Indicator history

The Romanian Office for Immigation reports having registered 49 minors "who declare themselves being unaccompanied" who requested a form of protection in Romania in 2011. In a reply to a request for public information asking how many unaccompanied minors were registered as having enterred Romania in 2011, the ROI replied that 33 unaccompanied minors have asked for a form of protection (from  Afghanistan, Pakistan and Somalia). Further clarification  as to the registered difference was requested.

Thus, according to Address No. 2474295/21.03.2012 from the Romanian Office for Immigration to the Centre for Legal Resources, the data communicated directly by the ROI, that is 33, represents the foreigners for which it was established that they are unaccompanied minors following a legal procedure of establishment of the age of the asylum seeker, following the analysis of the particularities of each foreigner.

Address 2474295/21.03.2012 mentions that according to Art 41 of the asylum law (122/2006) which establishes the procedure of establishment of the age of the minor asylum seeker, where the minor declares herself/himself as being minor and there is no serious doubt as to her/his age, the person shall be considered a minor. On the other hand, where the unaccompanied minor cannot prove her/his age and there is serious doubt as to the person being a minor, the Romanian Immigration Office asks for a medical-legal expertise to evaluate the age of the asylum seeker. Also, where the asylum seeker and/or her/his legal representative refuse this expertise and no conclusive evidence as to the age is brought, the asylum seeker will be considered of age.

The Romanian Office for Immigration also mentions that during the asylum procedure the asylum seeker can revisit the initial declarations as to her/his age when submitting the asylum request, thus exercising the right to intervene on the personal data.

Sources:

Romanian Immigration Office, Press release, 13.02.2012, available at: http://ori.mai.gov.ro/comunicate/citeste/ro/347/Analiza-activitii-desfurate-de-Oficiul-Romn-pentru-Imigrri-n-anul-2011 (Accessed on 02.03.2012)

Address No. 2474176/08.03.2012 from the Romanian Immigration Office to the Centre for Legal Resources (on file with the expert)

Address No. 2474295/21.03.2012 from the Romanian Immigration Office to the Centre for Legal Resources (on file with the expert)

According to the General Inspectorate for Immigration, in 2012, when submitting the asylum request, a number of 60 aliens declared they were unaccompanied minors.

The main countries where the unaccompanied minors came from were: Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Algeria.

Source:

• Address No. 2594514/31.01.2013 from the Romanian Immigration Office to the Centre for Legal Resources (on file with the expert)