To apply for asylum in Ethiopia, you must register with the government (RRS) and go through the asylum process.
According to the Ethiopian Refugee Law, a person seeking asylum in the territory of the country shall, within thirty (30) days, apply in person to the nearest Agency office (RRS), immigration office or police station.
The Agency may permit a person to submit their application for refugee status through another person if they are unable to do so themselves due to circumstances beyond their control.
Can I apply for refugee status in Ethiopia?
You can apply for asylum if you left your country and came to Ethiopia because you were afraid for your safety, of being persecuted because of your race, your religion, your nationality, your political opinion or your membership to a particular social group and if you could not claim for the protection of your government.
The first step to seeking international protection (asylum) in Ethiopia is to register with the government (RRS) or UNHCR.
During Registration, the RRS and UNHCR will record basic information about you, such as:
- Your bio data (name, sex, age, family composition)
- Reasons why you left your country
- Your travel route to Ethiopia
- Your biometrics for identification purposes (photo, Iris and fingerprints)
Why do I need to be registered?
Registration is the first step in seeking international protection in Ethiopia with RRS (Refugees and Returnees Service) and UNHCR.
Being registered as an asylum seeker or refugee protects you from being returned to your country of origin, where you fear for your safety and being arrested or detained in Ethiopia for documentation issues, among other things.
Only after you are registered is your asylum application for refugee status considered by the government of Ethiopia and UNHCR and starts being processed.
It is also through registration that UNHCR can identify if you are a person who needs additional support or assistance and refer you to the appropriate services.
