Iraq takes over refugee registration from UN agency

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Interior Ministry has begun taking over the registration of refugees and asylum seekers from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the ministry's Standing Commission for Refugee Affairs said. Under an expanded biometric registration system, the commission is issuing official identity cards to refugees and asylum seekers, which are recognized as legal identification documents and intended to reduce the risk of arbitrary detention and ease access to healthcare, education and other public services. Families book appointments through the UN agency's online platform and, after receiving a referral message, provide their biometric data at a unit within the Interior Ministry. Commission Secretary General Brigadier General Nazim Abdullah Ahmed said the process takes about 15 minutes using the UN's database tools. The joint registration process launched in April 2026, with responsibility set to shift gradually from the UN to the Iraqi government. The program is supported by donors including the European Union, Sweden, Germany, Denmark and Norway. Ethiopia and Rwanda have also integrated refugee registration into their national digital identity systems.