Haiti: The identity sheet, including its use and the procedure to obtain it; whether a standard model exists for the certificate of identity (2015-September 2017)

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

1. Identity Sheet

Official sources state that the identity sheet is a document issued by Haitian missions abroad (Haiti 2 Oct. 2017a; Haiti 21 Sept. 2017; Haiti 2 Oct. 2017b) to attest to the identity of Haitian nationals who have no other identity documents (Haiti 2 Oct. 2017a; Haiti 2 Oct. 2017b). During a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, a representative of the Embassy of Haiti in Washington stated that the identity sheet is a temporary document issued to Haitian nationals who are awaiting a [translation] "more formal" identity document, such as a passport (Haiti 2 Oct. 2017b). Similarly, in correspondence with the Research Directorate, a representative of the Embassy of Haiti in Ottawa stated that the identity sheet is issued when [translation] "conditions are met … for example, [when] a new migrant has [an] expired Haitian passport and [they] possess their Haitian birth certificate [and] [there] is an administrative urgency in Haiti or the host country" (Haiti 21 Sept. 2017). That same source explained that marriage, enrolment in an academic institution or a [translation] "specific request" by the authorities of the host country are examples of reasons "justifying" the issuance of the identity sheet to Haitian nationals (Haiti 21 Sept. 2017).

Sources state that the identity sheet cannot be used to travel (Haiti 2 Oct. 2017b; Haiti 3 Oct. 2017). According to the representative of the Embassy of Haiti in Washington, the identity sheet is a document that merely serves to [translation] "facilitate the task" of the incumbent while waiting to obtain a "more formal" document (Haiti 2 Oct. 2017b).

1.1 Format of the Identity Sheet

The representative of the Embassy of Haiti in Ottawa stated that the identity sheet contains the following information:

• First and last names;
• Date and place of birth;
• Height and weight;
• Eye and hair colour;
• Expiry date of document. (Haiti 21 Sept. 2017)

During a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, a representative of the Consulate of Haiti in Miami stated that the identity sheet issued by that consulate contains the following information:

• First and last names;
• Date and place of birth;
• Height and weight;
• Eye and hair colour;
• Father's and mother's names;
• Parents' nationality;
• Civil status;
• Profession;
• Address;
• Place of residence;
• Identifying marks (like a tattoo);
• Signature of the Consul or a Vice-Consul. (Haiti 2 Oct. 2017a)

The representative of the Embassy of Haiti in Washington stated that the identity sheet issued by the embassy contains the following information:

• First and last names;
• Date and place of birth;
• Father's and mother's names;
• Height and weight;
• Eye and hair colour;
• Signature of the person responsible for the consul section;
• Consular section stamp. (Haiti 2 Oct. 2017b)

That same source stated they were not familiar with the format of the identity sheet issued by the other Haitian missions in the United States (Haiti 2 Oct. 2017b).

In correspondence with the Research Directorate, the Consul at the Consulate of Haiti in Miami confirmed that the format of the sample identity sheet, attached to this Response, is [translation] "consistent with that used by the [Consulate of Haiti in Miami] to issue the identity sheet" (Haiti 3 Oct. 2017).

1.2 Procedure to Obtain the Identity Sheet

Sources state that the identity sheet must be requested at the diplomatic or consular mission of Haiti (Haiti 21 Sept. 2017; Haiti 2 Oct. 2017a) in person or by mail (Haiti 21 Sept. 2017). The representative of the Consulate of Haiti in Miami stated that, to her knowledge, the identity sheet is not issued by other consulates in the United States or elsewhere in the world (Haiti 2 Oct. 2017a). The representative of the Embassy of Haiti in Washington stated that the identity sheet is rarely issued by the embassy (Haiti 2 Oct. 2017b).

The representative of the Consulate of Haiti in Miami explained that, to obtain the identity sheet, the incumbent must appear in person at the consulate with their birth certificate and two identifying photos (Haiti 2 Oct. 2017a). According to that same source, a form must be completed and three witnesses must be present to sign and testify to the identity of the individual requesting the identity sheet (Haiti 2 Oct. 2017a). The witnesses must appear at the consulate with their passport in order to confirm their own identity (Haiti 2 Oct. 2017a). The cost associated with this procedure is US$45 and the identity sheet is issued that same day as the request is made (Haiti 2 Oct. 2017a).

2. Travel Sheet

Sources state that the identity sheet and the travel sheet are two distinct documents (Haiti 21 Sept. 2017; Haiti 2 Oct. 2017a). According to the representative of the Embassy of Haiti in Ottawa, the travel sheet [translation] "is also known under the name Identity and Travel Certificate" (Haiti 21 Sept. 2017). However, according to the representative of the Embassy of Haiti in Washington, the certificate of identity and the travel sheet are the same documents (Haiti 2 Oct. 2017b).

Sources state that the travel sheet is a travel document issued to Haitian nationals to travel in Haiti (Haiti 21 Sept. 2017; Haiti 2 Oct. 2017a). The representative of the Consulate of Haiti in Miami explained that the travel sheet could not be used to travel other than in Haiti (Haiti 2 Oct. 2017a). However, the representative of the Embassy of Haiti in Ottawa explained that the travel sheet could also be used for a single trip to an [translation] "American state" in addition to Haiti, while the incumbent waits to "be able to produce a formal passport for the return travel" (Haiti 21 Sept. 2017).

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

Haiti. 3 October 2017. Consulate in Miami. Correspondence from the Consul to the Research Directorate.

Haiti. 2 October 2017a. Consulate in Miami. Telephone interview with a representative.

Haiti. 2 October 2017b. Embassy in Washington. Telephone interview with a representative.

Haiti. 21 September 2017. Embassy in Ottawa. Correspondence from a representative to the Research Directorate.

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: ecoi.net; Kessing Reference Systems; United Nations - Refworld.

Attachment

Haiti. N.d. Consulate of Haiti in Miami. "Échantillon d'une feuille d'identité." Sent to the Research Directorate by a representative, 2 October 2017.