4.4 The Resettlement Interview

Scheduling interviews

When scheduling a Resettlement Interview, the Principal Applicant should be notified by phone or in person of the place, date, duration, and purpose of the interview. He or she should be informed that all Case members must attend the interview and reminded of the need to bring any relevant and available personal documents. The Principal Applicant should also be counselled to notify UNHCR immediately of any changes regarding their family composition, address and/or contact details.

In the event that neither the Principal Applicant nor any other Resettlement Case member attends a scheduled interview, efforts should be made to contact them using multiple channels, e.g. by phone and email, to reschedule the interview. If contact cannot be established, the Submission Recommendation can be completed with a recommendation not to submit, selecting the reason “No Show / Cannot be Contacted” in proGres and using the text field to record the efforts made to contact Applicants. Where individual(s) face specific and/or acute protection risks (e.g. risk of detention, refoulement or violence), the case may need to be referred to protection colleagues for urgent follow-up.

In the event that one or more Resettlement Case members fail to present for their scheduled interview, SOPs should indicate the circumstances in which the caseworker should proceed with the interview and reschedule the other Case members, and circumstances in which the interview should be rescheduled for all Case members together.

Interpreters

Upon request, UNHCR should provide trained and qualified interpreters with the relevant language proficiency for individuals undergoing a Resettlement Interview. Interpreters may be UNHCR personnel, non-government partner personnel or contracted through professional interpretation services. They must receive adequate training on child-friendly procedures as well as working with survivors of torture and gender-based violence and individuals with diverse sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or sex characteristics (SOGIESC). Interpreters must be advised of their obligations of confidentiality and impartiality and should sign a Code of Conduct.

Wherever possible, individuals should be assigned an interpreter of the sex they prefer. Where gaps in interpreter resources exist, priority in this regard should be given to requests by individuals with specific needs or vulnerabilities, including children, survivors of GBV, persons with disabilities and LGBTIQ+ individuals.

For information about recruitment procedures for UNHCR Interpreters, and broader guidance on ethics and training, refer to the Guidelines for the field on recruitment procedures, conditions of service, training and supervision of interpreters. Unit 2.5 of the RSD Procedural Standards: Interpretation in UNHCR RSD Procedures sets out general principles and further guidance for interpreters. See also 2.2 Resettlement Planning on training and learning for resettlement.

Consider the following integrity safeguards for interpreters:

• Establish a rotation of interpreters among caseworkers when scheduling interviews.
• Require interpreters to confirm (in writing) that they do not have any relationship with the individuals in the Resettlement Case assigned.
• Do not inform interpreters in advance which case they will be assigned.
• Do not assign a case to the same interpreter at different stages of the process, if avoidable.
• Ensure interpreter access to personal data/ files is limited to the information which is necessary for them to carry out their role (see 2.3 Data protection in resettlement and 2.5 File management and record keeping).
• Establish positive professional working relationships with all interpreters, including by providing training (including on PSEA, working with people with disabilities, LGBTIQ+ persons) as well as access to professional development.  
• Adhere to general recruitment policies and practices including background checks, and ensure appropriate salaries and benefits are provided.
• Require interpreters to report inappropriate contact or requests, as well as potential conflicts of interest (see 2.6 Fraud and misconduct). 

Refugee interpreters

Given the importance of an interpreter’s neutrality and objectivity, UNHCR should avoid using refugee interpreters whenever possible.

However, where an office does not have an interpreter who speaks the language required and cannot source an interpreter through a partner organization, professional interpretation service or remotely through another UNHCR country operation or regional bureau, the office may use the interpretation services of recognized refugees provided with the necessary training and skills. When engaging refugee interpreters, every effort should be made to employ refugees who have a legal status in the country of asylum allowing them to work, or refugees who have been accepted for resettlement to a third country and are awaiting travel. The above considerations relating to Code of Conduct, interpreter training and integrity safeguards apply to refugee interpreters as well.

