Applicants are often faced with administrative barriers to obtain certain documents or undertake administrative acts. In Latvia, the Asylum Law and several corresponding lawsGrozījums Patvēruma likumā, 2021/118.11 [Amendment to the Asylum Law, 2021/118.11 ], June 17, 2021. https://likumi.lv/ta/id/324124-grozijums-patveruma-likuma; Grozījumi Personu apliecinošu dokumentu likumā, 2021/11.10 [Amendments to the Personal Identification Documents Law, 2021/11.10], June 17, 2021. https://likumi.lv/ta/id/324130-grozijumi-personu-apliecinosu-dokumentu-…; Grozījumi Fizisko personu reģistra likumā, 2021/118.4 [Amendments to the Law on the Register of Natural Persons, 2021/118.4], June 17, 2021. https://likumi.lv/ta/id/324128-grozijumi-fizisko-personu-registra-likuma; Ministru kabineta noteikumi Nr. 686 Grozījumi Ministru kabineta 2012. gada 21. februāra noteikumos Nr. 133 "Noteikumi par valsts nodevu par personu apliecinošu dokumentu izsniegšanu", 2021/200.4 [Cabinet Regulation No 686 Amendments to Cabinet Regulation No 133 of 21 February 2012, Regulations Regarding State Fees on the Issuance of Identity Documents, 2021/200.4], October 12, 2021. https://www.vestnesis.lv/op/2021/200.24; Ministru kabineta noteikumi Nr. 727 Patvēruma meklētāja personas dokumenta noteikumi, 2021/214.5 [Cabinet Regulation No 727 Regulations Regarding the Personal Document of an Asylum seeker, 2021/214.5], November 2, 2021. https://likumi.lv/ta/id/327382-patveruma-mekletaja-personas-dokumenta-n… were amended related to documents certifying an applicant’s status. These modifications aim to facilitate an applicant’s access to health care, education and employment.
Several initiatives aimed to clear some of these barriers in Ireland. For example, following the Irish High Court’s judgment from 2020,European Union Agency for Asylum. (2021). EASO Asylum Report 2021: Annual Report on the Situation of Asylum in the European Union. https://euaa.europa.eu/easo-asylum-report-2021 the Minister for Transport intended to introduce an amendment to the Road Traffic and Roads Bill to put the government’s policy on a statutory basis and allow asylum applicants to apply for a driving license.Department of Transport | An Roinn Iompair. (2021, December 17). Asylum seekers can now apply for driving licences. https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/79aaa-asylum-seekers-can-now-apply-…
Following engagement by the Department of Justice with the Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland and relevant stakeholders, the five main retail banks in Ireland agreed in May 2021 to adopt guidelines which enable asylum seekers and refugees to open basic bank accounts using alternative documentation, including state-issued documents, without undue difficulty, in line with the EU Payment Accounts Regulations. This was welcomed by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. (2021, May 13). Commission Welcomes Bank Account Access for Asylum Seekers from All High-Street Banks. https://www.ihrec.ie/commission-welcomes-bank-account-access-for-asylum… The Banking and Payments Federation Ireland published a new “Guide to Opening Bank Accounts in Ireland”, which was drafted specifically for applicants and beneficiaries of international protection.Banking and Payments Federation Ireland. (2021). Guide to Opening Bank Accounts in Ireland: For those seeking asylum or who have been granted status under the International Protection Act 2015. https://bpfi.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Final-BPFI-Guide-to-Opening-… In addition they delivered training for members to ensure frontline staff can support applicants when opening a bank account. These developments were welcomed by ministers of the Irish government.Department of Justice | An Roinn Dlí agus Cirt. (2021, May 31). Minister of State Browne and Minister O’Gorman welcome new Guide to Opening Bank Accounts for international protection applicants and people with status [Press release]. https://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/PR21000125
However, in Italy, opening a bank account remained a challenge for some applicants. For example, the Rome Tribunal ordered Poste Italiane to stop refusing to open a bank account for applicants with a valid application document issued by the state. Similarly, in Bulgaria, a report commissioned by UNHCR noted that applicants do not have an official identity document during the asylum procedure so banks can refuse to open an account to prevent money laundering and financing of terrorist activities, as stated in national legislation.European Website on Integration. (2021, October 27). Access to financial services for asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection in Bulgaria. https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/library-document/access-financ…
