Individual Asylum and Refugee Status

(1)The Implementing Agency shall be the National Commission for Social Action established by section 3 of the National Commission for Social Action Act, 2001. (2)The functions of the Implementing Agency shall be—(a)to undertake individual refugee status determination of persons who are not part of an influx in respect of whom a prima facie declaration of refugee status has been made by the Authority under paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of section 4; and

NaCSA, mandated under the 2007 Refugee Protection Act, is responsible for ensuring asylum and refugee protection in Sierra Leone.

(1)Subject to this section, a person is a refugee for the purposes of this Act, if—(a)owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, he is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or (b)not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence, he is unable or, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is unwilling to return to it; or (c)owing to external aggression, occupation, foreign domination or events seriously disturbing public order in either part or the whole of his country of origin or nationality, he is compelled to leave his place of habitual residence in order to seek refuge in another place outside his country of origin or nationality; or

(1)An application for the grant of refugee status shall be Application made to the Implementing Agency, either directly or through any authorised officer or officer of the United Nations.

At the NaCSA office located at 14–16 Charlotte Street Freetown, 3rd Floor, individuals seeking asylum begin by submitting their claim form.

(1)A person who has, in contravention of the procedure laid down by the law, entered Sierra Leone in order to apply for recognition as a refugee shall not be punished for that act if he arrives directly from a country where, his life and freedom have been threatened within the meaning of the United Nations Convention, the Protocol and the OAU Convention.

A confidential case file is immediately opened to safeguard personal information, and registration is completed to formally record the claim. Within 14 days, NaCSA conducts an interview with the applicant to gather detailed information, followed by a review of supporting documents through an evidence checklist. A decision form is then prepared, with determinations generally concluded within 90 days in line with the Act. If the claim is approved, refugee documentation is issued promptly. If rejected, the applicant receives a written decision along with a clear explanation of the appeal procedure. Appeals are reviewed by the Secretariat of the National Refugee Authority (SNRA) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, which aims to finalize reviews within 60 days, ensuring fairness, transparency, and adherence to international standards of non-refoulement.

(1)Notwithstanding any other enactment, any person who has applied under section 8 for recognition as pending a refugee, and every member of his family shall have the right to remain within Sierra Leone—(a)until such person has been recognised as a refugee under that section; or (b)in the event of the application of such person being unsuccessful, until such person has had an opportunity to exhaust his right of appeal under section 10, or

(1)During the refugee status determination process, the applicant has—(a)the right to—(i)be fully informed by the Implementing Agency, in a language he understands, where necessary, through an interpreter provided free of charge by the Agency, of the functioning of the process and of his rights therein; (ii)be in contact with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees or any other organisation which may assist him; (iii)be represented by a legal practitioner or other person of his choice in the process;

NaCSA, mandated under the 2007 Refugee Protection Act, is responsible for ensuring asylum and refugee protection in Sierra Leone.

At the NaCSA office located at 14–16 Charlotte Street Freetown, 3rd Floor

(ii)be in contact with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees or any other organisation which may assist him;