Safe Passage
From Danger to Safety
No child should have to grow up uncertain of whether they will be safe tomorrow.
Lawful pathways.
Qualified people.
Honest guidance.
Children of Heaven helps children and families affected by war, persecution, violence and humanitarian crisis identify lawful pathways to safety and connect with qualified legal professionals, humanitarian organizations and other trusted partners.
Each family's circumstances are different. Available pathways depend on individual eligibility, the country involved, current humanitarian programs and the requirements of the relevant authorities. While Children of Heaven cannot guarantee an immigration outcome or admission to any country, we can help families understand their options, connect with appropriate professionals, and address financial and practical barriers where support is available.
More than
transportation.
For a family living in an active conflict zone or facing persecution, reaching safety can involve far more than arranging transportation. Families may need to secure documentation, establish eligibility for a lawful immigration or humanitarian pathway, complete required screening, and arrange travel and support upon arrival.
Depending on the individual case, this may involve
- Identity and travel documents
- Passports and government-issued records
- Birth, marriage and family records
- Medical documentation
- Evidence relating to persecution, threats or displacement
- Refugee registration or referral
- Immigration legal services
- Government applications and supporting documentation
- Sponsorship or financial support
- Security and background screening
- Required medical examinations
- Travel authorization or visas
- Exit permits or other required permissions
- Transportation and travel coordination
- Temporary accommodation
- Financial assistance
- Translation and interpretation
- School enrollment
- Healthcare and essential services
- Employment and workforce support
There is no single process or application for "safe passage." The appropriate pathway depends on factors including a family's nationality, location, immigration history, family relationships, individual circumstances, and the humanitarian and immigration programs available at the time.
Potential pathways may include refugee resettlement, humanitarian parole, family-based immigration, asylum and other protection-based processes, special humanitarian or immigrant programs, private sponsorship, or other lawful immigration mechanisms. Eligibility is determined by the requirements of the applicable program and, where appropriate, reviewed by qualified immigration attorneys, accredited representatives, humanitarian organizations and the relevant government authorities.
Six steps toward safety.
Every family is different. We help them understand their options and connect with the right people to pursue a safe, lawful path forward.
Reach Out
A family makes contact with Children of Heaven or is referred by a trusted organization.
Find a Path
We work with qualified partners to identify possible pathways to safety.
Connect
We connect families with attorneys, humanitarian organizations and other trusted partners.
Help With Costs
When funding is available, we help with eligible legal, documentation, medical, translation, transportation and other essential costs.
Travel
Once authorization is granted, our partners help coordinate travel and arrival.
Begin Again
Families receive support as they rebuild their lives through housing, healthcare, education, employment and community.
Our goal: bring together the people, resources and support families need to build a future.
Safe Passage is a
collaborative effort.
No single organization can address every need a family may face when seeking safety. Children of Heaven works with, and may refer families to, qualified humanitarian organizations, legal professionals, government programs, medical providers and community-based services.
Humanitarian & Refugee Organizations
Organizations such as UNHCR, IOM, IRC, HIAS and established resettlement agencies may provide protection, case support, resettlement assistance and transportation.
Legal Partners
Qualified immigration attorneys, DOJ-accredited representatives, nonprofit legal organizations and specialized humanitarian legal providers.
Government Programs
Immigration and refugee pathways are administered by the appropriate government authorities. We help families connect with the relevant programs and professionals.
Community Partners
Housing · Healthcare · Education · Employment · Transportation · Language Services · Mental Health · Community Support.
Organizations named are examples of the types of agencies families may be referred to. Their mention does not indicate a formal partnership with Children of Heaven.
We connect families with the right people, at the right time, for the support they need.
A coordinating partner through every stage.
Each situation is different, and the organizations involved depend on the family's circumstances, eligibility, location and available programs. Our role is to identify appropriate resources, make qualified referrals, coordinate support and help address practical barriers.
A Family
seeks assistance or is referred to Children of Heaven.
Children of Heaven
reviews the family's circumstances and, where appropriate, connects them with qualified legal and humanitarian partners.
Legal Partner
assesses the family's circumstances and identifies applicable legal or immigration pathways.
Humanitarian / Refugee Partner
provides protection, resettlement, case management or other appropriate support.
Government Authorities
review the application and make the applicable immigration, refugee, travel or admission decisions.
Travel & Resettlement Partners
assist with authorized transportation, arrival coordination and other logistical needs.
