Refugee Definitions in National Laws

A global compilation based on UNHCR’s Refugee Treaty and Legislation Dashboard and Refworld.

This compilation of refugee definitions in national laws is published on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees to bring together the definition of a refugee as reflected in national legislation across 130 countries and territories, as well as the European Union. It is intended to provide a practical and authoritative reference point for understanding how international and regional standards have been incorporated, adapted and applied in domestic legal systems.

By presenting national and regional provisions across the globe side by side, it enables users to track State practice, identify legislative trends, compare approaches to the incorporation of international and regional standards, and discern emerging good practices. It also helps reveal areas where national legislation may diverge from, narrow or expand upon applicable international and regional definitions. In doing so, the compilation supports States engaged in legislative drafting or reform, assists courts and adjudicators in comparative legal interpretation, informs practitioners and scholars, and provides UNHCR operations with a practical tool for legal analysis, advocacy and engagement with national authorities.

UNHCR offers this publication as a contribution to the effective implementation of international and regional refugee law and as part of the broader reflection prompted by the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Convention. By making national refugee definitions more accessible and comparable, it seeks to strengthen legal certainty, promote consistency in interpretation, and support the continuing efforts of States, courts, practitioners, civil society, academia and UNHCR operations to ensure that persons in need of international protection are identified and protected in accordance with the standards to which States have committed. 

The information reflected in this publication is drawn from the most up-to-date material available through UNHCR’s Refugee Treaties and Legislation Dashboard (RTLD), a feature of the Rights Mapping and Analysis Platform (RiMAP), and Refworld current as of July 2026. Refugee definitions in national legislation are reported in English where an English translation was available through the Refworld database. Where no such translation was available, the relevant provisions are presented in the original language. Refugee law is, however, a living field. For that reason, this compilation should be understood as a living resource, subject to regular review and update as new legal developments are identified, verified and incorporated. For that visit the RTLD at rimap.unhcr.org .