The United States embassy in Papua New Guinea says it expects other refugees from Manus Island will be resettled in the United States in the coming months.
Fifty-four refugees from Australian offshore detention on Manus and Nauru arrived in the US in September, under a deal to resettle up to 1250 refugees.
The embassy said this was the first group to be resettled and that all refugee cases proceed with different timeframes.
It said the White House confirmed in January that the US would honor the arrangement with Australia to consider resettling refugees from Nauru and Papua New Guinea, who are of special interest to the United Nations refugee agency due to their high level of vulnerability.
The embassy said the US Vice President Mike Pence reiterated this commitment in Australia in April.
It said the US alliance with Australia is important to America, and the US knows the alliance is important for Australia.
Refugees call for water Photo: supplied