To apply for asylum in Libya, all the asylum seekers need to get themselves registered with UNHCR. The asylum application is processed through UNHCR. You can contact UNHCR via the hotline 0911633466, and the staff advises on the process for registration.
UNHCR has been the link between the Libyan government and refugees. Libyan authorities have authorized https://help.unhcr.org/libya/ to register asylum seekers from specific nationalities. Apart from UNHCR, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) also helps refugees and asylum seekers. Both these organizations are considered the major functioning bodies in Libya that help refugees and asylum seekers. Before entering Libya, they need to know the process and the ways to apply for asylum.
For the last eleven years, Libya has constantly been staying with instability and conflicts, and the displacement of people is increasing every year. Despite the political instability, Libya still receives thousands of asylum applications every year according to UNHCR. The most successful applications of refugees are from Syria and Palestine.
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How to apply for asylum in Libya
For registration in Libya, all the asylum seekers need to get themselves registered with UNHCR. The asylum application is processed through UNHCR. You can contact UNHCR via the hotline 0911633466, and the staff advises on the process for registration.
All the eligible applicants will be issued an appointment date to meet UNHCR staff in Tripoli or any other registration center where it is conducted. During the interview, UNHCR will collect information about you, including your name, date of birth, place of origin, and why you left your resident country.
Documents to be brought during the registration interview
All your family members must be with you on the day of registration. Documents to be brought are:
- Passport
- National ID Card
- Birth certificate
- Work permit
- Certificate proving marital status
- Educational certificates/records
- UNHCR or government refugee or asylum seeker certificate from other countries.
- Any other official documents proving your identity.
Apart from these, any other document that you feel is relevant to prove the reason why you left your home country.
Note: If you do not have documents, you can still register with UNHCR.
Who does UNHCR help in Libya?
Asylum seekers
An asylum seeker is an individual who needs international protection, and their application is still under consideration. In Libya UNHCR grants them the asylum seeker certificate.
Refugees
Refugees are unable or unwilling to return to their home country because they fear being persecuted due to their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. In Libya, refugees are granted a refugee certificate that UNHCR issues.
Internally displaced people
Internally displaced people have fled from their home country but remained within the country’s borders unlike refugees. In Libya, these people can benefit from UNHCR and their partners’ services.
How does UNHCR help Libya refugees?
Refugees are traveling alongside migrants on risky routes to Europe. 14,242 asylum applications were received in 2021 in Libya, according to UNHCR, and most of these are from Sudan, Syria, and Eritrea. Up to 90% of people crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe arrive in Libya.
In western Libya, UNHCR has access to 12 disembarkation points. It has also improved reception conditions to meet refugees’ and migrants’ immediate basic needs.
Essential contacts in Libya for asylum seekers and refugees
There are different contact numbers for immediate assistance for refugees and asylum seekers in association with UNHCR. By visiting https://help.unhcr.org/libya/important-contacts-hotlines/, you can find all the required contact and hotline numbers as per the concern.
UNHCR Contact Information For Libya
The UNHCR Representative in Libya
Street Address:
UNHCR, Almawashi Road, Next to Algheiran Aljanobia School, Sarraj Area, Tripoli, Libya
Mail Address:
P.O.Box 80708, Sarraj Area, Tripoli, Libya, Tripoli, Libya
Telephone:
+ 218 21 489 7944
Facsimile:
+ 218 21 489 7945
E-mail:
LBYTR@UNHCR.ORG
Working Hours:
Monday: 8:30 – 17:00
Tuesday: 8:30 – 17:00
Wednesday: 8:30 – 17:00
Thursday: 8:30 – 17:00
Friday: Holiday
Saturday: Holiday
Sunday: 8:30 – 17:00
Does Libya accept refugees?
Yes, Libya accepts refugees and allows them as well as asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR.
Are there refugee camps in Libya?
Facilities for the refugee camps are found maximum around Bani Walid. Al Mabani center, which opened in 2021, is located in Tripoli and detains more than 1,000 abductees.
Lakhs of people in Libya need human assistance. Displaced migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers are among the most vulnerable populations. UNHCR is the leading agency in providing services for all affected people.
UNHCR, with the help of Libyan authorities, improves the living conditions of the displaced and conflict-affected people. UNHCR provides life-saving assistance to displaced people, asylum seekers, refugees, and host communities in Libya.
UNHCR constantly supports government stabilization and peace-building efforts by implementing Quick Impact Projects (QIP).
Role of UNHCR in Libya
The office of UNHCR is the refugee agency mandated under 1951 refugee convention to provide international protection and identify solutions for refugees. UNHCR ensures that people who seek asylum find safe refuge in the other state with the option of eventually returning to their home country, integrating, or resettling.
During displacement UNHCR helps to provide legal and physical protection against the threat of violence, including sexual assault. UNHCR even seeks to provide basic shelter, food, water, and medical care after the immediate exodus of the refugees.
UNHCR supports the Libyan authorities in improving the living conditions of the displaced and conflict-affected Libyans and works with its partners to assist asylum seekers and refugees.
UNHCR works in partnership with national and international NGOs and civil society organizations. Partners include ACTED, Cooperazione e Sviluppo(CESVI), IRC, INTERSOS, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), and LibAid, as well as UN sister agencies, WFP, and UNICEF. All services provided by the Libya UNHCR are free, including registration.
IRC in Libya
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) provides health and safety services to defenseless and displaced Libyans, refugees, and migrants. The IRC is one of the few international organizations directly assisting people inside Libya.
How to Contact IRC?
International Headquarters
International Rescue Committee
122 East 42nd Street
New York, New York 10168-1289
USA
Phone: + 1 212 551 3000
Fax: + 1 212 551 3179