Refugees are people fleeing conflict or persecution. They are defined and protected in international law and must not be expelled or returned to situations where their life and freedom are at risk. The 1951 Refugee Convention is a key legal document and defines a refugee as someone who is unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.
UNHCR is mandated to lead and coordinate international action to protect refugees and find solutions for them worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees.
In Syria, UNHCR is the only agency that provides registration services and documentation for asylum-seekers and refugees, following which individuals can obtain their residence permit from the Syrian authorities.
As of end January 2024, some 17,100 refugees and asylum-seekers were registered with UNHCR. Most of the registered refugees are from Iraq and reside primarily in urban areas in Damascus, Al-Hasakeh, Aleppo, Homs, Tartous, and Latakia Governorates.
As Syria is not a party to the 1951 Convention and has not enacted refugee or asylum-specific legislation, no specific refugee documentation is issued by the national authorities. However, the authorities issue residency permits to refugees and asylum-seekers who meet immigration law criteria, possess a UNHCR-issued document, a national passport and legally entered into Syria. Possessing UNHCR-issued documents is therefore a prerequisite to regularize refugees’ and asylum-seekers’ stay in the country.