Estonian asylum policy

MINAS-3 Study trip to Norway 22.-23.09.2009

Themes

Administration of migration issues in Estonia

Estonian asylum system Estonian asylum statistics

Administration of migration issues in Estonia

Estonian Ministry of the Interior

12 000 employees at the governing area 230 employees at the ministry The only ministry with 2 full-power

ministers

MARKO POMERANTSMinister of the Interior

SIIM KIISLERMinister for Regional Affairs

Ministry of the Interior

Security Police Rescue Services

Police Academy

15 County Governments

Migration Foundation AS Andmevara Internal Security

Museum

The National Foundation of Civil

Society

IT and Development

Centre

Border Guard Citizenship- and Migration Board

The Ministry’s area of government:

Internal security: rescue services crisis management emergency preparedness ensuring internal security and public order guarding and protecting the state border

and enforcing the border regime coordination of citizenship and migration

issues

Migration and Border Policy Department planning and developing of citizenship, migration,

asylum, border control and aliens policies planning and coordination of preventing illegal

immigration planning and coordination of visa policy (together

with the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs) coordination of issues and policies related to

pollution abatement, sea salvage administration of foreign aid in migration issues

Citizenship and Migration Board issue of identity documents to residents of Estonia processing of applications for residence and work

permits of aliens processing of asylum applications confirming visa invitations and extending the

allowed period of stay in Estonia processing of misdemeanours committed by

aliens illegally staying or working in Estonia, issuing of precepts to leave Estonia, organising the expulsion of aliens

Merging of Police, Border Guard and Citizenship and Migration Board in 2010

Estonian Police and Borderguard Board

Objectives: Quality and single structure for services Optimum use of resources Management jurisdiction by field and

quality

Estonian asylum system

Legal framework February 1997 – Estonia ratified 1951

Geneva Convention and 1967 New York Protocol, entry into force of Refugees Law

May 2004 – Estonia joined the European Union

July 2006 – entry into force of Act on Granting International Ptotection to Aliens

Reception System of Asylum Seekers

CEAS – Common European Asylum System

Citizenship and Migration Board

Refugees department Receiving of asylum applications Initial proceedings Temporary accommodation during the asylum

proceedings Issuing of asylum seeker’s certificate Procedure for determining the Member State responsible

for examining an asylum application (Dublin II procedure) Contact point for EURODAC and DubliNET

Collecting, examining and analysing country of origin information

Examining asylum applications, interviewing the applicants, decision-making

Citizenship and Migration BoardRefugees Department

Citizenship and Migration BoardRefugees Department

Board of Border Guard

Border Guard Districts

Receiving asylum applications on border

Initial proceedings

Decisions:

- To reject the asylum application and to refuse the

person entry into the country

- To permit entry into the country and to remit the

processing of the application to the CMB

Ministry of Social Affairs

Illuka Reception Centre for Asylum Seekers

Ministry of Social Affairs

Illuka Reception Centre for Asylum Seekers

Accommodation of the applicant during the asylum procedure

Arrange for the necessary assistance:- Supply of foodstuffs or provision of food - Supply of essential clothing- Other necessities- Toiletries- Supply of money for urgent small expenses- Emergency care and medical examination- Essential translation services and Estonian language

instruction- Information regarding the rights and duties of asylum seekers- Transportation necessary for performing asylum proceedings

Asylum procedure - chart

Submission of asylum application

Initial procedural acts:1) fingerprinting;2) photographing;3) examination of the person and his/her belongings;4) determination of the age of the person;5) medical examination, if necessary;4) taking a DNA sample, if necessary.

Dublin II procedure

Accomodation at CMB

Accomodation at Illuka Reception

Centre

Refugees status determination incl

interview

Back to another EU state

DECISION

International protection

IS GRANTED

International protection IS NOT

GRANTED

Extradition or return to the country of

origin

Administrative Court

Application is returned to be

processed by the CMB

Admission of beneficiaries of international protection

The Ministry of Social Affairs organises the settlement of beneficiaries of international protection into the territories of local governments

The local government arranges the admission of beneficiaries of international protection and, if necessary, assist him or her in: finding housing; obtaining social and health services; arranging for translation and Estonian language instruction; obtaining information concerning his or her rights and duties; resolving other issues.

Documents issued to beneficiaries of international protection Refugee – residence permit for 3 years, refugee

travel document at request Beneficiary of subsidiary protection – residence

permit for 1 year,

aliens passport at request Beneficiary of temporary protection – residence

permit for 1 year, one-time pass Extension respectively for 3 or 1 years, 6 months

for temporary protection

Estonian asylum statistics

Number of asylum applicants from 1997 to 30.09.2009 (n=162)

1

2321

3

12

9

14

11 11

7

14 14

22

0

5

10

15

20

25

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

111111111

2111111

23333

444

68

108

1114

1723

22

0 5 10 15 20 25

UnknownUganda

USASomalia

Sierra LeoneSenegal

MongoliaMoldova

LithuaniaDR Congo

South AfricaCameroun

JapanIndia

GhanaGambia

TurkmenistanStateless

AzerbaijanArmenia

AlgeriaUkraine

UzbekistanSri Lanka

NigeriaSyria

AfghanistanPakistanBelarus

Georgia TurkeyRussia

Iraq

Countries of origin of asylum seekers during the period from 1997 to 30.09.2009 (n=162)

Distribution of asylum applicants

Decisions in asylum proceedingsduring the period from 1997 – 30.09.2009

11 1324

61

34

020406080

Refugee status

Subsidiary protection

Rejection Refusal Termination of asylum

proceedings

Beneficiaries of international protection (n=24)

Beneficiaries of international protection by citizenship

Thank you!

Kaili DidrichsonAdviser

Migration and Border Policy DepartmentEstonian Ministry of the Interior

Tel: +372 612 5079E-mail: kaili.didrichson@siseministeerium.ee