Following registration, UNHCR will give you an appointment for a Refugee Status Determination interview (RSD). During this interview with a UNHCR staff, you will be asked to give details about the reasons and circumstances of departure from your country of origin. Once a decision has been taken, you will be contacted with an appointment to inform you of the decision
At the end of this interview, the staff will give you an appointment for the notification of the decision related to your asylum request.
Decision notification
If the decision is positive you will be recognized as a refugee and a refugee card will be delivered to you and to your dependents.
If the decision is negative (your application is rejected), UNHCR will explain to you the reasons of the rejection and the procedure to submit an appeal. The appeal must be submitted in writing within 30 days and presented to UNHCR offices in person.
You can also email your Appeal Application to the following address depending on the location where you have had the interview:
- UNHCR Zarzis: [email protected]
- UNHCR Sfax: [email protected]
If you don’t lodge an appeal within this deadline, your file will be closed.
Your appeal will be assessed, and you will be informed of the final decision. If your appeal is justified, you may be called for another interview following which an appeal decision may be handed over to you. This decision may grant you the refugee status or confirm the denial of your application. If your application is rejected on appeal, your file will be closed.
Case closure
UNHCR can close your file for the following reasons:
- If you do not attend your first refugee status determination interview and cannot be reached for three months
- If you do not attend your refugee status determination interview three times, without valid reasons;
- If you do not lodge an appeal of your negative decision within 30 days from the notification
- If you do not attend to your notification appointment for three consecutive times with no justification
It is IMPORTANT to inform UNHCR and CTR of any changes in your contact information (address, phone number) as this is the only way UNHCR and CTR can contact you for your appointments and to provide you updates on your case. If you do not do so you may be missing important information!
Please Contact CTR on the following helpline numbers:
- Zarzis Hotline: 00216.56 83 62 71
- Medenine/ Tataouine: 00216.58 57 45 96
- Gabes Hotline: 00216.56 83 62 70
- Sfax Hotline: 00216.56 83 62 72
Alternatively, please Contact UNHCR via email;
- UNHCR Zarzis: [email protected]
- UNHCR Sfax: [email protected]
The asylum procedure is FREE and WITHOUT ANY CHARGES.
Under no circumstances should you accept any offers from people who are asking you for money to submit an asylum application, get an appointment or obtain a document.