Awareness–raising event was held on the topic of “Legalization of foreigners and stateless persons residing illegally in the Republic of Azerbaijan and elimination of statelessness”

The representatives of city, settlement and village administrative territorial units, foreigners and stateless persons, as well as the members of society have attended at the awareness–raising event held in Hajigabul district which is included to the service area of Shirvan Regional Migration Department on the topic of “legalization of foreigners and stateless persons residing illegally in the Republic of Azerbaijan and elimination of statelessness”.

At the event it was pointed out that the person who is unaware of his/her rights can easily become a victim of human trafficking. Therefore State Migration Service regularly conducts awareness raising events for enlightening the society, foreigners and stateless persons.

As a reflection of achievements in internal and external policy pursued by the President Ilham Aliyev today all rights and freedoms of foreigners and stateless persons- free movement and settlement, education, engagement in labor activity, acting as an investor and entrepreneur, inviolability of person, inviolability of residence , rest, health protection, freedom of conscience- are completely ensured.

Currently there are 10 million stateless persons in the world.  The Republic of Azerbaijan has acceded to UNHCR campaign “To end statelessness in 10 years” for the purpose of raising awareness in the sphere of combating with statelessness and strengthening cooperation for efficient protection of their rights. Relevant measures in the framework of this campaign are taken in all regions of the country. Thus, consistent and targeted works are efficiently done in direction of eradication of statelessness, raising awareness in the sphere of fight against statelessness, determination of legal status of persons who resides on the territory of the country for a long time and doesn’t hold any documents certifying the affiliation to the citizenship of any country and of documentation.

It was mentioned that since July 1, 2014 the persons who had acquired the citizenship of another country should inform State Migration Service when they are on the territory of Azerbaijan and to the diplomatic representations of the Republic of Azerbaijan when they are abroad. Otherwise, according to the Criminal Code those persons are fined in the amount of 3 thousand up to 5 thousand manats or charged for 360 hours up to 480 hours of community works.

Moreover it was brought into attention that only during November SMS received 9512 applications from foreigners and stateless persons on extension of temporary staying period, granting temporary and permanent residence permissions, adoption, revocation and restoration of citizenship, as well as establishment of citizenship and determination of refugee status, issuing work permits for carrying out labor activity and extending period of existing work permits. As well as 45709 applications for registration upon place of stay were registered at the State Migration Service. Besides 1855 cases concerning infringement of requirements of administrative legislation by foreigners and stateless persons without observing rules of stay, temporary and permanent residence in the Republic of Azerbaijan have been revealed. Lost documents of 17 foreigners for temporary or permanent residence were replaced with new ones. 190 of them were fined and their residence in the country was legalized. Decisions were made on 1260 foreigners to leave the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 48 hours and on 388 foreigners to be removed in administrative order from the country.

At the end the questions interested the participants have been responded.