US Visa requirements if applying in Italy as a refugee

The requirements for your boyfriend to travel to the US depend on his exact status.

If he has been granted refugee status he should have a Permesso per Asilo Politico. This allows him to apply for a Refugee Travel Document or Documento di viaggio. This functions instead of a passport, and should be accepted by the US as one. Once he has this document he will have to use it and apply for a visa in order to visit the US, which he does in the normal way. He should be prepared for intense scrutiny of his application.

If he is an applicant for refugee status (i.e. has not yet been granted refugee status), he will have a Permesso per Richiesta Asilo. This document does not allow him to apply for a travel document. He is expected to remain in Italy until his application is decided. If he is appealing a negative decision then the situation is very similar to being an applicant.

Be aware that if he uses his Sierra Leone passport to travel he runs the serious risk of jeopardizing his refugee application or status.

There are also some other situations which you can read up on here.