An individual must provide proof of their refugee or qualifying immigration status as a condition of eligibility. Proof shall be in the form of documentation issued by USCIS. The CAO will keep a copy (front and back) of all USCIS documents presented by the individual.
NOTE: If the refugee has lost their documentation, they must contact USCIS and provide the CAO with written proof of the contact. If the individual meets all other requirements, the CAO will authorize RCA or RMA pending receipt of documentation.
NOTE: Refugees or qualifying immigrants may print their I-94 electronically via the USCIS I-94 webpage
USCIS will provide the individual with an Arrival/Departure Record (I-94) listing one of the following sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA):
207 - admitted as a refugee. This includes persons admitted as Cuban/Haitian entrants.
212(d)(5) - paroled into the US as a refugee or asylee. The I-94 must specify that the person is "paroled as a refugee under section 212(d)(5)". Title IV Immigration and Nationality Act
203(a)(7) - conditional entrant.
208 - granted asylum. The date of the refugee's entry is the date USCIS grants asylee status. An applicant for asylum is not a refugee and is not eligible for Refugee Assistance benefits.
See Appendix C and Refugee Qualifying Immigrant Status Desk Guide for refugee status and documentation.
A refugee may qualify for Permanent Resident status and eventual citizenship. USCIS will provide a noncitizen who is granted permanent resident status with a Permanent Resident Alien Identification Card (I-551). The I-551 will include a Class of Admission (COA) code which identifies the individual as a refugee. The following COA codes indicate Permanent Residents eligible for Refugee Assistance benefits:
Form I-551 with COA codes RE6, RE7, or RE8 - Refugees admitted under Section 207.
Form I-551 with COA codes AS6, AS7, AS8, GA6, GA7, or GA8 - Individuals granted political asylum under Section 208.
Form I-551 with adjustment codes AM6, AM7, or AM8 -Individuals admitted under Amerasian legislation.
Form I-551 with COA codes CH6, HA6, or HB6 -Cuban/Haitian entrants adjusting under Section 202 of the Immigration Reform and Control Act.
See Appendix C for refugee status and documentation
See Appendix D for refugee documentation examples
The USCIS documents will contain the USCIS number also known as the Alien Registration Number (A-Number) and the date of entry into the US. The CAO will enter both the A-Number and date of entry into eCIS. See Appendix D for examples.
(Please note that after May 10, 2010 the USCIS renamed the Alien Registration Number to USCIS Number on I-551 cards.)
The CAO will keep a copy (front and back) of all USCIS documents presented by the client.
The CAO will assign a citizenship code of 04 to each individual identified as a refugee.
The CAO must verify the refugee's status through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program.
See Chapter 740 for SAVE procedures.
USCIS processes refugees from Cuba and Haiti the same as other refugees and provides the I-94 upon entry into the US. If the I-94 shows that USCIS admitted the Cuban/Haitian entrant to the country under one of the USCIS provisions listed in Section 730.2, the CAO will assign citizenship code 04 to the refugee.
The Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program is part of a national effort to resettle unaccompanied refugee minors in the U.S. USCIS and the U.S. Department of State select and identify these minors.
All unaccompanied refugee minors entering Pennsylvania are placed in the custody of Bethany Christian Services in Philadelphia which acts as the resettlement agency. After arrival in the country, Bethany Christian Services places an unaccompanied minor in its reception center until a foster home is found. The child may be placed in a foster home anywhere in the state or out of state, but custody remains with Bethany Christian Services. Philadelphia South District Office, Central Refugee Service Unit, has sole responsibility for determining foster care eligibility. The Children and Youth agency in the county where the minor is placed should not submit an Eligibility Determination Form (CY-61) to the local CAO.
As long as the unaccompanied refugee minor remains eligible for child welfare services, the federal government provides 100% federal reimbursement. The refugee minor may receive child welfare services up to age 21.
The Central Refugee Service Unit will apply the provisions of Chapter 850, Foster Care and Adoption, to determine income and resource eligibility of an unaccompanied refugee minor. If eligible, the CAO will authorize MA in the appropriate category with program status code 03 and Citizenship code 06.
The U.S. State Department designates Amerasians and their close family members as refugees. Although an Amerasian is technically a citizen of the U.S., they are considered a refugee and are eligible for Refugee Assistance benefits during their resettlement in the U.S.
Upon entry into the U.S., the Amerasian and their close family members will receive an Arrival/Departure Record (I-94) with an admission code of AM-1, AM-2, or AM-3 from USCIS.
AM1 - Amerasian born in Vietnam between 1/1/62 and 1/1/76.
AM3 - Mother of unmarried AM1 and spouse or child of the mother; or person who has acted as parent of AM1 and that person's spouse or child.
USCIS will issue an I-551 as soon as possible. The I-551 will contain one of the following adjustment codes:
AM6 - Amerasian born in Vietnam between 1/1/62 and 1/1/76.
AM7 - Spouse or child of AM6.
Certain refugee resettlement agencies have an agreement with the U.S. State Department under the Private Sector Initiative Program to provide resettlement services to refugees. This memorandum of understanding requires that the sponsoring agencies ensure that the refugees "do not require or financially qualify for publicly funded cash, medical, or food stamp assistance" for two years following their date of entry into the U.S. or until they attain permanent resident status, whichever comes first. The memo also provides that the sponsoring agency will reimburse the federal, state, and local government for any assistance the refugee receives.
The I-94 for these refugees will contain the following statement:
"This refugee is sponsored by the (name of local resettlement agency). Private resources are available. If public assistance is sought, please call (name of local agency) at (phone number)."
The CAO will not deny a Private Sector Initiative refugee's application for assistance, including Refugee Assistance benefits, based on the statement on the I-94. The CAO will contact the resettlement agency to determine if any income and resources are available to the refugee. If income and resources are available, the CAO will consider them to determine the refugee's eligibility for assistance.
NOTE: Consent of the refugee is not required for contact with the resettlement agency. The CAO will record the contact in the case record.
If the CAO authorizes assistance for a refugee covered by a memorandum of understanding, it will provide the name and case number to:
Reissued April 30, 2018, replacing February 14, 2013