An asylum-seeker in Belarus is an individual who applied for international protection – who say they are a refugee, but whose claim has not yet been definitely evaluated.
WHO APPLIES FOR ASYLUM IN BELARUS?
- foreigners (not citizens of Belarus) who are outside their country of origin and stateless persons who are outside the countries of their former permanent residence;
- people who are afraid to return to their home country because of a serious risk they will face there.
* A serious risk or fear of persecution may be based on people’s race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group
WHAT HAPPENS TO AN ASYLUM-SEEKER?
There are several options what can happen to those apply for asylum in Belarus:
- they will be granted a refugee status;
- they will be granted complementary protection;
- they will receive protection from expulsion;
- their application for protection will be rejected.
WHERE CAN AN ASYLUM-SEEKER STAY?
Regardless of the final decision on any given application, asylum-seekers are entitled to assistance with lodging in one of Temporary Accommodation Centres (TACs) upon availability of places.
Since 2001, three TACs for asylum-seekers have been built/reconstructed in Belarus with a total capacity to accommodate up to 70 persons. TACs are used to accommodate asylum-seekers only. It means that after a claimant is granted asylum or rejected, they should leave the TAC and take care of their lodging him/herself. The accommodation itself is of dormitory type, but there are rooms of different capacity, i.e. for smaller and bigger families.
Operational TACs are located in Viciebsk, Homieĺ and Brest.