With thousands of unresolved refugee applications, and more coming in each day, the country’s Ombudsman’s Office urged the country to comply with deadlines established under the law for processing the cases.

In May alone this year 501 people applied for refugee status in Costa Rica, according to the General Directorate of Migration, bringing the total of pending refugee applications to 3,519.

Refugee applications are supposed to be decided upon within three months time under the law, and those whose status is approved should have timely issuance and renewal of documentation, continued the Ombudsman’s Office.

While the office acknowledged that General Directorate of Migration is developing, together with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), a project to catch up on pending applications by hiring 15 people for a period of three months to review cases and also provide technical recommendations, and other issues, they say it is not enough.

The Ombudsman said reforms to the General Law on Migration and Foreigners are needed to eliminate or reduce costs of administrative procedures that need to be paid by individuals who apply for or renew their refugee status. This would make the situation more sustainable over the long term.

 

People applying for refugee status are in a state of vulnerability as they flee from situations of instability, often violence, and fear; said the Ombuds, “Hence the country is obliged to give prompt response to the requests in order to safeguard these people’s life, freedom and personal integrity.”

The United Nations said that between 70 – 80 percent of current applicants for refugee status enter Costa Rica via Paso Canoas on the Panamanian border.