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Immigration & Visas vocabulary · Asylum & Refugees

Refugee

Meaning in immigration & visas, with examples

/ˌrefjuˈdʒiː/nounCore term

In immigration & visas, refugee means: A person who has left their country because of a well-founded fear of persecution and who needs international protection.

In Turkish: mülteci

How it is used

In law the word has a precise meaning set by the 1951 Refugee Convention. In everyday news it is used more loosely for people fleeing war or disaster. Common phrases include refugee camp, refugee status and resettled refugees.

Example sentences

  1. She came to the UK as a refugee and now works as an interpreter.

  2. The charity helps refugees find housing and learn the language.

Common collocations

  • refugee status
  • refugee camp
  • recognised refugee
  • resettled refugees
  • Refugee Convention
  • asylumProtection that a country gives to a person who has left their own country because they fear serious harm or persecution there.
  • asylum seekerA person who has asked for protection in another country and is waiting for the authorities to decide on the claim.
  • refugee statusThe legal recognition, given by a country or by the UN refugee agency, that a person is a refugee and has the rights that come with it.
  • persecutionSerious harm or cruel, unfair treatment that a person suffers or fears because of who they are or what they believe.
  • migrantA person who moves from one place to another, inside a country or across borders, usually to find work or better living conditions.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Asylum & Refugees

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.