Who is an asylum seeker?
Contents
The term ‘asylum seeker’ is often used interchangeably with ‘refugee’, but means something different under law. Asylum seekers are the people who have sought protection as a refugee, but whose claim for refugee status has not yet been assessed.
However, under international law, a person is a ‘refugee’ as soon as they meet the definition of refugee, whether or not their claim has been assessed. If they are found to be refugees, then they are ‘recognised refugees’.