Registration

If you cannot return to your home country because you fear for your life or safety, and you wish to seek international protection, you must first register with UNHCR.

International Protection has purely a humanitarian and civilian character. If you are involved in armed  activities  you cannot be registered with UNHCR.

To be registered by UNHCR, you must call the UNHCR Office closest to you and schedule an appointment. Please let us know if you need an interpreter and which language or dialect you prefer.

UNHCR Syria has registration centers located in Damascus, Aleppo, Tartous, Homs and Qamishli. You will find contact information for each location on: Contact Us.

On the day and time of your scheduled appointment, you and all your family members and/or dependents that you wish to be registered must be present at UNHCR’s office.

Remember to:

• Bring all documents relevant to your case i.e. passports, national identification, birth certificate, marriage certificate, family booklet etc. on your appointment date.
• Bring with you a detailed written statement in your language explaining how and why you left your country of origin.

During the registration interview UNHCR will record information relating to you and your family and the reasons you had to leave your home country and cannot return. We will also take your photo and biometric data (eye scan) for identification purposes. You may need to spend a full day at the Office. Please be patient.

UNHCR does not share your biometric data with anyone.

Please note that:

• You must provide correct and complete information to UNHCR when you register. Incomplete or incorrect information may lead to the rejection of your claim.
• Every registered person receives a file number. Please keep this safe as you will need this number when you communicate with UNHCR in the future, as it helps us to find quickly the file with your information.
• Once registered with UNHCR you and your family members will each be issued an asylum-seeker identification card (renewable).
• In case your personal circumstances change (e.g. marital status, family composition, address etc.), you must inform UNHCR and your file will be updated. You will also receive a new identification card.
• To renew your identification card, call the UNHCR Office closest to you to schedule an appointment. Please let us know if you need an interpreter and for which language or dialect.

UNHCR is the only agency that provides registration services and documentation for asylum-seekers and refugees in Syria, following which individuals can obtain their residence permit by the Syrian authorities. We will explain to you how you can do this.

Be mindful that UNHCR does not delegate this function to any third parties, and all services are free of charge.

After registering with UNHCR, we may call you to ask you to come for an interview to our office at a specific date and time to determine weather or not you qualify as a refugee.

Please note that not all asylum-seekers will be called for the said interview. We will determine if this is needed or not based on your personal circumstances and the situation in your country of origin.