acf.hhs.gov/orr/resource/finding-affordablehousing

Employment resources

acf.hhs.gov/orr/employment-resources

U.S. Department of State

Bureau of Population, Refugees, and 

Migration

Reception and Placement Program

If you were approved for refugee status in 

the United States, you were sponsored by 

a resettlement agency participating in the 

Reception and Placement Program, which 

is run by the U.S. Department of State. The 

sponsoring agency is responsible for placing 

you with one of its local offices and for 

providing initial services, such as housing, 

essential furnishings, food, clothing, 

orientation and assistance with access 

to other social, medical, and employment 

services during your first 30 to 90 days in 

the United States. When you first arrive in 

the United States as a refugee, your local 

resettlement agency will be the first place 

you should turn for help getting settled.

state.gov/j/prm/ra/receptionplacement

U.S. Department of State

Bureau of Population, Refugees, and 

Migration

Cultural Orientation Resource Exchange 

(CORE)

Funded by the U.S. Department of State, 

CORE offers numerous cultural orientation 

resources for U.S.-bound refugees. This 

website includes materials in languages 
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Federal Government Resources

such as Arabic, Farsi, Kinyarwanda, Kiswahili, 

and Somali. CORE will help you get culturally 

oriented in the United States. Explore CORE

now to learn more about employment, 

housing, healthcare, money management, 

and more to help you adjust to life in the 

United States.

corenav.org

U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)

DOL fosters, promotes, and develops the 

welfare of wage earners, job seekers, and 

retirees of the United States; works to advance 

opportunities for profitable employment; and 

assures work-related benefits and rights. 

Take a look at careeronestop.org. It can help 

you find jobs and training in your community.

Workers’ rights resources

dol.gov

American Job Centers (sponsored by DOL)

careeronestop.org

877-US2-JOBS (877-889-5627 (TTY))

U.S. Department of Justice

Immigrant and Employee Rights Section

The Immigrant and Employee Rights Section 

of the U.S. Department of Justice enforces 

the anti-discrimination provision of the 

Immigration and Nationality Act. This statute 

prohibits employers from discriminating based 

on citizenship status and national origin 

discrimination when hiring, firing, or recruiting 

or referring for a fee. It also prohibits unfair 

documentary practices and retaliation or 

intimidation. If you think you are being 

treated unfairly as you try to get a job or at 

a job you already have because of where you 

come from, or because you are an asylee or 

refugee, the Immigrant and Employee Rights 

Section may be able to help.
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Resources about employment discrimination 

based upon citizenship or immigration status

justice.gov/crt/immigrant-and-employeerights-section

800-255-7688 (800-237-2515 (TTY))

Social Security Administration

A Social Security number is needed to 

get a job, collect Social Security benefits, 

and apply for other government services. 

You need to get a Social Security number 

and card. Go to this website for specific 

information for refugees and asylees.

ssa.gov/people/immigrants

800-772-1213 (800-325-0778 (TTY))

Federal Government Resources

USCIS has purchased the right to use many of the 

images in USCIS Welcomes Refugees and Asylees. USCIS 

is licensed to use these images on a nonexclusive and 

non-transferable basis. All other rights to the images, 

including without limitation and copyright, are retained 

by the owner of the images. These images are not in 

the public domain and may not be used except as they 

appear as part of this publication.
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uscis.gov