International Protection (Refugee and Subsidiary)

To qualify for protection in Spain, you must demonstrate that you meet the specific criteria for one of the following categories:

1. Refugee Status

You must show a "well-founded fear" of being persecuted in your country of nationality (or habitual residence if you are stateless). This persecution must be linked to one of these five grounds:

• Race or religion.
• Nationality.
• Political opinion.
• Membership in a particular social group (this includes persecution based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender).

Disqualifiers: You will be denied refugee status if there are serious grounds to believe you have committed a crime against peace, a war crime, a crime against humanity, or a serious non-political crime outside of Spain.

2. Subsidiary Protection

If you do not meet the strict definition of a "refugee" but face a real risk of "serious harm" upon return, you may qualify for this status. Serious harm is defined as:

• The death penalty or execution.
• Torture or inhuman/degrading treatment.
• A serious and individual threat to your life due to indiscriminate violence in situations of international or internal armed conflict.

3. Humanitarian Reasons

This is a discretionary authorization granted when the first two statuses are denied. It is typically reserved for individuals with serious health conditions that cannot be treated in their home country or those facing specific vulnerabilities that do not fall under the legal definitions of refugee or subsidiary protection.