State Migration Service held public awareness event and organized mobile service in Gusar

At public awareness event organized regarding novelties in the field of migration, amendments on legislation competent representatives of Khachmaz regional migration department and Headquarter of the Service delivered speeches.

It was noted that special attention is given to awareness of public in the activity of the Service. The purpose is to ensure comfort of both Azerbaijani citizens and foreigners and stateless persons, directly reply to their questions and to immediately solve their problems if they have. Serious measures are also being taken by President Ilham Aliyev in the field of migration as in other fields on both legislation and its application with the purpose of improving migration management mechanism, managing and regulating migration processes. The declaration of 2016 as the “Year of Multiculturalism” in Azerbaijan is another example of level of tolerance in our country and of tolerance based governance.

As it is known, migrant is a person who migrates within the country or from one country to another for taking up permanent or depending his/her purpose temporary residence. Migrants are divided into two categories: Legal migrants are foreigners and stateless persons who obey the rules arrival in and departure from the country, stay, residence and other rules envisaged in destination country’s legislation which they migrate; at the same time, persons who do not obey at list one of these rules are considered as illegal migrants.

Of course, prevention of negative influence of irregular migration processes is quite a serious issue. Because migration policy is one of the factors which has a direct impact on the security of the country. The relevant measures are being implemented successfuly on the basis of respect to human and citizen rights and freedoms, rule of law and humanism principles by State Migration Service in this direction, too. Management of migration processes at high level in Azerbaijan, protection of migrants’ rights are highly appreciated by international organizations.

Some states are mostly interested in involvement and migration of skilled professionals in order to use their intelectual and labour potential in globalized world. But today there are more people who become forced migrant – refugee and IDP.

It was noted that as a result of Armenian aggression to Azerbaijan our country faced a huge migration problem since first years of its independence. With 9.7 million population Azerbaijan is one of the countries which has the biggest burden of displaced in the world according to number of internally displaced persons per capita. Azerbaijan Government has mainly taken up problems of persons who forced to leave their homelands. 250 thousand refugee and IDPs have been moved to 94 modern settlement for temporary residence during the period of more than twenty years. It is true, the day of liberation of our lands from occupation under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Commander-in-chief Ilham Aliyev is not so far. The last strike on the enemy has showed the ability of Azerbaijani soldier.

It was regretfully brought into attention that currently Europe stays humble and is helpless before 600-700 thousand refugee who left their countries because of conflicts in Middle East as an aftermath of foreign intervention. Those refugees are facing serious problems in that countries and all their rights are being violated.

At the meeting information was given about the activities of State Migration Service implementing the competence of unified authority upon “one-stop-shop” principle on management of migration processes since July 1, 2009, as well. It was stated that State Migration Service is one of the authorities which migrants visiting Azerbaijan apply first. The application rules regarding registration upon place of stay of foreigners and stateless persons in the country, administrative liability in case of foreign citizen not living in registered place were explained once more.

At the meeting concrete results of taken steps in the direction of eradicating statelessness in our country and of numerous events held in the regions were talked about. In total, the importance of applying to State Migration Service or regional migration departments by people who has faced these cases was emphasized.

It was brought into attention of the heads of educational institutions and local executive authorities that they should help foreign pupils, who do not have temporary and permanent residence documents in the country,  regarding relevant documentation issues in order to accelerate their application process to State Migration Service. Limited time is left before the end of the school year and these pupils should obtain temporary or permanent residence permission card in the republic by State Migration Service for admission to exams by relevant state authorities. It is true that purposeful measures have been taken towards documentation of such people in time. But there is also people who approaches irresponsibly to this issue, who do not apply for documentation of his/her child.

At the event information was delivered about the activity of Appellate Council of State Migration Service established with the Order of chief of State Migration Service for the purpose of executing the Decree № 762 of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated from February 3, 2016 “On establishment of Appellate Councils under the central and local executive bodies of the Republic of Azerbaijan” in order to provide transparency and impartiality in consideration of complaints of individuals and legal entities engaging in entrepreneurship activity and to protect rights and legally preserved interests of people in this field.

Thereafter, explanatory discussions were held about the amendments to the Administrative Offences Code came into force on March 1st 2016 and questions were responded.

Later mobile service was rendered.  More than 135 applicants used the opportunities of mobile service. The applications were received from 26 persons on establishment of citizenship, from 4 foreigners or stateless persons on obtaining temporary residence permit.  21 persons were given permission card for temporary residence on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan and 54 persons were given references on establishment of citizenship. The list of documents required to apply for services belonging to SMS’s functions was given to more than 30 persons.

Applicants expressed their gratitude for meeting and arrangement of mobile service.

Mariya Maspakhova stated that “I came from Russia. I am living in Gusar city. My son is studying at school. We should get permission card for him. I would like to thank to State Migration Service for coming to our city and serving us in place.”

Niftali Farzaliyev noted as well: “Gusar is border distirct. We express our gratitude to State Migration Service for organizing both public awareness event and mobile service in Gusar city in order to serve foreigners who live and visit the district. As, they simplified our work a lot.”