The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has published a request for public comment on extending the existing data collection for the Annual Survey of Refugees (ASR) through 2027, according to a July 1 Federal Register notice. The current Office of Management and Budget approval expires October 30, 2026.

The ASR is a yearly sample survey of refugee households that entered the United States in the previous five fiscal years. The survey is used to meet the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s (ORR) congressional reporting requirements under the Refugee Act of 1980 and section 413(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. ORR also makes the findings publicly available and uses them for program planning, policymaking, and budgeting.

ACF stated it is not requesting any changes to the survey form at this time. The agency said it intends to submit a revision request in 2027 for future annual surveys. “Changes to the 2025 ASR, which is currently in process, at this time would be problematic for data quality and cost efficiencies,” the notice states. “Maintaining the current survey safeguards compliance with congressional requirements, preserves the validity of the data, and avoids operational disruptions that could undermine the completion and credibility of the 2025 ASR.”

The extension would allow ORR to complete the 2025 ASR and to field the 2026 ASR. The agency noted that it is testing the feasibility of an online survey and, based on findings, expects to propose revisions that would reduce respondent burden. Those revisions would be integrated for future years.

The survey targets a nationally representative sample of refugee households arriving in the United States in the previous five fiscal years. According to the notice, the estimated annual burden is 1,320 hours, with 1,500 respondents each year. Each respondent is expected to spend about 50 minutes on the survey, plus three minutes on an introductory letter and postcard.

Information collection materials will be translated into 20 languages. ACF noted that English is the official language and authoritative version of all federal information and will include that statement on translated materials.

Public comments on the extension are due by August 3, 2026. Comments can be submitted online at the regulations.gov link provided in the notice or by email to infocollection@acf.hhs.gov.

Informational content only, not legal advice. Consult a licensed immigration attorney.