Estonia: Information on residence permits (propiska) issued by shipping or fishing companies
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 May 1994 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | EST17270.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Estonia: Information on residence permits (propiska) issued by shipping or fishing companies, 1 May 1994, EST17270.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac614c.html [accessed 23 October 2022] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to article 19 of the 8 July 1993 Law on Aliens Soviet-era propiskas will be recognized in Estonia until July 1995, by which time all non-citizens must have obtained an "aliens passport issued by the Estonian Government into which their residence and work permits will be placed" (Country Reports 1993 1994, 863; IOM 24 May 1994a, 7; RFE/RL 24 Sept. 1993, 9).
According to the Consulate General of Estonia in Toronto, a February 1994 order by the Ministry of Interior invalidated propiskas issued by fishing or shipping companies (20 May 1994). Information received by the Helsinki office of the International Organization for Migration from Estonian government sources indicates that most fishing and shipping companies are controlled by ethnic Russians and that they are "generally" allowed to issue temporary residence permits (24 May 1994b).
For additional information on the "aliens passport" as well as residence permits for non-citizens, please refer to the attachments.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Consulate General of Estonia, Toronto. 20 May 1994. Information faxed to DIRB.
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1993. 1994. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.
International Organization for Migration (IOM), Helsinki. 24 May 1994a. Information faxed to DIRB.
. 24 May 1994b. Telephone interview with representative.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). 24 September 1993. RFE/RL Research Report [Munich]. Vol. 2, No. 38. Ann Sheehy. "The Estonian Law on Aliens."
Attachments
BNS [Tallinn, in English]. 7 April 1994. "Russian-Speakers Warn of 'Social Explosion'." (FBIS-SOV-94-068 8 Apr. 1994, p. 65-66)
Consulate General of Estonia, Toronto. 20 May 1994. Information faxed to DIRB.
