Relocation to another country

No, unlike protection, resettlement is not a right. Resettlement is a solution that is only available in very specific circumstances and to a very small number of refugees. There is no obligation on countries to accept refugees for resettlement.

Not all refugees will be considered for resettlement automatically, and the recognition of refugee status does not mean that a refugee has a case for resettlement.

No. An individual refugee application does not initiate Resettlement through UNHCR. UNHCR cannot consider petitions (letters, e-mails, faxes, etc.) or phone calls from refugees requesting resettlement. You should not assume that you have a resettlement case unless you are advised by UNHCR’s resettlement unit.

There is no need to approach the office individually or send letters, faxes, or emails. It is, however, very important to keep your contact details updated with UNHCR, so that the office can arrange an appointment with you whenever required.

UNHCR identifies refugees for resettlement in accordance with resettlement categories based on their protection needs and resettlement country specifications. Identification for resettlement is not linked to registration with UNHCR, nationality or any other profile.

UNHCR identifies refugees based on their protection needs and continuously reviews the situation of refugees to assess whether they meet resettlement criteria.

The identification of a refugee as being particularly vulnerable does not necessarily mean that the refugee is either eligible for, or in need of resettlement. Resettlement is a limited option at the disposal of UNHCR to address a refugee’s vulnerability. While assessing an individual case, voluntary repatriation and local integration prospects will also be taken into account.

Each year, resettlement countries decide how they will allocate resettlement places among the millions of refugees worldwide. Resettlement countries set the criteria determining which, and how many, refugees will be admitted to their country.

Places are limited and resettlement countries decide how many refugees they will resettle, not UNHCR.

Since resettlement places are very limited, UNHCR considers the requirements of the country on which cases they will accept. UNHCR will then prioritize the refugees with the most urgent protection needs.

If UNHCR is considering your case for resettlement, you will be contacted by the resettlement unit and invited for an interview. During the interview, you will be told you are being considered for resettlement.

If UNHCR is unable to refer your case to a resettlement country, you will be informed that you are not currently eligible for resettlement. This means that you no longer have an active resettlement case.

Some refugees believe they have been identified for resettlement in the past and may have received communication-related to resettlement several years ago but have not had any interviews. Most often, these refugees do not have active cases.

If your case was submitted to a resettlement country, and you have not heard back from UNHCR, it means it is still under consideration by that country.

The waiting times are long and can take many years. Refugees must be patient to await a response. UNHCR will contact a refugee when there is an answer from a resettlement country, or further information is required.

In this instance, you can approach UNHCR if you have any new information – including newborn babies, deaths, etc. If you have new protection concerns, you should approach UNHCR protection to report the concerns.

Due to the large number of cases that the resettlement unit handles, UNHCR may not be able to give feedback on your case on a regular basis. For this reason, please be patient, UNHCR will contact you any time there is a new development in your case. 

For cases that have already been submitted to a resettlement country, some resettlement countries have channels for tracking case progress, which will be shared with you at the time of your interview with the resettlement country. Please use these channels to know your case progress with the resettlement country. 

However other queries, or requests to the resettlement unit can be sent through the Digital Request and Complaint System (DRCS). 

Should you wish to update your file to share new or urgent protection, health, or other concerns, please report to UNHCR through the relevant unit.

Protection and health concerns will be addressed by the respective unit and will only be referred for resettlement consideration if your situation meets resettlement criteria. You should not assume that your case is being processed for resettlement unless you are contacted by the resettlement unit. 

Each case is considered on its merit. Even those who may not appear physically vulnerable may have serious protection needs. UNHCR considers many different factors in identifying a refugee for resettlement.

This is information collected over time and in various interactions with refugees. The information is confidential and may not be immediately obvious to others.

Resettlement countries grant resettlement based on individual needs.  It is, therefore, important to ensure that UNHCR is updated on your circumstances.

While many people may have the same problems or concerns, consideration for resettlement and being processed for resettlement will be based on the individual and their family.

Private visa procedures through Embassies are different than resettlement through UNHCR.

If you applied directly with an Embassy for immigration or other migration opportunities, UNHCR will not likely have information on the status of your application.

UNHCR regularly counsels refugees on their resettlement case status. If you have received a call from UNHCR stating that your file is not considered for resettlement, this means you do not currently have an active resettlement case.

This does not affect your situation in Ethiopia regarding UNHCR’s protection or any assistance you may receive from UNHCR, the government, or other partners.

The update received from UNHCR is the most up-to-date information on your case. If you are informed that you do not have an active resettlement case through the resettlement unit, please understand that UNHCR is not currently considering your case for resettlement.

UNHCR can contact you for many different services.

Sometimes, refugees are unsure which UNHCR unit interviewed them. They may think they were interviewed for resettlement but had another interview for a different service, like refugee status determination, child protection, or other assistance.

When interviewed by UNHCR, the staff member will tell you the purpose of the interview, but you are encouraged to ask for additional details if you are unsure.

If your case was previously considered and determined to be not qualified for resettlement by UNHCR or rejected by the resettlement country, your resettlement case is no longer active.

In the past, refugees who were contacted by UNHCR and asked about their interest in resettlement may have informed UNHCR that they do not wish to be considered for resettlement due to personal reasons.

Refugees who have previously refused resettlement do not have active resettlement cases.

You cannot contact UNHCR and request that your case be reconsidered if you have changed your mind. Just because you were considered for resettlement in the past does not mean you would still qualify for resettlement.

