Asylum in Somalia: registration and refugee status

Refugees are people forced to flee their country because of a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group. Registering a claim is the legal basis for your stay in Somalia, gives access to public services and assistance and protects you against forced return.

UNHCR reports that refugees and asylum seekers arriving from Yemen are granted refugee status on a prima facie basis in all states, so they do not need an individual interview. In Somaliland this has been extended to Afghans, Syrians and Palestinians; all other nationalities go through individual refugee status determination.

Present yourself to the authority for the place where you are. In the southern and central regions, the National Commission for Refugees and IDPs (NCRI) oversees registration at the federal level, on Afgooye Street, Hodon, Mogadishu. In Somaliland, registration is carried out by the National Displacement and Refugee Agency (NDRA) in the 26 June District of Hargeisa. In Puntland, it is carried out by the Human Protection Department of the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Democratization in Garowe.

During registration you give information about yourself and your family in Somalia and abroad and explain why you left and cannot return. UNHCR then records your fingerprints and iris scan. Bring any identity documents you have and proof of earlier asylum registration elsewhere; if you have none, explain why at the interview and never use false papers.

After registration you are invited to a refugee status determination interview, unless you receive prima facie status. UNHCR prioritises cases by vulnerability and conducts the interview with a qualified interpreter; you may ask to be accompanied by a lawyer. If you miss three consecutive appointments and do not contact UNHCR within six weeks of the first one, the case is closed as abandoned.

Decisions are normally issued within three months of the interview, but a high number of claims means it can take longer. You are informed by letter. If you are recognised you receive a recognition letter and can apply for a refugee ID card.

After registration you receive documents that allow you to stay in Somalia until a decision is made and to use services of the federal government, the federal member states, UNHCR and its partners. Carry at least a copy at all times, as it protects you against forced return and arbitrary detention. Everything you say in the interview is confidential and cannot be shared without your consent.

A claim can end in recognition or rejection. For those initially found not to be refugees, the procedure gives an opportunity to appeal the decision. Keep your contact details up to date with UNHCR so that you receive notices in time.