Registration

If you are in India and cannot return to your home country because you fear persecution and need international protection, registration with UNHCR is the first step. During registration, UNHCR records, verifies and updates information about you and your family, including the reasons for your application for international protection.

If you are physically present in India and wish to register with UNHCR, please share the below information with us. Upon receiving this information, UNHCR staff will contact you on the next steps.

• First and last name:
• Date and place of birth:
• Country of origin:
• Sex:
• Number of family members who are in India and are to be registered:
• Date of arrival in India:
• Phone number/WhatsApp number:
• Email address:
• Address in India:
• UNHCR case number of family members already registered with UNHCR:

You can provide the above information on email at [email protected] or on phone through UNHCR contact number 011 4353 0444. You can also contact UNHCR’s partner organizations in the following locations:

• Goa/Maharashtra: +91 020-29997644| [email protected]
• Telangana: +91 9100319411, +91 9948876491 | [email protected]
• Bangalore: +91 7204753332, +91 9742093270 |
• Jaipur: 0141-2990344 | [email protected]
• Tamil Nadu: +91-04424461732, 04424461735, [email protected]
• New Delhi and other locations not mentioned above: please call on 011-45705611, 011-45705612, 011-24379855, 011-24374501 | [email protected]

All requests sent will be processed; however, due to the high number of requests and inquiries, UNHCR may not be able to respond immediately. If you have already sent an appointment request, you do not need to send another request. On average, it takes minimum 7 days to respond to your request for registration.

Once you have been contacted by UNHCR India or UNHCR’s partner organizations regarding an appointment for registration, you can prepare for your registration interview. All persons seeking asylum (including family members and/or any other dependents) should be present on the day of your registration interview.

When you contact UNHCR India or UNHCR’s partner organizations for registration, please share the following information:

• First and last name:
• Date and place of birth
• Country of origin:
• Sex:
• Number of family members who are in India and are to be registered:
• Date of arrival from country of origin:
• Phone no/WhatsApp number:
• Email address:
• Address in India:
• UNHCR Case number of family members already registered with UNHCR:

UNHCR recognizes that personal information of persons of concern is highly sensitive. Therefore, UNHCR treats all information with the utmost confidentiality. Your information will not be shared with any individual, family member, relative, or any government without your prior consent. Please note that under no circumstances will UNHCR share your information with the government of your country of origin.

Please bring all documents relevant to your case, including passports, identity papers, marriage certificate, birth certificate, family census or national identity document, military service booklets, medical certificates, evidence of previous registration with another UNHCR office, UNRWA office or a previous country of asylum.

In addition, please bring any UNHCR issued document such as an identity card, Under Consideration Certificate, appointment letter. Any documentation received from a UNHCR Office other than India should also be presented.

Kindly note that it is extremely important to be forthcoming about the documents or lack of documents with UNHCR. Please note you have an obligation to be truthful and to provide all relevant information and available evidence to UNHCR, including with regards documentation. Please note that if you fail to provide a full and truthful account to UNHCR, including with regards to documentation, it could have serious negative consequences on the processing of your case and may result in long delays and/or inability to appropriately assist you.

A registration interview will be conducted by registration staff. The interview will last between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on the size of your family and the complexity of your case. If you are not fluent in English, an interpreter of your choice of language will be arranged for interpretation. During the interview, in addition to capturing your biodata and contact information, we will take a picture as well as biometric information (iris and/or fingerprint scan). This process takes only a few seconds, is not painful, and has no side effects on your eyes or your health. You will then be issued with an Under Consideration Certificate.

After the registration interview is completed, you may be scheduled for an RSD interview in due course. Please note that you can request an interviewer and/or an interpreter of a particular sex to conduct your interview. Please note that the interpreter is both impartial and neutral and has no role in making decisions about your application.

Using biometrics (fingerprints and iris) helps UNHCR to protect the digital identity of refugees and asylum seekers, prevents others from identity theft and thereby maintaining the integrity of the legal status of refugees and asylum seekers.

Biometrics also allow UNHCR to quickly identify someone and retrieve his/her file in any UNHCR office even if documentation is lost or stolen.

With biometrics, UNHCR can quickly verify an individual for assistance delivery, thereby also preventing others from receiving assistance in someone else’s place and ensuring assistance is provided to the targeted beneficiary.

UNHCR takes data privacy and data security seriously and UNHCR’s Data Protection Policy ensures the rights of registered applicants. For more information, you can download and read the full Data Protection Policy in English.

Document renewal appointments can be booked up to 4 months ahead of the expiry date of your current UNHCR documentation. For appointments, please contact UNHCR on 011 4353 0444 or on email at [email protected] or contact UNHCR’s partner organizations. UNHCR, in turn, extracts the cases with expired documents from its database periodically and issues appointments automatically. Persons with specific needs are systematically identified and prioritized. Any specific or urgent need should be highlighted when requesting an appointment which will be taken into consideration as per the criteria for prioritization.

On the date of your interview, please make sure to bring all available relevant documents, including expired UNHCR card(s) for all members of your case, documents that are providing evidence on your identity such as national passports (if available) for all members of your case, and documents that give evidence on any changes to your personal or family status that you would like UNHCR to record.

The document renewal process should not take more than 15 minutes, depending on the size of your family and complexity of your case. During the document renewal process, we will do a visual check and verify biometric information. Please note that we can swiftly process your document renewal only if all documents are available, and it will be difficult to process your case if any documents are missing.

Most interviews are conducted in-person at the UNHCR’s Vikaspuri Registration Centre in New Delhi and at UNHCR’s partner organization offices. However, on a needs basis, interviews may be conducted remotely. Please do not hesitate to state your interest for a remote interview when UNHCR and its partner organizations contact you.

If you have a new phone number or new address, please share your updated information via email ([email protected]). UNHCR will ensure your new contact details are updated in the system. Please indicate your case number in the email.

If you wish to register your family member with UNHCR India, please send the information below via email ([email protected]) or contact the UNHCR’s partner organization in your location.

Upon receiving the information below, UNHCR staff will contact you on the next steps.

For a newborn baby:

• Your case number
• Copy of birth certificate
• Vaccination document of the baby
• Photo of your baby (white background)
• Your current address in India and contactable phone number

For a newly arrived family member:

• Your case number
• Full name of the new family member(s)
• Your current address in India and contactable phone number

If you want to merge your case due to marriage or family reunification, or to separate your case due to divorce or other reasons, please share the following information and supporting documents with UNHCR via email️ ([email protected]) or contact the UNHCR’s partner organization in your location:

• Your case number(s)
• marriage / divorce certificate and other supporting documents
• your complete address and contact information

UNHCR staff or partner staff will contact you for a brief verification interview.

If you think UNHCR does not have your correct personal details, please contact UNHCR by sending an email ️ to [email protected]. Please share your correct details and copies of the supporting documents such as:

• Your case number
• National ID card, passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, formal education document
• Your complete address and contact information

UNHCR staff or partner organization staff will contact you for a brief verification interview.