Rights of Asylum-seekers
- Protection against forced return (so-called refoulement) to country of origin until a final decision is made;
- Right to due process;
- Right to receive clear, free and timely information about refugee status and the asylum procedure;
- Freedom of movement. It is noteworthy that Article 134 of the regulation decree of the Immigration Law states that asylum-seekers are not to be detained;
- Right to appeal the CONARE decision;
- Submit all proofs that are considered pertinent to sustain the application until the CONARE has made a resolution on the case, and
- Right to an interpreter of your language or one that you can understand that are required to facilitate communication.
Obligations of Asylum-seekers
- Provide all identification information;
- Duly complete the form for the determination of refugee status;
- Tell the truth and not hide any relevant information for the application;
- Provide help and facilitate clarification of the facts and the personal motives on which their application is based;
- Make good efforts to provide documental evidence to support the arguments and to provide sufficient explanation of the lack of such evidence;
- Answer all questions that were posed;
- In the case of unlawful entrance to Dominican territory, adequately justify the motives for such unlawful entrance, provide information on the route, and means of transportation;
- Clearly identify household or dependents;
- Notify any changes of composition in the household (birth, marriage, divorce, or any other related change);
- Refrain from conducting activities which are forbidden to foreigners;
- Inform about place of residence (exact address) and notify the ONR within two (2) days any changes;
- Refrain from leaving the Dominican Republic, and
- Asylum-seekers are asked to go to the ONR every thirty (30) days to renew their asylum-seeker certificate (“Constancia de solicitud”).