UPDATE:
Dear Applicant/U.S. Tie,
HIAS’ RSC Austria is aware of the proclamation issued by the White House on June 4 restricting entry to the United Stations by nationals of 19 countries.
At this time, the suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and Stop Work Orders received by HIAS from the U.S. government remain in place. RSC Austria is awaiting further detailed instructions related to the suspension of the USRAP and does not have additional information to provide at this time.
Please see detailed messaging below which remains in effect.
Executive Order 14163, Realignment of the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), has halted refugee travel to the United States and all resettlement processing. RSC Austria managed by HIAS is awaiting further detailed instructions related to the suspension of the USRAP and does not have additional information to provide at this time.
In addition, due to Stop Work Orders received by HIAS from the U.S. government, RSC Austria cannot provide any case status updates or make any updates to your case information.
Therefore, do not believe anyone who claims to be able to move, fast track, or influence the processing of a case and report such instances of fraud to concerns@hias-vienna.at
RSC Austria
The Lautenberg Amendment, first enacted in 1990 to facilitate the resettlement of Jews from the former Soviet Union, has allowed HIAS to bring tens of thousands of refugees to safety. As the worldwide refugee situation changed, the Lautenberg Amendment, originally proposed by Senator Frank R. Lautenberg of New Jersey, was later expanded to include persecuted religious minorities in other countries, such as Jews, Christians, Baha’is, Sabaean-Mandaeans, and Zoroastrians from Iran. Despite being a crucial part of U.S. refugee policy, the amendment expires each year and must be reauthorized.
This program allows certain individuals legally residing in the United States to apply to bring eligible family members and friends to the U.S. To access the program, qualifying individuals who legally reside in the U.S. must apply for family members and friends through a resettlement agency in their area; applications will only be considered if they come through a local resettlement office.
Because HIAS’ Silver Spring and New York offices are not resettlement offices, those offices cannot help individuals apply to the Lautenberg program or discuss any case information.
See the sections below for Lautenberg application acceptance updates.
Former Soviet Union (FSU)
Applicants from the former Soviet Union must have a close family member in the United States with permanent immigration status to qualify. Close relatives of qualified applicants will be able to initiate their refugee applications by filing an Affidavit of Relationship (AOR) through a local resettlement office.
Iran
UPDATE FOR POTENTIAL U.S. TIES:
Are you a U.S. Citizen or U.S. legal resident with friends or family members in Iran who are religious minorities (Jewish, Bahai, Zoroastrian, Christians or Sabean Mandaeans)? If the answer is “yes,” then you are eligible to complete an application on your friends or family’s behalf to participate in the Iranian Lautenberg Program.
The Iranian Lautenberg Program gives the religious minorities listed above access to USRAP. Eligible participants may eventually be interviewed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service Officers to determine if they can receive refugee status and resettle to the U.S.
On March 15, 2025, the United States Congress reauthorized and extended the Iranian Lautenberg Program through the end of the current fiscal year. If you want to file an application on behalf of your friends and family in Iran, then this application must be submitted through a local resettlement agency by September 30, 2025. Please note, local resettlement agencies may have an earlier filing deadline, so please inquire with your local resettlement agency. At this time, there is no guarantee that the Iranian Lautenberg Program will be reauthorized by Congress after September 30, 2025. Therefore, you should prioritize submitting an application for your friends and family in Iran now while there is still time.
To file an application, you must contact a local resettlement agency in your area. The link for U.S.-based agencies assisting refugees will help you find an agency close to you. You are encouraged to contact the agency as soon as possible as the application process can take several weeks or even months. The agency will work with you to complete the application form and to collect the required documents and will then submit your application to the U.S. government.
It is important to note that an application for the Iranian Lautenberg Program does not guarantee admission to the U.S. for your friends and family in Iran. On January 20, 2025, President Trump halted the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and there is no information on when or if the program will resume. Applications for the Iranian Lautenberg Program can take years to process. Despite these challenges, having an application submitted may provide you and your friends or family with the possibility of a Congressionally authorized immigration option. Should you have questions or concerns about this program or about the status of your friend’s or relative’s case, you may also contact your Congressperson or Senator(s).
Please also be advised that there is no cost to submit an application for the Lautenberg Program. Anyone asking you for payment to submit an application for the Iranian Lautenberg Program should be considered fraudulent. All fraudulent activity should be reported to concerns@hias-vienna.at.
UPDATE ON C&M DEPOSITS:
If you are a U.S. Tie for an Iranian Lautenberg case in Iran and you have a C&M deposit on file with HIAS Headquarters and you would like your deposit returned to you, please complete the form found at this link (RSC Austria_Request for Reimbursement of CM Deposit.v2 – Cases in Iran.pdf) and follow the instructions found on the form. You will have an opportunity to indicate if you would like your case closed or if you would like your case to remain open.
If you are a U.S. Tie for an Iranian Lautenberg case that has arrived in the United States between July 2023 and January 2025, you should have received an email from RSC Austria describing the process for receiving the remaining funds from your C&M deposit. If you did not receive this email from RSC Austria, please complete the form found at this link (RSC Austria_CM Refund (Stateside Cases)_April 2024.pdf) and follow the instructions found on the form.
Applicants in Iran must have relatives or friends in the United States with permanent immigration status. Relatives or friends of eligible applicants will be able to initiate refugee applications on their behalf by submitting Refugee Information Forms (RIFs) through a local resettlement office.
If you are an Iranian applicant to the Lautenberg program, or a U.S.-based relative or a friend (also known as a U.S. Tie), and wish to inquire about a case status, please reach out to the local resettlement office through which the original application was submitted. You can also contact RSC Austria at caseinquiries@hias-vienna.at, making sure to include your case number (IR-00xxxxxx) in the subject line. Do not include any personal information in emails to this inbox.
Please be aware that HIAS does not provide consultations on general immigration questions or on immigration options to the U.S. HIAS cannot assist in obtaining tourist or work visas. If you still have questions, please view our Frequently Asked Questions or contact info@hias.org.
