Since I have been getting quite a few questions lately about obtaining refugee status in Brazil I guess that it is time to clear up a few basic points regarding the whole process.
First of all you should be aware that refugee claims ARE NOT accepted from just anyone. You must be a citizen of a country that is currently in the grip of a Civil War or extreme civil conflict, or has experienced a devastating natural disaster such as earthquake, tsunami, or massive flooding. If you do not fall into that category then it is quite likely that your refugee claim will not be accepted.
Also, you must be coming DIRECTLY to Brazil from that country, without first passing through any other "safe" country. You would be required to make the refugee claim in the very first safe country you arrive in. If you've transited through any other nation before arriving in Brazil your refugee claim would not be accepted.
You MUST make your refugee claim immediately upon arrival in Brazil. You could not, for example, come to Brazil as a tourist on a VITUR Tourist Visa or Visa Waiver Program entry, stay your allowed visit limit and only then make the claim. It would not be accepted since it was not made upon arrival.
Also, be aware that like many other nations nowadays, Brazil uses a list of nations that are most likely to produce refugee claims that are essentially economic refugees and not fleeing civil unrest or disasters. They make it much more difficult for citizens of those nations to obtain any category of visa, including the VITUR Tourist Visa than they do for citizens of any other nation. It will be anywhere from 10 to 20 times more difficult for citizens from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and many African nations to obtain any category of visa as a result. Usually if you do receive a visa it will not be a 5 year, multiple entry visa allowing a 90 day stay like most people receive, but rather a single-use, visa limited to a stay of anywhere from 7 to 30 days only.
Remember too that even obtaining a visa is NO GUARANTEE that you would actually be allowed to enter Brazil. The person who will make that ultimate decision (in any country) is the Immigrations Officer (in the case of Brazil Federal Police Agent) you deal with at the immigrations checkpoint at the airport or port where you arrive in Brazil.
If you come from some nations, your chances of obtaining refugee status in Brazil are almost ZERO, so you would be wasting your time and money trying. Just to show the situation that exists the following are figures for 2013, the last year that I have been able to obtain data for:
Total number of refugees claimants entering the country: 5,256 (2013)
Total number of refugee claims accepted : 649
Of those 1,837 claims were made by citizens of Bangladesh, while not one of those claims were accepted.
100 claims were made by citizens of Pakistan, and only 32 of those were accepted.
Syria, which was in the midst of a civil war produced 256 refugee claims, that year there were actually more claims accepted than were made. 284 Syrian citizens were given refugee status that year (some from the previous year's claims).
In order from most claims made to least the figures are as follows:
Country Claims made Claims accepted
Bangladesh 1837 0
Senegal 961 4
Lebanon 320 4
Syria 256 284
Dem. Rep Congo 203 106
Ghana 198 0
Guinea Bissau 174 0
Nigeria 143 18
Dominican Rep. 131 0
Somalia 122 0
Colombia 118 88
Pakistan 100 32
Angola 86 17
Mali 72 19
Guinea Conakry 59 0
Other countries whose citizens were granted refugee status:
Bolivia 16 granted
Venezuela 6
Iran 5
Ivory Coast 4
Eritrea 4
Note: no number of claims made that year were given for these countries.
No refugee claims were made in 2013 by citizens of India, because Brazil is not regarded as a refugee friendly country by Indian citizens.
Cheers,
James Expat-blog Experts Team
Seeking Refugee Status in Brazil
My question is where to apply in Rio
Where i claim refugee status inroo de genrio brazil
You must request refugee status IMMEDIATELY UPON ARRIVAL, So that means when you are in the immigration check-in with the Federal Police at the airport, that's when you must ask for refugee status.
If you try to make a refugee claim at any other time, it will not be accepted. One cannot, for example, come to Brazil as a tourist and spend a few weeks here, and at the end of their stay make a refugee claim. It is only accepted UPON ARRIVAL.
In your case, as a citizen of Ethiopia it is not likely that refugee status will be granted. Few claims made by citizens of African nations are accepted.
Cheers,
James Expat-blog Experts Team
wow nice
My friends have spent some times ( I think some weeks) in Brazil and after that, they applied for refugee status. Their claims were accepted by FP. Now, they are waiting for their acceptance by government. Normally, it was said that their claims would be declared within two years. Am I right?
Refugee claims are decided on a case-by-case basis. There is no way of predicting how long it will take, but certainly it won't happen in a couple of weeks. It usually takes several months, but maybe they'll tell you in a few weeks if the claim has been refused.
Cheers,
James Expat-blog Experts Team
How does the government inform the claimers about it? My friends changed their addresses as they shifted to another city to work. They have gotten their work-permit (job card) too.
Your friend is required by law to keep CONARE advised of any change of address, if they haven't done that they can be in a great deal of trouble and could possibly lose their refugee status. They had better get in contact with their claim officer immediately.
Cheers,
James Expat-blog Experts Team
Respected Sir! plz expalin for me about what CONARE is and how they can inform their officer. Will they have to attend any FP office with some document of address (i.e. electricity bill)?
CONARE is the government agency that deals with refugees in Brazil. When someone claims refugee status on arriving in Brazil they are taken into custody and passed along to CONARE (Conselho Nacional de Refugiados) who deal with them from that point on. It is CONARE who decides whether or not they are granted refugee status. If your friends have already applied, then they already know who their CONARE officer is and that they're required to keep in contact with him or her on a regular basis.
Cheers,
James Expat-blog Experts Team
Yes Sir! They have told me that they have contact with it via their email.
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