The Consequences of Limited Legal Status for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon. NRC Lebanon Field Assessment Aarsal and Wadi Khaled

According to Lebanese national law, without the required entry or stay documentation to be in Lebanon, refugees from Syria are considered to be ‘illegally’ present, giving them limited legal status in Lebanon. Having such limited legal status in Lebanon often has a negative impact on the lives of refugees. Between June and October 2013, The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) conducted a qualitative assessment to identify and better understand the consequences of having limited legal status for Syrian refugees in Lebanon. The assessment focused on two geographical areas where there are high numbers of refugees with limited legal status: (1) Wadi Khaled, in the Akkar region of northern Lebanon; and (2) Aarsal, in the northern Bekaa, eastern Lebanon. The research methodology used by NRC included in-depth semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions comprised of refugees with limited legal status living in these areas, as well as interviews with service providers and local authorities. Peer review workshops with field-based humanitarian protection actors were conducted in both locations and have informed the recommendations of this report.