Thanks to sustained advocacy, conceptual boundaries have shifted from the medical model to social and rights-based approaches to disability. However, little attention has been devoted to whether this paradigm shift has taken place for those outside the citizenship community. This article seeks to address this gap, investigating the approach to disability adopted by the Common European Asylum System. Focusing on the legal documents dealing with qualification, asylum procedures and reception conditions, the article reveals the barriers encountered by persons with disabilities seeking refuge in the European Union.