Registration

If you wish to apply for asylum in Ethiopia, the first step is to register with RRS and UNHCR.

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.

 1  Make an appointment

Taking an appointment with either UNHCR or RRS is mandatory and will allow you to discuss any issue regarding registration, documentation or durable solutions.

ATTENTION! You must file your asylum application within 30 days from the day you entered Ethiopia and the Proclamation informs that applications outside of this period will be assessed case-by-case.  

2 Attend your Registration Interview

On the day and time of your appointment, you and your family members should go to the location indicated on your appointment slip.

What should I bring with me on the day of my appointment?

If you have them available, please bring the original copies of all your available ID documents, as well as other relevant documents, such as:

  • Passport(s)
  • Marriage/divorce certificate(s)
  • Birth/death certificate(s)
  • Primary, high school or university diploma(s)/ Certificate(s)
  • All other available ID documents (military ID, driver’s licenses, other civil documentation)
  • Proof of previous registration with UNHCR in other countries, if applicable

Please keep your contact details updated!

If you change your phone number, we kindly request that you provide the updated information to both RRS and UNHCR, so they or we can contact you directly if needed. You can update your telephone number by:

How is the Registration interview conducted?

On the day and time of your appointment, you should go to the address that will be shared with you.

If you have family members with you in Ethiopia (minor children, spouse and other dependants), please inform us about them when making the appointment and bring them with you on the day of the appointment.

You will be interviewed by one of the RRS staff who will ask you questions about yourself, why you left your country and other relevant information to fill out a form called “Questionnaire for Asylum-Seeker”, including details of your journey to Ethiopia.

Attention:

  • You have the right to have an interpreter in your mother tongue or any other language in which you can communicate comfortably. If you believe you need one, inform the person you are in touch with, through DRCS or phone before the appointment, and it will be arranged for you.
  • It is important that you make sure you are prepared to state all the details you remember about the circumstances of fleeing from your country of origin. During the interview, try to share accurate information about everything that is important for your case and why you left your country.
  • Bring and show to your interviewer all supporting authentic documents or data, including for example, photos you have with you that may support your asylum claim.

3 What happens after registration?

After initial registration and based on your nationality, the Refugee and Returnee Services (RRS) will allow registration into the UNHCR/RRS Database and issue an asylum-seeker Card or refugee ID document for you and your dependents who are aged 14 years old and above, and proof of registration document for the entire family. UNHCR jointly with RRS is responsible for registration activities in the field.

Fayda digital ID:

The process to obtain a refugee ID with Fayda digital ID and QR codes requires an informed consent procedure.

This means refugees or asylum seekers receive comprehensive information about Fayda ID services and their associated benefits and are asked to choose about consenting to their demographic and biometric data for eligible household members aged 5 years data being shared with NIDP for the generation of Fayda numbers and QR codes.

The NIDP only generates Fayda numbers to those that consent data sharing.

If the individual agreed in the inclusion to the national ID program through consent at the time of initial registration, the FAYDA digital ID facilitates refugees and asylum seekers access to various services.

Learn the next steps:

Refugee Status Determination

See also: