Estonian asylum policy MINAS-3 Study trip to Norway

Themes  Administration of migration issues in Estonia  Estonian asylum system  Estonian asylum statistics

Administration of migration issues in Estonia

Estonian Ministry of the Interior  employees at the governing area  230 employees at the ministry  The only ministry with 2 full-power ministers

MARKO POMERANTS Minister of the Interior SIIM KIISLER Minister for Regional Affairs

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 Board Refugees 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

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 (n=162)

Distribution of asylum applicants

Decisions in asylum proceedings during the period from 1997 –

Beneficiaries of international protection (n=24)

Beneficiaries of international protection by citizenship

Thank you! Kaili Didrichson Adviser Migration and Border Policy Department Estonian Ministry of the Interior Tel: