|
Latvia |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
Latvia ratified the readmission agreement with Armenia in October 2021. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Latvia |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The Asylum Law and several corresponding laws 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. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Latvia |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Latvia reduced the waiting period for applicants to legally work from 6 months to 3 months. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Latvia |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Access to procedure |
A state of emergency was declared in August 2021. The Cabinet of Ministers authorised the State Border Guard, the National Armed Forces and the State Police to order any person illegally crossing the border from Belarus to return to the country from which they have crossed and to take the necessary measures to enforce the order. During the emergency phase, asylum applications were accepted only outside the areas under the state of emergency. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Latvia |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Access to procedure |
The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs in Latvia committed to introduce improvements to the registration system by December 2021. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Latvia |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Asylum authorities considered that there was no need to provide the personal interview if the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs had proof to grant refugee status. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Latvia |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
To increase reception capacity, a second temporary reception facility was opened with a capacity of 400 persons and two AMIF-funded projects were ongoing to temporarily increase reception places. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Latvia |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The Ministry of Education and Science prepared a report on applicant children’s education, informing the Cabinet of Ministers of the challenges and potential solutions in light of the increased number of applicant children in the country. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Latvia |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The government adopted in February 2021 a general policy planning document entitled “Guidelines for the Development of a Cohesive and Civically Active Society for 2021-2027”, followed by an action plan, outlining activities also for the integration of foreigners. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Latvia |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Return of former applicants |
The Ombudsperson concluded aiming to improve the mechanism for monitoring the forced removal of third-country nationals to ensure compliance with Directive 2008/115/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Department of Civil Liberties and Migration published an operational handbook on the identification and reception of unaccompanied children. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The Italian government shared clarifications on the process of and the requirements for converting the permit of an unaccompanied minor to a work permit. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Three digital platforms were created through an AMIF EMAS project, including a website for asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection, a platform for exchanges between the NAC and Territorial Commissions to harmonise procedures and facilitate communication, and a portal for open data on asylum. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Specific implementation guidelines to improve the quality of first instance decisions were sent to police headquarters (questure) and Territorial Commissions by the National Commission for the Right to Asylum. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Access to procedure |
Government authorities entered into an agreement with the Italian Red Cross to provide support to the persons onboard the vessels and initiate the identification of vulnerable persons. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Access to procedure |
The Italian authorities issued a tender for the rental of five private vessels to accommodate migrants rescued at sea during the period of quarantine. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The Ministry of the Interior issued a decree modifying previous tender specifications by increasing the per capita amount awarded to managing organisations of reception facilities in order to cover psychological support, social and local guidance, and language courses. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The Ministry of the Interior published a circular informing prefectures about the possibility of regularisation on the basis of transforming undeclared work to regular employment. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The Ministry of the Interior published a circular clarifying that the special permit based on the principle of non-refoulement can be requested directly from the police (questura). |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Ministry of the Interior’s Department of Civil Liberties and Migration issued a circular to disseminate an operational guide on the specific needs of women and girls in reception to first-contact reception staff. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The Ministry of the Interior signed a memorandum of understanding with civil society organisations (Rete per la Parità, Le Contemporanee, the National Council of Italian Women and the Italian division of Soroptimist International) to support the reception and integration of Afghan evacuees. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Ministry of the Interior signed agreements with UNICEF to monitor reception conditions for unaccompanied children, with Terre des Hommes for psychological and psychosocial assistance from disembarkation to first reception, and with Save the Children for the provision of targeted support to unaccompanied children. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
A new national coordination board dedicated to unaccompanied children was established, with its first meeting foreseen for spring 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
UNHCR and the Italian National Commission for Asylum published new guidelines for the identification of victims of trafficking in an effort to standardise the procedure across territorial commissions. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
A working group was established to better coordinate mechanisms for the identification of and support to applicants with special needs and vulnerabilities. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |