#IBELONG Mapping STATELESSNESS in Austria UNHCR Austria, January 2017 Statelessness is as if a human being is not a human being, “ but a stone which is being shoved and tossed back and forth.” ALEKSEY (2014)1 1 Aleksey, stateless person interviewed for this study (name changed to protect privacy). Mapping STATELESSNESS in Austria © United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Austria, January 2017 Cover photos: © UNHCR This document is for general distribution. All rights reserved. Reproductions and translations are authorized, except for commercial purposes, provided that UNHCR is acknowledged as the source. Layout and design: BakOS DESIGN Contents Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................................................9 Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................................................ 10 Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................ 11 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................... 15 1.1 The structure of the report ................................................................................................................................... 17 1.2 Scope of the report and definitions used ............................................................................................................ 17 1.3 Methodology ......................................................................................................................................................... 18 1.3.1 Quantitative data ........................................................................................................................................... 18 1.3.2 Legal research ................................................................................................................................................. 18 1.3.3 Meetings with stakeholders ........................................................................................................................ 19 1.3.4 Interviews with stateless persons ............................................................................................................... 20 2. Statelessness Across the Globe and UNHCR’s Engagement with Statelessness ..................... 21 2.1 Causes of statelessness ......................................................................................................................................... 21 2.2 UNHCR’s engagement with statelessness ............................................................................................................ 22 3. A Demography of statelessness in Austria .............................................................................................. 23 3.1 The challenges of mapping the stateless population in Austria .......................................................................... 23 3.1.1 Stateless persons in the Central Register of Residents ......................................................................... 23 3.1.2 Stateless persons in migration statistics .................................................................................................. 25 3.1.3 Other sources of data on stateless persons in Austria .......................................................................... 25 3.1.4 Missing data and stateless persons missing from the statistical data .............................................. 25 3.2 The evolution of statelessness in Austria ............................................................................................................ 26 3.2.1 Evolution of the stateless population between 1951 and 2016 ........................................................ 28 3.3 Current data on statelessness in Austria .............................................................................................................. 29 3.3.1 Central Register of Residents ...................................................................................................................... 29 3.3.2 Migration and Asylum Statistics ................................................................................................................. 29 3.3.3 Other data on stateless persons in Austria .............................................................................................. 30 3.3.4 Observations from interviewed stakeholders ......................................................................................... 32 4 MAPPING STATELESSNESS IN AUSTRIA 3.4 The profile of stateless persons in Austria .......................................................................................................... 32 3.4.1 Main causes for statelessness and origin of stateless persons in Austria ........................................ 32 3.4.1.1 Statelessness in a non-migratory context ..................................................................................... 32 3.4.1.2 Statelessness in a migratory context .............................................................................................. 34 3.4.2 Age and sex of stateless persons in Austria ............................................................................................. 36 3.4.3 Geographical distribution of stateless persons in Austria ................................................................... 36 3.5 Conclusions and Recommendations .................................................................................................................... 37 3.5.1 Conclusions ..................................................................................................................................................... 37 3.5.2 Recommendations ........................................................................................................................................ 38 4. The Face of Statelessness ................................................................................................................................ 39 4.1 Participatory interviews with affected persons in Austria .................................................................................. 39 4.2 Reasons for leaving their countries of origin ...................................................................................................... 40 4.3 Lives marked by uncertainty and precariousness ................................................................................................ 40 4.3.1 Uncertain residence status .......................................................................................................................... 41 4.3.2 Limited access to social and economic rights ........................................................................................ 41 4.4 Hopes for the future ............................................................................................................................................ 42 5. Determination of Statelessness ................................................................................................................... 43 5.1 Austria as a State Party to the 1954 Convention .................................................................................................. 43 5.2 A stateless determination procedure as integral aspect of the 1954 Convention ............................................. 43 5.3 Austrian national legal framework and practice to date with respect to statelessness determination .................................................................................................................... 45 5.3.1 Legal framework ............................................................................................................................................. 45 5.3.2 Practice ............................................................................................................................................................. 45 5.4 Conclusions and recommendations ..................................................................................................................... 48 5.4.1 Conclusions ..................................................................................................................................................... 48 5.4.2 Recommendations ........................................................................................................................................ 49 UNHCR AUSTRIA, 2017 5 6. The Status of Persons Recognized as Stateless and of Those Seeking Recognition ............. 51 6.1 Relevant provisions under international law ....................................................................................................... 51 6.1.1 The 1954 Convention ................................................................................................................................... 51 6.1.2 International and regional human rights law .......................................................................................... 52 6.1.3 The right to a residence status on statelessness grounds ................................................................... 53 6.1.3.1 The 1954 Convention ........................................................................................................................