Join our mailing list and we'll send you an email that has all the resources you need to get started with sponsoring via the Welcome Corps.
Interested in partnership or recruitment opportunities? Email us at [email protected].
You can help refugees seeking safety build new lives in the United States.
The Welcome Corps, launched by the U.S. Department of State in 2023, empowers Americans to help refugees from around the world build new lives in the U.S. while providing a pathway to permanent residency and citizenship. Americans form sponsor groups, fundraise, and commit to supporting refugees during their first three months in the U.S. Together, sponsors secure housing, enroll children in school, and connect refugees with job opportunities.
You don’t need to be an expert in refugee resettlement to get involved. Everyday Americans can sponsor refugees, serving as friends, neighbors, and guides as newcomers settle into their new communities. You can form a sponsor group through your book club, church, service organization, or with friends and family. American citizens and permanent residents must be over 18 and live in the same community to form a sponsor group. The Welcome Corps experts offer guidance and support every step of the way.
Refugees are people who have been forced to flee their home countries due to persecution or violence. Sponsors can apply to be matched with a refugee or refugee family they don’t know (yet!) or apply to sponsor someone they know.
All refugees who come through the program undergo thorough security vetting before coming to the United States.
Interested in helping a refugee from a specific country or region? Explore these resources.
If you have friends or family members who have been displaced, you can apply to sponsor eligible refugees you know.
Learn moreYou can be a bridge to safety for Latin American refugees displaced due to conflict and violence.
Learn moreDiscover how you can help our Afghan allies establish a new beginning in the U.S.
Learn moreCreate your Welcome Corps account.
Need assistance with your Welcome Corps application? Sign up for an application support session.
Refugees entering the U.S. through the Welcome Corps have refugee status, allowing them to work upon arrival and apply for permanent residency after one year, with eligibility for citizenship after five years. Humanitarian parole is open to Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, Ukrainians, and Venezuelans. The program grants individuals temporary parole status for up to two years with no automatic path to citizenship. Individuals may apply for work authorization and seek asylum or another status for permanency in the U.S.
Yes, sponsors can apply to multiple immigration programs simultaneously. Once a refugee or refugee family is accepted into the U.S. under one program, any other applications will be canceled.
Questions about whether sponsorship is right for you? Join us for a live information session.
The Welcome Corps, launched by the U.S. Department of State in January 2023, is implemented by a consortium of non-profit organizations with expertise in refugee resettlement and welcoming. Welcome.US aims to raise awareness, inspire key communities, and amplify their stories.
Welcome.US cannot answer questions about your application.
Join our mailing list and we'll send you an email that has all the resources you need to get started with sponsoring via the Welcome Corps.
Interested in partnership or recruitment opportunities? Email us at [email protected].
Discover how rewarding it can be to welcome newcomers into your community.