After collecting all the information brought by the asylum seeker, the claim will be reviewed by CONARE’s members, who will decide whether the foreigner will be recognized as a refugee or not.
After CONARE’s DECISION about your claim, you will be notified of the decision at the Federal Police stations and you have THE RIGHT TO RECEIVE THE COMPLETE COPY OF THE DECISION, in order to know the reasons that led CONARE to this conclusion.
IF REFUGEE STATUS IS RECOGNIZED
An asylum seeker whose claim was accepted has the right to remain in Brazil as a refugee and obtain the National Registration for Foreigners (RNE), the foreigners’ ID in Brazil. The issuance and renewal of the RNE can be made through the Federal Police’s website or at any Federal Police station. Furthermore, refugees have the right to a permanent Work Permit (CTPS) and are entitled to the same rights as any other foreigner in a regular situation in Brazil.
Attention: a refugee recognized as such by CONARE will only be considered a refugee in the Brazilian territory. Other countries are not obliged to recognize as a refugee a person who already receives international protection somewhere else. Therefore, if you were recognized as a refugee in Brazil and you want to travel abroad, you will need to request a travel authorization to CONARE. Once in another country, you will be treated according to its national common migratory Law.
IF REFUGEE STATUS IS NOT RECOGNIZED
If your asylum claim was rejected, you can:
• Present an APPEAL TO THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE within 15 DAYS, counted since the notification was received. The appeal must present a reasoning, which means it must indicate and explain in detail the reasons why you do not agree with the decision – as well as whether the problem of the decision has to do with the interpretation of the facts or the application of rules to the case.
• You can be ASSISTED BY A LAWYER from the Federal Public Defender’s Office or one of UNHCR’s partner organizations, in order to make your APPEAL. Therefore, you need to seek one of these institutions as soon as you are notified of the decision, for the appeal must be submitted to the Federal Police within a maximum period of 15 days since the day you received the notification;
• If the MINISTER OF JUSTICE’S DECISION is also negative, it means that the administrative procedure for asylum is over and that you will be subjected to the Brazilian Foreigners’ Act. In this case, you can seek the orientation of the Federal Public Defender’s Office.
It is important to know that:
According to national legislation, the registration of an asylum claim does not prevent you from requesting simultaneously permanent residency in Brazil to the Ministry of Justice.
There is no deadline for CONARE to review and decide the asylum claim. However, it is mandatory that you PRESENT yourself on the date scheduled for your personal interview and provide all the information requested by CONARE. Keep your address and phone always up to date at the Federal Police and CONARE.