Notice On Confidentiality Of Personal Information

NOTICE ON CONFIDENTIALITY OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

For Individuals Making

Application for Refugee Admissions to the United States

The United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) (including but not limited to staff of the Department of State and Resettlement Support Centers) and its partners (including but not limited to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Resettlement Agencies) generally will not use or disclose information related to your refugee application except as described in this notice or as required under applicable U.S. laws. The USRAP will use the personal information you give us to complete your application for resettlement in the United States as authorized by the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1202(f)). Providing this information is voluntary, but it is critical in order to place the refugee applicants with a resettlement agency, at an appropriate resettlement site, if admitted to the United States and to generate security checks on refugees by the intelligence and law enforcement community before the refugee can be permitted to travel to the United States. Failure to provide us the requested information will delay or prevent you from being admitted to the United States through the USRAP.

• U.S. government officials from the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and other U.S. government agencies will use information about you to decide if you will be admitted to the United States as a refugee and, if admitted, to facilitate your resettlement.

• The USRAP will give information about you to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and IOM to process your application and arrange your travel to the United States.

• The USRAP will give limited information about you and your family (such as ages, education, past employment and medical conditions that require certain care) to staff of the resettlement agency in the United States that sponsors you to allow the agency to prepare for your arrival.

• A complete list of routine uses may be found in System of Records entitled Refugee Case Records, State-59 (72 FR 45081).

• If specifically requested, the USRAP may also give information from your application to members of the U.S. Congress as needed for the formulation, amendment, administration, or enforcement of immigration, nationality, or other laws of the United States, as permitted by Title 8 of the United States Code Section 1202(f).

• The information provided may, in certain limited circumstances, be released to other government agencies (federal, state and/or local), when there has been a demonstrated need for disclosure, such as for purposes of investigation or legal action on criminal matters, or in connection with issues arising from the adjudication of benefits.

• Except in order to directly facilitate your resettlement in the United States, information about you will generally only be shared with foreign governments if you have provided consent, and the United States and the foreign government in question have formal written arrangements on information sharing.

• If you have a credible and serious impairment such as age, illness or physical disability that prevents you from inquiring on your own behalf, the USRAP will release information pertaining to the status of your application or entry into the United States to a bona fide third party representative.

• If have provided a signed, written authorization, the USRAP will release information pertaining to the status of your application or entry into the United States to a designated third party, including a designated attorney.

• Friends, relatives or others are not permitted to accompany you to RSC intake and prescreening.

• If you have questions about your application, you should contact the Resettlement Support Center handling your case. Your questions can be oral or in writing. Questions should be addressed to:

[insert RSC contact info]

Neither this notice nor the terms of this policy create any legally enforceable rights.

Please sign below to indicate you have been made aware of this confidentiality policy. You should also keep a copy of this notice for future reference.

This policy has been explained to me in [insert appropriate language]. I acknowledge my understanding and acceptance by signing below:

Printed Name:

Date: Signature:

USRAP - Notice on Confidentiality of Personal Information Page 2