Issued the first biometric ID card for refugees

Source: APC
Photo: APC

Belgrade, April 4, 2024 – Today, the Serbian authorities issued the first biometric ID card for persons who got asylum with an inserted permanent residence.

Until now, persons who got asylum had cardboard ID cards, which differed from Serbian biometric ID cards, which in practice led to doubts among the institutions, whether they are real ID cards for refugees or not.

We overcame this in the field with specific legal interventions in each particular case, but also built practices in working with many specific institutions and their local departments, as well as with many public service providers we encountered.

Finally, persons who have been granted asylum can have an ID card as Serbian citizens and avoid discrimination when exercising their guaranteed rights.

When it comes to the persons who have not been granted asylum yet, but are asylum seekers, we are still continuing the fight for them to receive biometric ID cards as well, instead of the cardboard plasticized ID cards they currently have.