Refugee or Stateless Status

Eligibility is divided into two distinct categories based on international conventions.

Refugee Status

You qualify for refugee status if you have a well-founded fear of persecution in your home country. This persecution must be linked to one of the following five grounds:

• Race
• Religion
• Nationality
• Membership in a particular social group
• Political opinion

To qualify, you must be outside your country of nationality and be unable or unwilling to avail yourself of that country's protection due to this fear.

Stateless Status

You qualify for stateless status if you are not considered a national by any State under the operation of its laws. This applies to individuals who lack a legal bond of nationality with any country, often due to gaps in nationality laws, conflict, or the dissolution of states.

Key Eligibility Principles

• Shared Burden of Proof: The Philippine government acknowledges that people fleeing persecution often leave without documents. Under Supreme Court guidelines, protection officers must assist you in clarifying your claims and give you the "benefit of the doubt."
• Unaccompanied Children: Minors separated from their parents or relatives can file for protection and naturalization through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
• Non-Discrimination: Your application cannot be denied based on race, religion, or gender.