Sierra Leone: Information on the national identity card (1997-2002)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 11 October 2002 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | SLE40221.E |
| Reference | 1 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Sierra Leone: Information on the national identity card (1997-2002), 11 October 2002, SLE40221.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3f7d4e1726.html [accessed 1 June 2023] |
| 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. |
The information that follows was provided by a consular officer at the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Washington, DC, during a 10 October 2002 telephone interview.
Sierra Leone introduced a new national identity card more than one year ago. It is wallet-sized (fits in a standard wallet), bears the national crest (emblem with two lions and palm trees), the photograph of the person it is issued to, and his/her place of birth or address. It also has an identification number, the date of issue and the date of expiration (five or seven years from the date of issue).
The national identity card is issued only in Freetown, and only to citizens of Sierra Leone. To obtain one, a person must demonstrate – or authorities have to be able to verify – that the person was born in Sierra Leone and/or is a citizen of Sierra Leone. Identity cards can be issued to newborns, although it is not common for children to have one. It is not compulsory for adults to carry an identity card; other identity documents that are used in Sierra Leone are birth certificates and passports. Another identity document that a Sierra Leonean could carry is the Emergency Travel Certificate; this is a temporary document issued by Sierra Leonean embassies in lieu of a passport, and is valid for only six months. However, some citizens in Sierra Leone may carry expired passports or identity cards for identification purposes, even if these are no longer valid for their original purpose.
No additional and/or corroborating information on national identity card issuing in Sierra Leone between 1997 and 2001 could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
The Immigration and Nationality Directorate of the United Kingdom (IND) reported that since 2001
There has been considerable progress in registering voters, including returning refugees, with roughly 2,000,000 registered to vote. Foreign agency and governments are assisting with this operation. They are also assisting with the mechanics of the vote, by providing training, access to printing and funding (Apr. 2002, Sec. 4.6).
The IND adds that "Sierra Leone infrastructure and civil society have been badly damaged over the past ten years, and many nations, organisations and NGOs are providing assistance" (ibid., Sec. 5.64), indicating that assistance to register voters ended in February 2002 (ibid., Annex A). For an overview of government and armed conflict developments in Sierra Leone between 1997 and 2000, please consult the full report.
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 to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Embassy of Sierra Leone, Washington, DC. 10 October 2002. Telephone interview with consular officer.
United Kingdom. Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND), London. April 2002. Sierra Leone Assessment. Additional Sources Consulted
Africa Confidential.1997-2002.
Africa News. 1997-2002.
Africa Research Bulletin. 1997-2002.
Country Reports 1997-2001. 1998-2002.
IRB Databases.
Sierra Leone's Secuirty Complex. Cnetre for Defence Studies, London. June 2002.
The Passport Handbook
Travel Information Manual (TIM).
Internet sites and search engines, including:
Amnesty International.
Human Rights Watch.
Immigration and Nationality Directorate (UK).
International Organization for Migration.
The Vanguard [Lagos]. Searchable archives.
UNHCR Refworld.
World News/Nigeria Daily [Lagos]. Searchable archives.
