Permanent residence permit
According to Ethiopian law, refugees who fulfil the requirements for local integration can request a permanent residence permit.
You can request a residence permit in Ethiopia to RRS if you apply for it through the Digital Request and Complaint System, (DRCS).
- Access the DRCS via http://drcs.unhcr-eth.org/ or drcs.unhcr-eth.org and make an appointment
OR
- Call our UNHCR Call Centre 0905012823 Monday to Friday from 08:30- 17:00, except Friday until 14:00 for more information, if you are in Addis Ababa.
Local Integration is a complex and gradual process in which individual refugees or groups of refugees who have lived in Ethiopia for a protracted period can request permanent residence permits to facilitate their broader integration with Ethiopian nationals.
The general eligibility criteria according to the Refugees Proclamation include:
- Being a refugee recognized in Ethiopia
- Consent/request to be locally integrated in Ethiopia
- Living in Ethiopia for a protracted period of time.
- Other requirements that may be provided by law
There is no legal definition of what constitutes a protracted period. However, it is expected that it will be explained by detailed laws that will be adopted by the government to implement the Refugees Proclamation.
According to the Refugees Proclamation, a permanent residence permit may be issued to refugees who fulfil the requirements for local integration. A person who has a permanent residence permit in Ethiopia may be issued a work permit or an investment permit as per Immigration Regulation No.114/2004