Last Change:

10/02/2026

1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees

Original names of the law: 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees

Year: 1951

Type: Other

Rights Category: Asylum

Link to external source: https://www.refworld.org/legal/agreements/unga/1951/39821?prevDestination=search&prevPath=/search?keywords=convention+1951&order=desc&sort=score&ss_document_type_name%5B%5D=Treaties+%2F+Agreements&result=result-39821-en
Description

The 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol provide the internationally recognized definition of a refugee and outline the legal rights they are entitled to.

Related questions
Question Right Category
Do domestic laws and policies prohibit the penalization of asylum-seekers and refugees for irregular entry or presence? Asylum
Selected provisions
Article 31 - Refugees unlawfully in the country of refuge

1. The Contracting States shall not impose penalties, on account of their illegal entry or presence, on refugees who, coming directly from a territory where their life or freedom was threatened in the sense of article 1, enter or are present in their territory without authorization, provided they present themselves without delay to the authorities and show good cause for their illegal entry or presence.

2. The Contracting States shall not apply to the movements of such refugees restrictions other than those which are necessary and such restrictions shall only be applied until their status in the country is regularized or they obtain admission into another country. The Contracting States shall allow such refugees a reasonable period and all the necessary facilities to obtain admission into another country.