Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02AMMAN5144
2002-09-09 14:49:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

JORDAN - MONITORING OF REFUGEE REGISTRATION

Tags:  PREF JO UNHCR 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 005144 

SIPDIS

CAIRO for REGIONAL REFUGEE COORDINATOR
DEPT FOR PRM
GENEVA FOR RMA
USEU FOR DALLAN
USUN FOR ECOSOC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF JO UNHCR
SUBJECT: JORDAN - MONITORING OF REFUGEE REGISTRATION

REF: (A) STATE 148221; (B) STATE 57477

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 005144

SIPDIS

CAIRO for REGIONAL REFUGEE COORDINATOR
DEPT FOR PRM
GENEVA FOR RMA
USEU FOR DALLAN
USUN FOR ECOSOC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF JO UNHCR
SUBJECT: JORDAN - MONITORING OF REFUGEE REGISTRATION

REF: (A) STATE 148221; (B) STATE 57477


1. Cairo's Regional Refcoord and Amman's Refugee
Admissions Specialist met with UNHCR Amman's Senior
Protection Officer and Acting Chief of Mission, Ms.
Jacqueline Parlevliet, to obtain the information
requested in Reftel A. Below are the answers to your
questions in the order in which they were presented.

Numbers


2. There are around 5,500-5,800 registered asylum
seekers pending eligibility interviews and/or Refugee
Status Determination (RSD). This number does not
include the 150,000-300,000 Iraqis who reside in Jordan
illegally.


3. The current recognition rate of UNHCR is 10-12
percent. There are 1,000-1,100 recognized refugees, of
which 85-90 percent are Iraqis. All recognized
refugees are eligible for resettlement.

Time of Registration and Verification


4. The registration of refugees (asylum seekers) is
an on-going process, which takes place twice a week.
Verification of refugees occurs automatically every 6
months in order to renew the Refugee Identification
Card. The card is only issued once and expires after
six months. Upon the card's expiration, an attestation
letter is then issued as a renewal of the Refugee Card;
the letter is renewable every three months.

Kind of Data Collected


5. UNHCR's standard registration software RICS
(Registration of Individual Cases System) is used by
UNHCR Amman. It contains a basic bio-data folder on
the PRA, one on the dependants, one folder on the
person's refugee status determination process, one on
his/her durable solutions process. The data contained
in the folders is fairly detailed.

Who Conducts the Registration?


6. One person, under the supervision of the
Protection Officer, conducts registration at UNHCR.

Type of Registration System Used


7. The registration of refugee applicants is both a
manual and a computerized process. The hard copy file
contains the refugee status application and all related
documents.

Are UNHCR Guidelines Followed?


8. UNHCR registration guidelines and UNHCR's
Executive Committee (Excom) Conclusion No. 91 have been
used in drafting UNHCR Amman's Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPs) for the registration and
documentation of refugee applicants and refugees.

Type of Identification Document


9. UNHCR gives refugees a refugee identification
card; the format was worked out with the GOJ. Upon
registration, individuals are given an Asylum Seekers
Card with a validity of one month after their Refugee
Status Determination Interview. Once recognized,
refugees are then issued a Refugee Identification Card,
which is valid for six months only. Once it expires,
refugees are then given an attestation letter, which is
valid for three months and can be renewed repeatedly.

What happens to the Data?


10. UNHCR Amman continuously uses the data contained
in RICS. The data is shared with UNHCR Beirut,
Damascus, Bangkok and Indonesia. It will soon be
shared with Yemen and the sub-region. The Ministry of
Interior in Jordan has "read-only version" access to
the information on RICS. Upon the resettlement of a
refugee to a third country, the files are closed, but
the data remains in the system.

BERRY