USCIS Will Open Office Turkiye and Qatar

   USCIS will open international field offices in Doha, Qatar, on May 7, 2024, and in Ankara, Turkiye, on May 9, 2024. These cities are refugee processing hubs, with the presence of refugee coordinators from the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, resettlement support centers, and other interagency partners. 

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has revealed plans to inaugurate new international field offices in Doha, Qatar, and Ankara, Turkiye. This initiative aims to bolster refugee processing capabilities, foster strategic alliances, and promote collaboration among various agencies.

USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou emphasized the significance of these field offices, stating that they signify a crucial step in extending USCIS influence to pivotal Middle Eastern locations. This endeavor aligns with the Biden-Harris administration's commitment to facilitating secure, legal, and organized migration, as well as family reunification. The establishment of USCIS presence in Qatar and Turkiye not only expands its global reach but also reinforces the integrity of the U.S. immigration framework, underscoring its humanitarian mission.

For fiscal year 2024, the Biden-Harris administration has set the refugee admissions cap at 125,000 individuals. By establishing USCIS field offices in Qatar and Turkiye, the infrastructure of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program in the region will receive substantial support. Additionally, these offices will directly aid in the ongoing USCIS refugee processing efforts.

Qatar holds strategic importance as a regional refugee processing hub. Already housing refugee coordinators from the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), as well as a suboffice for the Resettlement Support Center for the Middle East and North Africa, Qatar will host USCIS' Doha Field Office within the U.S. embassy premises at Camp As Sayliyah. Furthermore, USCIS personnel will engage with the public through scheduled appointments at the U.S. Embassy in Qatar.

Similarly, USCIS' Ankara Field Office will be situated within the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkiye. Given Turkiye's role as the headquarters for the Resettlement Support Center for Turkiye and the Middle East, along with hosting PRM refugee coordinators and a regional office for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the presence of USCIS in Turkiye holds strategic significance.

Responsibilities at these field offices will include processing Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition, formerly managed by State Department consular staff, as well as assisting in fraud detection-related activities and offering limited services. Services will be available strictly by appointment, with USCIS updating the International Immigration Offices webpage to provide comprehensive information about the field offices, services, and appointments.

The Doha Field Office is slated to commence operations on May 7, 2024, followed by the Ankara Field Office on May 9, 2024. This expansion will bring USCIS' international field office count to 11, complementing existing offices in Beijing, Guangzhou, China; Guatemala City; Havana; Mexico City; Nairobi, Kenya; New Delhi; San Salvador, El Salvador; and Tegucigalpa, Honduras.