A former asylum seeker who has been recognised by the government as meeting the definition of a refugee set out in the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees 1951. On being recognised by the government as a refugee, the person is given 'refugee status'. In the UK, recognition as a refugee leads to the grant of Refugee Leave (since the 30th August 2005- prior to that date refugees were always granted ILR) and attracts other rights, for example, family reunion and issue of a refugee travel document.
