Refugee Status Determination

Following registration, you are able to access services with your valid asylum seeker certificate, regardless of your legal status.

Should you be identified to be in need for a Refugee Status Determination interview, you will receive a call to schedule an appointment.

Appointments will occur according to the interview schedule and will consider your own circumstances

We regularly travel to locations where refugees and asylum seekers are located if they are unable to reach the office in Amman. Remote interviews by phone could be arranged in some exceptional circumstances and our staff will reach you at the nearest UNHCR field office if needed.

If you live far from Amman, and/or are not able to come to UNHCR for an RSD interview please contact us via the Helpline

If you cannot attend your interview due to any reason such as illness please let us know as soon as possible by contacting us via Helpline, so that we can reschedule it for another time. Exceptionally, we also can reach you at your home to conduct the RSD interview or arrange for a remote interview by phone, depending on your circumstances.

Rest assured that whichever communication method you choose, UNHCR reviews your enquiry and follows up on your case. If you do not hear back from us after 3 weeks from submitting your enquiry, please do reach out again.

Asylum-seeker and refugee certificates grant the same level of protection against deportation (refoulement). Also, access to services and assistance does not depend on refugee status; therefore RSD follows a strategic way of processing cases according to individual needs. 

The purpose of the Refugee Status Determination interview is to assess your eligibility for refugee status through an interview where you share the reasons why you left your home country and the reasons why you cannot return. It is an opportunity for you to share your experiences and circumstances that led you to fleeing your home country and why you cannot return, which will allow UNHCR to accurately determine whether you are a refugee or not.

This is your time to tell your story, and the Refugee Status Determination staff member will help you in that process. During the interview, you will be asked several questions about yourself, your family and any problems you may have had, and your fear of returning to your home country. It is important that you cooperate with the UNHCR staff member during the Refugee Status Determination interview and provide truthful and complete information. Any incorrect information may have a negative impact on your case.

If the interview is remote, you need a smartphone with a camera and an internet connection, and a private safe space that enables you to share confidential information.

Please bring all documents available to you at the time of the Refugee Status Determination interview such as travel documents, identity papers, employment records, and other documentation which will help support your claim for refugee status. Your statements and documents will be kept confidential and will not be shared by UNHCR with other third parties without your consent.

Should you have a legal representative assisting you in presenting your case to UNHCR, you may submit a request for approval to UNHCR by emailing [email protected]

Your case will be assessed, reviewed and decision reached whether you meet refugee definition or not.  You will be notified of the decision that UNHCR has made on your case. If your application for refugee status is rejected and you disagree with this, you have the right to appeal the decision. Information on the appeal procedures is included in the decision that you will receive. You will receive an appeal application by an SMS which you can fill and share back within one month of the notification of decision.

UNHCR respects the family unity principle, however, some cases are rejected after a thorough examination of the individual claim. If you are rejected for refugee status, but your first degree relative is accepted as a refugee, then you may be eligible for refugee status by UNHCR on derivative status. If for some reason this has not happened for you, then UNHCR would explain to you the reasons behind this decision. If you still have concerns about this or believe an error has occurred in your application, please contact us via Helpline.

Decisions on RSD require a review which sometimes takes time. We strive to provide results as soon as possible but the extra time is sometimes to ensure that your case is addressed thoroughly. However, if your case has been pending for over 6 months, please contact us via Helpline to inquire about your result.

Any information you provide during Refugee Status Determination interviews remains confidential and no details of your application will be shared with any third party without your permission and explicit consent.

We respect the privacy and sensitivity of the information that is shared with us. All information is treated with the utmost confidentiality. Should we need to share some information with a family member, your consent will always be sought first. UNHCR will never act without receiving your consent.