As an asylum seeker or a refugee, you should receive at least the same rights and basic help as any other foreigner residing in the country. You should have access to medical care, schooling, and the right to work, as well as freedom from torture or degrading treatment.

People who are forcibly displaced when crossing international borders enjoy different rights and freedoms outlined in the Refugee Convention. This depends on whether the host governments have ratified the Convention and the memorandum of understanding (MoU) that establishes responsibility sharing between UNHCR and the government. For example, the right to work and access to education and healthcare services depends on the country where they seek asylum.

Some rights are non-negotiable, regardless of whether the government has signed the Refugee Convention. These include the right to seek asylum, not being detained for illegal entry to the country, and the principle of non-refoulement, which is a fundamental right of all refugees and asylum-seekers. It means that you cannot be deported or sent back to a country where your life or freedom may be in danger, even if you enter the country without a visa or entry permit. You cannot be deported until your asylum application has been considered.