Does a refugee need to pay money to UNHCR or the USRP for resettlement to the United States?
Neither UNHCR or the US Resettlement Program charges a fee for resettlement interviews or decisions. Refugees approved for resettlement to the US will receive a travel loan from the International Organization for Migration and be asked to sign a promissory note to repay that loan in the future. Applicants and their relatives should be informed that persons soliciting money for resettlement are involved in fraudulent and illegal activities. UNHCR has received numerous queries from refugees corresponding with organizations promising resettlement in exchange for fees. These organizations have misrepresented themselves using fictional names and claiming to be “partners” in the process. None of these organizations charging fees are legitimate partners and they have no influence in the resettlement process.
