text: According to the information under "refugee" status at the www.uscis.gov site,  a refugee is...\n"Under U.S. law, a refugee is a person who has fled his or her country of origin because of past persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based upon race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or a membership in a particular social group. If the person is not in the United States, he or she may apply overseas for inclusion within the U.S. refugee program. If the person is already within the United States, he or she may apply for the U.S. asylum program."\nYour boyfriend probably applied for refugee status while living in Kenya as a refugee from the war in Sudan.\n Since it sounds, from your comments, like most of his family is in Kenya and that is where he has spent most of the time, he may very likely not have any changes in his status. Per the USCIS site.....\n"Generally, refugees must be outside their homelands to be eligible for the U.S. refugee program, though the U.S. processes application from refugees in their home countries in a few places. (currently, the U.S. has such programs in Cuba, Vietnam, and the former Soviet Union)."   \nI think that a lot of the Cuban nationals living in the US under refugee or asylum categories, do not naturalize but do live here as legal alien residents. \n.  If your boyfriend has refugee status and also has school and work permits, then he has must also have temporary residency status under the label of refugee. I don't think that acquiring US citizenship is a necessity or requirement. In fact, on that same site, there is a section listing the steps and requirements for an\nAsylee or Refugee Seeking Lawful Permanent Residence (Form I-485). (There is also a processing timetable available.)\n  Also, regarding his ability to travel home for family emergency, \nhe hopefully filed a form I-131 (Application for Travel Document).\nPer the USCIS site, \n"While your I-485 is pending, you are permitted to travel outside the U.S.; however you must have a valid Refugee Travel Document to reenter the country. You can apply for a refugee travel document by filing Form I-131, Application for Travel Document. Due to new security procedures, allow 150 days prior to beginning travel to obtain a travel document. "\n \nHope you find this helpful.