Resettlement and Complementary Pathways
Resettlement and complementary pathways are among UNHCR’s durable solutions, intended for refugees who need to move to a third country. This page provides information on resettlement and complementary pathways, as well as on refugees’ rights related to these options.
Resettlement
Resettlement involves a voluntary, safe and regulated transfer of people in need of international protection from the country of asylum where they are registered to another country which has agreed to receive them as refugees.
Brazil does not have a resettlement program.
Resettlement is only offered by UNHCR in countries of asylum where people are most at risk of serious harm, threat to life, or other serious violations of human rights. Brazil is widely regarded as a country where refugees are able to exercise their fundamental rights. Therefore, there is no resettlement program from Brazil to other countries and UNHCR Brazil does not relocate refugees from Brazil to other countries.
If you wish to move to another country, you may find other solutions below. You may also find information on local integration support in Brazil.
❗ IMPORTANT: Resettlement is not a right. Contrary to other UNHCR services, UNHCR does not accept applications for resettlement.
Be aware of fake news on resettlement that may be circulating on social media. For more information on resettlement, please visit the UNHCR’s official page on resettlement.
Resettlement is not a right. Resettlement countries offer limited quotas, meaning that most refugees cannot be considered for resettlement to another country even if UNHCR believes it would be necessary for their protection or to reunite them with family members. Even if UNHCR resettles refugees, it is important to note that the final decision to resettle him/her rests with the country of resettlement. Thus, refugees cannot choose the country which UNHCR will ask to consider their case, although they have the right to decide whether or not they wish to be resettled, if considered.
Considering that resettlement is not a viable solution for refugees living in Brazil, we advise you to contact one of UNHCR’s partner organizations to discuss possible durable solutions for local integration. You can count on the support of UNHCR partner organizations to receive free assistance on a wide range of topics, such as procedures for recognition of refugee status, housing, health, education, documentation, Portuguese courses, and work. In addition, refugees and asylum seekers are eligible to benefit from various social programs of the Brazilian government and can also receive legal assistance from the Public Defender’s Office (DPU). For more information on public services in Brazil, please visit the Public Institutions page.
Complementary Pathways
Complementary Pathways are additional ways to traditional resettlement for refugees and asylum seekers to enter and stay in a third country. Complementary pathways include pathways through education, employment, humanitarian grounds, community sponsorship, and family reunification. Applications for complementary pathways are usually made autonomously by the refugee with the relevant countries and/or partners.
❗ IMPORTANT: Each country defines its own rules and has different laws and options for complementary pathways. As such, you should seek information about existing complementary pathways with the country that offers them. UNHCR does not identify/refer refugees and asylum seekers for complementary pathways, including application submission and selection process, among others.
Be aware of fake news on complementary pathways that may be circulating on social media. For more information on complementary pathways, please visit the UNHCR’s official page on complementary pathways and watch videos on UNHCR’s official YouTube channel.
Complementary pathways through education opportunities allow refugees to move to a third country based on their education and language skills while also having their protection needs met. This pathway allows for a long-term solution through regular migration or asylum systems, instead of short-term study or scholarship programmes.
The education pathways opportunities are listed on the UNHCR Scholarship Opportunities for Refugees website.
Education opportunities and scholarships are limited and highly competitive. They often have strict requirements based on an applicant’s educational background and language skills, restricted to specific age groups. To learn more about complementary pathways through education opportunities, please visit the UNHCR’s official page on education pathways.
For education opportunities in Brazil, please visit the Education page.
Employment pathways allow qualified refugees to enter or stay in another country to work based on a confirmed job offer or identified labor shortages in specific sectors, while also having their protection needs met. To learn more about employment pathways, please visit the UNHCR’s official page on employment pathways.
For work opportunities in Brazil, please visit the Work and income page.
Humanitarian pathways offer a pathway for individuals in need of international protection through their identification and transfer from the country of asylum to a third country where they can receive protection. Humanitarian pathways can be carried out through humanitarian visas or humanitarian admission, serving as a valuable tool in cases of mass displacement, where there is a great need to provide effective protection to a significant number of people within a short period of time. To learn more about humanitarian pathways, please visit the UNHCR’s official page on humanitarian pathways.
Brazil offers humanitarian pathways in forms of humanitarian visas for specific nationalities in need of protection to enter Brazil. For more information, please visit the Information for different populations page.
Community sponsorship pathways provide individuals, groups, or organizations with an opportunity to sponsor refugees to come to their country, providing them with protection and the opportunity to establish a new home. Through this pathway, the sponsors directly engage in the admission of displaced persons, playing the key role throughout the process by identifying, selecting, and supporting the entry and stay of people in need of international protection. To learn more about community sponsorship pathways, please visit the UNHCR’s official page on community sponsorship pathways.
Brazil offers community sponsorship pathways for specific nationalities in need of protection to enter Brazil. For more information, please visit the Information for different populations page.
Family reunification procedures are based on the legal right to family unity, allowing refugees living in a country to reunite with their family members who are currently outside that country, by bringing the family to the country. Unlike other third-country solutions such as resettlement, education and employment, States have a legal responsibility to establish legal frameworks that enable families to reunite.
For family reunification in Brazil, please visit the Family reunification and extension of the effects of refugee status page. For family reunification in other countries, please consult the HELP Website for the relevant country.