Asylum and Refugee Status Procedure

The Republic of Tajikistan has acceded to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, and it has a national law On Refugees.

You will be invited for an interview with an official from the Department on Citizenship and Work with Refugees. Each adult family member will be interviewed separately.

You should tell the truth and explain clearly the reasons you fled your country and your fear of returning there.

You can apply for asylum in Tajikistan if you are inside the country or at a border entry point (airport, land border crossing).

Under Tajikistan’s national legislation, if you are seeking asylum (refugee status), you must submit a written application in person.

If you entered Tajikistan legally: submit your written application to the Department on Citizenship and Work with Refugees (DCWR) under the Passport Registration Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs within one month of arrival.

If you crossed the border irregularly: you must report to the State Border Protection bodies within 24 hours. They will forward your application to the Passport Registration Service within three days.

If you cannot apply in person due to health reasons, an authorized representative may apply on your behalf (a medical certificate is required).

Dushanbe: Department on Citizenship and Work with Refugees, 2 Abai Street, Dushanbe

Khujand (Sughd region): Passport Registration Service, 120 Firdausi Street, Khujand

Once your application is submitted, the authorities will decide within 10 working days whether to register your claim. If accepted, you will receive an Asylum-Seeker Certificate, valid for 3 months and renewable if a decision on your case takes longer.

Each adult family member will be interviewed separately.

The decision on your refugee status must be made within 6 months from the date your application was registered.

To stay legally in Tajikistan while your asylum application is being reviewed. To be protected from deportation during the process. To live in permitted areas of the country, as listed in Government Resolution No. 325. To access emergency medical assistance in state healthcare institutions. To enroll your children in primary and secondary schools. To work or engage in self-employment in line with national legislation.

Please be informed that according to Resolution No. 325, asylum-seekers and refugees who arrived after 2000 are not allowed to live in certain areas:

The Ministry of Internal Affairs is the competent government authority responsible for asylum-related matters in Tajikistan, including the implementation of refugee legislation.

NGO Inson va Adolat provides free legal, social and counselling assistance for asylum-seekers and refugees:

Services, support, and assistance are always free of charge. You should never be asked to pay money, provide favors, or offer services in exchange for assistance from UNHCR or its partners, including through social media or third parties.

Report fraudsters that offer you resettlement, financial or other kinds of assistance, fake documents or fake claims in exchange for money or other favours.