How can I prepare for an interview for U.S. resettlement? 

Summary

This guide describes what to expect during an interview for U.S. refugee resettlement with USCIS.

If you are being considered for resettlement to the U.S., you will have at least two interviews. First you will have an interview with the resettlement support center (RSC). 

Then you will have an interview with an officer from the U.S. government. The officer is called a Refugee Officer. The interview is called the USCIS Interview or a Jury Interview. This is a very important interview. This interview will determine if your case can move forward to final security checks and medical checks. If your interview is taking place at UNHCR, then it is not the USCIS interview.

 

Why are you being interviewed?

The purpose of the RSC interview is to gather all of your information to prepare for the USCIS interview. The employee at the RSC will ask information about your family and collect documents that are important for your case. 

The purpose of the USCIS interview is to determine if you meet the definition of a refugee under U.S. law. The officer is also determining if you can be accepted to the U.S. under U.S. immigration law.

 

RSC interview

Your interview with the RSC is to learn about your family and to learn your story. All of the information that you share will be shared with the USCIS officer. The information below explains what you can expect in a USCIS interview. But this information can be helpful to prepare for your RSC interview as well.

 

Before your interview

You will be contacted by a resettlement support center (RSC). This will be the same organization that conducted your pre-screening interview. RSCs include IOM, ICMC, CWS, IRC, and HIAS. Your RSC will let you know where and when the interview will take place. It is common for the interview to be delayed or cancelled. There could be many reasons why this happens. It does not mean that there is something wrong with your case. Unfortunately, if the interview is delayed or cancelled, you have to wait for it to be rescheduled.

Before your interview you should sit down and write a summary of events in the order that they happened. This can include the dates you fled your home or the dates you received threats. Some of these events may bring up bad or difficult memories, but it is important to be ready to speak about them. 

Do not bring what you wrote down to your interview. It is only to help you prepare.

 

Who and what to bring to the interview. Every person on your case file needs to attend the interview. This includes babies and young children unless the RSC tells you otherwise. Bring the following documents to your interview, if they apply to your situation:

• The identification documents of everyone on your case file.
• UNHCR certificate.
• Military-related documents such as a military book and military ID. If you served in the military, bring all your military documentation, such as a military book or card. If you served in the military but you do not have any documents, be ready to explain why you do not have them.
• Any documents or evidence that show why you are afraid to return to your country. This could include:
• Medical reports if you were attacked and needed medical attention.
• Police reports.
• Threatening letters or text messages.
• Family documents like a family book, birth certificates, marriage and divorce certificates.
• Legal documents showing any criminal or arrest record, such as arrest or bail documents, court orders, and receipts of any fees paid.

 

Waiting for your interview. Once you arrive at the interview location, you may have to wait for a long time before your interview begins. You may also want to bring food and water and reading materials or quiet toys for your children to play with while waiting.

 

No smoking. You will not be able to smoke for several hours. You may wait inside the building for several hours before and after your interview. When you are inside, there is a strict no-smoking rule. You should be prepared not to smoke from 7:30 am to 6 pm.

 

Beginning of the USCIS interview

The USCIS interview usually starts with all of your family in the same room. Children above a certain age (usually 13) may be asked to answer basic questions about their name and parents. Younger children do not usually have to answer questions. You can answer for them.

You should answer every question truthfully. Misrepresenting your situation or giving wrong information can lead to your case being denied.

The Refugee Officer will first ask about all of the family’s personal information, including:

• Full names.
• Tribal names.
• Exact dates of birth for everyone on the case file.
• Family tree. The Officer will ask about your parents, siblings, and children, and where they all live now. 
• Addresses you have lived at in the current country and your home country.
• Education and employment history.
• Phone number and social media history.
• When major life events happened, like births, marriages, and when you moved or faced threats.

If any of the information is not correct, you should tell the Refugee Officer that the information is wrong, and you should give the correct information.

The Refugee Officer will ask a lot of “Yes or No” questions that might seem strange. This is normal. They are required to ask these questions to everyone. Remain calm. Some questions that you might be asked include:

• Do you plan to go to the U.S. to take part in terrorism?
• Do you plan to go to the U.S. to hurt someone?
• Do you plan to go to the U.S. to become a prostitute?
• Do you plan to go to the U.S. to break any laws?

The Refugee Officer will ask many questions about security and military history. Some questions that you might be asked include:

• Did you ever receive weapons training?
• Did you ever carry a weapon?
• When and where did you serve in the military? What was the name of your unit? What tasks were you assigned to do while you were in the military?
• Have you ever supported a terrorist group or any militia?

 

Substance of the interview

Usually, most questions will be answered by the principal applicant on the case. This is often the person that UNHCR or the RSC has been in touch with. However, the Refugee Officer may request to interview other family members separately.

