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National Asylum Developments Database

 

The National Asylum Developments Database presents legislative, institutional and policy developments related to asylum since 2018.

Searches can be narrowed down by:

  • Country
  • Year
  • Type of development: legislative, institutional or policy 
  • Thematic area: access to procedure, access to information, legal assistance and representation, interpretation services, special procedures, procedures at first instance, reception of applicants for international protection, detention, procedures at second instance, country of origin information, statelessness in the asylum context, content of protection, return of former applicants, resettlement and humanitarian admission programmes.

Details on each development and further analysis can be consulted in the Asylum Report series.
 

Types of policies and practices reported in the National Asylum Developments Database

The National Asylum Developments Database can be searched by institutional, legislative and policy changes. There are three types of policy developments:

Policies and practices related to the integrity of national asylum systems aim to swiftly identify unfounded asylum applications and ensure that financial, human and administrative resources are not dissipated on such claims. These measures involve efforts to rapidly establish an applicant’s identity, including age, country of origin, travel route and security concerns if any. These facts help to better assess the credibility of the applicant’s statements and determine whether beneficiaries of international protection are still in need of protection. The prevention of unintentional misuse of the asylum procedure and its integrity are also supported by the provision of information to asylum applicants and beneficiaries of international protection on their respective rights and obligations and related procedural arrangements.

Policies and practices that improve the efficiency of national asylum systems include digitalisation and the use of new technologies in the framework of asylum, prioritising or fast-tracking applications, the re-organisation of the procedure itself or implementing changes in the number of staff employed.

Policy and practice aiming to enhance the quality of national asylum systems contribute to increasing fairness, integrity and efficiency. Quality assurance systems, guidance materials and capacity-building measures typically pay off on the initial investment and efforts. The initiatives include staff training, revising existing guidance materials and monitoring the quality of the decisions delivered.

The database presents validated factual information and does not imply any endorsement from the European Commission or EUAA.

Flag Country Sort descending Year Type of development Thematic area Development Source
Iceland Flag Iceland 2022 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A temporary Council of Ministers for Immigrants and Refugees was appointed by proposal of the Prime Minister and approval of the government. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Iceland Flag Iceland 2021 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Directorate of Immigration was developing new standard operating procedures for applicants with disabilities and mental health issues. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Iceland Flag Iceland 2022 Policy Content of protection Content of protection Young Afghan refugees who received protection shortly after turning 18 years are now also allowed to apply for family reunification. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Iceland Flag Iceland 2021 Policy Information provision on the asylum procedure Information provision on the asylum procedure A new information hub was launched, newiniceland.is, which provides information in eight languages through online counsellors and telephone interpretation in additional languages. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Ireland Flag Ireland 2022 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The International Protection Student Scheme 2022-2023 provided grants to eligible school leavers in the international protection system. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Ireland Flag Ireland 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The waiting period to apply for a work permit for applicants for international protection was reduced from 9 months to 6 months, with an extended validity from 6 months to 12 months. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Ireland Flag Ireland 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Department of Justice omitted interviews for certain profiles (such as applicants from Afghanistan, Eritrea and Somalia) in order to speed up the asylum procedure. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Ireland Flag Ireland 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Immigration Service launched a new website in July 2021 and published a new Digitisation Strategy to transition from paper-based processes to more efficient immigration services. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Ireland Flag Ireland 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Applicants living in reception centres became entitled to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Ireland Flag Ireland 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The International Protection Office implemented a new case load management system. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Ireland Flag Ireland 2019 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The “National Standards for Accommodation Offered to People in the Protection Process” and a report on direct provision from the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice and Equality were published. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Ireland Flag Ireland 2022 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure A bill was adopted to modify the National Referral Mechanism for human trafficking. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Ireland Flag Ireland 2021 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure As part of the reform of the reception system, the IPAS announced the development of a new LGBTIQ resident policy, including accommodation for transgender applicants. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Ireland Flag Ireland 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Student Support Scheme for people in the International Protection Process was amended and the requirements to have attended three academic years in the Irish school system and to have obtained the Leaving Certificate in Ireland will no longer apply. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Ireland Flag Ireland 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Certain tasks of the Minister for Justice and Equality were transferred to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, including the coordination of the national integration policy, the International Protection Accommodation Services, the International Protection Procurement Services and giving permission to enter and stay in the country for resettlement or temporary protection. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Ireland Flag Ireland 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The UK was designated as a safe third country. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Ireland Flag Ireland 2019 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Executive Officers in the International Protection Office (IPO) were granted the authority for single sign-off on certain cases. Some panel members and case workers are assigned to handle caseloads from specific countries to improve their knowledge for swift decision-making. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Ireland Flag Ireland 2021 Policy Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions The Irish government established an Afghan Admission Programme with 500 places available under this programme. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Ireland Flag Ireland 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Irish International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) implemented a new policy in respect of COVID-19 prevention measures to require applicants who were away from the centre for more than one night without permission to undergo a period of quarantine before readmission to the centre. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Ireland Flag Ireland 2020 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Some reception-related tasks were transferred from the Minister for Justice and Equality to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, including the provision, withdrawal or reduction of material reception conditions, information provision, the designation of accommodation centre and support for vulnerable persons. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Ireland Flag Ireland 2022 Policy Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions The Department of Justice extended the Afghan Admission Programme. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Ireland Flag Ireland 2021 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection 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. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Ireland Flag Ireland 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Specific policies were introduced for the vaccination of asylum applicants, specifying that vaccines are free of charge, on a voluntary basis and by registration to receive an appointment EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Ireland Flag Ireland 2022 Policy Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Immigration detention facilities became operational at Dublin airport. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Ireland Flag Ireland 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A review of all international protection processes was undertaken and the results were shared in October 2021. EUAA Asylum Report 2022