Where refugee interpreters are engaged, it is important to ensure that they are not in any way linked to the individual to be interviewed, either through a family relationship or through any other ties, such as political association. This is especially important where an interpreter and refugee are from the same community, for example, in a refugee camp context. Both parties should be questioned separately about this prior to the interview and their responses documented. 

It is also important to ensure that interpreters are not perceived to be associated in any way with the agent of persecution, or any group antagonistic to the individual being interviewed or their community, and vice versa.

Preparing the Interview

See 2.2 Resettlement Planning on training and learning for resettlement interviews. In particular, the Interviewing for Protection eLearning Course (IPeLC) introduces interviewing techniques and tools that aim to improve the quality and efficiency of information gathering during interviews.

Prior to the Resettlement Interview, the caseworker should carefully review the UNHCR RSD assessment (where mandate RSD was conducted) and all other available information in proGres and the digital (and physical) file. The caseworker should:

• Gain a clear understanding of the information available and that which is still needed or requires clarification (see below Verify the refugee claim). If close family members (siblings/parents) were already submitted for resettlement consideration, it is good practice to review those cases prior to the interview. 
• Be informed about relevant country of origin information (COI) prior to the interview (see 1.3 Tools and resources for determining refugee status under UNHCR’s mandate).
• Take due account of any additional requirements for the interview regarding protection risks, medical conditions or disabilities. See Unit 2.9 of the RSD Procedural Standards: Applicants with Mental Health Conditions or Intellectual Disabilities in UNHCR RSD Procedures. Sufficient time should be allocated to interview all adult members of the Resettlement Case separately, and to ensure a child-friendly approach, where relevant. See UNHCR’s Technical Guide: Child Friendly Procedures.

Note: Offices should contact RCPS for guidance on questions related to the use of social media by UNHCR colleagues to conduct individual-specific research (ISR) in the context of preparing for resettlement interviews.

Where interviews cannot be conducted in person, remote interviews should be conducted using authorized tools for remote communication and document exchange set out in the internal Guidance on Electronic Storage and Transfer of Personal data of persons of concern outside PRIMES, taking into consideration cost and accessibility issues for the individuals being interviewed.

Conducting the interview

All members of a Resettlement Case should be physically present for their interview. Their identities are then verified, with reference to photos and biometric data in proGres/ BIMS or IrisGuard. If biometric identity verification indicates that an individual may have been registered more than once, the individual must be referred to registration colleagues in the country office and/or the relevant regional bureau for adjudication of identity. If ill-health, disability or other reason prevents an individual from attending a Resettlement Interview, identity can be established at a later stage in the office or through a home visit.

A. Introductory counselling

1. The caseworker introduces her/himself and the interpreter to the Applicant(s) and confirms that the interpreter and Applicant(s) understand each other well. The caseworker also confirms that the refugee and interpreter are unknown to one another and are comfortable to proceed with the interview. This is especially important where the interpreter and refugee are from the same community, for example, in refugee camp settings (see above Interpreters).
2. All individuals are asked whether they agree to the audio-recording of the interview, with the caseworker explaining the purpose of recording the interview and UNHCR’s secure storage of the recording. If an individual does not agree to be audio-recorded, the interview is recorded using another method, namely via verbatim transcript.
3. All individuals are informed that they can ask any question, request to stop the interview or pause for a break, ask for drinking water or go to the bathroom, at any time.
4. Pre-interview counselling must cover the topics set out in the blue box below. Offices may consider developing a counselling checklist to ensure caseworkers provide consistent and comprehensive counselling tailored to the operational context.

During resettlement counselling, it is important to be sensitive to the protection, social, medical and financial needs expressed by refugees or otherwise apparent to the caseworker. Referral mechanisms should be in place to refer individuals to child protection, community-based protection or other relevant colleagues or protection partners, whether on the day of the interview or otherwise, as relevant. Resettlement colleagues, like all UNHCR personnel, have a role in identifying and responding to protection needs, and Resettlement Interviews offer a rare opportunity to speak directly with individual families about their situation. For further guidance on interview counselling, see 2.4 Communication with communities about resettlement.

