In a one-room apartment in Jordan’s capital, Amman, Ali sits next to his mother-in-law. She’s doing her best to lull the cries of his one-year-old child, who has been sick for the last few months.
Ali and his family are from Darfur, West Sudan. Three years ago they boarded a flight to Jordan to escape the on-going civil war there. But instead of receiving protection, Ali has been forced to live as an undocumented resident, unable to get help from most of the humanitarian organisations operating in the kingdom.
There are an estimated 5,500 asylum seekers like Ali. They are effectively stranded in Jordan, the result of a 2019 government decision to prevent all those entering the country for the purpose of medical treatment, study, tourism, or work from being recognised as refugees. The decision has primarily affected those who must fly to Jordan, and therefore must be issued a visa prior to departure.
