Appeal a rejected refugee status decision
Department of Refugee Services / Refugee Status Appeals Committee · sources read 2 Oct 2026
If DRS rejects your asylum claim, you can appeal to the Refugee Status Appeals Committee within 30 days of getting the rejection letter, in person or through a representative. It's free. If the Committee also says no, you can go to the High Court within 30 days.
- Fee
- We couldn't confirm a fee from the official page. Check it there before you pay.
- Deadline
- Appeal within 30 days of receiving the rejection decision
- Where
- Refugee Status Appeals Committee: in person, through a representative or through another interested party. Later, the High Court.
What you need
- Your rejection letter from DRS
Steps
- Read your rejection letter and note the date you received it. Your time to appeal starts then.
- Appeal to the Refugee Status Appeals Committee, in person, through a representative or through another interested party.
- If the Committee rejects your appeal, you can appeal to the High Court within 30 days of being told.
Watch out
- The 2024 Refugees Regulations give only 14 days to appeal, so file as soon as you can, ideally within 14 days.
- Appeals are free. Don't pay anyone to file one.
- If you don't appeal in time, your case is passed to the Director of Immigration to be handled under immigration law.
Who can apply
- Asylum seekers whose refugee status application was rejected by the Commissioner for Refugee Affairs.
- Refugees whose status was cancelled, revoked or terminated.
Official sources (5)
- Refugees Act, 2021 (No. 10 of 2021) refugee.go.ke · read 2 Oct 2026
- The Refugees (General) Regulations, 2024 (L.N. 39 of 2024) refugee.go.ke · read 2 Oct 2026
- Refugee Service Guide refugee.go.ke · read 2 Oct 2026
- DRS FAQs (leaflet) refugee.go.ke · read 2 Oct 2026
- FAQs refugee.go.ke · read 2 Oct 2026