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Migration Information Source
Migration Policy Institute
1400 16th Street NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20036-2257
Telephone: (001) (202) 266-1940 | [email protected]
Media Inquiries: Click here
Thank you for your interest in the Migration Information Source, the online journal of the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization based in Washington, DC. MPI provides analysis, development, and evaluation of migration and refugee policies at the local, national, and international levels.
We welcome feedback from readers and can assist with specific research questions. Please also let us know if you find a broken link.
Before sending an email to [email protected], we ask that you check these categories of frequently asked questions. Due to volume, we cannot answer individual inquiries on these matters—nor can we provide legal advice or advice on individual immigration or refugee cases.
- Entry to major immigration-destination countries
- Refugees seeking resettlement
- Possible fraudulent offer for immigration
- International visitors (not immigrants) to the United States
- U.S. citizens and permanent residents reentering the United States from Canada, Mexico, or any other country
- U.S. citizens and permanent residents traveling to Mexico
- U.S. immigration information for U.S. citizens, permanent residents, refugees/asylees, nonimmigrants, and employers
- Information about family members who immigrated to the United States in the past
Information on entry to major immigration-destination countries
MPI cannot assist or advise individuals and their families who want to migrate, temporarily or permanently, to the United States or any other country in the world.
Please consult this list of destination countries and their official government websites for immigration information, applications, etc.
If your desired country is not on this list, you may want to contact that country’s nearest embassy or consulate for information.
MPI cannot assist individuals seeking resettlement to the United States or any other country.
For more information on resettlement, please see the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) website.
For information on how the United States determines which refugees to resettle, please see the U.S. State Department – Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.
Possible fraudulent offer for immigration
MPI cannot determine whether the offer you have received is legitimate or fraudulent.
If you are unsure, you may want to check with the nearest embassy or consulate of the country to which immigration is being offered. Generally, poor spelling and grammar in the email, the use of a free email account (e.g., Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail), and a request for payment indicate a fraudulent offer.
In the case of Canada, fraudulent offers have become common, and Citizenship and Immigration Canada has posted a notice about such offers.
International visitors (not immigrants) to the United States
MPI cannot assist individuals seeking visas to the United States.
Comprehensive information on obtaining a visa to the United States is available from this U.S. State Department website.
You can learn more about new travel-authorization requirements for visitors from Visa Waiver Program countries on this U.S. Customs and Border Patrol page.
U.S. citizens and permanent residents re-entering the United States from Canada, Mexico, or any other country
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulates entry at U.S. air, land, and sea ports of entry. You can find the following information on the CBP website:
- Travel documents required for U.S. citizens and permanent residents re-entering the United States from land, sea, and air
- Border wait times (Mexico and Canada)
U.S. citizens and permanent residents traveling to Mexico
You can find information from the Mexican government for foreigners traveling to Mexico, including contact information for all Mexican consulates in the United States.
U.S. immigration information for U.S. citizens, permanent residents, refugees/asylees, nonimmigrants, and employers
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) publishes a number of “How Do I?” guides for different audiences.
Information about family members who immigrated to the United States in the past
MPI cannot assist in locating individual immigrants in the United States.
The following resources may be helpful in your ancestry search: