Uganda - Apply for Asylum Visa

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Procedure

HOW TO APPLY

There are two routes for applying for asylum in Uganda.

A) In a refugee settlement  

1. The asylum procedure for asylum seekers arriving directly in the refugee settlements is as follows:
   • Report directly to the Settlement Commandant for registration.
   • Await refugee status determination interview to be conducted in the settlement by a Sub-Committee of the Refugee Eligibility Committee (REC). The Settlement Commandant will in due course communicate the dates for the interviews.
2. Upon the granting of refugee status, OPM will allocate a plot of land per family and the family will then be provided with basic assistance including non-food items, food and ration cards that will entitle them to monthly food rations.
3. In case of protection related issues, report these to UNHCR staff in the settlement.

  B) In Kampala  

1. Upon arrival, go to the Crime Intelligence office at Old Kampala Police Station for registration.You will be given a card and a date for further registration.
2. On the scheduled date, report to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) with your dependents. Bring all documents that might make your identity and profile clearer (passports, identity documents, school diplomas, letters of support etc.). Every member of your household below 18 will be registered with you - all individuals above 18 will be registered separately.
3. You will be issued with a Temporary Asylum seeker attestation, renewable after 3 months from the date of issue and thereafter every month. After registration at OPM, you must report back to Crime Intelligence Offices at Old Kampala Police Station for a second interview for refugee status determination.
4. Your status is decided by the Refugee Eligibility Committee (REC).The decision will be communicated by the Office of the Prime minister department of Refugees (OPM).
5. You will then receive renewable identification cards good for three months while the REC [Ugandan government's Refugee Eligibility Committee] reviewed their cases.If the REC granted them refugee status, they received an official refugee identity card" 

NOTE

If you are unhappy with the decision, you can appeal within 30 days of receipt of the notice of the decision of the REC.

Third-Country Resettlement:  

As a journalist, Politian or activist in exile, you can sometimes be at risk in your country of refuge. This might mean that relocating to another country is the only way to guarantee your safety.

Third-country resettlement is not a common process, and is generally accessible only to the most vulnerable of refugees. It's not a right, and can never be guaranteed. Even if you do receive third-country resettlement, it can take a long time until the process is finalized and you are on your way.

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Required Documents

• Valid Identification documents from your home country e.g. ID card, driver licence
• Education certificate
• Letter of support
• Valid passport

Office Locations & Contacts

Refugee Law Project
PO Box 33903
Kampala
UGANDA
Phone: 256-41-343-556
E-mail: [email protected]
website:Refugee law project

The Office of the Prime Minister
Refugee Department
PLOT 9-11 APOLLO KAGWA ROAD
P.O. Box 341
Kampala, UGANDA

The UNHCR Representative in Uganda
Plot 18, Prince Charles Drive Kololo
P. O. Box 3813Kampala, Uganda
Phone : +256 41 4231231
Website :  UNHCR

Immigration office, Head Office
Plot 75 Jinja Road
P. O. Box 7165 / 7191 Kampala - Uganda
Telephone contact: + 256 414 595 945
Fax: +256 414 348 707
Website:  http://www.immigration.go.ug
http://www.immigration.go.ug/content/contact-us

All requests for third-country resettlement are processed by UNHCR,
UNHCR Head Office, Uganda
Plot 18, Prince Charles Drive, Kololo, Kampala, Uganda
+256 41 4231231
e mail:[email protected]

Eligibility

People who are fleeing insecurity in their original countries due to their:

• Political activities
• personal opinion
• Their features
• Association of social group.

Fees

• The process is entirely free of charge.

Validity

• A temporary Asylum Seeker Attestation is valid for 3 months

Documents to Use

Please attach documents that can be used by people. e.g. links

Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

Processing Time

• It takes about a week or more to go through the whole process.

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type="website">video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the "&" inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver, 
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M" Video ID is "Y0US7oR_t3M". 
	

Instructions

Meeting with the UNHCR

• UNHCR schedules appointments to meet refugees and asylum seekers in Kampala at the offices of InterAid and the Branch Office Extension
  

• Appointments for individual counselling by UNHCR are made by InterAid (Uganda), the UNHCR's main implementing partner for the Urban Programme

Required Information

• Full name;
• Date of birth;
• Nationality;
• No. of dependants;
• Details of the form of insecurity in the applicants original country

Need for the Document

• Asylum visa, issued to people who have suffered or reasonably fear persecution in their own country due to their political activities or opinion, or features, or association with a social group.
  
• Asylum seekers or emigrants who have escaped a war or repression and have unlawfully crossed into another state. If they are recognized as "legitimate" asylees by the destination state, they will then gain status and receive Asylum Visa.
  
• However, there may be numerous potential asylums in a destination state who are unwilling to apply or have been denied asylum status, and hence are categorized as "illegal immigrants" and may be subject to punishment or deportation.

Information which might help

• Asylum seekers must prove that they have a well-founded fear of future persecution for instance based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, and/or political opinion.;
• The persecution must either be carried out by the government or a group the government cannot control.
• A person who is granted political asylum may remain in the Uganda indefinitely and may apply for permanent residence after one year;
• Dependents above eighteen (18) years apply independently;
• Conform to all laws and regulations of the country;
• Conform to all measures taken for the maintenance of public order;
• Should not engage in activities which may endanger state security, harm public interest or disrupt public order;
• Should into engage in any political activities;
• Should not undertake any activities against another country;
• If engaged in gainful employment, one is obliged to pay taxes accordingly.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

• It ensures security as all refugees are registered;
• The government deploys civil servants, health workers and teachers to refugee settlements hence providing a conducive environment for the refugees.
• It enlarges the job market in the country as these refugees require services.

External Links

Ministry of foreign affairs
United Nations development programme
UNHCR

Others

More information which might help people.