To understand better the difference between the two terms, it is necessary to clarify their definitions. Refugee refers to a person who flees from the home land to another country seeking refuge from war, political oppression or religious persecution. Asylum means protection from extradition granted by a government to a refugee from another country. Both terms are used in immigration law and they are often confused and both of them refers to persons who are subject to persecution beaus of their race, ethnicity, religion, nationality or political opninon. An asylum seeker is a person who considers herself or himself a refugee but the claim has not been evaluated yet. So every refugee has been an asylum speaker, at some point. So, when a refugee arrives to another country, they are known as asylum seekers until they are granted refugee status.
