The P-2 designation is one of three priority access categories used by the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), administered by the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) together with USCIS and resettlement partners. The three priorities are commonly described as:
- P-1: individual cases referred by UNHCR, a U.S. embassy, or a designated NGO.
- P-2: groups of special humanitarian concern identified by the U.S. government.
- P-3: family reunification cases for specified nationalities.
A P-2 designation allows members of a defined group to apply directly to USRAP without needing an individual UNHCR referral, which can otherwise be a major bottleneck. Eligibility criteria—nationality, religion, prior affiliation with the U.S. government, location, or time period of persecution—are spelled out in the annual Report to Congress on Proposed Refugee Admissions and in PRM operational guidance.
Past and current P-2 groups have included Soviet Jews, Evangelical Christians, and Ukrainian Catholics under the Lautenberg Amendment (in force since 1990, repeatedly extended); certain Iraqis affiliated with the U.S. government under the Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act of 2007; Iranian religious minorities; Cubans; Burmese in camps in Thailand; Bhutanese in Nepal; Congolese in specified locations; and Ethiopians. In August 2021 the Biden administration announced a new P-2 designation for Afghans who worked with the U.S. government, U.S.-funded programs, or U.S.-based media and NGOs but did not qualify for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV).
Applicants under P-2 still undergo the same multi-layered vetting as other refugees: biometric and biographic security checks across U.S. intelligence and law-enforcement databases, a USCIS officer interview abroad, medical screening, and cultural orientation before travel. A P-2 designation is an access category, not a guarantee of admission—each applicant must independently meet the refugee definition under section 101(a)(42) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Example
In August 2021, the U.S. State Department created a P-2 designation for Afghans who had worked with U.S. government missions, media outlets, and NGOs but were ineligible for Special Immigrant Visas.
Frequently asked questions
P-1 cases require an individual referral from UNHCR, a U.S. embassy, or a designated NGO, while P-2 lets members of a pre-identified group of humanitarian concern access USRAP directly without such a referral.
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