The Doha Field Office is set to commence operations on May 7, followed by the Ankara Field Office on May 9.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has unveiled plans to open international field offices in Qatar and Turkey to enhance refugee processing capabilities, strategic alliances, and interagency collaboration.
The Doha Field Office is set to commence operations on May 7, followed by the Ankara Field Office on May 9, marking USCIS’ expansion to 11 international field offices.
With the Biden-Harris administration setting the refugee admissions ceiling for fiscal year 2024 at 125,000 refugees, the establishment of USCIS field offices in Qatar and Turkey aims to reinforce the infrastructure of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Programme within the region.
It will also directly facilitate USCIS refugee processing circuit rides, which have seen a steady increase over time.
Qatar and Turkey emerge as pivotal locations and regional refugee processing hubs.
Qatar already hosts refugee coordinators from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), along with a suboffice for the Resettlement Support Center for the Middle East and North Africa.
Situated within the U.S. embassy facility at Camp As Sayliyah, the USCIS office will also conduct scheduled appointments at the US Embassy in Qatar.
Turkey, too, stands as a critical location with the headquarters office for the Resettlement Support Center for Turkey and the Middle East and PRM refugee coordinators.
The USCIS Ankara Field Office, to be located within the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, will further aid in the refugee processing efforts in the region.
The USCIS staff will undertake the processing of Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition, previously handled by State Department consular staff.
They will also assist with fraud detection activities and offer limited services, accessible only by appointment.
Other existing international field offices include Beijing; Guangzhou, China; Guatemala City; Havana; Mexico City; Nairobi, Kenya; New Delhi; San Salvador, El Salvador; and Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
