INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION IN
SPAIN
The Spanish Programme on
Resettlement
“TORRE” Project, 2nd International Meeting
Madrid, 4th October 2012
Institutions
Spanish Office of Asylum and
refugees (OAR)
The Inter-ministerial Committee on
Asylum and Refugees (ICAR)
National Legal Framework
The Act 12/2009, of 30 October, which regulates the right to asylum
and the subsidiary protection.
The most important changes:
1. The uniform international protection status: the refugee status and the
subsidiary protection status.
2. The reinforcement of the inherent guarantees according to the granting of
international protection.
3. The recognition of sexual orientation or gender as ground of persecution.
4. The role assigned to the UNHCR during the international protection
procedure.
5. Minor and vulnerable people, among them the unaccompanied minors, have
special guarantees during the procedure.
6. An Annual Resettlement Programme.
The Spanish Programme on
Resettlement.
Legal framework
In accordance with the Act 12/2009 on asylum, the Council
of Ministers, approved the Spanish Programme on
resettlement in October 2011, authorising to resettle up to
100 refugees.
The Spanish commitment with the resettlement agenda,
endorsed by the General Director of Internal Policy, boost
the launch of the process through a formal request
addressed to the UNHCR, on 27th February 2012, for the
submission of refugee files from the Shousha camp
(Tunisia).
The Spanish Programme
on Resettlement in 5 steps
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Profiles and nationalities determination.
Request of refugee files. Review and
examination of pre-selected files
Preparation of Mission to Tunisia.
Shousha Camp selection mission
Processing of resettlement files and
granting of International Protection
Transfer to Spain and documentation
The Spanish Programme on
Resettlement.
Working with others partners


Core group responsible for the coordination
and management of the process.
Involved stakeholders :



Other Ministerial Departments
International actors: Spanish Delegation UNHCR,
OIM, etc.
Partners on the ground: Spanish Embassy, local
UNHCR officers, local NGOs, etc.
1.
Profiles and nationalities determination. Request of
refugee files. Review and
examination of pre-selected files
The following eligibility personal
criteria were established, the
profiles were defined taking into
account:
1. Special situation on vulnerability
2. Family groups, with the following
priorities :

Single women with minors

Family groups including an adult
male
3. Country of origin:

Sudan

Ethiopia

Eritrea
2.Selection mission to Shousha Camp.
June 2012
1.
2.
3.
4.
Infrastructure on
the ground
Interpretation
arrangements
Schedule of
interviews
Caseworkers:
previous work on
files and
preparation of
interviews
2.Shousha selection mission.
Interviews. June 2012
1.
2.
3.
Identification
More in-depth
assesment of
claims through
interviews
Better
management of
refugees’
expectations
3. Processing of resettlement files and
granting of International protection. June
2012



Eligibility assessment of claims
following the administrative
procedure set by the national legal
framework
Submission of proposals to the
Interministerial Committee for
Asylum and Refugees
Granting of international protection
status to 80 beneficiaries
4.Transfer to Spain and
Documentation. July 2012
4.Transfer to Spain and
Documentation. July 2012
5. Transfer to Spain and
Documentation. July-August 2012
Police authorities
Notification to the applicant of the resolution
regarding his/her asylum claim.
Issuing of documentation:
1.Residence and work permit for beneficiaries of
international protection -for both those with refugee
and subsidiary protection status-. Valid for 5 years.
2.Travel document: Travel Document Geneva
Convention) for those with refugee status and, when
necessary, travel document for beneficiaries of
subsidiary protection status. Valid for 5 years.
Lessons learnt





Ongoing learning process for the Spanish
Office of Asylum and Refugees
Importance of ensuring coordination and
partnership
Timely planification of activities
Need to involve all services within the
Spanish Office of Asylum and Refugees
Succesful integration
Thank you !