whereTOemigrate
Get your free results
ET country scene

Refugee Status Determination

EthiopiaHumanitarian protection

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

Official link

Explore pathways in Ethiopia Read the five questions ↓

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

Refugee Status Determination (RSD) is the process by which governments or UNHCR determine whether a person seeking international protection is a refugee under international, regional or national law. In Ethiopia it is conducted by the Government of Ethiopia under Refugee Proclamation No. 1110/2019.

See recorded sources

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

People from Sudan, Somalia (Lascanood) and Yemen (those that arrived after 1 January 2015) can be recognised immediately as refugees through a group (prima facie) process if they apply for asylum; people of any other nationality undergo an individual RSD process assessing their claims under Proclamation No. 1110/2019.

See recorded sources

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

The checked official sources did not provide enough route-specific evidence to confirm where and how protection is requested.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Not established: the correction failed a second independent check (NAO_SUSTENTA: Defeito anterior corrigido (documentos citados), mas 'individual interview-based assessment' nao esta em nenhuma citacao desta caixa (C1-C3 falam so de entrevistas remotas e do que levar).)

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

During the RSD interview applicants must submit available documents and evidence, inform UNHCR about accompanying family members (adult family members are interviewed individually), and tell the truth and cooperate. During the procedure they have the right to confidentiality, to be interviewed in a language they can communicate in, and to be represented by a qualified lawyer or legal representative. Recognised refugees and asylum seekers commonly receive proof of registration and a Refugee Identity Document, which often also evidence the right to reside.

See recorded sources
  • https://help.unhcr.org/ethiopia/asylum/rsd-processs/
    During the RSD interview, you are required to: Submit any documents and evidence available regarding your asylum application Inform UNHCR about your family members accompanying you. Adult family members will be interviewed individually Tell the truth and be cooperative
  • https://help.unhcr.org/ethiopia/asylum/rsd-processs/
    During the RSD procedure, you have the right to: Confidentiality Be interviewed in a language you can communicate in, To be represented by a lawyer or a legal representative, who qualifies as such under UNHCR’s established procedures, during your RSD procedure.
  • https://help.unhcr.org/ethiopia/asylum/rsd-processs/
    More commonly, recognized refugees and asylum seekers receive proof of registration and a Refugee Identity Document attesting to their refugee status in Ethiopia . Frequently, these also serve as evidence of the right to reside as a registered refugee.

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

The Ethiopian Government, through the Refugee and Returnee Service (RRS), decides on asylum applications; UNHCR is an observer. The page warns that intentionally misleading UNHCR about the facts of a case or identity is fraud, may lead to a negative decision, and advises not to rely on stories circulating among refugees or sign documents not read and understood.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The page refers to an FAQ 2025 for more RSD information whose content was not captured; no contact channel for RRS is given on this page.

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

Explore more pathways in Ethiopia · All pathways

Your story.
Your next step.

Explore pathways in Ethiopia →