maintaining privacy and confidentiality as primary principles under any modification in operational arrangements. Digitalization and centralization of birth registration services. To avoid gatherings of applicants and staff, authorities are encouraged to implement systems allowing for online notification and registration of vital events. The pandemic offers an opportunity to improve infrastructure and uses of technology that will enhance accessibility to civil registration services even after the crisis. Extend timelines for registration of birth and put in place a fee waiver for late birth registration. Authorities are encouraged to put in place procedures for late birth registration and suspend penalties and fees. These provisions should continue for a period after COVID19 restrictions have been lifted in order for backlogs to be rapidly cleared. Additional evidentiary requirements in case of late birth registration should be avoided. Extend the validity of nationality and residency documentation for the duration of the suspension of services. Authorities are also encouraged to extend the validity of these documents for a reasonable period of time after registration services have restarted to allow persons to renew their documents before they become invalid. § § § § Good practices • • • • • In Armenia and Kazakhstan, the issuance of documentation for birth and death registration continues, while registration of other events is temporarily suspended. Applications to register other vital events can be submitted electronically and will be followed up on after the lifting of restrictions. In Iran, the deadlines for vital event notification such as birth and death events are temporarily relaxed. In Kyrgyzstan, fines for late birth registration are temporarily suspended. In Portugal, the validity of most official documents has been extended until at least 30 June 2020, including those related to asylum status and residence permits which were due to expire on or after 24 February 2020. In Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Haiti, the validity of civil documentation has also been extended. In Panama, the validity of birth notifications was extended and serves as proof of legal identity to enable access to public services. In Colombia, births can be registered through notaries as an exceptional measure. Suspension of statelessness determination procedures and court hearings Many States have temporarily suspended certain administrative procedures, which may include statelessness determination procedures. As a consequence, stateless persons will remain in limbo for an extended period of time without having access to the rights accorded to recognized stateless persons. Suspensions may also contribute to application backlogs. Court hearings concerning acquisition or confirmation of nationality matters may likewise be suspended in some cases. Recommendations § § Allow for the written or electronic submission of statelessness applications if these are not yet both allowed. Suspend or extend any deadlines for submitting applications for statelessness determination. UNHCR / May 2020 4