B. Confirm Resettlement Case membership and other relatives 

Case composition and other relevant relationships must be recorded and verified during the Resettlement Interview, before moving to the refugee claim and resettlement need. This verification ensures that the data available to UNHCR is correct and promotes a fuller understanding of the refugee claim and resettlement needs. It also strengthens prospects for future family reunification and is particularly important in the case of unaccompanied or separated children.

Confirming Resettlement Case membership and other relatives should be conducted in a sensitive, non-threatening and conversational way. The goal is to ensure that all individuals who are a part of a household or family are considered together for resettlement, when this is their common wish. For Case members who are not family members as such, it is important to assess the social, emotional and/or economic bonds and to carefully document dependency where it exists. See 3.1 Overarching principles in resettlement: Age, gender and diversity and family unity for a consideration of the notion of dependency.

Refer to 4.6 Completing the Resettlement Registration Form (RRF) on sections 1, 2 and 3 of the RRF to ensure the necessary questions on Case information, membership and other relatives are asked and clarifications fully addressed.

• Relationships should be cross-checked with family members when separately interviewed. In some cultures, kinship terminology is used differently across ethnicities. One way to avoid misinterpretation is by using a family tree when identifying family members and their relationships. It may be helpful to explain that the accuracy of relationships is important to note in the RRF but is not in itself determinative of eligibility for resettlement, which is guided by the dependency principle.
• All adults should be asked whether they have been previously married, including LGBTIQ+ refugees. Judgment should be exercised when deciding if it is relevant to record these previous relationships in the RRF (i.e. section 3 and/or 7). If appropriate, ask whether any Case member is in a polygamous union.
• Particular care should be taken when asking about children, bearing in mind the possibility that adults in the Case may be caregivers and not biological parents, and/or that there may be other biological children not included in the Case. See 3.5 Children and Adolescents at Risk guidance on resettlement of separated children, and the possible need for a BIA or BID.
• Young people and their parents should be informed that age does not affect eligibility for resettlement, and that individuals should not claim to be under 18 when this is not the case, as it undermines reception efforts in the resettlement country.
• Women of reproductive age should be asked whether they are pregnant, and if so, their expected due date recorded in section 6 of the RRF. This question should be asked privately, to ensure confidentiality. 
• Record the name of relatives residing in a resettlement country. See 3.8 Restoring family unity as a resettlement submission category.
• In the case of inconsistencies in family composition, relations and biodata, refer to 2.6 Fraud and misconduct for guidance.

C. Verify the refugee claim

The caseworker should verify the refugee claim of each case member over the age of 18. All adults should be interviewed separately, with adequate measures for ensuring confidentiality. Adolescents may be interviewed in accordance with their age and level of maturity, with the consent of their parent, guardian or caregiver. If a child has a refugee claim unrelated to that of other members of the case, the key elements of the child’s claim should also be verified and recorded. Where flight history or refugee claims are different, these elements can strengthen the case as a whole and should be verified and recorded in section 4 of the RRF. Each case member should be given the opportunity to provide his/her own individual reasons for flight.

• Plain language should be used when asking questions so that the interpreter and the refugee both understand the meaning of each question.
• Active listening helps avoid repetitive questioning and ensures the interview is focussed and each question is relevant. Questions should be limited to a “need to know” basis, especially for sensitive issues.
• Individuals must be given time to understand the question, consider their answer and then formulate and deliver a response. Interruptions break the individual’s train of thought and hamper the flow of important information.

Refer to 4.6 Completing the Resettlement Registration Form (RRF) on section 4 of the RRF to ensure the necessary questions on refugee claim, exclusion and admissibility are asked and clarifications fully addressed.

