Registration

To request an appointment with UNHCR for an interview, please call the UNHCR National Call Center at ?04726111 or approach the nearest Khadamaty (only applicable for those who have an active file with UNHCR). To know more about Khadamaty and its locations, please click here.

To learn how to request an appointment through Khadamaty, please watch this video.

There are different appointment types that you can request:

• Create a new file if you and your family members previously never approached UNHCR
• Update information or family relationships within your file (e.g. add a newborn baby or family member, record death of a family member and departure of a family member from Lebanon)
• Renew of UNHCR document 3 months before it expires
• Update your file through verification interview maximum 12 months after last interview

IMPORTANT! To maintain an active file with UNHCR, UNHCR needs to verify the presence of all family members on the file and update available data at least once every 12 months. It is your responsibility to request a verification appointment in a timely manner. UNHCR will also try to reach out to you. Extended loss of contact with UNHCR and repetitive unreachability will result in the closure of your UNHCR file in Lebanon and loss of assistance and services.

After you call the UNHCR National Call Center for an appointment or submit your appointment request through Khadamaty, you will receive an SMS confirmation that your appointment request was successfully recorded.

Within one week, you will receive another SMS with a timeframe to receive a call from UNHCR for the interview.

One to two weeks before the actual interview, UNHCR will contact you to give a specific time and date for your appointment.

Watch this video to learn more about how to get an appointment with UNHCR.

On the day of the interview, come to the Case Processing Center with all family members that you wish to include in your case. You must also bring your identity documents so UNHCR can make a copy if needed.

If you come for a verification interview, it is important that all family members join. Family members not present for a verification interview can be inactivated on the file.

UNHCR will confirm if the interview can take place remotely. All family members on the file will need to be remotely present and have available documents accessible for verification during the remote interview.

Interviews are conducted in-person in the Case Processing Center or remotely as indicated by UNHCR during the scheduling process. Do not hesitate to state your interest for a remote interview when UNHCR contacts you.

Please watch this video to learn more about remote interviews with UNHCR.

During your registration interview, you will be interviewed by a UNHCR staff member, who will ask you questions about your basic bio data (name, date and place of birth, etc.), family composition and the reasons why you left your country and feel you cannot return.

During the interview, UNHCR will also take a photo and record your iris scan and/or fingerprints for you and each of your family members.

To update your file, to change your contact details (telephone, address or other) or to inform a change in your family composition, please call the UNHCR National Call Center at 04726111.

To change your phone number, you can also do it through Khadamaty.  To know more about Khadamaty and its locations, please click here. You can also update your contact details online through MyUNHCR portal.

Syrian nationals that arrived in Lebanon after 8 December 2024 and face urgent protection needs may be considered for individual support by UNHCR and partners. Assistance is only provided to the most vulnerable persons known to UNHCR.

For urgent protection issues or life-threatening medical needs, approach a protection partner in your area, including those running UNHCR-supported Community Development Centers across Lebanon. All protection partners can offer you support, if available, or help you locate to the nearest service in your area. To find a center near you, visit Community Development Centers.

Your file with UNHCR will be closed if:

• UNHCR receives credible information or confirmation from Government authorities, partners, family members on your file, or UNHCR in other countries that you have returned to Syria (either at your own initiative, with support of your community, or by the Government of Lebanon’s border facilitation measures)
• You have voluntarily returned to Syria through one of UNHCR’s voluntary return programmes
• You failed to confirm your presence in Lebanon as part of the presence verification exercise or other verification exercises. (refer to Presence Verification)
• You lost contact with UNHCR for a prolonged period of time
• UNHCR has contacted you to schedule a verification appointment and you were unreachable at least two times
• You were scheduled for a verification appointment and you did not show up or contact UNHCR to reschedule

Once your UNHCR file in Lebanon is closed, you will no longer qualify for any assistance or services for refugees in Lebanon.

Note: Any family members who did not return to Syria and who have maintained contact with UNHCR in Lebanon will continue to have a UNHCR file in Lebanon and may continue to receive assistance. It is important that any family remaining in Lebanon regularly completes their card validation, redeems assistance, and attends verification activities with UNHCR.

Any individual who uses one of UNHCR’s voluntary return programmes or the Government of Lebanon’s border facilitation measures to return to Syria, or who otherwise loses contact with UNHCR for a prolonged time, will have their UNHCR file in Lebanon closed and can pursue services and assistance in Syria instead (Syria is Home). Under these circumstances, reopening your file will not be possible.

However, if you returned to Syria and now believe that a significant change in your personal circumstances or conditions in Syria has created a new and heightened protection risk: you may submit a request to reopen your file in Lebanon based on your new situation, but this is not a guarantee. UNHCR will evaluate your request and will only contact you if it meets eligibility criteria. Note: due to the high volume of requests, review may take many weeks.

HOW TO SUBMIT A REOPENING REQUEST:

All requests to reopen files must be submitted through the Online Contact Form, choosing the option “Submit file re-opening claim”.

Include a detailed written statement of your claim in your preferred language. You must include the following information or your claim will not be processed:

• Names of any family members who are part of your UNHCR case and also seek reopening
• Reason why you want your claim examined by UNHCR
• If you departed Lebanon: Where did you go, for how long, why
• If there are significant changes in your country of origin or your personal circumstances: Provide any new information
• If you missed an appointment with UNHCR: Explain why
• If you had a prolonged period of no contact with UNHCR: Explain why