Registration

All services provided by UNHCR and partners are free of charge.

To seek asylum in Indonesia, you must first register with UNHCR.   

Registration is the process by which UNHCR records, verifies, and updates basic information about you and your family members. 

These are the steps to register with UNHCR Indonesia:

  • You need to submit a request to UNHCR
  • UNHCR will contact you for your registration interview
  • You need to attend your registration interview

Please note, UNHCR Indonesia can only register you if you are in Indonesia. 

  • If you are not in Indonesia, please select the country you are in on the HELP website for information relevant to you.  

In Indonesia, there are two different ways you can submit a request to register with UNHCR. Please choose one that works best for you:

OPTION 1: Self-service Portal

You can request to be registered with UNHCR by using our self-service portal.  

You can create your personal account through the self-service portal and request specific services from UNHCR Indonesia, including a new registration request.  

  • Please note that only some services provided by UNHCR in Indonesia can be requested through this self-service portal.

Find out how to create an account and use the portal:

Self-service Portal

OPTION 2: E-mail

You can also request to register with UNHCR Indonesia by sending us an e-mail at [email protected].  

Please send the following information in your email:    

  • Full name, country of origin, current address in Indonesia, phone number (WhatsApp number), information about family members in Indonesia, visa status in Indonesia,  
  • Attach your passport photo and Indonesian visa page, 
  • Registration record from other UNHCR operations, if previously registered.  

Due to the high volume of requests for new registration, you may have to wait a few months before UNHCR contacts you for an interview.  Please do not submit repeat requests for registration.

Questions? Select below each question to learn more about each step ⬇️

What happens after I submit a request for registration?

Once you submit a request for registration via the self service portal or e-mail, UNHCR will contact you to schedule a registration interview. Please note that it may take several months before your interview is scheduled due to the high number of requests received.   

If you live in Jakarta and the surrounding area, UNHCR will schedule an appointment for you in person at the UNHCR Reception Center in Jakarta. If you are residing far from Jakarta, UNHCR may schedule an interview with one of our field teams. Currently, UNHCR has field teams in Aceh, Medan, Pekanbaru, and Makassar. 

During your appointment, UNHCR will collect basic information on you and your family members, take your biometrics (photograph, fingerprint, iris scan), ask some questions to better understand why you are unable to return to your home country, and provide you some information on the asylum system in Indonesia. Please provide truthful and accurate information during your registration interview. Failure to do so may have an impact on your asylum claim.  

What should I bring to my registration interview?

Please bring all available documents relevant to your asylum claim, including passports, identity documents, marriage or birth certificates, national ID cards, evidence of previous registration with another UNHCR office or foreign government, or family registry. During the registration interview, you must provide truthful and correct information.  

UNHCR has a comprehensive policy on protection of personal data of refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR. Detailed information on UNHCR’s data protection policy is available at: Data protection | UNHCR.      

What happens after the registration interview?

Asylum-seekers newly registered with UNHCR will be issued with a UNHCR identity document (card or certificate) with a specific expiration date. The document includes your basic information and UNHCR case number and proves that you are a person under the protection of UNHCR Indonesia.  

You will be informed of your rights and duties as an asylum-seeker registered with UNHCR and a foreigner within the territory of Indonesia.  As a foreigner seeking asylum in Indonesia, you are obligated to respect the local customs and culture and obey Indonesian laws and regulations.   

You will also receive basic information (also available on this site) of assistance programs available in Indonesia. Please note that due to limited resources, basic assistance is not provided for all refugees and asylum seekers in Indonesia.  Inclusion in any assistance program requires an individual assessment. For more details about assistance program, please visit relevant assistance pages in the HELP site. 

How do I register with UNHCR from Immigration Detention or at the airport?

If you are currently being held at an Immigration Detention Center or at an international airport in Indonesia, please contact the Legal Protection Hotline at 📞0811 9840 643.

What if I want to cancel or close my registration with UNHCR?

If you wish to withdraw your asylum application or your refugee status with UNHCR, including if you wish to return to your home country, please submit a request to close your case with by signing the withdrawal form. Please submit the request to withdraw your case via Kobo Online Inquiry Form.

Choose “Yes” for the question “Are you registered with UNHCR in Indonesia?” and fill in the UNHCR number that appears on your UNHCR document. Choose “Voluntary Return” as the topic of concern. 

UNHCR will contact you for counseling and to obtain more information. 

Depending on your country of origin, IOM and UNHCR might be able to support you for voluntary repatriation through the Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) Program. Please note that the AVR program is available for limited nationalities and not applicable to all situations. Please visit the “voluntary repatriation” page for additional information.