REFUGEES

The Canadian High Commission in London considers applications from refugees and other persons in need of protection only if they have been either referred by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), or if they have obtained a private sponsorship which has been approved by a Canadian Immigration Centre in Canada.

The UNHCR has advised that it would be contrary to UNHCR policy to refer for refugee resettlement any person who is in a position to seek the protection of the authorities of the United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Greenland, or Finland. Friends or relatives already in Canada can seek information on how to arrange a private sponsorship from their nearest Canada Immigration Centre.  

Any application received which is not accompanied by either a referral or a sponsorship will be returned without being considered. Any application from a person in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Greenland, or Finland, who has not sought the protection of the authorities in these countries, will likely be refused. 

The approval of a private sponsorship in Canada is not a guarantee that a subsequent application for refugee protection will result in an interview, will be accepted or that a visa will ultimately be issued. 

For additional information, please refer to:

www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/index.asp