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Definitive Residence - Recognised Refugee or Stateless Person

El SalvadorHumanitarian protection

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Explore pathways in El Salvador Read the five questions ↓

What exactly is this: asylum, temporary protection, humanitarian admission, resettlement or another protection mechanism?

Definitive (permanent) residence for refugees and stateless persons; the person keeps refugee or stateless status.

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Which population, circumstances or geographic group does the mechanism cover?

Refugees and stateless persons two years after they applied for that status; for Central American refugees the period is one year.

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Where can protection be requested, and is this a direct application, border/in-country request, referral or other process?

In-country written application to the Directorate General of Migration (DGME), with the valid temporary refugee/stateless resident card and a passport or other travel document if held (valid or not).

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What happens after the request: registration, family handling, major support and rights where officially stated?

DGME answers within 45 business days if all requirements are met. A spouse or partner is handled by adding the marriage certificate registered in El Salvador or a sworn declaration of free union. While in special temporary status, refugees may do paid work, self-employed or employed; definitive residents may do any lawful paid activity.

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Which competent authority, UN body or official assistance channel should the person use?

Definitive residence for refugees or stateless persons is requested in writing from the Directorate General of Migration and Foreign Nationals, which grants the immigration status. Refugee status itself is decided only by CODER (Commission for the Determination of Refugee Status). UNHCR (ACNUR) offers a free helpline, 800-7096, and says all its services are free; the Procuraduría General de la República can represent applicants free of charge.

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Limits of the record
  • No fraud or scam warning appears in the captured sources.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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