The need

Of the more than 9 million recorded refugees, as many as 6 million are in protracted situations, neither able to return home nor permitted to settle in their current place of residence.

A refugee is defined under international law as a person who is outside of his or her country because of a well-founded fear of persecution based on his or her race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular group, and who cannot or does not want to return home. With so many refugees living in insecure and inhumane circumstances, there exists an acute need to provide durable solutions, particularly for those deemed to be especially vulnerable.

Resettlement is the process through which refugee individuals or families are identified, legally documented and assisted to restart their lives in another country.

More and more governments are beginning to recognise the value of resettlement programmes. Recently, Brazil, Chile, Iceland, Ireland, Spain and Uruguay all joined Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and the United States in offering resettlement as a response to the need of refugees for protection and durable solutions.

Yet for those refugees who enter the resettlement programme there is a great deal of uncertainty, and preparation needed before they arrive in their new home. ICMC has assisted in the resettlement process for over 750,000 refugees since 1951. Many of the refugees were processed for resettlement each year through ICMC Overseas Processing Entities (OPEs) in regional centres such as Bangkok and Zagreb. Today ICMC continues to process thousands of refugees for resettlement each year through its OPE in Turkey.

The principal steps to ICMC's Refugee Resettlement Processing

For individuals and families applying through ICMC's OPE to be accepted as refugees for resettlement:

• ICMC receives referrals for individuals and families who have been determined refugees by UNHCR and who are now applying for resettlement;
• Applicants are interviewed, assisted in their initial application process and informed of their potential eligibility for the resettlement programme;
• ICMC completes an intensive interview to further confirm biographical information, which in the case of resettlement to the United States, is then entered  into its Worldwide Refugee Admissions Processing System (WRAPS);
• While awaiting security clearance, the refugee is interviewed by immigration officials of the country of resettlement, which is coordinated by ICMC;
• Of those who receive security clearance, most are approved immediately for resettlement, after which their biographical information is confirmed in the  WRAPS system;
• The accepted refugee is sent to a clinic for a medical exam, after which necessary arrangements are made for those in need of special assistance, such as  wheelchairs, hearing aids, etc. ICMC also takes note of any medical escorts that might be needed;
• Refugees then participate in a 3-day Cultural Orientation Programme, provided on-site by ICMC;
• UNHCR is notified so that flight arrangements can be made for the refugees, including exit clearance from the airport, which takes approximately three to  four weeks;
• Refugees depart for the country of resettlement, approximately three months after having been referred to ICMC by UNHCR;
• Refugees arrive in the country of resettlement, where partner organisations assist them in their integration efforts.