FAQs

We are not equipped to respond to direct requests for assistance. We conduct our own identification of refugees in need of help in the locations where we work. We very rarely act on third-party referrals or self-referrals. Refugees in need of assistance in their asylum countries should review country-specific information found here and contact your nearest UNHCR office and local NGOs for assistance. If this concerns a refugee in the U.S. or the relative of a refugee in the U.S., please direct your inquiries to the agency that originally sponsored the case. We regret that we are unable to respond to such inquiries.

No. All of our resettlement work is on the “sending” side rather than the “receiving” side in the destination countries. Many other excellent agencies help refugees after they arrive in the U.S. Our office in Boston, Massachusetts is our headquarters office. We do not have U.S.-based clients, so there are no client services available at our headquarters office.

Find agencies working with refugees in Massachusetts.

See also: State Programs Annual Overview

If your inquiry pertains to refugees in the U.S. (our work focuses on refugees abroad), please consult the following resources:

Please refer to this information provided by the U.S. Department of State: Admissions Index

Within the U.S., a foster care program for unaccompanied refugee minors (children under 18 years old) exists where families can support refugee orphans or other children separated from their parents. The two U.S. agencies that manage the unaccompanied refugee minors program are Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Both institutions have affiliate offices across the country. Please consult the following links for more information:

• DHHS/Office of Refugee Resettlement
• Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service

Designated resettlement agencies contracted by the U.S. Department of State are required to be the official sponsors of all refugees arriving in the U.S. These agencies welcome assistance from local individuals and institutions in “co-sponsoring” refugee families. This map will help you find an agency in your area to contact: State Programs Annual Overview

If your inquiry pertains to the Sponsor Circle Program for Afghans or Ukrainians, please refer to the Sponsor Circles website. The Sponsor Circle Program is a community-led resettlement initiative that supports everyday Americans in taking on the responsibility of welcoming Afghan and Ukrainian newcomers to their communities.

RefugePoint’s Family Reunification Navigation Assistance Program in Kenya is pleased to invite requests for assistance from refugees in Kenya seeking to reunite with their parent(s), spouse, adult child(ren), or sibling(s) who reside in destination/third countries. Third countries means countries that are outside of Kenya that are not the country of origin for the refugees who are seeking reunification. Third countries include countries where loved ones have been resettled or secured a durable solution through education, labor mobility, or sponsorship pathways.

RefugePoint will assist eligible refugees in exploring family reunification visa options, provide information regarding reunification or other complementary pathways opportunities, and help eligible applicants navigate the process of completing the necessary paperwork and processing steps. This may include providing guidance and/or referrals to connect refugees to legal service providers where needed. Refugees in Kenya and their parent(s), spouse, adult child(ren), or sibling(s) abroad will need to meet the legal criteria for the visa programs offered by the destination/third countries.
PLEASE NOTE: This is *not* a new pathway for family reunification. RefugePoint will merely help refugees in Kenya understand their legal rights and navigate existing visa pathways offered by destination/third countries. Refugees may also apply on their own for these existing visa pathways.

Program Criteria:
Refugees in Kenya with the following family members in destination/third countries are invited to send requests for navigation assistance:
● Spouse (wife or husband)
● Parent(s), if the refugee in Kenya is an unmarried child below 21yrs. In addition to biological parents, depending on the eligibility requirements for the destination country, adoptive parents, step-parents, or legal guardians may qualify.
● Adult child(ren), although eligibility depends on requirements set by the destination/third country.
● Full biological siblings, although eligibility depends on requirements set by the destination/third country and processing may take many years.

Requests for Assistance:
Refugees in Kenya meeting the above requirements are invited to send requests for assistance in receiving family reunification navigation support to familyreunification@refugepoint.org. Please provide the following information, and attach the requested documents:
1. Proof of refugee status in Kenya (Refugee ID, Refugee Recognition Letter); Proof of registration with UNHCR/DRS;
3. Details of the family member(s) in the third country including name, relationship, contact, and country of residence for each;
4. Documents proving the relationship with the relative/s in the third country (e.g. birth and/or marriage certificate);
5. Proof of legal status of the relative(s) in destination/third country (e.g. residency card, passport etc.);
6. Contact information of the refugee(s) in Kenya;

Information Sharing:
The information refugees share with requests for assistance sent to
familyreunification@refugepoint.org will be used by RefugePoint to screen cases and determine which requests require which assistance. The data and documents shared with RefugePoint will be stored securely, and will only be shared internally within RefugePoint if necessary. If there is need for the information to be shared externally, then RefugePoint will seek verbal or written consent from the client first.

Timeline:
If the request for family reunification navigation assistance appears to potentially meet eligibility requirements for an existing visa pathway, a staff member of RefugePoint will contact you. Please be patient as demand for these services is expected to be high. Please do not send multiple requests for the same case.
If a viable visa route is identified, the visa application requirements will vary, and will be determined by the visa programs available for family reunification to the destination/third country. RefugePoint does not set or control these requirements.
Processing timelines by the destination country will also vary, and will depend on many factors: the speed of application filing by the anchor/host relative in the destination country, the pace of the government’s review and approval/denial of the application (considering any application backlogs), and the speed in completing other required processing steps. Typically, successful visa applications can take from many months up to several years. RefugePoint does not set or control processing timelines.

Financial Cost of Family Reunification:
Please be informed that RefugePoint does not charge for its services, and will not accept any money, gifts or other compensation in exchange for its services. An offer of money, gifts or favors will be considered a fraud attempt and will disqualify the applicant.

While RefugePoint’s services are offered free of charge, the governments that offer visa programs may charge application fees, biometric processing fees, health screening fees, and DNA testing fees. There may also be other associated costs, such as flight costs, which are typically paid by the anchor/host relative. As part of the application process, the destination country may require the anchor/host relative to demonstrate adequate financial resources for supporting the relative reuniting with them.
RefugePoint staff will do their best to provide accurate information regarding these costs as part of the navigation assistance it provides. However, RefugePoint is unable to provide any guarantees regarding costs. It is possible that unanticipated costs may arise, or that destination/third countries may change their fees at any point in time.

In some cases, refugees in Kenya may be required to travel to Nairobi to complete interviews and other steps required for application processing. Financial assistance may be available from RefugePoint to assist with costs of related transportation and short-term accommodation, but is not guaranteed. A RefugePoint staff member will provide more information on these costs and options for assistance if this need arises.

RefugePoint is committed to respecting and promoting human rights in general, including the welfare and rights of children. RefugePoint maintains a zero-tolerance policy for any form of discrimination, harassment, abuse, intimidation or exploitation, and any acts that infringe the rights of children.

Please report any known or suspected fraud, exploitation, abuse, or other misconduct to ethics@refugepoint.org