Saudi Arabia and Eritrea: Requirements and procedures to obtain an Eritrean birth certificate from the Eritrean embassy in Riyadh for persons born in Eritrea, including appearance, security features, information included on the document; whether the date of issue provided on the certificate would change when the embassy re-issues the certificate at a later date (2015-2017)

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

1. Obtaining an Eritrean Birth Certificate from Eritrean Missions Abroad

A February 2017 country of origin report for Eritrea by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Directorate for Sub-Saharan Africa, citing confidential sources, states that

Eritrea missions abroad do not issue civil registry certificates. However, it is possible to authorise a person in Eritrea via an Eritrean embassy to apply for/collect the required certificate from the authorities in the former place of residence of the person concerned. The embassy or consulate forwards the details of the applicant and his or her passport to the relevant Sub-Zoba [sub-region] via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Asmara. The latter then prints out the birth certificate and adds the submitted passport photo and a stamp to it. (The Netherlands 6 Feb. 2017, 24-25)

For further information on the requirements and procedures to obtain an Eritrean birth certificate from outside Eritrea, please see Response to Information Request ERI105812 of 6 June 2017.

2. Obtaining an Eritrean Birth Certificate from the Eritrean Embassy in Riyadh

In a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, a representative from the Embassy of the State of Eritrea in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, indicated that it is possible to obtain an Eritrean birth certificate through the Riyadh embassy (Eritrea 11 July 2017). The representative further indicated that the person must register at the embassy in person beforehand, possess a valid five-year passport, and apply for or have already received an Eritrean national ID (Eritrea 11 July 2017). Without providing further detail, the representative added that the fee to obtain the birth certificate through the embassy is negotiated with the consular official (Eritrea 11 July 2017).

3. Appearance, Security Features, and Information Included on the Birth Certificate

The embassy representative indicated that birth certificates obtained through the embassy in Riyadh are the same as those issued in Eritrea (Eritrea 11 July 2017). The representative further indicated that the following information appears on the birth certificate:

• Full Name
• Sex
• Eritrean National ID Number
• Place of Issue
• Date of Issue
• Date of Birth
• Place of Birth
• Father's Name
• Father's Date of Birth
• Father's Place of Birth
• Mother's Name
• Mother's Date of Birth
• Mother's Place of Birth (Eritrea 11 July 2017)

A country of origin report for Eritrea by the European Aylum Support Office (EASO), citing representatives of the Civil Status Office in Asmara interviewed by the Federal Office for Migration (FOM) of Switerland in November 2013, a report by the Norwegian ID Center, and an article by the Eritrean Ministry of Information, states that "[d]ocuments issued by the Asmara civil registry office include birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates, all of which include reference numbers for the civil registry office archive and the electronic population register" (EU May 2015, 55). According to sources, certificates are issued on computer printouts, and contain no security features although they do include stamps and signatures (The Netherlands 6 Feb. 2017, 19; EU May 2015, 55). The EASO report, citing 2015 information from the Norwegian ID Center, further states that the computer printouts are on A4-sized paper (EU May 2015, 55).

Sources indicate that civil status documents may differ in appearance depending on where in the country they are issued (The Netherlands 6 Feb. 2017, 19; Australia 8 Feb. 2017, 13). The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs report adds that the content of documents may also vary (The Netherlands 6 Feb. 2017, 19). The same source explains that certificates issued in Asmara are viewed as being more "reliable and recognised" (The Netherlands 6 Feb. 2017, 19). Citing information from a 2013 technical mission conducted by the Swiss FOM, a 2013 interview by the Swiss FOM and representatives of nus-zoba [sub-region] Mendefera, and 2015 information from the Norwegian ID Center, the EASO report explains that because of this variation, Eritreans located in zobas "may therefore also request civil status documents from the Asmara civil status office (e.g. to use abroad)" (EU May 2015, 55). For further information on birth certificates issued in the central region [Zoba Maekel, Maakel], please see Response to Information Request ERI105012 of 2 December 2014.

3.1 Whether the Date of Issue Changes When the Embassy Re-Issues the Certificate

Information on whether the date of issue on the birth certificate would change when the embassy re-issues the certificate at a later date was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Without providing further details, the representative indicated that the date of issue on the birth certificate is the same as the date of issue for the Eritrean National ID card (Eritrea 11 July 2017). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Australia. 8 February 2017. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. DFAT Country Information Report Eritrea. [Accessed 6 July 2017]

Eritrea. 11 July 2017. Embassy of the State of Eritrea in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Telephone interview with a representative.

European Union (EU). May 2015. European Asylum Support Office (EASO). EASO Country of Origin Information Report: Eritrea Country Focus. [Accessed 5 July 2017]

The Netherlands. 6 February 2017. Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Country of Origin Information Report on Eritrea. [Accessed 5 July 2017]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Eritrea – Consulate in Toronto, Consulate General in Jeddah, Embassy in Washington, D.C.; UNHCR – Office in Riyadh.

Internet sites, including: Amnesty International; BBC; Council of the European Union – PRADO; ecoi.net; Eritrea – Consulate in Toronto, Embassy in Washington D.C., Ministry of Information; Factiva; Human Rights Watch; IRIN; Intergovernmental Consultations on Migration, Asylum and Refugees (IGC); Keesing's Document Checker; Norway – Landinfo; Reuters; Saudi Arabia – Embassy in Asmara; UN – Refworld; US – Department of State.