Back to Contents indefinitely; and are unable to complete civil registration procedures for important events such as birth, marriage, divorce and death. The only provider of essential services for this population is UNRWA, and access to specialised services, for example in healthcare or public examinations, are key challenges. (Source: UNICEF Lebanon, “The situation of children and young people in the Lebanese crisis”, March 2022, pp. 99-100) In June 2020 the Danish Immigration Service reported that: “Persons residing illegally in a country, such as some PRS in Lebanon and Jordan, would have problems with obtaining official birth or marriage certificates. This makes it difficult to update these events with UNRWA and therefore to have such updates reflected in the family registration card.” (Source: Danish Immigration Service, “Palestinian Refugees Access to registration and UNRWA services, documents, and entry to Jordan” June 2020, p. 21) In its series of country reports for 2021, the US Department of State wrote about Lebanon: “Since 2015, the DGS has issued several memoranda allowing refugees to renew their residency documents free of charge, and in 2017 a memorandum was issued granting unlimited free renewals on a six-month basis to PRS who entered Lebanon regularly before September 2016, with no financial penalty for delays. But this did not include anyone who entered Lebanon irregularly in the first place or received a departure order before September 2016. In September the DGS issued a statement also allowing those who entered legally but received a departure order before 2016 to regularize their residency status free of charge. Since 2017 the government has waived the condition of valid residency for birth and marriage registration for the PRS, expanding the application of a previous circular issued in 2017 applicable to Syrians. Since 2018 the Ministry of Interior has waived the costly court proceedings to obtain birth registration of PRS and Syrian refugee children older than one year who were born in Lebanon between 2011 and 2020. The proof of marriage requirement remained in effect during the year, and a valid residency permit of at least one of the parents was needed to obtain a marriage certificate. PRS turning 15 years old have been obliged either to obtain identity documents through Syria, risking getting an exit stamp on their identity documents and therefore no longer being able to maintain residency in Lebanon, or to obtain a passport through the Syrian embassy at a cost of at least 600,000 Lebanese pounds ($400), which is beyond the means of most. In September DGS issued a statement indicating that 15-year-olds may use their birth certificates as a substitute identity document until the age of 18. Residency and identity documents for those turning 18, however, remained a problem.” (Source: US Department of State (USDOS) “2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Lebanon”, Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties, March 2022, p. 25) A survey conducted by UNRWA on PRS in Lebanon indicated the challenges of obtaining or renewing residence permits and how their mobility and emotional well-being were affected as a result: “Since 2014, all PRS have faced difficulties in entering Lebanon and obtaining or renewing residence permits, whatever their IDs. The 2015 AUB (American University of Beirut) reported residence regulations were fluctuant and their implementation inconsistent. […] Those who entered illegally or entered after that date [16 September 2016] are not eligible for residence. Freedom of movement may be thwarted, and they may be issued a departure order by the GSO (General Security Office). […] Over one third of PRS respondents (33.7 per cent) reported that they did not carry valid resident permits with area of residence variations ranging from 43.7 per cent in the Beqaa area to 26.6 per cent in the Saida area.11 Possessing a valid residence permit facilitates mobility: 23.2 per cent of PRS carrying a valid residence permit reported mobility issues compared to 79.7 per cent of those who did not. [...] The survey indicates legal status vulnerability as expressed by references to “anxiety due to irregular residence” (25.7 per cent), “fear of deportation” (35.1 per cent) or of “detention” (13.1 per cent).” (Source: UNRWA, “Socio-economic Survey on Palestine Refugees from Syria Living in Lebanon”, 28 April 2021, pp. 17 & 19) 4. Legal and policy frameworks and their implementation 44