Description

The Procedural Standards for RSD under UNHCR’s Mandate sets out the minimum procedural standards for when RSD is conducted by UNHCR under its mandate. It establishes core principles and standards that must be observed to ensure that all asylum-seekers applying for refugee status determination under UNHCR’s mandate benefit from accurate, timely and consistent decision-making and to support capacity-development of UNHCR RSD staff and other stakeholders.

In 2003, UNHCR issued the Procedural Standards for Refugee Status Determination under UNHCR’s Mandate (“2003 RSD Procedural Standards”) to establish minimum procedural standards and harmonize its RSD procedures across UNHCR operations. However, the global rise in refugee numbers, including in mandate RSD operations, and the need to enhance the capacity of UNHCR to respond to the increased number of individual applications, have since resulted in the development of UNHCR’s strategic engagement with RSD in 2015. The revised RSD Procedural Standards seek to address these considerations, while they incorporate updates to UNHCR policies, guidance and practices since the release of the 2003 RSD Procedural Standards.