♤ Once in a new country the first legal step for a displaced person is to apply for asylum.

♤ At this time they are asylum seekers and not officially recognised as refugees until their application is processed.

♤ While countries by and large agree on one definition of a refugee, every host country is responsible for examining all requests for asylum and deciding whether applicants can be granted the status of refugee.

♤ Guidelines of different countries can vary substantially. India is not a signatory of either the Convention of 1951 or its 1967 protocol. Host countries have certain duties towards people they have recognized as refugees, e.g. guarantee of a minimum standard of treatment and non-discrimination.

♤ The most basic obligation towards refugees is non-refoulement, a principle preventing a state from sending an individual back to a country where their life and freedom are threatened. In realty refugees are often victim of inconsistent and discriminatory treatment. They are often not permitted to enter the workforce and are fully dependent on humanitarian aid.