1. Start here: you have options
Running away from an abusive or negligent home is often framed as a behavioral issue. It is not. It can be a survival strategy. International borders and child welfare rules are complicated — but many systems are built because societies agree children need protection.
If you cross a border under 18 without a parent, you may be classified as an unaccompanied minor. That status can open shelter, care, and school — and it usually means adults in the state will make decisions about your case. Ask for an interpreter and a lawyer when you do not understand a form.
Help can come from more than the government — hospitals, schools, youth shelters, NGOs, legal clinics, and faith groups can all help, sometimes for free or with fees waived.
Words to say
- “Is this free for minors?”
- “Can the fee be waived?”
- “I'm under 18 and I don't feel safe — who can help me today?”
- “I don't understand. I want a lawyer / an interpreter.”
What help can look like
Open one topic at a time. These are broad examples — each country page explains what may be available there.
Everyday help
Legal & status help
2. Which guide should you read?
Child welfare (safe care, school, food, health) and immigration (asylum, visas, long-term status) are different systems. You may touch both over time. A country guide helps you ask better questions — a lawyer should review your facts.
Arriving / asylum.
You are going to another country or just arrived, and may ask for protection as an unaccompanied minor. Read the country guide for what may happen at arrival, guardians, and protection interviews.
Already living here.
You live there now — home or caregivers are unsafe. You need foster care, shelters, school, or stress support through child welfare. Read the country guide for in-country care and local help lines.
Long-term status.
You are settling in a country and need a permanent or long-term visa path beyond a first asylum claim. Read the country guide for permits, aging-out rules, and when to compare options with a lawyer.
3. If you arrive alone and ask for protection
Asylum is protection for people who fear serious harm if returned home — including many youth facing abuse, forced marriage, or harm because of who they are (LGBTQ+). What follows is specific to arrival — not a repeat of everyday needs above.
- Adult in your corner: Many countries assign a guardian, caseworker, or legal representative to advocate for your best interests — not always on day one.
- Child-sensitive process: You may explain why return is unsafe, often with a lawyer and procedures meant for children where the law requires it.
- Youth care, not adult detention: Minors are often placed in youth shelters, foster care, or regulated group homes rather than adult immigration detention.
Your everyday needs (shelter, food, school, health) are covered in the topics above — they are usually arranged through your placement or guardian once you are in care.
“Under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the best interests of the child must be a primary consideration in state actions.” — Read your global rights
4. Long-term status & after 18
Long-term status means more than surviving today. It can include staying in the country legally, finishing school, and getting help after you turn 18. Asylum is one path. In the United States, some youth also use SIJS after a state court finds reuniting with a parent is not safe because of abuse, neglect, or abandonment — with strict age and filing rules.
Other countries often use child protection, guardianship, or “best interests” permits instead of a US-style court visa. Turning 18 does not always end support: some places extend foster care, aftercare, or school-linked help to 21, 23, or 25 in some countries (US SIJS to 21). Use the country guides below for permits, deadlines, and what may continue past 18. A lawyer in that country should review your options before you apply.