If you are afraid to return to your home country or the country where you lived previously because of violence, persecution or war, or you are in danger of suffering serious harm in that country, you can apply for asylum.
Attention! You can only seek asylum in the country that you are currently in.
Who is a refugee?
A person is considered a refugee if they meet the following conditions:
- Outside their country of origin/nationality; AND
- Has a well-founded fear of being persecuted because of their race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion; AND
- Because of their fear of persecution, is unable or unwilling to avail themselves the protection of their country.
A person is considered a refugee only after the Government or UNHCR processes the claim and provides that recognition.
Who is an asylum seeker?
- An asylum seeker is someone who has applied for refugee status but who has not yet received a decision as to whether s/he has been recognized as a refugee.
Not every asylum seeker will be recognized as a refugee, but every refugee was initially an asylum seeker.
Under no circumstances should an asylum seeker be turned away from the airport or borders by officials. Until an asylum claim is processed, an asylum seeker has the right to remain in the country under humane treatment and cannot be returned to a country in which there are serious threats to their life.
Registering with the Government or UNHCR does not automatically mean you have been recognized as a refugee, nor does it mean you will be resettled to another country.
⬇️ Please select below the country or territory you are currently in to find out how to apply for refugee status ⬇️
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.