Where an RSD decision by UNHCR may be consulted, the Resettlement Interview should focus on clarifying details, filling gaps and confirming overall chronology. The material facts established by UNHCR during the RSD procedure will, in principle, be maintained and not reassessed.

Issues relating to inclusion or exclusion should usually already have been identified, addressed and resolved earlier in case processing. However, resettlement caseworkers must remain attentive and ensure any areas that require clarification are adequately addressed during the Resettlement Interview. Where it is not possible to fully address and resolve such issues during the Resettlement Interview, the case should be referred to RSD/ protection colleagues in the office or the relevant regional bureau, according to SOPs, for a closer review before proceeding. Following a review, such cases may resume resettlement processing or be deprioritized for resettlement (i.e. not recommended for submission), in accordance with SOPs.  

Where refugees have been recognized by a host State, UNHCR should endeavour to obtain as much information as possible about the State’s recognition, including the decision and supporting documentation. Where there is limited or no supporting documentation in relation to an individualized recognition and its basis, the caseworker uses the Resettlement Interview to obtain a full account of the refugee claim. If issues related to credibility, inclusion or exclusion arise during the interview, the caseworker should explore these and prepare additional notes to document how the issues were addressed and resolved. Notes should be saved in the Applicant’s digital file. In case of significant concerns, the case should be referred to RSD/ protection colleagues for further support, according to SOPs.

For refugees recognized by a government under a broader refugee definition, the resettlement caseworker needs to assess whether a nexus can be established to one or more of the Convention grounds provided under Article 1A(2) of the 1951 Convention, as resettlement countries typically require a 1951 Convention claim. See 1. Refugee Status and Resettlement for guidance on key elements of the eligibility criteria for refugee status under the 1951 Convention as well as references to further guidance on determining refugee status.

For Resettlement Case members who are not refugees: for Case members who are nationals of the country of asylum (i.e. a dependent child or partner), the Resettlement Interview should establish and document the family and/or dependency relationship (see 3.1 Overarching principles in resettlement: Age, gender and diversity and family unity). For non-refugee stateless persons, the Resettlement Interview focuses on establishing the resettlement need, with guidance from statelessness colleagues in the office, the relevant regional bureau, or DIP, as required.

D. Confirm resettlement need

Resettlement needs outlined in the Referral and the Needs Assessment should be confirmed during the Resettlement Interview, in view of the personal circumstances of Case members and protection risks relevant to the resettlement submission categories. Any doubts or inconsistencies relating to specific needs that led to the prioritization of the case for resettlement should be resolved before further processing, according to SOPs.

Where a resettlement State requires the separation of dependent family members into multiple cases, the most appropriate submission categories must be determined for each case, keeping in mind that the Restoring family unity category is restricted to cases facilitating reunification with a family member already in a resettlement country. For example, if a Resettlement Case is submitted under Women and girls at risk, a linked case (e.g. brother, parent, etc.) is submitted under a category that is applicable to their own circumstances, for example, Legal and/or physical protection needs.

The caseworker should confirm with the Case members that neither voluntary repatriation nor local integration is a viable option for them.

Refer to 4.6 Completing the Resettlement Registration Form (RRF) for guidance on section 5 (Resettlement needs and submission priority) and section 6 (Specific needs) of the RRF to ensure the necessary questions are asked and all relevant information is duly recorded.

E. Closing the interview

At the end of the interview, the caseworker should review and read-back the key statements made during the interview with each Applicant, in order to allow individuals to add any information they consider important and correct any misunderstandings. There should be an opportunity for each Applicant to ask any questions before closing the interview.

The caseworker should ensure that all documentation in the file is accurate and complete. Where necessary, arrange for any pending supporting documents to be provided by the concerned individual (or other functional unit or partner, depending on the document) by a certain date.

The caseworker should explain to the Case members the next steps in the process and usual timelines according to the priority level applied to the Resettlement Case and normal procedures in the operation. Individuals should be informed that the office will notify the Resettlement Case members about new developments in the case and that Case members can also contact the office for updates.

