Refugee & Immigration Services
Refugee Processing Cycle

Refugee Family Arrives ·         Caseworker and volunteers greet family at the airport and transport the family to their new home ·         Catholic Charities staff and volunteers begin providing core services

Refugee Flees Homeland

UNHCR determines path for refugee: ·         Repatriation (sent back to homeland) ·         Nationalization (remain in country fled to) ·         Third Country Resettlement (less than 1% of refugee population)

US Dept of State conducts interview of refugee at Migration Processing Center to determine resettlement eligibility

Allocation to US Resettlement Agency ·         United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Migration & Refugee Services

Refugee notified of Resettlement site in US ·         Refugee prepares for final processing:  medical exams, orientation to US, and clearance checks

Processing Complete ·         Flight is booked and Catholic Charities of Tennessee office is notified of refugee arrival

Local Catholic Charities office prepares for arrival ·         Volunteers assigned to the new arrivals ·         Arrangements made for living quarters and furniture donations ·         Food and other household items are purchased and medical appointments made

* The US is one of ten countries resettling <1% of the world refugee population slated for third country resettlement.