Such a situation does not result in your case being permanently excluded from resettlement. You and your family may once more be identified for resettlement again based on the ongoing assessment of eligibility for resettlement. However, UNHCR cannot guarantee that your case will be identified for consideration or that you will qualify for resettlement.

Should you wish to update your file to share new or urgent protection, health, or other concerns, please report to UNHCR through the relevant unit.

All UNHCR’s services are free of charge.

UNHCR and other partners and governments in resettlement do not charge refugee applicants any money or favours for resettlement or any other process.

If you are approached by any person or entity requesting money, personal information, documents, etc., for support in the resettlement process, please report this to UNHCR immediately. UNHCR will only communicate with refugees under consideration for resettlement through UNHCR’s official contact numbers, and in-person interviews.

Any individual who offers resettlement services or travel documents in return for money is committing fraud and is breaking the law.

Travel documents for resettlement are normally issued by the resettlement country themselves.

Refugees may be interviewed at many stages of the resettlement process by UNHCR or partner staff, or by representatives of resettlement countries. Every resettlement case is unique and is considered on its own merit. You should always tell the truth about your case.

Misrepresenting facts of your case, including vulnerabilities, and family links during an interview, is a form of fraud and may result in the rejection of a case for resettlement.

Any individual caught misrepresenting UNHCR or a resettlement country, selling resettlement information or producing fraudulent travel documents will be reported to the authorities and prosecuted per the country’s law.

If your case is identified for resettlement consideration, you will be contacted by UNHCR and invited for an interview. If you are interviewed, there is no guarantee that you will be resettled.

After the interview, if your case is found eligible for resettlement and your case is referred to a resettlement country for consideration, you will be informed accordingly. You can then inquire regarding your case status at any stage of the process through DRCS.

UNHCR will contact you by phone if there is anything requested by the resettlement country from you such as documentation or when the country schedules you for interview. Therefore, you must update UNHCR in case you change your contact number. You can update your contact number with UNHCR by initiating a DRCS ticket at https://drcs.unhcr-eth.org/ and indicating “Update Telephone Number”.

While UNHCR identifies refugees for resettlement consideration and interviews them to assess their eligibility for resettlement, the final decision to accept a refugee for resettlement rests with resettlement states and not UNHCR.

Resettlement is a very long process for all the persons concerned, and the processing time varies from country to country, due to different laws, priorities, and resources. It is very hard to predict how long it will take between the time a resettlement interview with UNHCR has been completed and the time of departure.

Depending on the resettlement state and its procedures, it may take many months or several years, so it is important to be patient. Some resettlement countries may also undertake more than one interview before deciding on a case. You may also be required to undergo medical checks and receive further information from the resettlement country and IOM before departure.

UNHCR will contact you if there is anything requested by the resettlement country from you such as documentation or when the country schedules you for interview, but you may contact UNHCR resettlement through DRCS to know the status of your case at any stage.

A refugee has a right to refuse to be considered for resettlement – it is not compulsory.

A refugee may also refuse to be considered for resettlement to a country UNHCR is considering sending their case.

Although UNHCR will take note of a refugee’s resettlement country preference, the final decision to which country a refugee is submitted remains with UNHCR, which considers many factors, including resettlement country requirements. When making that decision, UNHCR also considers any specific needs of refugees and their family links.

If you choose not to be considered for resettlement to a particular country, you risk being deprioritized from further resettlement processing. If you decide to withdraw your case from the resettlement country which has interviewed and accepted your case, UNHCR will counsel you on the implications and consequences of the withdrawal.

You have the right to withdraw your resettlement case; however, it will not automatically be considered for re-submission to another country and may result in your resettlement case being deprioritized.

Re-submission also may not be an option if no resettlement countries are available.

If the resettlement country rejects your case, you will be contacted by UNHCR to inform you accordingly.

If a resettlement country rejects your resettlement case, this does not affect your situation in Ethiopia as a refugee. It also does not affect any assistance you may receive from UNHCR, the government or partners.

It is very important that you declare your family members during the resettlement process so that they are mentioned in UNHCR’s records. There is no guarantee that your family members will be able to join you in the resettlement country later, as this will depend upon the legislation and criteria of the country.

Many countries limit their family reunification criteria to nuclear family members and have financial requirements that must be met before you can sponsor your family members.

No. Even if your case is identified for resettlement, the process will take a long time to complete. Being considered for resettlement does not guarantee that you will be accepted.

UNHCR encourages cases identified for resettlement not to take action to leave their homes, sell their belongings, stop working, or take their children out of school until they have been notified of a confirmed departure date.

Having a work permit, being employed, or enrolled in school does not affect your resettlement case or the assistance you may receive from UNHCR or its partners. We strongly encourage you to keep working/studying as before.

You can provide UNHCR with updates on your circumstances during interviews with UNHCR or by visiting or calling UNHCR through the normal channels.

Should UNHCR require any additional information or documentation for your resettlement case, the resettlement unit will contact you directly. Once again, it is very important to update your contact information so you can be reached if needed.

At any stage of the resettlement case, if you have a change in your family, you should inform UNHCR immediately. This includes births, deaths, marriages, divorces or any other change in the family. 

If you have a newborn baby, immediately inform UNHCR, and present the child for registration, so that they can be added to your resettlement case, and you travel together. This will generally not cause any additional delays. 

If you do not inform UNHCR of the newborn child and proceed to travel to a resettlement country without the child, you risk being permanently separated from your child.