About 600 Uruguayans were refugees or asylum seekers abroad at the end of 2003 including about 500 in Canada and 100 in the United States. More than 300 filed new applications, including about 200 in Canada and about 100 in the United States.

Uruguay hosted 91 refugees and asylum seekers at year-end 2003. The government received 18 asylum applications, granted 7 and denied 2. Although still lacking a specific refugee law, a presidential decree created a refugee commission made up of the Ministers of Interior and Foreign Affairs. The committee took over refugee determinations from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, which participates in the process with voice but without vote.

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