The closed refugee reception centre is an independent organisational unit having full power of disposition in terms of budget allocation chapter under the supervision of the director general. The director of the centre is a government official with the rank of senior department head who is substituted – if unavailable for any reason – by the deputy director of department head rank, or by the head of the financial department with regard to economic and financial matters. Other premises of a closed refugee reception centre are supervised by a government official. The closed refugee reception centre performs its professional duties under the supervision of the Directorate of Refugee Affairs.

Tasks and responsibilities of the closed refugee reception centre are:

a) to execute detention of the foreign national seeking asylum so as to ensure his/her availability in the course of the asylum procedure;

b) to provide accommodation and services in accordance with the relevant legislation for asylum-seekers, or those seeking subsidiary or temporary protection held in custody;

c) to fulfil its statutory obligation to provide information and the obligation of reporting relating to the centre’s residents as provided for by legislation and the Office;

d) to ensure the rights of the centre’s residents and the execution of detention, and keep records in accordance with the relevant legislation for the purpose of assessment of eligibility for aid and support provided under the relevant legislation;

e) to make arrangements for health screening and primary healthcare services for the centre’s residents as prescribed by the public health authority;

f) to provide assistance 24 hours a day through social workers and information and guidance to help solve the everyday problems of the centre’s residents, as well as advisory services relating to life management, and providing help where appropriate for children to partake in public education, and perform its delegated duties in child protection;

g) to organise programmes for the centre’s residents for spending their free time efficiently;

h) to provide a common room, principally for the purpose of worship;

i) to provide means of communication for the asylum-seeker in custody;

j) to co-operate with the national and international government, local government and civil society and other organisations, churches providing services for the centre’s residents, and also with the law enforcement agencies and the national security services in order to perform its tasks delegated by law;

k) to promote voluntary repatriation or departure to third countries.

Closed refugee reception centres operate in Hungary in Nyírbátor Site. The Békéscsaba Site was suspended for an indefinite period of time.