A person seeking refugee status in Uganda shall be informed of the refugee application
process by a reception officer.

(1) A voluntary organization may participate in refugee status proceedings by
presentation of oral or written submission on behalf of a person seeking asylum before
the Eligibility Committee.
(2) An official representing an organization referred to in sub regulation (1) may under
this regulation also make oral or written representation at a meeting of the Appeals
Board.

(1) A person applying for refugee status shall furnish proof to the satisfaction of the
Eligibility Committee that he or she is eligible to be granted refugee status under the
Act and these Regulations.
(2) For the purposes of sub regulation (1) a person applying for refugee status shall
adduce all evidence available to him or her and shall in the absence of documentary
evidence give any evidence that may be considered credible by the Eligibility
Committee.
(3) The burden of proof in an appeal under the Act or these Regulations shall be on the
person appealing.
(4) Where the Commissioner refers a case to the Eligibility Committee for the
withdrawal of the refugee status of a person under section 39 of the Act the burden of
proving that the refugee status should be withdrawn from the person shall be on the
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Commissioner.

(1) The Commissioner shall within fourteen days after the date of the decision of the
Eligibility Committee notify the applicant in writing of the decision in Form C specified
in the Third Schedule.
(2) Where an application for refugee status is rejected by the Eligibility Committee, the
Eligibility Committee shall state the reasons for the rejection in writing in Form D
specified in the Third Schedule.

(1) An applicant aggrieved by a decision of the Eligibility Committee may appeal to the
Appeals Board in writing within thirty days after receipt of the notice of the decision of
the Eligibility Committee.
(2) An appeal to the Appeals Board arising out of a decision of the Eligibility Committee
is in Form E specified in the Third Schedule.
(3) The appeal referred to in sub regulation (1) shall be submitted to the Secretary to
the Appeals Board.
(4) An appeal to the Appeals Board shall be heard and determined within sixty days
from the date of receipt of the appeal.
(5) The Secretary to the Appeals Board shall within fourteen days after receipt of an
appeal set down the appeal for hearing and notify the person making the appeal of the
date of the hearing of the appeal in Form F specified in the Third Schedule.

A person appearing before the Appeals Board shall have a right to be represented at
the hearing by an advocate or any other person appointed by him or her at his or her
expense.

A person appealing to the Appeals Board may be required to be present in person at
the hearing of the appeal.

At the hearing of the appeal, the appellant shall be given a fair hearing with regard to
the rules of natural justice.

(1) On the day of the hearing, the appellant or his or her representative shall be given
an opportunity to present his or her case and the legal or procedural irregularities
which form the basis of the appeal.
(2) At the hearing and before reaching a decision, the Appeals Board may invite the
UNHCR representative to make an oral or written representation on behalf of the
person whose appeal is being heard.
(3) The Appeals Board may after hearing the party make its own independent inquiry
or investigations to establish the credibility of the appeal.
(4) The Secretary to the Appeals Board shall within fourteen days after the Board has
made its decision communicate the decision to the person who appealed and to the
Eligibility Committee.

Where an application has been rejected and the applicant has exhausted his or her
right of appeal in relation to the application and refugee status has not been granted,
the person shall be dealt with under the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control
Act.