Who is an asylum-seeker and who is a refugee?
An asylum seeker is a person who leaves their home country because they face danger or persecution and need safety in another country. When they arrive, they ask the government for protection by applying for refugee status.
This request starts a process where officials carefully review their situation to decide if they meet the criteria to be officially recognized as a refugee.
In Belize, the process starts when an asylum seeker applies to the Refugees Department, if the application is approved the person is recognized as a refugee.
If they do not qualify, even after an appeal if needed, they may be sent back to their home country if there is no other legal way for them to stay.
