HOW DOES ONE ACQUIRE THE REFUGEE STATUS?

Although the definition of “what is a refugee” is internationally standardised, the procedure to acquire the refugee status considerably varies from country to county as a result of different legal and administrative structures (UNHCR, 1977: 23). 

For example “all refugees in Europe, whether minors or adults, are required to individually apply for asylum with the authorities of the country where they first arrived” (Connor, 2017). If the asylum seeker application gets approved, the person is recognised as a refugee by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and is offered legal protection, residency status – for a certain amount of years – and, as a result,  the right to work in their new country (Connor, 2017). 

However, it is important to note that European Union member states “may lay down that the granting of benefits with regard to access to employment, social welfare, health care and access to integration facilities requires the prior issue of a residence permit” (Gil-Bazo, 2006: p.26). This means that certain socio-economic benefits are not directly tied to the refugee status, but rather dependent on a residence permit. The latter, has nevertheless a limited validity, which corresponds to 3 years for refugees, and 1 year for persons with subsidiary protection. Therefore, renewing the residence permit is a necessary action for refugees, but this can be problematic for two main reasons. On the one hand, refugees could neglect, forget, or not be aware that their residence permit needs to be renewed while, on the other hand, their host country can deny the renewal if it finds the applicant to be “a danger to the security of the Member State” (Gil-Bazo, 2006: p.27) and therefore deny all the benefits that come with it.

THE JOURNEY TO A BETTER FUTURE IS NOT AN EASY TASK

Any migration process starts with a period of “movement”, arrival and settlement in the host country. The duration, as well as the particular circumstances of the trip can have a major impact on people’s mental and physical health. Many migrants and refugees will experience some form of distress such as feelings of anxiety and sadness, hopelessness, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, irritability, anger and/or aches and pains (WHO, 2021), which poses refugees at a higher risk of developing mental health issues or addiction disorders. 

In this regard, mental and psychosocial illnesses are a significant health problem particularly affecting newly arrived people. Specifically, refugees are prone to mental health diseases including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as substance use disorders like alcoholism and drug abuse in response to traumatic experiences (Pavli & Maltezou, 2017). The potential exposure to illicit substances, alcohol, violence and sexual abuse poses a particularly high risk to mothers, minors and unaccompanied children, making these groups even more vulnerable.

In addition, language difficulties, cultural and religious issues, racism and unemployment may further aggravate mental problems. Risk factors for mental illness in migrants and refugees also include age, gender, lower socio-economic status and lack of social support” (Pavli & Maltezou, 2017). According to the World Helath Organization, asylum seekers also tend to be at an elevated risk of suicide (WHO, 2015).
There is no doubt that refugees and migrants remain among the most vulnerable members of society faced often with xenophobia, discrimination, poor living, housing, and working conditions as well as with inadequate access to health services (WHO, 2021).