Section 8 Declaration is signed by all adult Case members after the following steps have been taken:

• A summary of the refugee claim has been read back to the concerned individual(s) to ensure that the information is accurate.
• Individuals are notified of the reports and recommendations listed in section 9 and to be included in the resettlement submission, for example, medical reports, reports regarding protection incidents or criminality, BIP reports or other recommendations regarding assistance upon arrival in the resettlement country based on specific needs.
• Individuals are given the opportunity to ask questions, share concerns and provide feedback. See The importance of individual counselling in 2.4 Communication with communities about resettlement. 
• The Declaration is read and understood by each adult Case member to sign.

Unaccompanied children who are Principal Applicants are counselled in a child-friendly manner, using simple and age-appropriate language. See UNHCR’s Technical Guidance: Child Friendly Procedures. They should also sign the Declaration if they have the capacity to assent/ consent.

Interviewing LGBTIQ+ refugees

Resettlement caseworkers should be trained in interviewing and providing support to LGBTIQ+ persons. The caseworker should identify any social, legal, medical or other protection needs and risks during the Resettlement Interview and refer individuals, according to SOPs, to protection colleagues and/or partners in a timely and appropriate manner, based on consent of the individual. LGBTIQ+ individuals with acute protection risks should be processed on an urgent or emergency basis, according to SOPs.

All adult family members are interviewed separately, and in the case of LGBTIQ+ individuals under the age of 18, a separate interview may also be appropriate.

Like other adult refugees, LGBTIQ+ individuals must be asked whether they have a partner, spouse and/or children. This information must be recorded, even if these family members are not registered in proGres as family members. Caseworkers should be sensitive to the fact that LGBTIQ+ individuals may be reluctant to disclose their current or former partners, spouse and/or children, owing to a perception that doing so would negatively impact their eligibility for international protection and/or prioritization for third country resettlement. Yet, not informing UNHCR and the resettlement country about dependent family members can lead to long-term or permanent family separation, as family members may not be eligible for reunification in the resettlement country.

Refugees should be asked if they agree for UNHCR to confidentially share sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) data with a resettlement country, explaining that this would be for the purposes of informing eligibility for resettlement as well as informing possible settlement support, if resettled. If appropriate, the caseworker should also ensure that their chosen name and gender are accurately recorded on the RRF. For further guidance on interviewing LGBTIQ+ refugees, see UNHCR’s Need to Know Guidance: Working with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer Persons in Forced Displacement.

Interviewing GBV survivors

Engaging with GBV survivors requires utmost sensitivity and adherence to the GBV Guiding Principles to create a safe and supportive environment. To reduce the risk of re-traumatisation, survivors should not be asked to recount information that has already been shared during any earlier stage of resettlement consideration. The Resettlement Interview aims to confirm GBV incidents and/or risks but does not seek to establish the facts nor verify the details of sensitive information already provided to UNHCR. GBV survivors should be asked whether they prefer an interviewer and/or interpreter of a particular sex, and such preferences met wherever possible.

Caseworkers, or specific focal points within the team should be trained on interviewing and providing a supportive environment to GBV survivors and persons at risk of GBV as well as the key principles of the survivor-centred approach, which guide all interactions with GBV survivors: safety, confidentiality, respect and non-discrimination. Training should include how to safely record a GBV disclosures made during the interview, and where to refer survivors for support and information, based on consent.

Girls at risk identified for the first time in the context of resettlement processing should be referred for Best Interest Procedures (BIP), prior to submission for resettlement. See 3.5 Children and Adolescents at Risk for guidance.

Interviewing children

Resettlement Interviews involving children must be designed and conducted in a child-friendly and age and gender-appropriate manner, in accordance with the best interests of the child. Ensuring procedures are child-friendly is the responsibility of all resettlement colleagues.

