Many countries have special humanitarian schemes and provide community-based and individual sponsorship visas to refugees and asylum seekers. The applicant (the sponsor) needs to apply for the same with their country on their official website as per the prescribed procedure. There may exist country specific requirements which the applicants need to fulfil to be eligible under the program.
1. Australia
- Global Special Humanitarian Program – for proposing both ‘close’ and ‘extended’ family members.
- Community Support Program – for communities and businesses, as well as families and individuals, to propose applicants with employment prospects (and their families) and to support their settlement in Australia. There are costs associated with this option.
To be eligible to apply for a Global Special Humanitarian visa (Subclass 202) through the Special Humanitarian Program you must be:
- Outside Australia (offshore)
- Living outside your home country
- Subject to substantial discrimination in your home country amounting to a gross violation of your human rights.
- Proposed by an Australian citizen or Permanent resident, or an organization based in Australia.
- For more information, you may visit: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/refugee-and-humanitarian-program/the-special-humanitarian-program
- Links to the forms and details on the application process can be found through the Department of Home Affairs website – https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/visa-1/202-#tab-content-1
- Once all documentation is prepared and forms are completed and signed, the sponsor/proposer must lodge the application via email through the following link: https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/humvisaapplication
- For those unable to lodge their applications by email, completed applications may be sent to: Special Humanitarian Processing Centre Department of Home Affairs GPO Box 9984 SYDNEY NSW 2001.
2. Canada
Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) programs include: Groups of five (G5), Community sponsors, and Sponsorship agreement holders (SAHs).
Under the Community sponsorship program, some community organizations may sponsor refugees to migrate to Canada. The organization must agree to provide emotional and financial support for the full sponsorship period.
For more information, please visit:
- https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/refugees/help-outside-canada/private-sponsorship-program/community-sponsors.html
- NOTE: In case you have an ongoing sponsorship application with Canada and Australia but haven’t received any updates about your application in a year, UNHCR may be able to obtain an update on your case from the respective embassy. However, UNHCR is not involved in processing of these applications, nor can it request for your case to be expedited.
3. United States of America
On January 19, 2023, the U.S. Department of State launched the Welcome Corps – a new private sponsorship program that enables Americans to play a leading role in welcoming refugees arriving in the United States through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). The Welcome Corps is an innovation in the U.S.’s approach to the domestic resettlement of refugees admitted through the USRAP which leverages the engagement of private sponsors to increase and strengthen U.S. resettlement capacity.
The program in the second phase is currently accepting applications from the private sponsors to identify refugees in the country of asylum for sponsoring them to resettle in the USA. A Group of 5 American citizens and permanent residents (Private Sponsor Groups) can apply for sponsoring refugee individual or a family at a time to call them to the USA under USRAP (U.S. Refugee Admission Programme). The applications are to be made by the private sponsor group in the USA.
For more information on the program and regular updates, please read the following community message Private Sponsorship to USA- Community Message, or visit Sponsor A Refugee You Know – Welcome Corps.