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A B C D E FGHI J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Safe country of origin: A country is considered as a safe country of origin when, on the basis of the legal situation, the application of the law within a democratic system and the general political circumstances, it can be shown that there is generally and consistently no persecution as defined in the Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and there are no serious reasons to consider that an asylum applicant runs a real risk of serious harm if he were to return to that country.
The following countries are currently listed in Belgium as safe countries of origin: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina,, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), and India.
The list of safe countries of origin will be reassessed within six months after it came into force (1 June 2012).
The CGRS is entitled to refuse to take into consideration an asylum application made by a national from a safe country of origin.
Session: moment of the procedure when a judge or court hears the oral remarks of the different parties. In the case of the Belgian asylum procedure this term refers to the moment when the Council for alien law litigation hears the asylum seeker and/or his/her lawyer, on the one hand, and the CGRS or the Immigration Department, on the other.
Statement (Immigration Department): form filled in by the Immigration Department at the moment the application for asylum is made and which contains information relating to the asylum seeker’s identity, nationality and journey.
Stateless person: person who is not considered by any country a national of that country pursuant to the legislation which is in force on the territory of that country, or a person whose nationality has not been determined.
Subsidiary protection: protection that can be granted to a foreigner who does not meet the conditions for recognition as a refugee, and who cannot be granted the right of residence for medical reasons, and who runs a real risk of serious harm in case of return to his/her country of origin. In addition, this foreigner cannot or does not want to call upon the protection of his/her country, and the exclusion clauses do not apply to him.
(Request for) suspension: request which can be submitted by the foreigner to the Council for alien law litigation together with the appeal for annulment against the decision from the CGRS or the Immigration Department in order to suspend/interrupt the effect of the decision during the examination of the content. The effect referred to here is the removal of the foreigner.
