MoldovaHumanitarian protection
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This is Moldova's international protection mechanism, which grants either refugee status or humanitarian protection status to an alien seeking asylum.
International protection refers to the protection of persons holding refugee status or humanitarian protection status.
Refugee status: an alien outside the country of nationality owing to a well-founded fear of persecution for race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, who is unable or unwilling to avail himself of that country's protection; or a stateless person outside the country of lawful and ordinary residence who is unable or unwilling to return. Humanitarian protection: an alien who does not qualify for refugee status but faces a real risk of serious harm if returned to the country of origin and is unable or unwilling to avail himself of that country's protection.
Refugee status shall be granted, upon application, to an alien who, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his lawful and ordinary residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return.
Humanitarian protection shall be granted to an alien who does not qualify for refugee status but in respect of whom there are serious and substantial grounds for believing that, if returned to his or her country of origin, he or she would face a real risk of suffering serious harm and is unable or, owing to such risk, unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country.
It is a direct application by the person. Asylum applications are submitted at the GIM One-stop-shops for the Documentation of Foreigners (Chisinau, Balti, Comrat, Cahul), the Border Police, law enforcement bodies, or institutions of the National Administration of Penitentiaries / provisional detention subdivisions. Access is ensured to any foreigner on Moldovan territory or at the state border once the wish for protection is expressed in writing or verbally.
Applications for asylum shall be submitted at following institutions/offices:
The One-stop-shop for the Documentation of Foreigners of the CENTRAL Regional Directorate of the GIM: Chisinau Municipality, 41 Lev Tolstoi St. The One-stop-shop for the Documentation of Foreigners of the NORTH Regional Directorate of the GIM: Balti Municipality, 9 Moscovei St. The One-stop-shop for the Documentation of Foreigners of the SOUTH Regional Directorate of the GIM: Comrat Municipality, 22 Comsomolului St. The One-stop-shop for the Documentation of Foreigners of the SOUTH Regional Directorate of the GIM: Cahul Municipality, 79 Ioan Voda cel Cumplit St.
Border Police Law enforcement bodies institutions subordinated to the National Administration of Penitentiaries or provisional detention subdivisions of law enforcement bodies.
The competent authorities shall ensure access to the asylum procedure to any foreigner, present on the territory of the Republic of Moldova or at the state border, from the moment of expressing his/her will, expressed in writing or verbally, that he/she seeks the protection of the State of the Republic of Moldova.
The application is examined by an IGM specialist. Before a decision, the asylum seeker is given the opportunity of an interview, no later than 21 days after the application (extendable by 21 days if further country-of-origin investigation is needed). The decision is communicated in writing, directly or by post. Examination takes up to 6 months, extendable by one month at a time up to 3 months, maximum 9 months. The official source does not state family handling or the support and rights of asylum seekers during the procedure.
The application is examined by the IGM specialist.
In order to establish the conditions for granting a form of protection provided for by the legislation in force in the Republic of Moldova, before a decision on the asylum application is taken, the asylum seeker shall be given the opportunity to be interviewed on his/her application.
The interview is conducted as soon as possible, but no later than 21 days after the date of the application. If further investigation of information from the country of origin and other relevant circumstances relating to the asylum application is necessary, the deadline may be extended by 21 days.
The decision on the asylum application is communicated to the applicant in writing, by direct communication or by post to his/her last declared address.
Time limit for examination: up to 6 months. The period may be extended by one month but shall not exceed 3 months. The maximum examination period will not exceed 9 months. The service is free of charge.
Petitions and complaints go to the GIM Chancery, 124 Stefan cel Mare si Sfant Bd., Chisinau, or by e-mail to migratie@mai.gov.md.
Petitions/complaints should be submitted to the GIM Chancery at the following address: Chisinau Municipality, 124 Ștefan cel Mare și Sfânt Bd. or by e-mail to: migratie@mai.gov.md
These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.
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