In Belize, the application for asylum (to be recognized as a refugee) must be applied directly with the Refugee Department in the city of Belmopan.
Key notes:
1. It is not possible to apply for asylum while outside of Belize. If you are outside of Belize, you can apply for asylum at the Belize border – and express your interest in applying for asylum in Belize – immigration agents will be referring you to the Refugee Department in Belmopan. According to the Refugee Act, you can apply for asylum regardless of whether you have a passport or not.
2. Your application must include your personal and household details, a detailed statement of the reasons for seeking asylum, and contact details in Belize, among other information.
3. The procedure is confidential and free of charge without the need for intermediaries.
4. For children under the age of 18 with no family members in Belize, the Department of Refugees will contact the Department of Human Services who can place them in a foster home or shelter center. Any minor who is afraid to return to their home country and wants to apply for asylum should inform the assigned social worker.
5. While waiting for a final decision on your asylum application, you will not be allowed to work legally.
At the time of initiating the application, you must:
1. Complete a form that will be given to you at the Refugee Department. (It is important that, during the process, you always keep the Department informed of any change of address or contact number.)
2. Submit documents or evidence if possible (if you are unable to submit documentation, you will need to explain the reason for not having this documentation). Depending on your situation, documentation may include, for example:
i. Identity document (passport, unique identity document (DUI), birth certificate, marriage certificate);
ii. Authorization for minors; or
iii. Any other documentation that provides the reasons that led him to flee his country of origin.
3. You and your household members will have at least one personal interview with the Refugee Department’s eligibility officer. This officer will ask you in detail about the events that led you to flee your home country.
4. At the registration point with the Refugee Department, you and each member of your family will be given a provisional document that accredits you as an asylum seeker and will provide you with a temporary regular stay in the country. During the asylum process, the applicant must return periodically (every three (3) months) to the Refugee Department in Belmopan to obtain extensions of the temporary stay document. With this document, you will be able to move freely through the country.