Asylum seeker as a guest?

[Josie2]

Have posted this on general hosting but no responses and really like to hear peoples views. So, this is a bit different. I have a guest enquiry for a month long booking from a Turkish man who is coming to New Zealand in order to apply for asylum. I really want to help, it's an awful situation the migrant crisis, but I also need to protect myself. He has verified his ID with a passport which is good, but he has no reviews. I have asked for a character reference from a professional. Although I have a boyfriend I live in my house alone so there is the security aspect from that point of view as Turkish men are a bit notorious. My boyfriend says, desperate people do desperate things. Is there some uncertainly about what he might want to do to try and stay. Is it okay he uses my address in his application or does that somehow affect me. Could he turn into a squatter. He wants to book for a month but applications take 11 weeks. (I have asked if he can fund an extended stay and what he intends to do after the initial 4 weeks, he says he will look for long term housing and use the time here to get to know NZ, research job prospects etc). Can anyone think of any other worries/concerns or things I should check or way I could get more confident to accept his booking. Would you take a booking from an asylum seeker. Has anyone ever had an over-staying issue with a guest who refuses to leave. Am I worrying about nothing since presumably he can pay for the time here. Thanks. 

[Donna15]

@Josie2, you posted this same question elsewhere. I've responded to it in the other section of the forum.

[Deborah0]

@Josie2

I would decline this request.  

I read your posts on the other place you posted this thread and read the additional info.  Such as that this man spent 11 years in the US and has most recently been living in Saudi Arabia.  

Neither the USA nor Saudia Arabia are nations that typically have residents seeking asylum.   So for that reason his claim of seeking asylum from Saudia Arabia seems dubious and red flaggy.  Of course there are always unique circumstances a person can be in -- but when screening an inquiry, we cannot possibly know everything involved, and thus need to make decisions based on what is apparent just in the inquiry itself, or what are able to ask about, and need to consider red flags.  

Secondly, a person truly seeking asylum in your nation is likely to have an entirely different emotional situation than one coming to your nation for a vacation -- wouldn't you think?  THey might be experiencing trauma, emotional suffering, painful things.  There might be some "drama."  As opposed to the light and joyful demeanor we more commonly associate with someone on vacation.  So it is good for you to think of what kind of emotional atmosphere you want in your house.  Because I am particularly sensitive to the mood of guests, and a heavy mood can negatively effect me, I would not want any kind of emotional heaviness or "drama"  brought into my home by guests.  I am clear that I'm not running a charity organization, or offering therapy services to guests, though some hosts like to do that.  

ANother red flag, for some hosts, is simply taking a person who wants to move to their area, since someone seeking long term housing might decide that , whether you are willing or not, your home makes good long term housing for them.  Of course not every person moving to an area is going to become a squatter, but that is a risk with this type of guest, that you will not have with a guest who is not planning to move to your area.  As well, guests who are moving to an area and whose ultimate goal is to find long term housing in your area, can behave differently in your home than guests who are only visiting the area on vacation or a work trip or such.  

So I would decline.  

[Graham-And-Michelle0]

Jodie, you heart is in the right place but you need to think about the situation you would find yourself in should he become an over stayer .   Exactly what persecution is he fleeing and does he in fact qualify as a refugee/asylum seeker. ?

This does not sound legit to me, be very wary .

good luck

Michelle

[Josie2]

Thanks very muh everyone. It was good to get feedback on this situation. I was in the process of asking questions, trying to follow up on a reference and it was all taking a while. He booked somewhere else now. I feel a little hypocritical, as I believe my country should do more, raising it's refugee intake in the current migrant crisis, but faced with a migrant guest, I hesitated. Although, sometimes we just need to find out more/ do checks and this can take time, paricularly with time zone differences. I think he booked with a couple so they would feel a bit more secure than a single person. The longish term aspect of the booking, though great for the dollars made me need to feel more security. I think in this instance, my gut would have taken him, or my heart, but my head kicked into sensible mode and there was too much uncertainty. I was getting closer to accepting but fair enough he needed to be sure he had a place. 

-- he isn't from Saudi Arabia (his sister lives there), he is a Kurd living in Turkey. 

I think he has a better chance through skilled migrant category as he clearly very educated and has good skills but of course I don't know his story and he may be successful through asylum. No doubt I would have got embroiled in his story.

Even now although he has booked elsewhere I am thinking of meeitng him to offer a friendly face.