The Refugee Officer will ask you about why you left your home country and why you are afraid to return.

The Refugee Officer will ask you about when you or your family were harmed, including: 

• Where and when these events occurred. 
• Who was with you, who targeted you, and why you were targeted. 

If you do not know the specific details, provide information about what you do know. For example, if you do not know the specific date, explain what season it was in or if it was before or after a significant political event. Do not make up specific dates if you are not sure.

When you explain to the officer why you fear for your safety in your country of nationality, or why you were targeted in the past, make sure to explain to the officer any facts or information about your country that would help them understand your situation. 

Other subjects you may be asked during the interview include:

• Whether you served in the military and what you did on a daily basis when you were in the military.
• Whether you were ever arrested, charged, or convicted of crimes in the past.
• Your previous work, especially if you worked for the government of the country that you are fleeing from.
• Whether you belonged to any political party, even if you were forced to join the party.
• Whether you ever applied for a visa to come to the U.S. in the past. This includes applying for a diversity visa, called the “visa lottery.” If you ever applied for or even started an electronic application for a visa to the U.S., you must tell the officer about that application.

The Refugee Officer may ask you many questions about the same topic or ask you the same question over again. Sometimes the Refugee Officer might read back to you two statements that you made and ask you to explain more. Pay attention.

• The Refugee Officer’s focus on this area might be because they believe you gave different information earlier in the interview or in a previous interview with UNHCR or the RSC. The Refugee Officer might be asking you to let you clarify the contradiction.
• If you are giving different information from a previous interview, explain why. 
  • For example, if you said that you experienced threats in 2011, but you asked your family and you realize that those events were in 2012, explain that you had forgotten the date but want to provide the exact details. 
  • If you have difficulty remembering details because you are a survivor of trauma, explain that as well.
• The Refugee Officer might also have read information from your country that is different from what you said in your interview. Explain your story truthfully. For example, if you said you are attacked because of your religion, and the officer read a report that people of your religion are safe in your country, explain why you are afraid that you will be hurt.
• The Refugee Officer may ask about whether you belonged to or helped any armed groups. This includes: 
  • Paying a ransom to an armed group.
  • Buying supplies from an armed group.
  • Providing food, water, or shelter to an armed group. 
  • Be sure to fully explain to the Refugee Officer the circumstances in which you helped an armed group.  For example, explain to the Refugee Officer:
    • If the armed group forced you to provide support.
    • If the armed group threatened to harm you or your family if you did not provide support.
    • If you did not know at the time that the people you helped were part of an armed group.

 

End of the interview

The Refugee Officer will not be able to give you a decision on your case the same day. Instead, you will get a letter later telling you the results. If you are approved, you still must wait to travel. You can only travel after the U.S. government has conducted security checks and you complete a medical exam.

The officer also cannot tell you when to expect the decision. There are several things that the Refugee Officer cannot control, including the speed of interview, security checks, and travel.

 

Working with an interpreter

If you require an interpreter during your interview, answer the questions in short sentences.  This will help the interpreter to interpret your complete story. Give the interpreter time to interpret all the details of your story to the Officer.

You should tell the officer if:

• You have problems understanding the interpreter.
• You think the interpreter may not understand you.
• The interpreter is not fully translating what you have said.
• The interpreter is disrespectful to you. 

Then explain in detail the interpretation problem you are having. Your interpreter will not have any impact on the final result in your case. Your interpreter will not discuss your case outside the interview. They are required to keep your information confidential.

 

Interview confidentiality

In the beginning of the interview it is likely that all your family members will be present. If there is anything that you are asked that you are uncomfortable sharing in front of your family, tell the officer that you would rather talk about this in private. This is better than leaving out important details or saying, “I don’t know.”

The U.S. government treats your statement as confidential. 

 

General information

• How to respond to questions when you do not know the answer. If you are asked a question and you do not know the answer, do not answer the question with wrong information. 
• If you do not remember some details, explain as much as you do know. Then explain why you do not remember the rest. It is better to say you do not remember or you do not know and explain why.  
• For example, if they ask you what date something happened, and you remember only that it was in summer 2013, tell them it was summer 2013 rather than giving a specific date.

• If you need a break, you can ask for one. It is not rude or impolite to ask for a short break during the interview. It is important for you to feel comfortable telling your whole story. If you are upset or uncomfortable, ask for a short break to calm down and recollect your thoughts.
• Do not leave anything out. Make sure you tell the officer everything that they ask you about. Answer the officer’s questions and focus on the issue that the officer asked about.
• Always be truthful. Whatever they ask you about, always tell the truth. If you are afraid that your answer may hurt your case, it is still better to tell the truth. You can then explain why this detail should not hurt your case. The officer may deny your case if you give wrong information.