UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, protects people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. We work with governments and partners in over 130 countries, protecting millions of people by responding with life-saving support, safeguarding fundamental human rights and helping them build a better future.
The UNHCR’s Multi-Country Office in Washington covers 18 Caribbean States and overseas territories: Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines; the British Overseas Territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, and Turks and Caicos Islands; and the Dutch overseas territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Sint Maarten.
UNHCR does not have an office in all of these countries and territories. Instead, the office in Washington coordinates the UNHCR’s response, working in partnership with local and regional organizations to support asylum seekers and refugees.
In these countries and territories, our activities include:
- Processing asylum claims in certain countries and territories, while in other countries national governments process asylum claims. See our page on How to Seek Asylum.
- Through our partners, we provide support to asylum seekers and refugees with educational and vocational training as well as mental health and psychosocial support.
- We also work directly with governments to develop effective refugee protection systems and solutions for stateless people.
We are unable to assist asylum seekers to leave their country of origin, provide housing, and support in obtaining residency.
How to contact us?
If you are in one of the countries listed above and in need of answers to asylum-related questions, educational training or mental health support, you can contact UNHCR by email: [email protected]
When sending us an email, please always include your name, phone number and the name of the country you are currently in.
Other countries and territories in the Caribbean are covered by different offices:
- If you are in Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius 🇧🇶, visit Help the Netherlands
- If you are in Guadeloupe 🇬🇵, Martinique 🇲🇶, Saint Martin 🇲🇫 and French Guiana 🇬🇫, visit Help France
- If you are in Guyana 🇬🇾 or Suriname 🇸🇷, visit Help Panama
- Or visit Help Aruba | Help Belize | Help Curacao | Help Cuba | Help Dominican Republic | Help Trinidad and Tobago
Please visit the main Help site for information available for refugees, asylum seekers and stateless people in other locations.