Children of Heaven
may provide financial assistance and coordinate practical support (documentation, legal services, transportation, temporary housing and essential needs), subject to available funding and program eligibility.
Community & Welcome Village Partners
help families establish stability through housing, healthcare, education, employment and community support.
Connecting the right people, resources and services at each stage, from immediate need toward lasting stability and independence.
No family should have to navigate this alone.
Families facing war, persecution and displacement are often forced to navigate complex legal and humanitarian systems at the same time they are trying to protect their children and secure the most basic necessities.
Access to qualified legal counsel, documentation, translation, transportation and other essential services can determine whether a family is able to pursue an available pathway to safety. No family should be forced to rely on unqualified individuals or put themselves at greater risk because they cannot afford professional assistance.
- Humanitarian organizations
- Qualified legal professionals
- Government and immigration pathways
- Financial assistance
- Travel and relocation support
- Community-based services
- Safe housing and resettlement support, where available
Protecting the people we serve comes before telling their story.
The families we serve may be experiencing conflict, persecution, trafficking, domestic violence or other serious threats. Children of Heaven maintains strict confidentiality throughout Safe Passage. Information that could identify, locate or otherwise place a family at risk will never be disclosed publicly.
We never publish
- Exact locations or addresses
- Travel plans and itineraries
- Safe housing locations
- The location of the Welcome Village
- Immigration or legal case information
- Identifying information about children and families
- Sensitive medical information
- Confidential legal or immigration documents
- Anything that could expose an individual to harm, retaliation or harassment
Stories, photographs, artwork and personal information are shared only with appropriate consent and in accordance with safeguarding and privacy standards.
Our commitment to ethical assistance
Children of Heaven does not charge families for access to immigration or refugee programs and does not make promises regarding immigration outcomes. We do not sell refugee referrals or resettlement opportunities, represent that we can secure a visa or admission to a particular country, or guarantee processing times or government decisions.
We do not facilitate or encourage unlawful border crossings, misrepresentation on immigration applications, bribery, fraud or other unlawful activity. Our role is to connect families with qualified legal and humanitarian professionals and help them pursue legitimate, lawful pathways to safety.
Honest guidance, qualified support and lawful pathways to safety.
A note about timing
The process of securing safe passage varies significantly from family to family. It may take days, months or longer. Some situations require immediate intervention, while others involve extensive documentation, security screening, limited program availability or eligibility requirements that must be carefully evaluated.
Not every family will qualify for every pathway, and in some cases there may not be an immediate legal option. We will never make promises we cannot keep. Our commitment is to help each family understand their options, connect with the right professionals, and pursue every viable pathway to safety.
Removing the barriers between danger and safety.
A donation to Safe Passage helps address the practical costs that can prevent vulnerable families from pursuing available pathways to safety, depending on the circumstances of each case and available funding.
Documents
Passports, records and translations.
Legal Help
Qualified immigration counsel or accredited representatives.
Application Support
Eligible filing and processing expenses.
Medical
Required examinations and medical documentation.
Travel
Transportation and authorized relocation expenses.
Arrival
Temporary housing, food and essential supplies.
Rebuilding
Healthcare, education, employment and community support.
Give to Safe Passage
Direct your gift to families seeking safety.
DonateYour support does not influence or guarantee an immigration decision. It helps families access the legal, humanitarian and practical resources needed to pursue a lawful pathway to safety.
Help Us Open the Door to Safety.
No child should be forced to choose between remaining in danger and leaving behind the life they know. Through trusted humanitarian partners, qualified legal support and practical assistance, we help families pursue viable pathways to safety and stability.
Important legal notice
Children of Heaven is a humanitarian organization and is not a government immigration agency, law firm or immigration service provider. Unless expressly stated otherwise, Children of Heaven does not provide legal advice or legal representation. Immigration and refugee matters are handled by qualified attorneys, DOJ-accredited representatives, authorized humanitarian organizations and the appropriate government authorities.
Participation in the Safe Passage program does not guarantee approval for a visa, refugee resettlement, humanitarian parole, asylum, immigration benefit, travel authorization or admission to any country. Eligibility and available pathways vary according to each family's circumstances and the requirements of the relevant government or humanitarian program.
Immigration laws, humanitarian programs, eligibility requirements and processing times may change. Families should consult qualified legal and humanitarian professionals regarding their individual circumstances. Children of Heaven's role is to help families identify appropriate resources, connect with qualified professionals and organizations, and provide practical or financial assistance where appropriate and available.