Asylum-seeker

Asylum-seekers are persons who “request international protection on the basis that they cannot return or be returned to their country of origin because they have a well-founded fear of persecution or are at risk of being ill-treated or being subjected to other serious harm (…).”[1] 

Under EU law, asylum seekers are defined as “applicants” for international protection, whereas applicant means a third-country national or a stateless person who has made an application for international protection in respect of which a final decision has not yet been taken.

Qualification Directive (2011/95/EU), Article 2 (i)



[1] FRA (European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights) and Council of Europe (2020), Handbook on European law relating to asylum, borders and immigration, Edition 2020, Luxembourg, Publications Office of the European Union (Publications Office), p. 81.


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