UNHCR in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Who is UNHCR?

UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, was established in 1950 by the world community to safeguard the rights and well-being of people who were forced to flee their country to find refuge from war and persecution. UNHCR works with government and non-government partners around the world to assist and protect refugees including the right to seek asylum and seeking lasting solutions. Protection of refugees however is the primary responsibility of the state where refugees live.

UNHCR provides protection services in close cooperation and coordination with the government of KSA and partners.

Who falls under UNHCR’s mandate?

UNHCR’s mandate covers refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced and stateless people and returnees.

What are UNHCR’s activities in KSA?

How to Contact the UNHCR Office in KSA?

You can reach UNHCR Office through the following channels during 5 days a week. From Sunday to Thursday only from 2:30 pm until 4:30 pm. In case you couldn’t reach the office, please check this website to know if the contact time has been changed.

Telephone numbers

• 00966 55 710 7542

Submit your request:

You can fill out the form by visiting the link <submit asylum request>. The responsible committee will review your information. You will be informed of the committee decision through a phone call or SMS Message.

Please note that this asylum application form is only for persons residing in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar as these are within UNHCR, Riyadh’s areas of responsibility.

Note: The UNHCR premise is in the Diplomatic Quarter (DQ). The diplomatic authorities restrict entry to the DQ for only those with an appointment to UNHCR. The UNHCR therefore encourages you to ensure having a prior appointment before approaching the Office. Due to the high volume of calls, we acknowledge that sometimes it is hard to get through to the UNHCR Office via phone. UNHCR aims to respond to all queries. We do apologize in advance for any delay in responding to your application. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

We assure you that all the information you share with us will be strictly confidential and will only be seen by the concerned UNHCR staff.

For more information you can visit UNHCR page: UNHCR Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Help for refugees and asylum-seekers