Registration

Access to UNHCR

If you are in India and wish to seek international protection with UNHCR, or have a question about the assistance and services provided by UNHCR and its partners, you can call the UNHCR toll free helpline (1800-1035635). You can also call us on +919810173130, +917303154009. You may write to us at [email protected]

You can also reach out to us using the contact section on this page.

Providing your most recent contact detail will allow UNHCR to stay in touch with you and keep you informed about changes in your case. If you do not have a phone number, please share the phone number of a friend or relative who can help us contact you.

Registration

Registration is the first step in the relationship between asylum-seekers and UNHCR. If you cannot return to your home country because you fear for your life, and wish to seek international protection with UNHCR, you must first register. At registration, UNHCR records information relating to you and your family, as well as why you had to leave your home country.

If you have just arrived and want to register with UNHCR for asylum, you should get in touch with either UNHCR or one of our partners, depending on your location:

You will receive an appointment letter for a remote registration interview after you make contact with us.

At your registration, UNHCR will seek your consent to share your basic biodata (including name, date of birth, country of origin) and in some cases minimum information about your assessed vulnerabilities with other humanitarian actors for the purpose of providing you with assistance. You have the right to enquire further about which humanitarian actors will receive your information, the precise purpose for which your personal data is to be shared and what personal data will be shared. Should you decide not to give consent, UNHCR will not share your data with anyone. You may also withdraw your consent at any time.   All other information you provide to UNHCR remains confidential.  At no point in time will UNHCR share information about you with your country of origin. Please note that all your personal data are collected and stored in UNHCR servers ensuring the highest security standards.

Document renewal and adding new-born babies remote registration procedures

If your Asylum Seeker/Refugee Certificate has expired and/or there has been a change in your family composition, please contact on the numbers provided above. The service provider will assist you in recording your request for a renewal/adding appointment. UNHCR, in turn, extracts the cases with expired certificates from its database periodically and issues appointments automatically.

(1) Step 1: Schedule an appointment

  • You will receive a call from service provider informing you that a staff member will call you to schedule a remote interview.
  • Please adhere to the message instructions primarily requesting sending the required documents
  • During the scheduling call, all procedures will be explained in detail, and the time that works best for you will be set for the renewal interview phone call.

(2) Step 2: Interview call

  • Please make sure all registered family members and all passports/identity documents are available and handy.

(3) Collection of documents

  • After completing the interview by phone, you will receive a call/ email providing you with an appointment to visit the nearest UNHCR or partner registration centre to your area of residence and receive the renewed certificate. The message will contain short instructions mainly regarding:
  1. Commitment to the specified time
  2. Bring all copies of expired documents
  3. Presence of one adult from each file

Please note it is strictly important for to you commit to the provided time slot. If you are feeling unwell or have fallen sick, please contact UNHCR through the Helpline to schedule another appointment. This procedure will not have any impact on your file with UNHCR.

Please note all UNHCR services are free of charge. If you have any complaints on issues related to fraud, please send an email to [email protected] If you have any complaints on the conduct of UNHCR staff, please send an email directly to the head office in Geneva on [email protected].

How to receive the renewed Asylum Seeker Certificate

As part of UNHCR’s Remote Renewal Interview Process, UNHCR is issuing appointments for refugees to collect their renewed Asylum Seeker Certificates. UNHCR contacts refugees directly to set appointments to approach the office, in order to avoid crowding, and in line with the precautionary measures in place to limit the spread of coronavirus. It is absolutely essential that you approach the centre at the exact specified date and time communicated to you.

Please note that ALL services provided by UNHCR, including registration, are provided for FREE