to the long shared border and strong tribal ties among the Baluch ethic group, mixed marriages is prevalent in the province and the number of children born to these marriages is significantly high comparing with other provinces; although there is no clear data . Officials reported in 2017 that at least 20,000 children in the Sistan and Baluchistan province registered for school using a special card for children without proof of citizenship. These are either children of mixed marriages or those who lack proof of citizenship. This figure does not include adults and children without these cards.25 26. In addition to the children of Iranian mothers and foreign national fathers, who might be at risk of statelessness, the province hosts a population without proof of citizenship who have been denied naturalisation for decades. The situation of those Baluch that lack a proof of citizenship is generally understudied. The 2018 OHCHR report on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, addresses the issue briefly. 26 The exact number of people without proof of citizenship is not clear, however the highest number estimatedly lives in the Sistan and Baluchistan province, according to the director of National Organization for Civil Registration in Sistan and Baluchistan Province. 27 Those who have applied for Iranian citizenship and opened a naturalisation request file are known as “parvande’i”. The process of citizenship verification and issuance of ID for those who have a father, brother, paternal grandfather or paternal uncle with Iranian ID is facilitated, sometimes involving a DNA test to prove the relationship. Others without any relationship proof as such have been waiting for decades to receive any update regarding their file. This population cannot easily access social assistance including welfare payments, health care and education, and they face challenges in obtaining access to utilities such as water, electricity and phone service.28 In 2013, the governor of Sistan and Baluchistan Province ordered an expedited process for cases, resulting in 7,959 cases being addressed by Feb 2017. More than 20,000 birth certificated were issued. However, a large number of cases remain unaddressed, mostly for Baluchi families that do not possess or cannot easily access the needed documentation to get birth certificates/notification. This is not only the case in Sistan and Baluchistan, but a problem which is also prevalent in other border provinces.29 25 23,000 undocumented children registered in schools in Sistan and Baluchistan province, 2017, Salamat news agency: www.salamatnews.com/news/228675/23. 26 Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2018, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IR/A_HRC_37_24_EN.docx [Accessed March 09, 2019]. 27 Seeking identity, 2016, IRNA: http://www.irna.ir/sb/fa/News/82431374/ [Accessed March 09, 2019]. 28 Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2018, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IR/A_HRC_37_24_EN.docx. 29 1110 persons are identified in Khorasan razavi Province who are either undocumented or lack proof of citizenship, 2016, IRNA:http://www.irna.ir/fa/News/82307827. 8