Around 2000 Syrian refugees have already completed the process. You didn't know that?
As of September, a State Department official estimated it takes between 18 and 24 months to process such an application.
Before a refugee can even be vetted, he or she first needs to be declared eligible -- a decision typically made by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. The U.N. high commissioner has an office in Damascus; if the office recommends resettlement, the application is processed at one of nine Resettlement Support Centers around the world.
From there, a refugee would have to undergo a security clearance check, an in-person interview, a medical screening and other steps.
According to officials, this process involves several agencies including the Department of Homeland Security and National Counterterrorism Center.
All this is done before a refugee can set foot on American soil.
The in-person interviews are conducted by U.S. officers who travel to where the refugees are located to speak to them. As of September there was a team of 17 people conducting interviews of Syrians and others in Istanbul.
After the vetting is conducted overseas, the refugees come into the U.S. at different, pre-determined points of entry. The State Department works with other agencies to determine where to resettle a refugee.
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