International Protection in Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago is geographically predisposed to receiving migratory arrivals of undocumented persons into its territory from the South American mainland.

The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago acceded to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, its 1967 Protocol, and the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons. By acceding to international instruments that govern the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees, Trinidad and Tobago acknowledged the vulnerability of refugees and the international community’s role in protecting their rights.

However, Trinidad and Tobago is not a State party to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. As such, in the absence of national legislation for the protection of refugees or the granting of asylum under international refugee instruments, asylum-seekers and refugees remain subject to Trinidad and Tobago’s Immigration Act, Chapter 18:01.

An asylum-seeker is a person who has fled their country of origin or habitual residence and would like to be granted refugee status or has applied for refugee protection and is awaiting their determination status.

The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is therefore committed to ensuring the equal access to and enjoyment of the rights of women, men, girls and boys, by international humanitarian and human rights refugee law.

Trinidad and Tobago’s commitments to ensure international protection nationally.

Trinidad and Tobago promotes the application of international conventions for the protection of refugees; ensures, with and through national authorities, the safety and well-being of refugees in countries of asylum; and ensures the needs of refugee children, refugee women and refugee men are met, including in particular the unique needs of victims of violence, women who are single heads of household, elderly refugees and child refugees who have been forcibly recruited as child soldiers and/or separated from their families.