UNHCR’s Technical Guidance: Child Friendly Procedures contains comprehensive guidance about child-friendly adjustments to case processing, including in the areas of child-friendly access, conductive physical environment, respecting the rights and views of the child and encouraging their participation, and other support measures and safeguards. The Technical Guidance contains a checklist that summarizes the key actions for ensuring that the Resettlement Interview is child-friendly.

Decisions about whether or not to conduct a Resettlement Interview with a child must be guided by the best interests principle. This principle also guides decisions about whether a support person should be present during an interview and how the processing of the child’s case should be prioritized (normal, urgent or emergency).

Caseworkers should be alert to any protection concerns relating to the child and his or her family that may require referral without delay to child protection colleagues or partners, according to referral mechanisms established in the operation. Where new protection issues emerge during the resettlement process that have not been previously documented in a BIA or BID, the caseworker must refer the case (back) to child protection colleagues or partner, as relevant, to assess the new information and determine whether or not a BID should be re-opened, if a BIA is required or if other action should be taken to address the issues.

In the case of resettlement of the child with a single parent where there are no urgent or serious protection issues affecting the child or a parent, it may be appropriate to delay the resettlement of a child with the single parent until the child is old enough to have a say in the matter, where resettlement would result in separation from the other parent who is playing an active role in their care and upbringing. If resettlement proceeds nevertheless, children and their caregivers must be made aware, during counselling and during the Resettlement Interview, that resettlement could result in permanent separation from a parent, guardian or support person, including in the case of polygamous families. See 3.5 Children and Adolescents at Risk.

Child marriage: UNHCR does not, in principle, submit cases of married refugees under the age of 18 years old with their spouses, unless there are compelling protection needs (see 3.4 Women and Girls at Risk). Where a married refugee under the age of 18 is submitted for resettlement, she/he must be individually interviewed to confirm their willingness to be resettled, to fully understand their resettlement needs, verify their refugee claim, and receive counselling on the likelihood of being accepted by a resettlement country with or without their spouse. All married children should have a BIA conducted to identify protection risks. See 3.5 Children and Adolescents at Risk for guidance on when a BIA and BID are required. Refer to the Country Chapters to verify whether the resettlement country will accept cases that include children who are married. 

Interviewing refugees with psychosocial, intellectual, sensory or physical disabilities

A person’s capacity to be interviewed for resettlement may be affected by the interaction between their psychosocial, sensory, intellectual and/or physical impairments and certain barriers in the resettlement process. Without adequate support to access resettlement processing on an equal footing with others, the accuracy and quality of information provided during the Resettlement Interview by persons with disabilities can be compromised. As such, UNHCR should strive to meet accessibility requests made by refugees in the resettlement process, for example, allowing a support person to be present, providing sign language interpreters, organizing interviews in accessible venues and communicating in easy language formats. Decisions on ways to adjust the Resettlement Interview should be transparent and based on the best interpretation of the Applicant’s preferences. See UNHCR’s Need to Know Guidance: Working with Persons with Disabilities in Forced Displacement. In addition, Unit 2.9 of the RSD Procedural Standards: Applicants with Mental Health Conditions or Intellectual Disabilities in UNHCR RSD Procedures contain general principles and procedural safeguards for interviews with individuals with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities and is a useful reference with respect to conducting Resettlement Interviews.

Interviewing in places of detention

Places of detention include airport or other detention centres, prisons, or police stations. Conducting interviews in places of detention should be avoided whenever possible.

When organizing a Resettlement Interview in detention, refugees should be given advance notice of the appointment. UNHCR should provide an interpreter, if requested, and the resettlement interview should be conducted in a private room. If no private room is available, UNHCR should ensure that no other persons are present or able to overhear the interview. Note-taking during the interview should be limited where there is a risk that notes may be viewed, confiscated or photocopied by detention centre officials.

Unit 4.6 of the RSD Procedural Standards: Procedures for Applicants in Detention contains general principles for conducting interviews in detention and is a useful reference with respect to conducting Resettlement Interviews.