Vienna | HIAS

Religious minorities in Iran (including Jews, Christians, Baha'i and Zoroastrians) report being victims of imprisonment, harassment and intimidation based on their religious beliefs. They face restrictions in government, business, the legal system, marriage, employment and higher education.

Since 1983 the HIAS office in Vienna has been the first stop for Iranian minorities seeking to escape this oppressive way of life for freedom and security in the United States. HIAS holds a contract with the U.S. Department of State to be the sole Overseas Processing Entity (OPE) in Vienna for applicants to the U.S. Refugee Program.

The primary activity of the Vienna OPE is to:

assist applicants to the U.S. Refugee Program in completing applications for consideration;
assist the U.S. Government in the processing of such applications;
once an applicant is admitted into the program, coordinate sponsorship arrangements with U.S. resettlement agencies

Vienna Cultural Orientation Program

The purpose of pre-arrival Cultural Orientation training in Vienna is to provide refugees with the tools and information they will need to begin new lives in the United States. Classes are designed with a number of issues in mind, namely to dispel misconceptions and unrealistic expectations about the culture and society they are about to join; to provide accurate information about the country of resettlement; and to inform refugees about social and community services available to them. Other topics covered include refugees' rights and responsibilities, laws, cultural norms and values of the receiving country, and information regarding transit.

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Chad Former Soviet Union Israel & the Middle East Kenya Latin America Vienna more	Vienna Religious minorities in Iran (including Jews, Christians, Baha'i and Zoroastrians) report being victims of imprisonment, harassment and intimidation based on their religious beliefs. They face restrictions in government, business, the legal system, marriage, employment and higher education. Since 1983 the HIAS office in Vienna has been the first stop for Iranian minorities seeking to escape this oppressive way of life for freedom and security in the United States. HIAS holds a contract with the U.S. Department of State to be the sole Overseas Processing Entity (OPE) in Vienna for applicants to the U.S. Refugee Program. The primary activity of the Vienna OPE is to: assist applicants to the U.S. Refugee Program in completing applications for consideration; assist the U.S. Government in the processing of such applications; once an applicant is admitted into the program, coordinate sponsorship arrangements with U.S. resettlement agencies Vienna Cultural Orientation Program The purpose of pre-arrival Cultural Orientation training in Vienna is to provide refugees with the tools and information they will need to begin new lives in the United States. Classes are designed with a number of issues in mind, namely to dispel misconceptions and unrealistic expectations about the culture and society they are about to join; to provide accurate information about the country of resettlement; and to inform refugees about social and community services available to them. Other topics covered include refugees' rights and responsibilities, laws, cultural norms and values of the receiving country, and information regarding transit.