Assylum Seeker from Columbia Question

[mrcaldwell74]

I have a friend that is a bad situation in Cali and wants to apply for assylum in canada. We have mutual friends in Vancouver that will take them in but there is no direct flights to vancouver from Columbia. there is a flight that stops in Toronto. Will they need to request assylum in Toronto or will they be able to travel to Vancouver then request assylum?

Also are they detained while they are waiting for the hearing like they are in the US?

thank you!

 

[mrcaldwell74]

another question is what kind of evidence will she need? her family is associated with FARC and she has had 2 brothers that have disappeared recently. she is afraid her families association with FARC has made her a target.

 

[scylla]

I have a friend that is a bad situation in Cali and wants to apply for assylum in canada. We have mutual friends in Vancouver that will take them in but there is no direct flights to vancouver from Columbia. there is a flight that stops in Toronto. Will they need to request assylum in Toronto or will they be able to travel to Vancouver then request assylum?

Also are they detained while they are waiting for the hearing like they are in the US?

thank you!

Your friend will go through immigration in Toronto and can either claim asylum there or wait until later and claim asylum in Vancouver after entering the country. No - your friend won't be detained.

Note that your friend will need a TRV to come to Canada.

 

[scylla]

another question is what kind of evidence will she need? her family is associated with FARC and she has had 2 brothers that have disappeared recently. she is afraid her families association with FARC has made her a target.

This is a more difficult question to answer and she may be best hiring a lawyer to help her once she's here. She must show evidence that she herself is in danger.

While FARC has technically been disbanded, it's well known that many former FARC fighters are now joining other dissident groups. So if her brothers have disappeared, it's not necessarily because someone took them forcefully - they may have left willingly to join another group (it's probably more likely that's what has happened). If they did the latter, not sure this gives her any case for claiming asylum.

 

[scylla]

Does she have a TRV? She might be detained for questioning or until they establish she has no involvement with FARC. If they decide to refer her claim, she would be set free.

Agreed with this and it's good advice. Canada may have concerns about her association with FARC and this could be a possible reason for detainment.

 

[Buletruck]

The association with FARC is probably a huge roadblock with Canada. FARC is identified as a terrorist organization by the government and UN (amongst others) and her family ties will possibly make her ineligible for refugee status. At the very least it will make it extremely difficult.